Starkeeper, when I said 24 that is just short for 2400. Same for 26 is 2600 and 7 for 7000. The way technics does things is somewhat different than other manufactures. Just as Yamaha does things different than others. The way each manufacture does things is called the OS (operating system). Just like you and me. If I was going to meet you somewhere at a certain time we would both get there but we probably would use different routes to get there. But get there we would. That’s the way keyboards work. As far as the different ways to get to the same place (OS, operating system) by a manufacture all have differences. For instance the VA keyboards (Rolland). They use a touch sensitive screen with hidden menus to get to the things you want to do. Some like the system and some don’t. It gets there but is frustrating to some. Another example is the SD card on technics. SD cards are for storage. Like a warehouse, different things can be stored in them. Also warehouses have different methods to find the things stored in them and all warehouses are only capable of storing certain things. Some more and some less. Floppy disks can only handle a limited number of things. A hard drive can store the same things as a floppy but much more of the same things. However usually only one hard drive to a keyboard is possible. And then hard drives have a limit relative to their size. Now as technology progresses we now have the SD card. A small postage stamp size card. No moving parts. Not subject to damage by moving or dropping. No wear problems. Kind of fool proof you might say. As with hard drives they can be bought with different storage capacities. Now comes the good stuff. You can purchase any number of these cards and carry a couple dozen of them in your shirt pocket. Now size has become of no concern. But, and I say BUT here comes the best part. Something floppies or hard drives can’t do. You can put voice on them also. You can put your CD’s on them, with singing, music, everything. Carry them ity-bity SD’s over to your buddies house in your shirt pocket, slip them into his KN and zippo, your in business. There are different reasons why people buy different types and or manufactures of keyboards. The same holds true with anything. There are those who will only buy a Chevy or a Ford product. Because of their bias they become very narrow in their thinking and miss a lot of what life has to offer. Trapped by their mind. Others buy because of their need. Such as a man with a lot of kids. A van is much more suitable. Keyboards? A singer who accompanies himself will more than likely choose an operating system different than a musician. Most important, choose a board for what you are going to do. I know many guys who only play their keyboards. Don’t know how to spell floppy disk, have never used the one that came with their board and would not know where to put it if they held one. They are perfectly happy. That’s the guy that don’t need a board with a lot of stuff on it. Then there are the ones that thrive on technology and buy it. I bought the one that is noted for it’s user friendly OS and that sounds the best to me and the customers I play for. Affordability? I bought the top of the line and am completely happy. If I didn’t have the bread I would certainly shoot for the 2600 with it’s SD card. If I was limited I’m sure I could be happy with the 2400. If I was a died in the wool Yamaha guy I would use the same reasoning. Another thing to take in consideration is the quality of the different forums. Look at the things being discussed on the general forum, the place where the Yamaha and other guys hang out. Listen to the music they play and exchange (very little). Nothing like the stuff on the technics site. Can’t come close to the quality of the arrangements, the sound, the musicianship of the people on this forum not to mention the quantity produced. Thanks to Bebop also for that. Don’t forget to look at the content of the things being discussed. Big difference.

Starkeeper, both the floppy and the SD card load into the composer. The difference is that the SD card loads in the twinkling of an eye while the floppy takes some seconds. A big advantage if speed is your consideration, playing out or if you have no patience. I don’t think a user style area = composer area. User style area is where you store styles. The composer area is where styles are loaded into. That is where you play them from, compose them, adjust them, twist them, turn them and do any other crazy thing you might conceive doing to them. You might say the custom area on the 6 or 7 thousand keyboard would = a user style area. The custom area is the place you store styles that are not native to the board. Ones that you load in from another source. The SD card in effect does the same thing except that there is an unlimited amount that can be stored and recalled in an instant. The low end (cheapest) of the KN’s, the 2400 stores them on a floppy disk. Old and slow technology but less money also. Once you get a handle on the way different things are done you will see everybody will arrive at the same place. The difference being mental attitude and the route (OS) you choose to take. I know some who do not like to take the super slab but prefer to take the city streets. Get there the way you are the most comfortable with, is the way I look at it. Me? I like what I have, I get there fast with quality and great sound to me and to my customers ears. Class, to say the least.

Let no dust settle under my feet, Grandpa Doug