The Ketron SD7 is a nice arranger keyboard in my opinion. It has that live band feel and the audio drums are a nice addition to the overall sound. According to the Ketron website the SD7 has a new sound generation system and after listening to many of the demos I have to say kudos to Ketron for the excellent sounds and styles it provides.
The downside is the price obviously. 2800 Euros equals a little over $3,000 although we still don't know the complete specifications and once we do know then the price might be more in line for what you're actually getting. On the bright side the speakers are 20W x 20W which is eight more watts than Yammie arrangers which is a plus. Of course the proof is in the pudding but hopefully the speakers will sound excellent even at high volume.
I saw a video demo from Frankfurt Musikmesse and noticed when the guy played the SD7 the keyboard itself bounced around a little bit which probably means the SD7 doesn't weigh very much. That can be a good thing if you've got a bad back but if it weighs next to nothing then that could be a problem if the thing bounces around while you're playing during a live performance. I'm not sure why the specs haven't been released yet but one theory could be that Ketron hasn't finished production yet and so the specs might actually change before it arrives in stores.
Either way I think Ketron has succeeded in producing a really nice arranger keyboard but again the price will probably keep some people from purchasing one unless there are more cutting edge features we're not aware of. If it has a sampler and dual sequencers, which I don't think it does by the way, then the price starts to look a little better. It has a dual professional player but that's just for playing various media formats like mp3, wav and midi. The dual professional player is nice in that it can cross-fade between songs and apparently you can also eliminate the vocal track which comes in handy when you just want backing tracks and not the vocals themselves.
Sounds are the most important feature of any keyboard and I think that Ketron has hit a home run with the SD7 in that regard. Is it worth $3,000? Well, the Yamaha Tyros 5 retails for $5,299 and you'd be fortunate to get one for under $4,500. On the other hand, the Ketron SD7 sounds possibly better than the Tyros 5 in some instances in my opinion and so the asking price could actually be justifiable. But again we need to know more about the complete specs which will give us a better idea of the overall features and functions which in theory could end up making the SD7 a real bargain when you think about it.
I really like the new tonewheel organ sounds too and that in itself boosts the overall value of the keyboard in my estimation. Hopefully there will be many more demos of actual people playing the SD7 which again will give us a better idea of its overall strengths and weaknesses if it has any. Weaknesses that is. I'm sure it won't have USB 3.0 because that would be quite a leap from the Audya's USB 1.1 which costs in excess of $5,000. The SD7 could be considered a high-end arranger keyboard if it has considerable cutting edge features. The sounds are definitely top shelf at least the ones I've heard so far anyway. The SD7 could be a real hit depending on what you get for the price but limited availability in the U.S. could dampen the overall enthusiasm somewhat. It will probably sell fairly well in Europe and Asia though. I wouldn't mind having one just for the onboard speakers which eliminates the need for an external sound source thereby making it an excellent choice for small venues. And its light weight will be a plus for easy portability. If it's as light as a feather then it will probably necessitate the use of velco straps but hopefully there will be a little meat on the bones and it won't come to that.
That's why a list of specifications is so important.
Right now we're walking around in the dark so to speak and many of our questions could have already been answered if Ketron was on the ball and had already released the specs. Oh well, hopefully they'll be available soon. On the other hand maybe the specs aren't as promising as we were hoping for and in that case Ketron could be withholding them on purpose because they are less than stellar perhaps? If that is the case then $3,000 (plus tax) could be a deal breaker for more people than originally anticipated. Although Yamaha has a habit of being secretive about certain specifications (wav rom, etc) so this may be the new normal. They keep you guessing which avoids a potential backlash from customers if the specs don't justify the price tag. In other words buy it at your own risk and if you don't like it spend some extra money on shipping and return it.
That puts the burden on the customer and not the manufacturer. But in reality a complete list of specifications is vital to make an informed decision. Therefore a company which prides itself in customer service would gladly provide a complete list of specifications because it makes for a more satisfactory experience for consumers. On the other hand a company that keeps customers guessing is probably a company that puts less emphasis on customer service and that can be a detriment to a company's bottom line. Are you taking notes AJ? Just kidding. Ketron is a small company located in Italy and so they might not have a very big staff and their repair shops might be few and far between and for that reason their customer service department is probably limited in scope. In fact I think AJ is the only mouthpiece for Ketron in the US if I'm not mistaken. Having a wider distribution network would increase sales substantially no doubt but in order to do that Ketron would need to start producing more excellent keyboard products that will attract the interest of more people. Of course the cost of the keyboards and modules themselves factor into the equation because if the price tags are too high (for what you get) it can detract from the overall value of the company itself and thereby can keep a company from gaining wider exposure. But I digress..
All the best,
Mike
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