I really haven't got a clue why anyone would get excited about yet another Ketron fallacy. True they nailed the live drums but already in their solton period 20 years ago their midi drums sounded far superior to other brands, don't ask me how. Their mussette and blowsax was already priceless on the old Solton MS models and I have the recordings to show for it !!
the SD1 and later the SD5 were good but nothing special apart from the items already mentioned and service and repairs, at least here in Holland and Belgium was abominable to say the least and as far as I know has not gotten any better. Ketron Italy should never ever have approved of that in the first place.
Last year I had the SD7 at home for a trial run. Not a bad machine as Deane and (few) others might testify, but nothing to get your knickers into a twist. I tend to read a few foreign forums and to the best of my knowledge only in Italy the SD7 has got some following. Again reliability , service are debatable. As Bachus mentioned somewhere here in Holland, one of the bakermaths of the modern day arranger keyboard, there are 2 (TWO ) dealers that actually sell Ketron products, whereas you can purchase a Korg, Roland or Yamaha on virtually every streetcorner so to speak. Why is that you think ?
I read that sales of the SD7 are very disappointing. I am not surprised. Why fork out over 2600 euros if you can get a decent secondhand Tyros 4 for 2000 euros or a brand new PA4X ( bugs included) for approx. 3400 euros ?
Mark my words the SD40 ( at approx. 2000 euros) won't sell for twopence either and the SD9pro ? Well if you hang around a few more years it may be their new flagship, at a price no doubt.Come on guys get real and let them sort out their own stuff overthere and in the meantime let's enjoy all the good equipment there is. The new Casio, though not overall convincing on sounds might be a terrific ADD-ON to any set-up at a good price and no doubt with good service and realiability.
What really had me in stitches was reading on the Italian forum that one guy ( for whom I have the greatest respect by the way) had his SD7 on sale,the same SD7 he thought was the best keyboard there had ever been. When asked by his fellow musicians and forum members why on God's earth he was selling it he answered that he had set his eyes on the new SD9pro and was vacating the lot. Oh well, it takes all kinds to make the merry go round !

regards
John