Walter;

I read all these very interesting comments - that you stirred up with your notice of defection - and figured that I might as well add to the confusion.

First - good luck with your Yamaha. I'm sure that you will enjoy it and have fun with it - and thats what is important.

I've had about 6 or more Yamaha Keyboards, a Casio ( which I rented for 2 months before I bought my first keyboard)a Roland, two Technics keyboards ( I still have my Kn2000 - by far the best keyboard of all of them) and a Solton X1

The Yamaha frankly I found to have some excellent sounnds and nice rhythms - but was not a user friendly keyboard in working within the confines of the keyboard to create your own arrangements. I'm sure that you new Yamaha is peachy keen - but I'll bet that it still cant match the Kn7000 sequencer for simplicity and ability to create patterns.

The Technics approach is a joy to use to manipulate and create rhythms and sequences with. Maybe that is a feature that is not important to you. To me a keyboard that cant do it well is one that I will tire of in a few months.

I never get tired of my Technics Kn2000. It's a new keyboard - every time I create something new and interesting.

The Solton was unreliable and difficult to use - but the sounds were beautiful. After two years - I found it a more loving home.

Out of this conglomeration of technology the only keyboard I kept was my Technics Kn2000 - because it is reliable - simple to use - relatively light weight - and when you know what sounds it excels in and how to use them - it delivers music that is awesome.

You must appreciate that when you play dance music to 500 people in a theater setting there is no AB check to see which keyboard has more tweets - or more woofs - There is only one on the stage - that's you with whatever you've got. All that they ask is that the music be pleasing - not harsh - and danceable. It got to have " the beat."

You'll know that when you see if people keep sitting when you play - or if most of them get up to dance.

I have 1500 disks created in my KN2000 (no computer) that are compatible with the Kn6500 and Kn7000.

Possibly the disks can be tweaked to improve the sounds to take advantage of the advances in technology in the Kn7000 - but as they are - they are awesome! I judge that by the numbers who get up to dance test - as I mentioned earlier.

Most of them are a combination of General Midi and Technics format - meaning that they have two drum rhythms in perfect syncronization - Yes thats right they are a cross between General Midi and Technics format - and you cant do that in any other keyboard that I know of. Only Technics.

I dont think that even the factory knows about it - although I wrote to them and there were four articles published in Technics magazine in England that I wrote - describing it in detail.

You have to hear two drum beats going at the same time - it's as close as you can get to a live drummer with any keyboard.

The main problem I see with all the new keyboards - is that to promote all the new electronic features - the keyboards have become heavier and heavier - requiring body building exercises in addition to knowing which keys to press to play three blind mice.

So I have the advantage of a relatively light weight keyboard with my Kn2000 that does the job extremely well.

Now I'm about to take the plunge and buy a Kn7000. I heard one and I like it. It's got great sounds - and its PERFECTLY compatible with the 1000 or so styles from all previous technics keyboards that I have - and my 1500 song sequences - the styles of the Yamaha Keyboards - and most other manufacturers, that are freely available.

However - I'll still keep my Kn2000. To me - after 10 years - it is still the gold standard by which I judge all other keyboards.

The big thing is that I dont have to start all over with a totally brand new learning curve - necessary for a different operating system - and all my floppy disks are useable.

I hope that I've made a contribution to the discussion.

Best regards.

Jerry

PS who knows - after reading this - you may miss your Kn7000?