Hi guys, its been quite a while since i posted here, so much has gone on in my life, loads of problems but i am trying to bounce back from them all.. i will endevour to talk about it soon enough...

i have a quick question if someone could kindly answer for me...

I have recently got my head round into getting back to playing music after almost a years absence... i still have my Korg PA80 (fantastic kb), but i really do like the look of the Korg PA1X... i just wanted to know the major differences really, in terms of the quality of the sounds & styles... is the PA1X a huge improvement over the PA80 or is the difference pretty neglegent??

thanks ever so much,
take care
danny

No replies...

Hi Danny

I've never heard the PA1X, but hope I will soon. Otherwise, you can type in PA1X and PA80 into search and there are about 54 threads.

Best

Scott Langholff

http://www.ScottLMusic.com

[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 05-20-2005).]

Welcome back Danny! Wish I knew more about the Korg. I had a PA80 briefly, but not the new one.
DonM

Hello, I played and sold several PA1X Pros, I am also a PA60 owner, main diferences are:
The user interface with the touch color screen, the RX technology (like the Mega voices in Yamaha) terrific sounding acoustic & electric guitars, electric pianos, organs and with the drawbar controls in real time.., the TC helicon harmonizer, new styles besides all the previus ones....the key action......GREAT!!...Options like MP3 encoder, CD burner, I like this board, but is a little out of my range.

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mdorantes

Danny,
I think Manuel's post is pretty much right on. When the PA1XPRO came out, many customers thought it was just a PA80 with a new face! After playing, everyone I know agrees it is much better board. Even though many of the original styles are included from the PA80, they have been re-worked with the better sounds. The "mega" type sounds are also very noticable in sounds like Trumpet, Trombone, etc. where they use multi layer samples to create the realistic nuances of a Trumpet player using lip, pressure, etc. to create a more natural sound.
You also get USB for easier data transfers from Computer to keyboard.
I just loaded version 3.05 software from Korg yesterday which added about 30 new features. Korg has done a great job constantly updating this keyboard to add everything customers are asking for.
By the way Scott Yee, they just added something they call "expert chord recognition" which I haven't tried yet but it might be your rootless chord recognition!
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

I would if I could...
Nevertheless welcome back!!!

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Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)

George: yep, it's indeed exactly the professional jazz style 'rootless chord recognition' I've been rallying for arranger keyboard manufacterers to include, for 'so many' years now. I'm thrilled that Korg has 'finally' come on board, joining Yamaha, Technics, and Ketron with this feature, which will broaden arranger keyboard appeal to the traditional-pro jazz style keyboard player as well.

George, I only hope you will use whatever influence & relationship you have with Roland (Chris Halon) & General Music, to persuade them to finally add "rootless chord" recognition on their arrangers now as well.

Thanks to the chord recognition verification test performed by synthzone member ptram (Paolo), it's now CONFIRMED that 'every one' of my requested 'rootless' jazz style chords are now included on the PA1X/PA1XPro with OS 2.50. Here's a link to that discussion thread:
http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum37/HTML/010769.html

Scott

Hi Danny, I've auditioned the PA1xPro on several occasions & very impressed with most all the sounds & styles. Though I remain a very satisfied Yamaha Tyros owner, Korg's sounds & styles (imo more contemporary sounding than Yamaha's) provide a wonderfully fresh addition. With the recent implementation of 'rootless chord' recognition, I'm now drawn closer to possibily getting a 76 note PA1xPro. The only major drawback (for me) is the PA1xPro/PA1x weight (nearly 50 lbs) and Korg's infamously un-insipired acoustic piano samples. Considering the fact that Korg's instr. voices (in all other categories) sound so impressive, I can't figure out why Korg continues to neglect their acoustic piano samples.

Danny, glad you've decided to come back to playing music again. Glad to see you back on SZ.

Scott

Wow, some fantastic replies! Thank you ever so much guys... missed you loads btw..

I will see if i can hunt one down and try it out because im really more interested in the interfaces, such as the USB connection & CD-R features. I am perfectly happy with my PA80, but at the moment, i am having to remove the HD from the machine, place it in an USB Hub and connect it to my Laptop to copy/backup files from and to it, and its a bit annoying now. I just wanted to make sure that should i change over to a PAX1 that i at least get pretty much more of the same, but if you guys are saying its actually also an improvement then im more happy!

Thanks once again,
Danny

Scott,
You should listen to the PA1XPRO with the piano expansion board installed. It's really quite impressive! I even think their stock piano inside the unit is great.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Hopefully i should be picking up my PA1x today, i can't wait!

Welcome back. Let us know how you like the new arranger.

Tom

Scott, I completely agree with you about the weight, which is killer for me.

But if you can cope with that, and the less intuitive user interface, the Piano Assault piano sounds may solve your other problem. They are infinitely better than the onboard piano samples.

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Graham

I've been playing this baby for a couple of hours now. I really do like it! The new improved sounds & styles are quite noticable especially the drums, oh the drums are the best ive heard so far, they sound so real!. Also something that i was very impressed with was the fact that all my work that i created on the PA80 works perfectly so far as sometimes backwards compatability can be a problem, i had a torrid time with GEM keyboards for that.

Scott, i auctioned a Tyros about a couple of months ago and i love that board too, i was close to buying it! The thing was that i had done so much work on my PA80 that i just did not want to "start again" with changing instruments in tracks and so forth. I'd love to have the money and the room big enough to own them all! I even still miss my X1 sometimes, still think it had some of the best sounds i've ever heard.

The learning curve isnt as bad as i thought it to be either. Not sure about the touch screen though, i'd prefer just to use cursor keys or maybe have like a touch pad & a clickable icon like you do on laptops.

Anyway, im really happy thats what counts, can't see me upgrading now for a VERY very long time!

Regarding the CD-R drive, can you fit any standard one or does it have to be one from korg??

Also whats the biggest HD size you can fit in the kb??

This kb is stunning, the keys also feel so nice...

Hi DannyUK,
Congratulations. Pa1X is a GREAT kb.

Some sugestions:
Download the new OS 2.50 version and Musical Ressources (http://www.korgpa.com/pa_root/en/products/pa1xpro_soft.html?en ).

If you don´t like the piano sounds, you can buy the Piano Assault from Sharp(http://www.irishacts.com/piano-assault/details.htm). It´s a brilliant Steinway Samples.

If you want to record in MP3 format, you have to install the MP3 Player/Recorder (
Reads MP3 audio files in any format, including MP3 with Lyrics).



No, you can´t. You must buy from Korg the CDRW-1 (very expensive).



I have instaled a 40Gb HD, so far no problems.

Franky

Just another quick question, if i connect the keyboard to the laptop via USB, can i use windows explorer to access the HD in the PA1x??

Yes, of course. Connect the usb cable and
Go to DISK button ->USB/CD and enable the HD. Maybe takes some time, depending the capacity of data.
With HD installed you can storage everything you want, backup, performance, styles, midi, etc. When you install at first time the HD, PA1X creates automatically a folder (Direct HD) with 3 Sets of Banks from 1 to 9 (9 additional banks with capacity of 9x32 styles) total fo 288 styles.

Franky

ahh thats interesting you say that.. this raises another question... i have removed the HD out of my PA80 and in the process of installing it in the PA1X with all the PA80's custom style banks in tact that i set up on that keyboard using the DIRECT HD.. i was kinda of hoping that this keyboard would pick the PA80's DIRECT HD's styles?? or will it actually initialise a blank folder over whats on the drive?? ive backed it up so its ok if i lose it anyway..

Well ok ive answered my own question. It does indeed create a folder called DIRECTHD but does not override anything, just bypassing all the PA80 stuff that was originally there. I've forgotten how to load an indivdual style into a custom bank thats empty - been a while since i did it on the PA80!

[This message has been edited by DannyUK (edited 05-26-2005).]

Hi DannyUK

You have 2 ways to do that:
1º via
Download the styles from floppy to user styles banks (1,2 and 3) and after copy from these banks to HD. (not easy).

1º- Via your computer (very easy). You can copy styles from computer HD or floppy to PA1X HD, create and delete folders etc. Like you do in Windows.

In this case press the button DISK (USB/CD) and enable. Now you will see in your computer the PA1X HD. Maybe it takes some time).
You will see 3 Sets: set 1 (banks 1 (USER01.STY), 2(USER02.STY) and 3 USER03.STY)); set 2 (banks 4(USER01.STY),5 (USER02.STY) and 6 (USER03.STY)); set 3 (7 (USER01.STY), 8 (USER02.STY) and 9 (USER03.STY)).

Remember:All your styles are inside the file USER01/2/3.STY (up to 32 styles).

After you copy the styles to DIRECTHD switch of and on the PA1X.

How to accesss the DIRECTHD to play styles?

To access the styles in HD, you have to press the button DIRECTHD on the left of panel and you will see two leds on. Now you can press these buttons 1 to 9. (the same bottons to select 8/16 Beat1, Latin1 , Ballad, Rock, user1, .....)and play.

Let me know if you understand my explanation

Franky