They've been talking about a release date of over a year. Oh well, I'll just wait for the T3.

I did get a price it will sell for here in the USA from Ketron in the USA. The MAP price will be $5,500.00. Still no word as to when yet. The decline of the US dollar has made this new entry quite a bit higher than I expected it to be. This is what is happening with all products coming in from Countries supporting Euros. Our exchange rate is terrible these days.



------------------
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

Thanks George for the Price....although I dont know how many would go for it but at least now we're closer to ever seeing it in stores?

Not sooooo fast... They have to demo it one more time at Musikmesse first. Or is that twice more before it ships??

PS: I really feel for Ketron Italy. Really I do. It appears they're up against a wall with the Audya and it's quite apparent that they are having a tough time resolving the problem(s) with it. Most likely it's software related and has to do with new Audio loop feature for the accompaniment section. Maybe they had to start from scratch after nearly completing it two years ago?? The overly long delay of the Audya is completely baffling to me, except that possibly they had to do a "major" overhaul somewhere along the line. And that could have been AFTER the last Musikmesse back in February because after viewing the demos of the Audya at Musikmesse it looked to me like it was basically ready to ship to market back then. Five more months of 'fine tuning'?? and still NO 'final' word on when it will ship?? Very odd if you ask me. OTOH, when it eventually does ship maybe Ketron will surprise everybody and it will truly be a work of art and something truly revolutionary. I just hope we don't have to wait until 2010 or 2011 before that happens. Stranger things have happened though I suppose. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Best,
Mike

[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 07-09-2008).]

Mike good or not the price tag will determine sales.....even if customers want it after its release cost will rule the sales for many unless they also make a Mid-level stripped down Audya also eg:
Tyros2/S900 etc etc ....

The Audya should have been introduced in Germany over the summer. But the demo tour was apparently cancelled in the last minute - not very promising. Read more here:

Session Musik

Kind regards,
Tommy

I'd run the text throug a website-translator, and this is the result:

Important note to the planned AUDYA presentation on Saturday, 12.Juli 2008:
Very honoured customers and friends of the house SESSION MUSIC,
those for coming Saturday, 12. July, planned conception of the new KETRON key board
AUDYA by product specialists of the companies Ketron/Italy was called off at short notice for personal
reasons. The presentation unfortunately cannot take place therefore - a new date becomes
time-fairly publishes.
We regret this much and apologize with all Ketron friends and prospective customers,
who took their attendance into account already firmly with SESSION.

SESSION MUSIC does not carry any responsibility for the refusal - we thank you rather
for excellent planning and PR-work in the apron.

Yours sincerely....

--------------------------------
GJ

I can easily see your having to get a 2nd mortgage to buy an Audya by the time it's released. George already mentioned the crisis in the exchange rate. It's probably only going to get worse unless by some miracle we're saved from further devaluation of the dollar by the Incredible Hulk or Diki decides to run for President this year.

Lucky

Not even the Incredible Hulk can save this country from the consequences of it's actions over the last eight years, my friends...

The credit cards on the War are coming due soon, we owe our first born to the Chinese, and Italian (and by extension, nearly ALL) arrangers are going up in price. Welcome to the recession (for all but the super-rich).

Thanks, George W. You've done a grand job... But if you are looking for a cartoon figure to carry on the good work, might I suggest Mr. Magoo?

Shall we wait for next year........... This is almost a bad joke....

I'd vote for Diki for President.....just not of THIS country.



chas

In fact, with Diki's finger on the 'red button', I'll bet Japan/Roland would waste no time bringing that chord sequencer back.

chas

No-one wants me as President! You think Simon Cowell is tough?

First thing I'd do is criminalize karaoke...

Its been a while, and I could not for some reason log in as my previous log on of Robkeith, so here I am again, and it sounds a bit like the Audya doesn't it. 2 things, I would venture to guess that they will release at approx the same time as the Tyros3, and the new major upgrade to the PA2X. As with the korg, (who I predicted would release a major upgrade at the same time that Tyros 3 is released) I believe, that Ketron will want to achieve the same level of discernment between keyboards, to get the best bang possible, so dont rush to buy anything until all cards are on the table, even you Tyros lovers. And finally, be prepared for a surprise on the final price of the Audya, another prediction!! It only works if its affordable, and Ketron would commit suicide with a board that no one could afford. So there's not long till mid Setember!!!!

You mean like Wersi and Lionstracs...?

Or maybe it's just suicide to put out an arranger that no-one can find to try (like Roland, Wersi, Lionstracs, Ketron, Korg. Boehm, etc., etc.)

That's one thing we agree on.

Bill

Hey Diki,

I could be wrong, but the Audya looks like its designed to capture a larger market than the Lionstracs and Wersi. Also its on the italy webpage as a leader item, If I was Ketron I would be looking towards major financing on this one, if the technology is right, and it sounds as good as it looks, with a much larger base to sell from, they just may scoop the pool. Why i said it would be suicide, if its priced to high, and you have a small distributor network the cost of tooling will be way too high. Car manufacturers will tell you that it costs as much to make one car, as it would to do 1000, in otherwords the tooling and development process is geared towards bulk outcomes of economy of scale. Thats why I believe the Audya will want to compete price wise with the major two, ie Korg/Yamaha. And I want them to do it!! its the only way to keep the big players honest. Lets be honest if this board is around $6k Australian, and it works, its a big seller as long as I can get one "thats thier problem to solve"! And I hope they do it!!!

Is Ketron going out of business....I havent heard anything lately about them?

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 08-01-2008).]

Synth Planet price in U.S. dollars:

List Price: USD 7771.43
Our Price: USD 4174.74

Best,
Mike

PS: Will the rising prices on high-end arranger products never cease? >> Computer technology product prices have taken a nose dive over the course of the last 10 years. Just the opposite, it seems, with high end arranger products.


[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 08-01-2008).]

Because everybody and their uncle buys computers, and next to no-one buys high end arrangers.... Economy of scale, pure and simple. Arranger players, in the US at least, are a diminishing market, as manufacturers refuse to add features and sounds and styles usable by younger players, and us older users keep dying off

Computer users are a growing market, with no end in sight.

You might remember, this is what happened to the organ market, which gradually went upscale as it's main users got older and fewer, until it, for all practical purposes, completely disappeared when it got to the point that no-one but the wealthy dilettantes could actually afford one.

The lesson here is, the arranger HAS to evolve, and involve younger players, or it will go the way of the Elka and the Lowery, IMO...

BTW, Synth Planet can publish any damn figure they want to at this point. The Audya is not shipping, and they are under no obligation to honor that price. Personally, I'd be VERY cautious about anybody with a nearly 45% discount on a brand new item!

$1400 below MAP (not list price, but the lowest they can advertise) sounds like a scam, IMO. Call them up and ask if they will honor that price if you pre-order now, with ZERO wiggle room. Then stand back and watch as they squirm!

For $4100 bucks, they can keep it. I don't care if it cleans my house also. It too bad that there taking a step in the wrong direction. They were almost close with the XD9 at $1800, which should have been $1000-$1300. The local guitar center & Samash are always empty because of peoples finanical situations and you would think that they would make keyboards at an affordable price point. I sure they'll sell a few.......

They do... they are called USED

And as rapidly as some of our members go through new arrangers, you can be sure they are in virtually pristine condition (I bet some of the manuals haven't even come out of the plastic!). A PSR3000 is still an excellent arranger. Used PA80's, G1000's, G600's T1's, etc., can be had for a song. And if you can't make great music on one of these, you can't make great music on a T3 either

I think you missed my point, This was strictly about ketron, Not a used korg or roland, etc.... Yamaha has done a wonderful job in the last few years with price points on certain models, like the psr3000 vs T1 & S900 vs T2, etc.... You got a chunk of the big boys in a mid point price, that has really taken off for yamaha. Ketron had that shot with the XD9 and they missed the boat. The XD9 was a good keyboard and by the time you have a hard drive, vocal etc..you were over $2500. Ketron audya at 4000 does not have marketing like yamaha where they can push a volume of keyboards out the door. Don't get me wrong I like Ketron very much.....but it has been a disappointment in the past couple of years.

I was hoping Ketron would give the big boys some competition as well. I even boasted a while back that people would be seeing a lot more of Ketron products on store shelves and their company logo would become more recognized to people in the U.S. in the near future. Boy was I wrong! Ketron who??

3,899.00 EUR = 6,066.54 USD!!! That price in euros includes the VAT and shipping so ending up with a U.S. price you would deduct about $680 of it to minus the VAT (Value Added Tax) = "who's value, surely not the customer's?? ) and shipping within Britain shouldn't be more than a couple hundred I would think, so a comparable U.S. price is around $5,000 for the Audya at your local retail establishment - if you can even find one. And that is NOT the List price that is the selling price!! Ketron is the new Korg... As in OASYS.

Best,
Mike

Notice it says the Audya "is suppose to be" in stock by 01-09.. That's a HUGE! 'SUPPOSE TO' I might add.

It looks like Ketron won't make it's "ship by end of summer 08" projection I reckon.. Who would've guessed, right?

I'm sorry for laying it on sooooo thick Ketron but telling jokes about you guys is one way to pass the time while we wait for the Audya's release. Besides, if we keep laughing that will hopefully keep us from crying while we wait.

Best,
Mike

BTW, I sold my Tyros so I am open to getting another totl arranger sometime down the road. Although it might be a loonnnggggg dusty path I have to trod before I could lay my hands on an Audya though. Whatever it is - it's gotta have 76 keys attached to it. That is a "must" for me..

I heard Roland is suppose to release the G70 successor at winter NAMM 2009. Which is 5 months away but I'm in no hurry. Maybe the Audya will be released by then too hopefully. I know, I know.. don't count on it, right?

Best,
Mike

[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 08-02-2008).]

Ketron is a small European manufacture, so it will probably be a few months after the European launch before it makes it to the US. (Don’t forget to factor this in if you live in the US)

Bill