My only reservations about audio loops in styles comes about BECAUSE of their strengths... not because of their weaknesses.

There is no doubt that the realism of most of the audio styles is head and shoulders above most of our CURRENT MIDI arrangers. But that is precisely the problem! If you can't get audio styles in genres that you want to use, you are back to using MIDI styles. And a poorer comparison. Again, all I can say is, if the MIDI styles in the Ketron (and the rest of our MIDI arrangers) aren't noticeably inferior, what's the POINT of the feature? And if they ARE, then style production and editing IS a problem. I have always said... if your needs are COMPLETELY covered by what the Ketron comes with (or covered by the AJ additions), you are good to go.

But, in all fairness, how many of us buy an arranger, and ONLY use the styles it came with? Not many, I would hazard a guess. And here is where audio arrangers have a distinct weakness. Your vast collection of older styles you have used for years, your growing library of style converted from other arranger's styles, your collection of favorite user created styles... NONE of these are going to compare as well to the audio styles.

But... if arranger manufacturers concentrate on using new technology (SSD's, fast RAM etc.) to simply give us MIDI drum kits, and guitar samples, better amp simulators (for realistic overdrive guitar parts) and accurate guitar modes, then all your OLD styles and SMF's get the same boost in realism that the NEW styles get.

This is the main objection to the Ketron (and new Yamaha) systems. It's not that they don't work. It's not that they don't sound great (however, I'm sorry, but mixing and matching audio and MIDI for guitar parts still makes no sense - if you can't tell the difference, why use it? and if you can, then there is work to be done). It's that they are not supported to the degree that MIDI arrangers are with regard to new styles, new genres, and legacy styles.