shopping list: KN6500? - or should I wait for next model? KN****,

I have got rid of my KN5000, and have quite a bit of cash to spare, and could buy a KN6500 now if i wish. However, since there is the possibility of other arrangers coming out soon (which also include the Gem Genesys as comfirmed)would it be better to wait a few months to see what develops in the keyboard world before making that "Plunge"? (I am currently using a Yamaha PSR 170 for practice for the time being) ). You see, I wouldn't like the prospect of spending all this money on a KN6500 - only to see a KN**** on the horizon. I suppose someone would say "Wait" and see what happens....but patience isn't my best asset!. So then, would it be wise to buy a brand new KN6500 NOW, or does someone know of a forthcoming release of a new Technics model? (the Gem Genesys is also an attractive looking keyboard with built in CD/HD I believe.)

Thanks all for a super Forum!!.

Nimrod





[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited 02-02-2002).]

some new kn will be here in the spring, it may well be a top model?

how soon after that it will be in the shops we don't know yet.

I would have thought, based on history, it will not be in Genesys price range though, more 9000.

So a new KN "WILL" be released in spring? (sounds promising). Well looking out the window, spring looks 6 months away.

If you say there WILL be a keyboard though, however, then it may be worth waiting for. I think that Technics will release there product in the shops after their launch sooner (than say) the GEM Genesys product (It was announced at NAMM 17 jan, but may not be in the shops till April).On the other hand, a KN**** announced in April would (IMO), be sooner than the same 3 month gap, but we'll have too Wait an see.

Thank you

Nimrod





[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited 02-02-2002).]

You have obviously enjoyed your KN5000 so you know what it has to offer.The KN6000 & 6500 are streets ahead of the 5000, can you imagine what the next Technics flagship is going to be like forget the Gem on two points.
1. The Gem is expensive
2. At sometime in the not too distant future when the new Technics arrives you will want one & the Gem will be old meat.
Johnnie

Nimrod: Similar to computers, arranger keyboard technology is constantly evolving. My advice is to determine your specific keyboard needs (playing style, genre, studio production vs. live performance), and purchase what you think will keep you happy for 2 or 3 years. If you don't have a keyboard now and something to play on TODAY, base your decision on what's currently available. If you can wait, see what the KN7000 has to offer and compare it to the competition then. My sources tell me Summer 02, but who really knows?! Technics has a history of keeping us all guessing up until the actual release date.

I checked out the GEM Genesis at NAMM. See pictures of it at my website: http://scottyee.com
click on the 'pictures' link.

I think the GEM Genisis offers many features (perhaps too many?) as it includes digital audio recording capabilities (CD burner) as well as playing MP3,WAV, CDs, karoake files & displaying lyrics (karoake style entertainment). The weight is over 50 lbs (imho, too heavy for gigging) and the digital audio recording capability is limited (one stereo track), not really enough (imho)to do serious recording work. I'm wondering if the Genesis 'all in one arranger workstation' approach is trying too hard to be too many things to too many people. Still, if you want just ONE piece of music equipment in your studio, and you don't plan to take it out (much), then its something to seriously consider, as I felt the sounds and styles quite impressive.

The BIG stand out to me about Tehcnics KN keyboards (in addition to it's excellent sounds & great selection of jazz/swing/latin, big band, and orchestral styles) is its excellent 'pianist mode' chord recognition capabilities. I've played all different brand arrangers out there and NONE of them allow you to play in full keyboard mode (as a pianist does) as well as the KN keyboards do. This ONE issue alone will KEEP me a Technics KN fan. Only the Technics arrangers allow you to play in full keyboard mode, rootless Bill Evans jazz style chord voicings in the left hand and solo with your right hand, continueing to properly interprete the chord changes (b9, #11, 13 etc) . The KN keyboards also recognize two handed rootless 4th voicing chords which are popular when comping blues & jazz tunes. The GEM Genesis does NOT support (in any mode, split or full keyboard) any of the jazz (rootless) chords I described The Yamaha PSR2000 at least support these in split mode.

As a loyal Technics devotee and KN5000 owner, here's what I did. I did not go with the KN6500 because as a pro player, I would need the optional hard drive, which I think is overpriced, and then would need the TechManager software to boot. Even more $ To top that off, Keysoft Service decided to stay with the slow parallel port data transfer system which makes hard drive backup very SLOW. I decided to purchase an interim keyboard until the KN7000 comes out. I have found the Yamaha PSR2000 the perfect lightweight keyboard for gigging because it has superior sound (some of the sounds are equal to or better than the KN6500's imho) and great style fills (4). My only real complaint about the PSR2000 is that is doesn't have a hard drive and that its chord recognition (in full keyboard mode) does not even come close to TEchnics. In light of this though, styles on floppy disk load in less than 2 seconds, at least as fast as styles loaded from hard disk on my KN5000. The bottom line is that the PSR2000 only costs $1,000 US dollars so I will still have plenty of cash to possibly purchase the KN7000 when it arrives too. To keep costs down for us the consumer, I hope Technics will include a hard drive (they are actually very cheap) with the KN7000 and bypass the high cost 3rd party hard drive & related software approach. Does anyone here have any inside information about how Technics may be handling the hard drive or possible CDR-W in the future?

Nimrod: Good luck. I'm sure you will make the best choice for 'your' needs.

- Scott http://scottyee.com

Maybe the frankfurth show are going to give
us some real good news?
Anyone who know about the date, as far as I
remember, it use to be in March.
Tried a websearch, but no success.
GJ

Yes Johnnie, the KN6000/6500 are a big step up from the Kn5000. I would imagine the flagship (to the KN6500), would be very good indeed, because we already have a great keyboard in the KN6000/6500. What changes could be made to make it better? - I wonder!

Yes, this Gem thingy isn't cheap is it. I Would like to see HD's, but whether there is a place for CD Writers on a KN**** is another story. The Genesis has gone full monty and added the lot - at a price of course. (A KN6500 with a Laptop/CDWR will cost less than this- (I think)
-------------

Scot,

I really love playing in two handed mode, and this is what Technics is great for (amongst MANY other things). It is also one of the Reasons whay I like Technics over Yamaha (better styles as well). Yes Scot, the Hard Drive don't come cheap as extra, so would like that built in to the next KN keyboard. Methinks the next KN will come with a HD fitted as standard!

You are doing the right thinhg Scot in buying the Interim keyboard, because you will be glad you waited (I think).

Thank you

Nimrod




[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited 02-02-2002).]

Nimrod. I too am waiting hopefully for the 7000. I have a K.N. 5000 at the moment, but I feel I am missing out on so much,as everything is focussed on the 6500.I do not want to have to cope with "add ons" and I really only want to learn to use one keyboard, so I am waiting impatiently.Sometimes I think it would be wise to buy the 6500 now while the price is moderate, and the kinks have been sorted out, and then wait a year after the 7000 comes out in case there are early problems with that, but it means learning 2 keyboards. They are usually quite different and I'm a slow learner of computerised material.I am really just coming to grips with the K.N. 5000. Good Luck. Jean.

You really have to look at what you want from a keyboard. I have had my KN6000 for about 18months and it was my first tachnics keyboard, because I have always played organs and mostly top of the range. My idea was to use it with the organ to add that litte bit extra something to the sound. My point is that for me the KN6000 is a fantastic instrument,I have had no problems with it and their is good back up with useful forums such as synthzone. I, like you, with your 5000 jean have still not fully saturated the possibilities it gives me but I have found that the most useful thing I have bought for it is the 'How Do You Do That' book by Alec Pagida this along with the 'Techplus' magazine have made the understanding a lot easier

[This message has been edited by peter.bentley@talk21.com (edited 02-02-2002).]

[This message has been edited by peter.bentley@talk21.com (edited 02-02-2002).]

Hi Scott,
I have been asked to write a pamphlet for the Techmanager6000, and have been experimenting with backup and calculating figures etc.

The slowness is not necessarily a function of the parallel communication. Usb would increase the data rate by maybe 50% but this would not substantially change a backup or restore time realistically.

The majority of time is taken with hard disk reading/writing, both on the sx6 and the laptop/pc. This will be faster in the 6000 since the file sizes are much smaller, but slower than the 5000 just because the sx6 is more than 3 times bigger with much more data (if the sx is full!).

The hard disk writing time is because the file allocation tables are updated with every file saved. This means that you can abort at any time, and then the load pages, alphabet lists, custom load scripts, load by numbers etc are all updated and ready to go after any operation. Also the automatic archive backup of just the changes since last time can be achieved reliably. And the sx verifies after each save as a double check, this takes extra read time.

The only way to do a shorter backup and restore is with a Norton Ghost type of protocol, where all data and file allocation tables are copied. But you would lose certain functions and flexibility in these circumstances.

There are many ways to achieve a backup, but would probably involve even more expense


[This message has been edited by technicsplayer (edited 02-03-2002).]