Hi all,

Found this somewhere. Even if the author should choose to fry me for doing so, I want to post over here. So here goes...




...and owned an Audya for nearly two years, playing it on the job nearly every night.

Yes, you are right about the lack of service available, BUT, I can think of very little else that Yamaha has that is as good as anything on the Audya, including sounds. One exception is that Yamaha has better factory OTS settings. You need to mostly do your own on Ketron. Audya does not have multipads, but similar settings are easily assignable to a system that uses assignable keys. In other words, you can pick a note and assign to it anything that is in a multipad, plus much more, including wav and/or midi playback.

The vocal processing is wonderful, the harmonizer is as good as anything I've heard, including dedicated third party models. The lead sounds are authentic instrument sounds. Yes, there is not as much processing done in the presets, but it is there if you want it. The key bed is WAY better than Yamaha. And, I've never heard of having to replace a strip under the keys on a Ketron. they are made of metal and built like a tank.

The drums and bass are like having live players in your band on stage with you. They make variations, if you want them to, in keeping with either key pressure or complexity of right-hand notes played.

There are LOTS of audio drums used in the styles, and have been for many years. (The PSR950 is the first Yamaha to have this, and only on 25 styles.) Also Audya has audio guitars in many styles. (Thus the name). You can use either the audio version or the midi version if you choose to do so, using the onboard style editor. You can do it in real time, while you are playing if you wish.

There are multiple fully assignable switches. There are dedicated hard sliders for each style part, without going into menus.

Audya has your choice of 76-note, 61-note and module configurations.

There are many more breaks and fills than even the Tyros line. In fact there is a choice of 4 break/fills for each style variation, not including the individual fills for pattern variations. You can assign the fills to key pressure if you wish, and you can assign vocal harmony variations to style variations if you wish. For example, maybe a single third above on var. 1, two voices on var. 2, a chorus on var. 3 and a special comedy sound on var. 4.

There are economical, light-weight 7 and 13 switch pedal controllers available. There are multiple assignable outputs in addition to the main outs. Some are splittable, giving the capability of 8 separate out puts for studio work.

The registration system (actually two systems) is far advanced from the Yamaha, and new registrations can be saved with a single button touch (not four separate save processes as necessary on Yamaha).

The start-up file saves EVERYTHING you want it to, including all vocal processing and harmonizer settings, all user preferences, etc.

It plays wav, MP3, and midi files of course, and they can be integrated as you wish with the styles. It has banks of audio loops and samples, also easily integrated with the styles.

Instead of requiring you buy a new model every year or so, they offer many free upgrades and many free additional styles.

These are only a few examples that come to mind of the cutting-edge technology that Audya offers.

Bad news is that Ketron is a small, independent Italian company that lacks sophistication in communications, marketing and customer service. They close totally for two months out of the year and during that time don't even answer the phone or emails.

The US distributors are nice guys, but keyboards are not the mainstay of their business, rather more of a sideline. The US marketing system, and service system, is pretty much non-existent. I DO have AJ's cell number and he calls me back. But there is way too much for one guy to handle, in addition to his other personal projects and interests. Even though he is THE Ketron guy, it is not a full-time position, as far as I can tell!...

That's his opinion and he is well known and respected.




My friend, I hope you can forgive me for taking the liberty to post your stuff here. However, the Audya needs true exposure after all the negative hype and I intend to see to that.

Everywhere I send those poor quality demos of mine, I get "WOOOOooooooooowwwwwww"!!! without exception. When my friend heard it, he wanted his Audya back....Ha ha ha, joke of the year. As if I'll let go!!!


Keep well all my friends,

Henni