Hi DonM
Why would you need to overwrite the factory styles? Modern boards have plenty of User style slots available. (And if you have a hard disk the sky’s the limit)
I have had my board for 2 or 3 years now, and I am nowhere near to using up the 2000 available User Style slots. (Although as it has a hard disk it wouldn’t matter if I did)
Curious

Bill


[This message has been edited by abacus (edited 10-24-2007).]

Bill, you're right, you don't have to, but it's still very convenient to me to have all the styles I use in factory locations.
I like the Ketron registration system, so I used it almost exclusively. Don't like Yamaha's registration system much, because you can't just save a single registration, you have to deal with banks. Pretty much the same with Korg. Better with Roland.
On my Yamaha, I have so many styles, I need to spend about a week organizing them!
Thanks,
Don

Roland's can replace the ROM styles with edited versions, as well. This is VERY handy for creating your own OTSs, but still being able to call up factory styles on the fly.

Plus, on Rolands, there is a bank of ten 'Custom' style slots where you can put 3rd party or reworked styles for each bank of ROM styles, accessible when you are in the ROM style selection area (no having to go to a Finder or other Banks).

Add to that that each set of Custom styles can be different for different UPSs (sort of an overall Performance Setup) so you can tailor them for different occasions. Pretty flexible, IMO...

Well, this must be new. I don;t remember any 1990s era Rolands that let me write over the factory styles. You could always edit and REsave somewhere else, but the Korg let's you completely replave the entire rhythm bank if you want to. Pretty gutsy move on their part.

I have a request and it's just out of sheer curiosity: I am afraid that a topic like this one is going to be pretty useless for someone who is undecided about purchasing the PA 800 and hopes to make up his/her mind reading what has been posted here.
Why? Well, because it's obvious that those who are posting here are in their "honeymoon" phase with the keyboard and so their posts have a strong positive bias; yet, if you read between the lines, there are hints that not everything is so positive. For example, nobody is posting anything specific about the sounds: how are they? Which ones are your favorites? How do they stand against the competition?
And what about the styles? Are there weak points there? Is the PA 800 good for every kind of music or are you regretting a keyboard owned in the past that was better in a specific style (or sound) department?
I think that remarks (and comparisons) like these ones would be much more helpful for a potential buyer. Just like helpful would be a thread about the negatives of a keyboard (not just the PA 800, mind you!)
As an example, below there is a comparison between the PA 800 and the Tyros 2, done by Manuel Dorantes on another Forum (Arranger World): now, this is to me a good example of what I was just saying: I think that comparisons like this one, albeit subjective, are really helpful for a potential buyer.
Besides, Manuel is past the honeymoon phase with both keyboards...

"Comparing both is subjetive, and also depends on what kind of music you may be playing too, and I am not talking about the factory styles alone, I have loaded BOTH keyboards with user styles.
I both I Use registrations (17 pages of Banks of 8 in T2) and most of the Top row of the performances/registrations in the PA800, that way is very fast to operate either one.
For style of music:
Foxtrot......I prefer the PA800, aldo the T2 is not far behind.
Latin........Rhumbas in the T2 some chachas and tango in the PA800
Waltzes...a tie....
Polkas.....PA800
Swing.....T2
West Coast Swing....T2
Country......T2 by 3 hairs...LOL !!
SAmbas.....T2....
R&B close tie....for a hair, the T2 is ahead...
8 Beats.......PA800
SOUNDS

NYLON GUITAR......T2
ELEC.GUITAR....PA800
AC. PIANO.....PA800
CHOIRS....PA800
STRINGS....I Prefer the PA800s. I do not like the sustain/hold in this sounds, I like or used to a sustaining decay.....the T2 are also nice...but I "feel" more human the one from the PA800.
Vibes....T2...here the PA800 is like the choirs in the T2....BAD....
Accordions.....PA800
Saxes......T2
Brass......Tie....
Troumpets.....PA800 by a half hair.
Organs.....I like the S.A. Organs in T2 but I am not crazy on the other ones, In the B3 type, the PA800 wins.
Electric Pianos.....If you are using DX7 Type(Tines).....the T2....if you are using Rhodes/Wurlitzer type....the PA800.
Drums......Yamis are ok....but seems like the PA800 are a little more "RAW".
Other differences:

No score window in the PA800.
Faster USB load/save in PA800.
Going from playing style to song.....no need to switch windows, providing you are in Main screen in either, in T2 just press play in the Song....in the PA800, needs to switch to SOng Play and if you have not selected de song, it takes more moves than in the T2.....so T2 is easier and faster in this area."

Its interesting about overwriting Factory styles etc, as with all Wersi OAS instruments up to OAS4 (2002) this was possible, however from OAS5 (2003) a Factory protected section was added and the number of User Styles etc that could be saved was at least doubled. (This addition also satisfied the requests from a lot of Wersi owners)
My Personal Opinion is to have a Factory protected section, with a large User section.
It should be interesting to see what other people think.

Bill

I have now started a separate thread on this subject, rather then hijacking this one. http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum37/HTML/016451.html


[This message has been edited by abacus (edited 10-27-2007).]