It depends on exactly how the arranger keyboard is going to be used. For basic sit and play, player skills, musicality and knowledge make a huge difference, but most players obviously strive for the best sounding arranger for their needs and means.

If you look deeper into one's requirements beyond the sit and play scenario for home or extra needs playing live at gigs, the arranger capabilities and sound quality become really important.

For those who want to arrange, edit, compose, create, record or lastly perform, the arranger keyboard becomes just as important to playing skills or even more important. Some arranger users perhaps don't play, but have enough musical theory or natural instinct to still create styles, midi songs, or maybe use sampling and sounds to create recordings or just have fun.

Considering what my current TOTL arranger can accomplish (arranging a full orchestral type score )and the results achieved while playing and syncing arrangements, I have to say the keyboard almost becomes more important. Especially all the features, tools, sound quality and the inspiration to maximize the arrangers or even the player's ability.

Marcus