As service manager for the UK distributor I am getting pretty peed off with people in the UK quoting SZ and telling me the Audya is not reliable.

We work hard in the UK to make sure our Ketron Users do not have problems with their instruments. We don't ask Audya owners to open their keyboards and poke connections this is bad practice; our customers have paid for the the right to expect support from the shop they purchased from and us, the distributor.

If we do have a problem I expect the owner to get on the phone to either their retailer or us at Ketron UK. If there is a genuine problem with a new instrument we will most likely send them a new instrument. If its a user problem (which is normally the case) then we will help them sort it over the phone or by email or in some cases sort it out for them, even if it means driving across the country to do it.

If you have a problem with your Ketron, wether its a user problem or a fault don't grumble about it here and expect a response from the factory - I guarantee you wont get it, Instead get on the phone to your retailer and demand some blood. If they wont help then call your distributor. You paid them money make sure you get what you paid for. If the distributor refuses to help you tell me and I will report them to the Italians!!!

With regards to the factory. As a distributor if I have a problem I cannot solve, then I email my contact at Ketron Italy and they will come back with an answer or suggestion normally the same day, sometimes the following day if he has to ask an engineer.

If we can look after our customers this way in the UK, then I don't see why you guys in other countries settle for less from your suppliers.

I joined this forum to talk about music and keyboards and Hammond stuff...but instead ended up here. And sorry I am not spending my evenings and weekends looking after other peoples customers.

Hey TWD,

Only speaking for myself about my Audya. I bought mine from Frank and he is located about 1,300 miles from me.

I play professionally 6 and 7 nights a week. I can't be without my Keyboard for possibly weeks with shipping back and forth and whatever time it takes to repair it.

Frank, AJ and SZ have been very helpful through my glitches I've had.

Personally, I don't mind opening up the keyboard and troubleshooting a problem.

It's an ADVENTURE!

I still have a tube of Hammond oil, and remember ( Like Yesterday ) having to oil the tone wheels. At least I don't have to do that anymore.

I played a Lowery Symphonic Theater Organ for 14 years. I used to have to pull the amplifier out quite often to replace blown Output Transistors.

So for me, self servicing my equipment has always been part of ownership.

I'm very happy to report that after working on the Audya the other day it is playing and operating perfectly.

A lot of self-satisfaction comes from finding a problem and fixing it myself.

Just as satisfying is sharing the information here on SZ so others may benefit from my findings.

I personally, absolutely love my Audya and wouldn't trade it for ANY other keyboard. Past or present.

Music is a WONDERFUL thing!

Jim

I agree with you there Nightlife

Its the same as when computers became popular but there was -and still are--people who are afraid to click on something because they are scared that it will damage something or delete something. I guess its a normal human reaction but they have to overcome that to be able to learn.

On a different subject-has no one out there in Audya land figured out how to assign the outputs? Or am I the only one who wants seperate outs? I have posted several times but no help it seems

On my old X1 I had always assigned the voices to seperate outputs and ran BASS, Kick, Snare, and Chords to 4 seperate chanells on my Mixer. That way I always had individual EQ to enchance the tone and balance of the Voices , especially the snare and bass
But so far I have failed on the Audya. I can set them up no problem -But when I SAVE the settings and switch the audya back on , it has not saved and it just reverts back .
If someone knows the answer i would appreciate any info as the manual is very vague about it and does not explain the presets properly

Rusty, your question is exactly one of the issues I am talking about. Why are you coming here to ask and just getting frustrated? You paid your dealer good money for your keyboard. Instead of getting frustrated because other Audya owners don't know the answer - or won't say. Get on the phone to your retailer and ask them.

My father is a Ketron retailer and if one of his customers asks a question like this he will sit down at the showroom Audya and work it out. If he can't work it out he will email me and if I don't know I will ask the factory.

Should be exactly the same for you and it shouldn't take more than a couple of days to get to the bottom of it.

Nightlife - wow..max respect for you, but honestly you should never have had to go down that route when the keyboard is under warranty. If you had been our customer we would have either sent an engineer out to you or replaced the keyboard with a new one. Again you paid your money to get that level of support.

Hi!
Since I follow a lot the forum these days let me contribute a short comment to this post.

As a distributor I would act exactly as TWD says, I respect very much this kind of attitude.

As a customer I do pretty much as NiteLife explains – I'm not afraid to explore and learn, in the moment I wait for backup CD because I disabled brand new Audya when making my own backup.

As for grumbling on the forum I generally skip it and read useful stuff.

In the past all issues I had with SD1 were solved by the information on this forum and of course by AJ's assistance in the first place. I always write my questions to the forum first because it has saved me a lot of time. I use my distributor as the last (but not the least of course) option if everything else fails.

End of my comment, I have to get back to waiting for my rescue CD
Regards,
Luka


[This message has been edited by Luka (edited 10-27-2010).]

Hello Rusty999,

I have tried this out on my Audya 76.
Everything works fine for me.

In Output Assign-screen, i make the changes that i want, and in same screen i press SAVE. A short message appears : SAVE DATA TO DISK.

After this, i turn back to the Main-screen.
While in the Main-screen i press again the SAVE-button, and F6 - CUSTOM STARTUP.

Turn off the Keyboard, and back on. All my Output assign - settings are still there !

If this is not working for You, then something must be wrong with your keyboard i think.

Best regards,

Carlo

BTW, i run Release 41B.

Carlo
Nice of you to help with Rusty's problem. Along the same lines, I am trying to get "Drawbars on my left and right, and assign it to 3/4, but I can't figure out how to get drawbars on the left with separate out. Only the right hand is assigned. The left comes out of the mains.
Bernie

Tony
I was of the impression that forums like this are here for that very reason-to discuss and debate ketron products and the positive and negative aspects of owning one of their products? If I can not ask a question then whats this forum all about?? Is it here to worship Ketron and dont make any negative comments about their flawed products. because there are many flaws in their keyboards and just ask the many users who use the forum or read their posts . They are not imagining that their keyboards are not working properly , and while i would admit that sometimes user error can come into play theres also many experienced and competent musicians who are having problems . I respect the fact that you say you provide good service and i'm sure you do but we are not all dealers and we have the right to ask questions if we feel it necessary. And I have often been given very genuine tips from users on here who are experiencing problems and in my opinion its hands on users who know what they are talking about. I did ask someone from ketron support who will be nameless if the blue dot should be On or Off when saving Slider settings and I was told categorically that it should be Off and that if it was ON it was telling the keyboard to IGNORE saving?
What do you say about that?
Rusty

Hi Rusty,

you are missing the point entirely.

Sharing knowledge and asking for - and giving advise is fine and forums are good for that.

However if somone does not get an answer then they should not get frustrated and start complaining how terrible Ketron support is. Instead they should be on the phone to their dealer.

And in the case of a hardware fault instead of complaining here about lack of support from the factory, these people should be demanding what is rightfully theirs from their dealers/distributors: a level of support befitting of a totl keyboard like the Audya.

Tone,
I dont agre with your opinion.What kinde of knowledge about problems with hardware and software in Audya has thous deallers and distributors?If I asck my dealler about my USB problem then tell me simple answer:send Audya to Ketron.Who tiching deallers about elektronic problems?Simple answer is:nobady!I allso thing even you newer be in some Ketron seminar about potencial problems with Audya.You siply pick up a phone and asck for help,but this can be cos you know some people in Ketron.Ather people has no that chance and forum is only way to say outloud what hepened with instruments from Ketron.
Ketron suport is bad and that is the fact.Simply look on their oficial site and ewerything will be clear.
And one more ting:I am a member of several Forums like Korg forum and PSR forum,but nowere I stay without answer on my question and nobady on that forums tell me whay I ask and complain about my problems.Allway I recive the best what is paseble from members and moderators of thous sites.
And for the ende:if I thing deep,on that forum some people dont want to help specially if question come out from UK.

Dusan, you don't have to agree with my oppinion, but it doesn't change the fact that I am right.

How do I know? because in the UK we run a system that works.

1) We only use retailers that are prepared to help their customers. (although one finds it difficult so we take customer calls direct from them)

2) If a customer has a new Audya and cannot bring it in we arrange collection and delivery very quickly. For example we will collect the Audya on a Monday, it arrives with us on Tuesday, is repaired and shipped back the same day and arrives back with the customer on Wenesday.

3) If an instrument arrives or is faulty soon after delivery we will simply send a replacemnt and have the other collected at the same time. The returned keyboard is repaired and used as our demo stock.

4) In some cases it may be better to have an engineer vist the customer. As long as they are within one days journey (there and back) we will send an engineer, otherwise section 2 applies.

5) Ketron support. you are confusing your dealer/distributor with Ketron themselves. Ketron Italy are very concerned about their customers but have to trust their distributors to handle their assigned areas. If you distributor is not looking after you, then telephone Italy (number on their website) and complain about them. Emails are not always a good idea as they are generally forwarded to your distributor to handle which is catch 22.

Tone,
I can anderstand, you dont haw that kinde of problems like we haw in ather world.But that not mean you dont haw problems at all.With your work you simly recover problems with baad wiring conection,problems with registrations ,problems wit separate audio outs,USB problems,errors and that kinde of troubles befor then they coming out to some forum.For that reason loks like in UK haw no problems.Allso can agre with that,but cant agre whay Ketron dont haw suport like you haw in ather countrys?
What is the kach and whay UK members and Ketron deallers who read that forum dont wont to help from the first hand with his knowladge.
And one more thing:what are you thing?Ketron know what hepened with their products and if know whay is FAQ on their site is so pore?What ordinary user can thing if look on their site?Somebody care in Ketron?I thing:nobady!
You dont haw to agre with me Tone...

I agree with you Dusan. And you have always shared any information you have and you will help someone if you know the answer . And thats the way it is on every forum I have ever been on where people SHARE the information they have. I fear there is a bit of an ELITIST attitude creeping in to this forum

Totaly agre Rusty 999

I might agree, but on the other hand, time has been taken to advise on technical problems, which should also be appreciated. I know I do.

When I am trying to learn something, I'll eat a little crow if necessary.
Bernie

so let me get this right

if you have a possible fault you would prefer just to try and sort it out yourself (or use a forum of other owners) AND have a good grumble about bad support than have a great support system in place where you are helped by your distributor?

Tone,
I depply belive you are a great guy,but let me help you anderstant what is the real point about all this.
I am inprest haw you solve all problems in UK and my desire is suport not what you haw but only near like you haw.
You must anderstand no one who haw troubles like we haw dont want to stay along withaut his instrument-not only one day.Sending back new Audya is a last chouce.Everione try to solve problem him selfe,try to asck someone for help and solve problem(of course if problem is not hardware tipe).So far so good.
But general problem is:haw can be in that global world a chance to buy that kinde of expencive instrument with so much troubles?What ketron guys do with hardware and software in deir factory?Who is responsable for baad wiring conection for exsample?What kinde of trouble is that with all that factory control?Sorrry but that cant be hapened in thous days.Here we can see an reall face from Ketron and you with your hard work only defend Ketron foults from users.More then thre years of beta wersion I dont see and read eny Ketron apology and no one respond from ketron directly and no one from Ketron guy say:"yes we know for all troubles what you hawe and we are sorry for that.We try to solve your problems emedetly."
That can be right way to comunicate with coustomers and not live in silence.Dealler is not my interest,my interest is comunicate with guys who madet that product...And here Ketron haw a chance to come close by users.
You get it...

You have to remember Dusan, that this forum only reflects a tiny, tiny percentage of Audya owners. To every one of you with a problem here there are likely a few hundred without. So whilst in your mind the Audya is globally unreliable, the truth is there are only a tiny few with problems and there owners generally find themselves together on forums such as this which rates highly on the search engines.

What I still can't understand is why some who have problems will not chase their retailer and distributor until they get the problem sorted, but instead come here and complain about terrible support from the manufacturer (who have assigned distributors to look after you).

I get it that if you cant work out how to do something its fun to use a board like this, however you paid your retailer and distributor for that same support - why not make use of it instead of becoming frustrated because Ketron Italy don't read synthzone and therefore don't care about you?

Tone , While I agree with you regarding the above in some ways I also think that there are lots of people who shop around and some would have bought on line -there are plenty of ads for ketron on the bay, and lets say someone purchased from some of the big chains or international stores in germany or Usa. There will be very little support there because ketron is only a drop in the ocean in their catalogue and their support guy wouldnt have a clue in my opinion as to a particular function on An Audya. So thats where forums come in and there are guys like yourself who are good enough to give whatever advise you can but I agree in other ways with you that support is paramount with these instruments and while no one can stop Ketron supplying whoever they choose it should also be important that they provide back up in the form of trained engineers or whatever.
I can see from your posts that you provide that- but we are not all so lucky is what I am trying to say I guess

Tonewheeldude

There are many people who are having troubles with their Ketrons in the US who are NOT vocal nor wish to make their issues public for many reasons.

Does that mean there are no issues with the board, support, customer service, or quality?

Many choose to resolve their issues in private.

It sounds like we are coming around full circle to the dealer again.

I like to save money like the next guy, but have to keep in mind who I buy it from. In my case, the dealer is 1200 miles from me, but has the reputation of taking care of problems. The next best solution is to buy from a person like Tonewheel, but that option was not open to me either.

I labored long and hard about the different brands, and knew I was more apt to have a problem with Audya than, Yamaha, for example. The problem is that no other keyboard sounds like the Audya, so I paid my money and took my chances, knowing I had a dealer to help me if I got in trouble.

Fortunately, I fell into the majority.
Bernie

Tone
again,I am not tiny percent of Ketron Audya users.Maby you see me like that cos you look at me from UK.I am a user who spend 4000 Euro for 60% working machine.All what i read on that and ather forums make me crasy for one reason:Ketron guys dont read SZ forum(that can anderstand-read Play Boy),Ketron guys dont respond on E-mails,their official site is the same months ago,if I anderstand you well:Ketron guys comunicate only with deallers,users HAW problems with their instruments,for updates to solve problems with software must weight months,and etc.
What on the end you say your coustomers if Ketron stop to work on Audya76,and ouer mchines stay withaut software updates,stay withaut new styles and sounds.Dont forget,Audya is stell half madet kayboard and with some updates is four years from naw,simply can say the same...What you say?What you do?Then I think dont be tiny percent,then can be a HUGE percent of not setisfie users.Allso in UK.