pa80 psr 3000

which one has better voices
and which one has better styles

Wow .... you'll never get that answer. It's comepletely subjective in both respects.
I've owned both, and I love some things about each one.
The Yamaha styles are "simpler" ... if that helps you any.
The Korg voice editing is deeper and allows for more inticate layers.

The general impression is too personal for any of us to tell you though - What do YOUR ears tell you?

ok,
which one has the better piano sound?

That's a no brainer (to me): the PSR3000 wins by a long shot. As much as I'm impressed with many other of Korg's instrument sound samples, their acoustic piano samples have never impressed me. They sound thin (brittle) and lackluster.

I never understood why Korg hasn't worked harder on improving their acoustic piano samples. I previously owned and played the Korg 01W/FD and had to utilize an external module (GEM Piano Expander) for piano sounds. Regretably, even with the more recent PA80, it's acoustic piano samples are not much improved (if any) over the ten year oldl 01W/FD. If only Korg would add some decent sounding acoustic piano samples as well as 'rootless' chord recognition to their arrangers, this would attract more traditional acoustic piano keyboard players like me to their arrangers.

- Scott

3k pros,pa 80 cons
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interaction between seq/smf play and arranger
(ie-in 3k-you can use internal drum styles on SMFs in realtime-meaning your rock smf can have a latin/pop/jazz rhythm instantly)

4 fills and which are very natural(PA has 2 and very erratic/unnatural sounding)
3 intro/3 ending

SM slot and USB to device(can use your 128/512mb sticks and never worry about disk swapping)can also load styles from it

real time 3 part Vocal harmony(with compressor,EQ and reverb)-which can be in saved per style basis

realtime pads-you can record licks,pharses,loops and synchronize with arranger-the function in workstations- like RPS like function of Roland(in Pa80 you can only have individual sounds-kick and snare,sfx etc)(pa1x-pro -new OS is changing-can do loops like yam(I heard)so PA 80 may change that later or not?)

128 poly(62 in PA) 64 MB of wave ROM(pa has 32)

great 3rd party style support

better display,more simu efx

lighter

more realistic sax,piano,acoustic guitar sounds(mega voices made up for it)
esp-ac guitar sounds like someone is strumming right near you
(useless and basic harmony input and rather expensive HD(150$ for HD kit without HD) and 8mb sampling(basic) option in PA 80)

2004 technology (3k) and 2001 technology(pa 80)

rootless chord recognition(scott yee will explain)

styles are more open and non recognizable easily(where in PA some 16 beats-repeats-licks can become obvious)


and now Pa 80's pros and 3k's cons
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cheap looking and toy like hardware for a 1500$ KB in 3k( pa is more well build)

better and louder speakers in PA

better sound editing in PA

better seq functions in PA

better synth and drum sounds(triton board)and loads triton programs


solid state disk OS(means they can upgrade)
20mb(3k has 1.5 or so but USB and SM slot made up for it)

256 preset + 48 user styles(can reconfigure all-like volume,sounds etc)(how ever 3k's music finder is more flexible)

aftertouch and1 realtime slider(you can assign it to cutoff or efx parameter)

mid east/ethnic sounds and styles(and support)-if you play middle eastern music -3k can't offer much(no Ne' or Uds-PA has it and does sound good)-but if you play more western music - 3k's 3rd party support will make you smile

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so if you are a studio'band musician,do ONLY occational arranger work-choose PA-80

but if you are a arranger gigger,who use alot of styles and who sings-3k

the thing is 3k does what it's suppose to do with flying colors(realtime arranger keyboard)

PA however is in between(not a good arranger,not a good workstation either)

remember you can always add a used workstation(trinity,triton le,roland xp series and fantom S series(which have samping-expect for roland XPs) for less than 900$-which will outperform PA(as a workstation)


if you like PA 80's sounds/styles-go for PA 50-999$ and made in China(a lot cheaper in Europe)-same as PA80(except for aftertouch,expensiveHD,sampling.VH and less speaker wattage)


3k is the new king for this time in arranger world(for price and functions)also best selling-

remember PA came out with 2k and 2k was still more popular(also better priced)

most of arranger giggers have moved from pa-80 to 3k for versatiliy for solo arranger work.they'll also explain why.

it's like-" My ears prefer Korg but my job demands Yamaha".


but if you are from mid east(like TURKEY-i think you are)Korg styles(9/8 rhytms)/3rd party support/mid east/ethnic sound patches and resale value is better than yam if you play mid east music.they even have local PA80 websites.also don't forget used high end Rolands too.I heard roland has best support there .but if you play western arranger music there - again go yamaha.




[This message has been edited by jamman (edited 10-14-2004).]

Thanks all of you, especially thanks for your long and detailed answer Jamman. i benefit from your answer very much.But, yes im from turkey, how can you know this.

if you are from Turkey you would be silly not to go for the KORG !!!!!!
Instead of the PA-80, you might consider a combination of the cheaper PA-50, which is nearly as good as the PA-80, combined with a second-hand PSR2000 or PSR2100 !!!

Aramis,

If you are going to make "oriental" music, there is no question to ask, go for the korg.
There are a lot of styles and sounds available for this use, and a good turkish/arabic extension card. And it is very easy to detune.

STAM

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