Bill,

I paid barely more for my arranger than what the original Tyros sold for at the time. As for OOTB... no arranger for me is great OOTB. In fact no keyboard for me is great OOTB. If it were my intention to have limited editing, minimal synthesis, lack of real time controls, and lack of expandability, then I'd just rush out and buy any XYZ keyboard and be done with it. I actually use my instruments to their potential which is why settling for average doesn't work.

You and I both know that our arranger platform running VST's in conjunction with the factory sounds and real time controls is worlds apart from a T5. Unfortunately many people are creatures of habit and become brand loyal even if it's not the best there is to offer. I've never been brand loyal and always chose the tool that offered me the most power to do what I needed with it. I'll admit, I'm not your average arranger guy and neither are you. We actually delve deep into the architecture of what our arranger can do and push the envelope. .

Yamaha's most successful products weren't because they were the best there was to offer, quite the contrary. They sold well because the average user rarely edits a patch to do what they want or need. Offer them a mediocre option that will work and they'll swallow that pill with ease.