Nimrod: Similar to computers, arranger keyboard technology is constantly evolving. My advice is to determine your specific keyboard needs (playing style, genre, studio production vs. live performance), and purchase what you think will keep you happy for 2 or 3 years. If you don't have a keyboard now and something to play on TODAY, base your decision on what's currently available. If you can wait, see what the KN7000 has to offer and compare it to the competition then. My sources tell me Summer 02, but who really knows?! Technics has a history of keeping us all guessing up until the actual release date.

I checked out the GEM Genesis at NAMM. See pictures of it at my website: http://scottyee.com
click on the 'pictures' link.

I think the GEM Genisis offers many features (perhaps too many?) as it includes digital audio recording capabilities (CD burner) as well as playing MP3,WAV, CDs, karoake files & displaying lyrics (karoake style entertainment). The weight is over 50 lbs (imho, too heavy for gigging) and the digital audio recording capability is limited (one stereo track), not really enough (imho)to do serious recording work. I'm wondering if the Genesis 'all in one arranger workstation' approach is trying too hard to be too many things to too many people. Still, if you want just ONE piece of music equipment in your studio, and you don't plan to take it out (much), then its something to seriously consider, as I felt the sounds and styles quite impressive.

The BIG stand out to me about Tehcnics KN keyboards (in addition to it's excellent sounds & great selection of jazz/swing/latin, big band, and orchestral styles) is its excellent 'pianist mode' chord recognition capabilities. I've played all different brand arrangers out there and NONE of them allow you to play in full keyboard mode (as a pianist does) as well as the KN keyboards do. This ONE issue alone will KEEP me a Technics KN fan. Only the Technics arrangers allow you to play in full keyboard mode, rootless Bill Evans jazz style chord voicings in the left hand and solo with your right hand, continueing to properly interprete the chord changes (b9, #11, 13 etc) . The KN keyboards also recognize two handed rootless 4th voicing chords which are popular when comping blues & jazz tunes. The GEM Genesis does NOT support (in any mode, split or full keyboard) any of the jazz (rootless) chords I described The Yamaha PSR2000 at least support these in split mode.

As a loyal Technics devotee and KN5000 owner, here's what I did. I did not go with the KN6500 because as a pro player, I would need the optional hard drive, which I think is overpriced, and then would need the TechManager software to boot. Even more $ To top that off, Keysoft Service decided to stay with the slow parallel port data transfer system which makes hard drive backup very SLOW. I decided to purchase an interim keyboard until the KN7000 comes out. I have found the Yamaha PSR2000 the perfect lightweight keyboard for gigging because it has superior sound (some of the sounds are equal to or better than the KN6500's imho) and great style fills (4). My only real complaint about the PSR2000 is that is doesn't have a hard drive and that its chord recognition (in full keyboard mode) does not even come close to TEchnics. In light of this though, styles on floppy disk load in less than 2 seconds, at least as fast as styles loaded from hard disk on my KN5000. The bottom line is that the PSR2000 only costs $1,000 US dollars so I will still have plenty of cash to possibly purchase the KN7000 when it arrives too. To keep costs down for us the consumer, I hope Technics will include a hard drive (they are actually very cheap) with the KN7000 and bypass the high cost 3rd party hard drive & related software approach. Does anyone here have any inside information about how Technics may be handling the hard drive or possible CDR-W in the future?

Nimrod: Good luck. I'm sure you will make the best choice for 'your' needs.

- Scott http://scottyee.com