Since my involvement with Lionstracs MediaStation, I have noticed that MS owners share one common attribute description...they are a friendly , helpful group, that sets their priority in helping other MS owners..

Starting with the head..Domenik, one of the most technically minded individuals I know.. ...with patience to boot..

All of the MS owners I have conversed with are some of the best folks I know....They are willing to share...both with excitement, and in some cases disappointment...but always to the extent to help work through a problem to a successful result..

The number of my MS contacts may be small (seven owners)....but they are a class group..

Fran,I see you share what i have found out with all owners with any keyboard related issues.Yamaha helpers/supporters are the shizzle!

If a little reticent about sharing their music...

Originally posted by Fran Carango:

"and in some cases disappointment..."

You mean like "not all it was hyped up to be" perhaps? Let's face it Fran we ALL know the MS is NOT an arranger really, rather it's a Workstation first with 'some' arranger type features. Whatever floats your boat though. The nice thing about the MS is it is open source and can be upgraded with new hardware parts without the necessity of buying a whole "new" MS keyboard down the road. Or so the theory goes anyway.. I wonder what Dom is charging for those upgraded parts though? If the part(s) cost in the neighborhood of the keyboard itself it may be better to just fork over the dough for a new MS. That way, you would be getting a new 'bumper to bumper' factory warranty on the new keyboard itself, instead of e.g. "90 days" on the replaced part(s).

I'm really surprised also that the Italian labor and business enforcement laws haven't shut Dom down cold seeing how he is cloning other manufacturers intellectual property i.e. factory Styles, copyrighted software, etc. and anything else he can gets his hands on too apparently. Although if my statements are somehow incorrect then I apoligize profusely to him and to his 'legitimate' endeavor. You're welcome to reply in defense of yourself if you'd like Domenick. Since you up and bailed the SZ a while back you may not even read this thread and I understand if you'd rather remain silent too, even if you do read this.

I'm glad you "7" guys and/or gals are helping each other out and familiarizing yourselves with your new keyboards. I think it's great that you have a nice tight little group devoted to helping each other with those occasional "disappointments" as you say Fran.

I know that if the Lionstracs Mediastation was a "proven" (full blown) Arranger that was excellent in the Style department (which it is NOT as we know of course) and the actual ROM based samples were in the league with today's totl workstations such as... well, you know which ones I'm talking about, right? I would certainly entertain the idea of purchasing one if that were the case.

I also like the fact that you can play "on-board" VSTi's with the MS which is an accomplishment in itself and Dom should be commended for his forward thinking technology wise. The only other keyboard that I'm aware of that can do that currently is the Openlabs keyboard products and the Wersi's. If the Openlab and Wersi's didn't cost an arm and a leg and if the Wersi was actually portable you never know, I could possibly relent and get one of those too. As it stands now they're either too expensive or too heavy or both..

OOTB and raring to go would have been nice with the MS but they say "patience is a virtue" right Fran? I'm glad you're learning your way through the roadblocks and disappointments to hopefully being able to eventually play it 'seamlessly' Live on stage - with no hiccups along the way to deter your live gigging performance(s). Or is that even possible with the MS Fran? [img]http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/confused.gif[/img] Is the MS relegated mainly to just the Studio for the most part?? [img]http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/confused.gif[/img] Or is it actually Live use friendly and that fact simply escaped my extensive research on the MS? [img]http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/biggrin.gif[/img]

All the best,
Mike

Mike where do I begin..

Disappointment is not what you are thinking...99 percent of the disappointment factor is human error...and yes the group helps out with disappointment issues..

Second, don't betcha bippy that the "new MS" doesn't function as an arranger..It does, and does so "OOTB"....The association of Norbert (Live Styler} and Dom (MS)...have developed an "OOTB" arranger for the lazier folks (I included}..that reads Yamaha styles..

One other thing should be corrected...Dom is not supplying any unauthorised styles or programs...The Yamaha styles are abundant anywhere...so no need for MS to supply them...but if you need them I will share with you..

Cost of upgraded hardware in my case was reasonable, and although I ordered directly from Dom...the cost was the same as I could buy in the USA...but the fact that Dom assembled the all new case and hardware , made it an easy choice for me....I just used the keybed and the top panel from the old MS..

Hope this shed's some light on the topics you brought up...and yes I am still here to answer anything I can..even if Dom spends his weekends on the beach...

Hey, let's not forget the good people over on Korg Forums either. There's another class bunch for you.

Fran... do you mind letting us know how much this 'upgrade' cost?

This was a cost price, Dom did not make any money on the transaction...

He also assembled and preloaded the OS on the HD..


I went from a not working (bad power supply) original MS with old chip ..to the NEW MSX76 expanded , with the mic board option....



[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 03-31-2009).]

AM2 dual core +5200 processor, 4 gig ram, Mainboard k10N78-1394, Mic board,ATX power supply, card reader, DVD burner, 250g Sata2 HD,MS mixer board,MS audio power supply, and the lower case of the MSX76..

What was the grand total after replacing the parts Fran? What are we talking about, like maybe $4,000 out the door i.e. with tax included? If $4,000 is roughly in the ballpark that's not too shabby really. Considering you'd pay about $1,500 more for the less featured packed Audya.

Dom, I'm sorry for questioning your integrity. I really thought some of the software inside the MS was of "questionable" origin. Since that is indeed NOT the case please forgive me for my errant, although sincere assumption okay? Friends? Thanks..

I'm glad you're enjoying the MS Fran. If you say a product is on the up and up and worth it's salt I tend to gravitate toward your conclusions. In other words, I put a lot of worth in what you say bro.

I did want to point out that 250GB for a hard drive is kinda miserly in my opinion. Seeing how you can get a 1TB drive for under a $100 Dom should be a little more generous in his Hard Drive offerings if you ask me. Charge a few bucks more for the MS but give owners a bigger plate to put the food on.

Another thing.. Is the HD 7,200RPM?? I can't imagine it being a 5,400RPM or, God forbid, a 4,200RPM drive. I would also like the option to put in a 10,000RPM drive if that's feasible. But Dom should be offering at least 7,200RPM drives from the factory. Hopefully that's the standard on the MS.

All the best,
Mike

PS: Domenek needs to get over his temper tantrum and come back and join the living. >> Even though we have a tendency to fuss and muss and rumple a few feathers here and there, what better bunch of guys can you find on the Net than us dare I say? I realize I'm a little prejudiced of course, but only because there's a ring of truth in that sentiment and I've got others to back me up besides.

$1000 to 'upgrade' your MS (at cost, no less... Dom does this for EVERYONE? )

So much for the 'open' arranger/WS being future-proof. Most of us can go from one arranger model to the next without that big a monetary hit, sometimes two models!

Wasn't the whole POINT that you merely keep getting free software upgrades to get a better arranger, not have to pony up 70% of the cost of a new S900 just to be able to run the newer software..? As fast as computer technology changes, it is unreasonable to assume that the hardware won't need revamping every few years, just to run the latest software (either OS or VSTi's, with their ever escalating hardware needs).

So much for the 'last arranger you'll ever need'... Maybe it should be 'the last arranger CASE you'll ever need'

$1000 after only two years (correct?)... and that is with the parts and labor at COST. What does this actually cost to a non-dealer customer?! Add the bench fees for a qualified repair man to do it (not everyone can build a computer from scratch) if you can't ship it back to Italy...

Don't get me wrong... I still think the product is good. I just like to see a little reality thrown on to the hype of the 'future-proof' arranger

Diki, I had one of the earliest models and it was a demo unit..with all "old" stuff..The power supply went bad and rather than replace it, I knew that Dom made "BIG" advancements, and the outdated mixer board for one needed to be updated..The rest of the updates was my decision, including the 250 Sata2 drive...I wanted a mic board also...

Do the math ..you could not build a desktop for the money it took to update to the current model...

I don't have a clue where you are coming from...with the comments..

lets see what fran carango heve payed?
96 euro for the mainboard with the special Mediastation I/O Shield and adapter
20 euro for card reader
90 euro for CPU
90 euro for 4 gig ram
420 euro for mixerboard v5
50 euro MS audio power supply
30 euro DVD Burner
260 euro mic board

in my calculation fran carango most pay:

96+20+90+90+420+50+30+260= 1056 euro calculated without bottem case

fran carango is right when he said :
This was a cost price, Dom did not make any money on the transaction...

and keybplayer the hard disk what i get 1 years ago was a maxtor 250 gig 7.200 rpm 16mb cash i thenk now they have a better harddisk with s-atta II

[This message has been edited by AFG Music (edited 03-31-2009).]

and lets see what i most pay if i upgrade

96 euro for the mainboard with the special Mediastation I/O Shield and adapter
20 euro for card reader
90 euro for CPU

but i can get pc parts cheaper i thenk for 100 euro on pc parts i have the same version as the 2009 version.

if you can get pc parts cheaper you can buy them by your lockal store as long that the mainboard is the same to the one used by lionstracs

note the prices of pc parts are not officially from lionstracs site but from pc parts online sites

[This message has been edited by AFG Music (edited 03-31-2009).]

The point I was trying to make was that, down the pike, to run the ever more CPU hungry VSTi's (Pianoteq3 is only the start), and to get other add ons, you'll have to do it again. Dom isn't going to stop making improvements to the hardware, and the VSTi makers are not going to stop bumping the CPU and data buss limits. Eventually, what you have just put in will no longer run whatever is the 'latest, greatest'. I mean, just think what Celemony Melodyne will chew up if it ever runs realtime... and that is the only technology out there that shows any promise about making audio loops play any chord we want, not just what was recorded.

As I said (you saw that, didn't you?), the product is STILL a great one. But having heard the 'last arranger you'll ever need' stuff for a while, I thought I'd try to inject a LITTLE reality into the mix. Not that anyone wants to hear it...

Diki, one thing you will never hear me say "the last arranger I will ever need"....

I will always "need" new toys..