A month till namm... (speculations)

[wma]

i don't think it's the ls, cause they are teasing a product and saying 'taking music to a new level' in time their current flagship is already available,

Maybethey will announce two keyboards, a stage piano and a synth 'performance / analoge' or workstation

[GregC]

i don't think it's the ls, cause they are teasing a product and saying 'taking music to a new level' in time their current flagship is already available,

Maybethey will announce two keyboards, a stage piano and a synth 'performance / analoge' or workstation

Thats plausible, esp a new stage piano. The SV-2 is 8 yrs old and if Korg is serious about the stage piano niche, I could see that happening.

[wma]

astage piano as an answer to kurzweil forte, a hybrid performance syrh as an answer to yamaha montage - while tamaha gone FM korg is going analoge

[Bachus]

i don't think it's the ls, cause they are teasing a product and saying 'taking music to a new level' in time their current flagship is already available,

Maybethey will announce two keyboards, a stage piano and a synth 'performance / analoge' or workstation

Thats plausible, esp a new stage piano. The SV-2 is 8 yrs old and if Korg is serious about the stage piano niche, I could see that happening.

SV-1 is 8 years old, we however would like to see an SV-2 with new high end Korg sounds inside...

The SV-1 comes from Korg Italy, not Korg Japan... the question is how much high end technollogy does Korg Japan allow Korg Italy to use...

[gnbutt]

Did I hear that the newest (synth action) version of Kronos 88 would not be available for the USA and Canadian markets ?

[GregC]

Did I hear that the newest (synth action) version of Kronos 88 would not be available for the USA and Canadian markets ?

I don't recall reading that.

It was launched in Japan at the Gakki Fair last month.

Likely it will be introduced at NAMM for the other countries. And pricing typically will be mentioned

[Jan1]

Both Yamaha and KORG have certain product ranges in need of new models, such as the stage pianos and (midrange) workstations.
Roland is lacking a flagship workstation with the Fantom G from 2008 being the last one to carry the banner.

I think that after the analog revival (which IMO is not over yet) there are many signs indicating it is the right time for a digital revival.
I don't know if NAMM is the most convenient occasion for the new models to be introduced, but I'm confident that this year we will see companies picking up some digital threads of the past.

[pink elefant]

The SV-1 comes from Korg Italy, not Korg Japan... the question is how much high end technollogy does Korg Japan allow Korg Italy to use...[/quote]

That is may the reason the new Vox Korginental became the new SV?

[Bachus]

Both Yamaha and KORG have certain product ranges in need of new models, such as the stage pianos and (midrange) workstations.
Roland is lacking a flagship workstation with the Fantom G from 2008 being the last one to carry the banner.

I think that after the analog revival (which IMO is not over yet) there are many signs indicating it is the right time for a digital revival.
I don't know if NAMM is the most convenient occasion for the new models to be introduced, but I'm confident that this year we will see companies picking up some digital threads of the past.

From Yamaha, only the tyros 5 is getting old, MOXF, CP4 are still going strong..

Roland stepped out of the high end workstation market, making the same moves as Yamaha did with the Montage with their JP-80 performance synthesizer.. If you want aRoland workstation the FA-08 is still worth every dime it costs

[Jan1]

From Yamaha, only the tyros 5 is getting old, MOXF, CP4 are still going strong..

Roland stepped out of the high end workstation market, making the same moves as Yamaha did with the Montage with their JP-80 performance synthesizer.. If you want aRoland workstation the FA-08 is still worth every dime it costs

Where do you get that info from?

The MOXF dates from the same year as the Tyros 5, 2013, and it basically is a cut down Motif XF from 2010.
On the site of one of Europe's biggest retailer for musical instruments you find the MOXF in the synth category ranking at nr 57, and in the relatively small workstation category it occupies nr 15.
I would not qualify that as 'going strong', would you?

Whether Roland stepped out of the workstation market permanently remains to be seen.
Of course you could be right and the high end range of workstations truly might be a thing of the past.
But you have to bear in mind that the company went through a tough financial crisis, even being forced to abandon their arranger division in Italy, and considering the economic situation as well as the commercial disappointment of their most recent flagship workstation at that time (Fantom G) it is not surprising they first focused on cheaper products instead of risking another expensive flop.
Right now Roland has successfully established a strong presence in the low and midrange product range, so I'm guessing that it may be the right time for Roland to...
The FA is nice, but it is far too limited to be considered a true Fantom successor.
Besides that, I read in the quickstart manual of the FA a warning that 'this product contains chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm, including lead'; anyone know what exactly it refers to?

[ldascanio]

I read in the quickstart manual of the FA a warning that 'this product contains chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm, including lead'; anyone know what exactly it refers to?

It has to do with CAL65 proposition.... a legislation from California that lists chemicals that are known to produce cancer at some level. The legislation does not restrict the use of those materials, just asks to include them in the label if present. Most of the times is related to just traces of some solvent or related material used during production that could remain in the final product.
Most producers are changing their processes to avoid those materials in order to avoid bad publicity in the label anyway but that takes some time and they have to declare in the label meanwhile.

Rgds

[eli125]

the picture says it's two keyboards, a live performance synth - in the picture ther's a player with two flagship keyboards performing live on stage

Could be the LS- which was announced for the Japan market at gakki

Billy, of course we all have the sonic version of the ' Kronos 2" under our Kronos.

Thats not debated.

yes it is the ls will by in the us soon but it looks like there is much more coming will have to wait till the 12th

[Jan1]

I read in the quickstart manual of the FA a warning that 'this product contains chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm, including lead'; anyone know what exactly it refers to?

It has to do with CAL65 proposition.... a legislation from California that lists chemicals that are known to produce cancer at some level. The legislation does not restrict the use of those materials, just asks to include them in the label if present. Most of the times is related to just traces of some solvent or related material used during production that could remain in the final product.
Most producers are changing their processes to avoid those materials in order to avoid bad publicity in the label anyway but that takes some time and they have to declare in the label meanwhile.

Rgds

Thanks for the info.
I haven't come across anything from Roland which clarifies exactly what material in the FA warrants this warning, but if I were in the shoes of a manufacturer I would try to avoid these kind of warning labels by using different materials ASAP.

[Jan1]

Some NAMM news:
I know quite a few musicians who have been waiting for it a long time, but now finally the AKAI MPCX as well as the lower priced MPC Live have arrived.
Here is some info at Sweetwater and m.recording.
A great way to start NAMM.

[Jan1]

MPC X Specs:
-A complete stand-alone DAW
-10.1" multi-touch screen
-16GB of internal storage
-16 assignable OLED-labeled Q-Link encoders
-Eight 3.5mm CV/Gate outputs for sequencing of analog synth gear right along with your MIDI sound modules
-Dual USB ports for external drives & support for MIDI over USB
-SD card slot
-2.5" SATA for HDD or SSD drives
-2x MIDI IN, 4 X MIDI OUT
-4 recording inputs including 2 x dedicated XLR Mic & switchable 2 x line inputs or 2 x phono (RCA) with ground
-8 x 1/4" analogue outputs
-10GB sample library
-Shipping Weight: 14 lbs
-Shipping Dimensions: 24 x 22 x 8 in
Launch Price: $2,199

MPC Live Specs:
-A complete stand-alone DAW
-7" multi-touch screen
-16GB of internal storage
-Internal Li-ion rechargeable battery
-Dual USB ports for external drives & support for MIDI over USB
-SD card slot
-2.5" SATA for HDD or SSD drives
-2x MIDI IN, 2 X MIDI OUT
-Switchable 2 x 1/4" line inputs or 2 x phono (RCA) with ground
-6 x 1/4" analogue outputs
-10GB sample library
-Weight: 5.5 lbs
-Dimensions: 8.5" x 16"
Launch Price: $1,199

The details are now to be found on the AKAI site for both the MPC X and the MPC Live.