I think it wasn’t so much a Ketron bashing thing (I really wish people wouldn’t get their hackles up so much at reviews that point out potential issues!) but more a reality check…

When a new arranger comes out, of course the manufacturer or dealer always presents the absolute best aspects of it front and center, and leaves whatever weaknesses it may have for the buyer (if they like the good stuff enough to buy it sight unseen, as that is all you can do with some of the high end stuff) to discover for themselves.

I think anyone who points out the weaknesses is doing that potential ‘blind buyer’ a great service. Let’s be honest… arranger buyers on the whole tend to be far less technically biased than say synth workstation buyers. They don’t usually read the manual carefully in advance of the purchase (heck, half of them don’t read it after they buy it!) and the only thing they know is what the dealers show them.

For a purchase the size of a used car!

So, some of the less impressive things about a new model REALLY need exposing, so a buyer can make a more informed decision. IMHO it’s not ‘bashing’, it’s just a realty check. I’ve done it myself. The Event is a technical wonder BUT… unless a style has had ALL possible chord types recorded in audio for the audio part of the style, there’s going to be some more or less detectable changes in sounds as it switches from the audio guitars or bass to MIDI substitute phrases for chords they didn’t record.

Some styles come with a lot of audio types recorded, some don’t. AFAIK, there’s no chart out that says which styles have which chord types in audio recorded, and as of yet, as it’s only the dealer doing demos, I haven’t heard a demo where the audio/MIDI substitute thing gets exposed much.

Now, in my mind, I’m not ‘bashing’ the Ketron, I’m just trying to make potential users aware of a potential (and quite important) issue before they pony up a VERY large chunk of change and find the problem when it’s too late. Restocking fees are up to the individual dealers I think, and with a purchase this big, even if the flaw is discovered straight away, may cost the buyer several hundreds of dollars to return the purchase depending on dealer and your country’s regulations.

So, don’t call it bashing. Call it someone trying to save you a ton of money!