Speaking of Yamaha, what's up with the product line?

[UltramegaOK]

I've noticed that Yamaha has discontinued most of their Music Production line that came out in 2008, like the MW and Audiogram USB mixer / interfaces and the KX USB MIDI controllers...all of the under $500 gear.

 

There doesn't seem to be any news about replacements or a new product line.

 

Craig, do you know what's going on with Yamaha?

 

Are they just giving up on the under $500 market or is there a newer product line coming out based around Cubase AI5?

 

It appears that they discontinued product all came with AI4.

[Anderton]

Sorry, I have no idea about Yamaha's inner workings. However, discontinuing gear from 2008...NAMM show coming up in two months...Steinberg doing really well...those would seem to point in the direction of something new coming up before too long.

[UltramegaOK]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Yeah, I just wish they'd have given some public announcement about where it's going in conjunction with the release of Cubase 5. I've got the software, now how about some hardware Yamaha?

 

Have a kick ass day.

[Jotown]

 

Yeah, I just wish they'd have given some public announcement about where it's going in conjunction with the release of Cubase 5. I've got the software, now how about some hardware Yamaha?

Perhaps you missed this:

 

http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/musicproduction/cubase5_product/cubase5_details/cubase5_details_hardware.html

[UltramegaOK]

 

Perhaps you missed this: http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/musicproduction/cubase5_product/cubase5_details/cubase5_details_hardware.html

 

 

Thanks. I had seen that previously. It's one of the reasons my curiosity is so high about Yamaha's plans for hardware.

 

The only item on that page that is under $500 and is still readily available is the Steinberg controller.

 

The Yamaha KX MIDI controllers have been discontinued at retailers. Also, it appears the MW USB Mixer/Interfaces are discontinued. All of these were in the $150 - 500 range and integrated with Cubase 4, now 5.

 

Neither Yamaha nor Steinberg have updated their own web-sites to let the public know about discontinued or future models.

 

Are they coming out with new ones? Are they giving up on the under $500 music production hardware market?

[Phil O'Keefe]

I would assume Craig's right and we'll see some new stuff from Yamaha at NAMM in January.

 

I can't imagine they're giving up on the under $500 market. Yamaha is usually pretty good about having products at all price points, with features to match. However, I have no insider info either way on the matter.

 

I'll ask some of the guys I know at Yamaha if they are at liberty to discuss what's up, and will point them to this thread.

[MikeRivers]

 

I've noticed that Yamaha has discontinued most of their Music Production line that came out in 2008, like the MW and Audiogram USB mixer / interfaces and the KX USB MIDI controllers...all of the under $500 gear.

 

Low end products are the ones that are most expensive for manufacturers to support. First off, they're cheap so a lot of people buy them who don't really know what they're buying (and need support).

 

Second, they tend to get sold off fairly quickly because they're cheap and they get purchased a second time by more people who don't really know what they're buying, and the manual and power supply have been lost.

 

The sooner they discontinue a product, the fewer there are to have to support (or the fewer pissed off owners there will be when they can no longer get support after a few years.

 

But it does appear thta they're looking at integrating hardware with Cubase on the assumption that any musician who plays will also want to record. That's pretty much a no-brainer these days. So they might as well record using Yamaha products.