I came up with the same conclusion Daveyb good to know I ain't crazy, or if I am I ain't alone. My recent history of clones is analog cx3 to digital cx3, to needing something for small restaurant gigs to replace my CX-3 through leslie and wurly 200 rig. I was still planning on using the big rig when it fit. I read reviews and was between the 4d and the SK1 but wanted a seperate organ out. I went to the store, vent in hand and tried the SK1 out, and left after playing it for 5 minutes. I was using that and lugging the CX3 along for a spare. I never could go back to the CX3 after the SK1's organ. Then I watched a VR09 slowly go down in price on craigslist and told myself if it came in under 500 it was mine. It did, and I got it solely for a spare. It does some things extremely well, and had to perform spare duties twice which it did well. I sold the SK1 to get an SK2 (missed the double manuals). Recently I got another SK1 because I missed the 15 pounds so now I have both SK's, and still have the VR. To my ears the vent is necessary for the VR09, not so much for the SK's, although it rarely is left at home with them either. I'm also in the minority and think the extra voices (EP's and clavs especially)on the SK beat the nord and VR easily. In the VR09's case that's after ABing the SK, the VR, and the real things (D6, Wurly, and rhodes in the studio). And yea, you'll get to learn the SK pretty quickly, it becomes "home" pretty fast.
