Why are you staying loyal to Ketron products?

Team,

I have started a thread (in the General Forum) as to what people are looking for in a keyboard that could be provided for
http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum37/HTML/007304.html

Feel free to contribute.

However ...

For you (current users), I would like to know the features, factors and facts as to why you do like Ketron products and why you would not hesitate to purchase yet another.

Please be specific and detailed for I will be following this post closely and feel free to express yourself the best way you see fit.

PS: Dealers are also encouraged to include their information as well.

Thanks,

AJ

[This message has been edited by Ketron_AJ (edited 09-28-2003).]

Hello AJ,

What I personally like :
a. The best sounds/styles compared to all others. (including Tyros)

b. Ketron really listens to customers and tries to 'please' them in OS upgrades.

c. Very good service (eg. display replacement after 2,5 years.... free of costs)

d. Great keyboard-feel (action & size)

e. The SD1 is stable and never let me down

f. Stable housing and no Xmastree-alike lights.

Some tiny 'dislikes':
1. Harddisk noise, slow transfer (startup)
2. Mic amp. noisy (don't use it myself)
3. Vocalizer not stereo

Roel

AJ, I have been a loyal supporter and purchaser of Solton then Ketron products for the last 10 years.

The reasons are simple:

1)Great sounds - For so little sample memory
2)Fantastic styles - Very realistic
3)Innovative features - Best integral harmoniser although I also use a TC Helicon.
4)Best Value for money - When you buy it from Belgium that is.

However, it is a wonder that anyone else in the UK actually owns or plays Ketron instruments. I first came into contact with their products when I sold keyboards for a living. These included Technics and Yamaha and we became one of the very few retailers in the UK to stock them. I was blown away by the MS40 which made the others sound like (expensive) toys in comparison.

However, the competition are now catching up (The Tyros is a half decent instrument although considerably overpriced)

I would add reliability to the above list but I am afraid thet if I developed a problem with my XD I am on my own in this country now.

The distributers here don't answer all your e:mails and when they do they give me the name of an accordian playing studio owner as one of their retail outlets. Not that the guy has any stock but he has an SD1 which "would give me an indication of what the instrument I wanted to buy would sound like"

I was so keen that I had to buy an instrument that I could not hear in the flesh from another country.

In a way it is an advantage that it is so difficlt to discover/hear/try/buy the Ketron products here as I get a fantastic response to my mediocre playing in comparison to the fantastic players in my area who have the usual mediocre boards but this is litte compensation.

I see that there are now pattern and instrument expansion boards available. Great, I wonder which continent I will have to go to to buy these? Also, I will invalidate my warranty unless an authorised engineer that isn't available in this country fits these.

However, I will still get them from somewhere because, in spite of the above, There isn't anything else to touch them for the music I play and the way I play it.

Sorry to rant on but you did ask.

Keith

I would buy Ketron again because:

1.- Give you features NON existan in ANY other Kb. example: Separate Mic output from keyboard when using vocalist.
2.-Up to 4 sounds in Program besides split, that you can layer, velocity switch, re-split.
3.-Customize Footswitch in different configurations, like the volume 4 switch pedal plus any of: 6, 13, or 9 swithes.
4.-The STYLES and Great SOUND generation.

5.-When you are buying a luxury car like BMW or alike, you do NOT ask if it cames with tinted glass.....Mi SD1 is LOADED...the others, everything is optional.
6.-The unprecedent Technical support, OS, etc.
I always say, "when you became KETRONIZED, you never go back to any other brand", you set the standars to high.
7.-The SD1 after 2 years, STILL, no other keyboard of ANY brand cames close overall sounds/features, perhaps some of the others have more "Flash", but I preffer "Dash", now, if the future Ketron Keyboards will include some cosmetic/ergonomic and some "flash"....well.....that will complete the near "perfect" keyboard, I know that is conceptual.

------------------
mdorantes

Today we had two gigs and it is amazing how the SD1 performs on stage !

Especially after the 4.0b reloading playing is fun : Styles, musical drive and overall sound. The audience was enjoying our music very much. (from easy listening to disco.... everything sounds perfect)

Even after 2,5 years of owning the SD1, there is no competitor that can beat this Ketron ! .... as mdoranted already wrote.

Things that made me choose SD1:
 very realistic styles and sounds
 HD storage and quick access for practically unlimited number of personal settings, new styles etc…
 stack of four independent sounds for right hand
 footswitches for various functions
 onboard vocoder
 support for midi accordion
 76 keys

I would by another Ketron:
 because of the above reasons
 stable hardware
 very good support and ability to repair, change and add SW functions

What I would like to suggest for future implementations and models is a mode (controlled by a footswitch) in which keyboard would be able to follow the tempo played by musician (to make accelerandos and ritterdandos).

Luka

Unfortunately, I am not staying loyal to Ketron products. There are two specific reasons for this. 1). Too many promises regarding the next (regretably last) update to the latest and greatest operating system for the X series. The last update was in July, 2001 and this for a keyboard that touted "NON-OBSOLESCENCE......Even the entire operating system can be updated thanks to the X4's simple, yet elegant update function. This permits all the very latest X4 developments to be added as they become available by inserting a new system floppy disk (which can even be downloaded via the internet". 2). About 18 months ago, I took my X4 to Bell Solton to due to a defective display. They replaced all the necessary parts and I was very pleased with the timliness of the repair as well as the thoroughness of the diagnostics that were performed. About 3 months ago, I started seeing a dark line through the center of the display (non-critical...however annoying). I've been using a Korg i3 for about 8 years, a Technics WSA-1 for about 10 years various Roland, ART, Yamaha, Kurzweil and Antaras modules for many years and I've never had a display problem other than with the X4. Maybe it's just me....but reliability is a key factor in staying loyal to a products. Granted there are many, many things that I really do like about the X4 (e.g. Voices, most styles), but lack of responsiveness and reliability help to make my next buying decision much easier.

My understanding is 5.0 is around the corner for the X series .

Is there another synth module other than Ketron for accordians? My MS40 is just not reliable enough for live gigs because it freezes up sometines on start up. I've tried all the fixes, but still it will freeze when I least want it to freeze. So I'm playing keyboard instead of accordian. What other more reliable synths are there that can take accordian input? thanks

In KETRON I like:

- Sound Generation Bank (good presence and quality)
- Styles with Audio Drums & Live Guitars (realistic feel)
- FS13 pedal (great customization for accordionists)
- PROGRAMS, 2nd Voice, Shell volume pedal, and more...

In KETRON I dislike:

- Micro with no Phantom Power (not versatile)
- Stability OS/Hardware (bugs and errors)


KETRON AUDYA must have some IMPORTANT FEATURES:

- New Super Kits based on Drums recorded in Audio Drums Styles. (Midi Styles super Powered!)
- Possibility to create INS Drums set. (Its a good feature)
- User Audio Drums in one file. [ex:Ballad@80.UAD] (easy to search & associate in Pattern Edit)
- Why not a User Live Guitar/Instrument compiler? (dream feature for professionals)
- User MIDI Bank Library. (possibility to save midi sequences and use them in new styles)

Thanks for the attention!

Posted this in the general arranger forum yesterday...

I have always liked Ketron's sounds better than anything else I might try. Started with the Solton Artist 2000, then MS40, X4, SD3. But lack of available dealerships does kill Ketron- I even know one dealer who calls me with questions because I have more experience with their products than he does . AJ has been very helpful and repaired one of my modules very quickly. But he has a lot on his shoulders, and if he were to leave Ketron tomorrow, we would be sunk here. He's just one guy stretched too thin. Ted at CMC must be very busy- it takes a lot of time to get answer on a problem , but I can get a quick response if I want to buy a 4k audya. CMC was willing to let myself and a friend of mine come to NY (from NJ) to check one out , but by appointment. And M-F daytime hours were the only choice- doesn't work if you work.

I talked to another dealer I have purchased from and his opinion is that Ketron is focused on Europe and the US market is not important enough for them to direct their resources to it.

And, good luck if you or your dealer need to contact Italy about your Ketron product from end of June till September- the country is closed. Same with Orla. Yamaha/Korg/Roland do not abandon their customers for over 2 months in the summer. Again, small time European thinking/marketing.

The remaining convincing item is the product itself, but recent Q.C. and design flaws have shaken credibility with customers.

At this point, I am pursuing using a keyboard from a mainstream company while I spend only 10% of that purchase for a Ketron module to get their sounds ( I now have an SD2 and SD4). But that means more pieces, more cables, more setup time, etc...

what i love about Audya:
the LIVE BAND sound
the styles

what i hate:
the OLD hardware/software (ie, small HD, little RAM, old processor, slow USB, old looking screen, old looking DOS'ish software)
it's high Price (or i'd buy another tomorrow, A5)

While I don't actually own a Ketron product, I would like to comment on this thread.

Ketron are a relatively small company that produce instruments that compete successfully with those from multi billion $ corporations. That is a truly amazing achievement. And they provide innovations in arranger keyboard technology that their competitors don't. They keep the market competetive and dynamic. The arranger keyboard market wouldn't be the same without them.

The Audya really has broken new ground.

I especially like the live sounds and styles of the Midjay Plus (just not enough of them). I was introduced to Ketron via the Midjay. I like the compact size and ease of use. I’ve had several problems but nothing that AJ couldn’t remedy or that would make it unusable on a gig. I am fortunate in that I am only a 2+ hour drive from AJ’s lab.
I just purchased an SD1 Plus, and I particularly enjoyed reading the comments about the reliability and continued effectiveness of the SD1 when, in arranger/keyboard years, most would consider it obsolete. I will admit that I’m having trouble with the SD1 manual.
My next move is to have the AJAMSONIC upgrade installed in the SD1 – just as soon as I can get AJ’s attention.
Ciao,
Jerry

I agree 100%!!!!!

I began play keyboards with patterns 25 years ago, I began with other different marks, but from the SOLTON MS5 I played always with SOLTON-KETRON, (MS50, MS100, X1, SD1, midjay, midjay PLUS and Audya). For me keyboards KETRON are the best, the sound of styles is like a band playing in live (others keyboards of styles sound like a studio record, (the sound is no live performance, "not creible", it's a different concept, but for me this concept it's not good for make live music). The problems?, I have not problems with my Audya, I play everyday with it, single registrations are speedy, the sound is realistic, vocalist is great, I'm very glad with Audya. Regards