Again, it's all well and good to have the accessibility to the sound engine, but, also again, very few people need or want that much editing.

Most arranger players, including the pros, are more than happy with basic tone editing and a simple ADSR...they might want to change a sound a tad, but since TOTL arrangers already come with superb sounds, out of the box, it becomes less necessary...remember, I'm talking arrangers here, not synth-workstations .

DNC is very nice, but it is far from sounding as good as SA1, or SA2...of course, these are my preferences (and why I use a Yamaha) you are a Korg user and are happy with the Korg sound so you choose (and promote) that sound...it's has very nice characteristics, but I can't say I'd want to hear it coming out of my speakers.

I'm more likely to lean toward Roland for alternate/complimentary sounds to my Yamaha...even though the former do not have DNC technology, they are warm and interesting.

James, you are a sound developer...extensive editing appeals to you...most workstation/arranger players use factory sounds, or buy patches....they might tweak a sound here and there.

The DX-7 was popular not for it's nightmarish interface, but for it's sound(s), and you could buy all you wanted...in fact, there were DX patch clubs that sprang up all around the place to cater to users.

I used to deal directly with a guy named Bo Tomlyn, from the USA to get patches for my Yamaha DX-5, and also for my clients.

I was too busy gigging and recording to spend time learning how to program the DX-5...I'm sure, many synth players today, feel much the same way.

Of course, that's a good thing for sound programmers like yourself.

Roland needs something to give them an edge again...like they had back in the day of the E-series...methinks they haven't got the resources right now to develop something like DNC and/or SA (and Mega).

A shame, because, I'd hate to see them out of the picture...as you know, competition is good for us all, and when/if Yamaha absorb or buy out Korg , that will leave us with very few choices.

BTW...watch out for Casio...you heard it here first.

[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 11-01-2009).]