I agree Diki, pretty much everything Spalding is after is already on the PA2x, except as you say speakers..I do know the RRP in Australia is to be $5995, but street will be around the $4200 mark (which is about 3950-4050 US depending on current exchange rate) so it certainly is priced well.So his wishlist is definitely do-able, its just if a manufacturer wants to..
As an aside to your earlier post Diki, I was looking at a s/h g1000 out here a while back and I went to the Roland site to check it out further, and some of the things it could do wold be extremely well placed on a new model..Maybe that's the upgrade path Roland should look at as you suggested.
Dennis

sorry typo in my previous..... street is 5200, US should be 4950-5050...

The Pa2x will retail for roughly $4,950.00 USD and you figure a street of maybe $4,200. The Tyros2 originally retailed for $4,090.00 and now can be bought for under $3,500. The Korg, on the other hand, will have 76 keys, a real Sampler (with micro editing), Dual Sequencers (both with micro editing) 2 USB 2.0 & 1 USB 1.1 slots, real physical sliders, standard 2.5" hard drive included, TC Helicon VH, XLR Mic input, Dual MP3 player & recorder, Digital Out, and Motorized tilt screen. The Pa2x street price is evidently going to be about $800 more than a currently priced Tyros2. Are the extras worth it? We report, you decide.. Also it is worthy to note that the Pa2x will have a 2 year warranty from the date of purchase.

Now if Korg could just fix those hiccups with the variation fill-ins then we'd all be happy.. ier...

I'm sorry though. I think Korg is on to something with the Pa2x but in my opinion the 2x is basically a rehashed 1x with a few extra goodies added on. And there is still no word as to how much PCM WAV ROM the Pa2x has either. But I'm sure it's going to be compressed regardless. You think after paying an arm and a leg for a keyboard they would give you uncompressed WAV ROM standard. But with Korg you have to pay double i.e. eight Grand plus $$$$$$$$ for an OASYS for that privilege apparently.

I am going to bide my time and wait for Yammie to release its T2 successor. If they don't release a 76 key version I will then proceed to give the Korg Pa2x some more serious consideration. >> Maybe Korg will by then have fixed the fill-in/variation anomaly with an OS update too.

And by that time or possibly way before that time Roland may suprise us all with a stupendously magnificent 76 key ULTRA G-90 Arranger Workstation that will blow everything else out of the water including the Tyros3 or whatever it is that Yammie decides to call it. The kicker for the new Roland will be its weight factor i.e. will it be light enough for easy portability, and the price point. That goes for the Yammie also if indeed they decide to produce a 76 key version with all the bells and whistles as I'm sure Roland will do (bells and whistles) and as we've seen Korg do with the Pa2x. Although the weight on the Pa2x is borderline especially minus any built-in speakers, and the price is starting to reach into the stratosphere. As in.. How much did you say it was again? Could you repeat that please?? You said how much again!?!?!? Whoa! Ah, could you help me sit down please.. I need some oxygen since were up here in the 'stratosphere'. I think I'm gonna pass out.

Best,
Mike

Mike, I can save you some time...the Tyros3 will be 61 keys.

Ian

Well, these points are almost met by the current Korg PA2-X pro/PA-800.
Speaking in particular of the samples loading time, Korg Germany has just released the following news:

PA2Xpro:

loading 128MB WITH PCM AUTOLOAD lasts 400sec (6:40)

loading 128MB separately (after booting) lasts 280 sec (4:40)

Yes dreamer and i am seriouisly considering whether i really need the speakers as i have just ordered the Some Alesis monitors. I really love the idea of being able to set up in a couple of minutes and play and not have to carry around so much lugage but when i have to consider

1. Sitting around for nearly 7 minutes (PA2X) for the thing to boot up. I could have connected the speakers by then
2. As good as the internal speakers are sometimes when i am jamming with other musicians i dont have enough volume ( Although thats not such a bad thing as i can save my ears by asking everyoneelse to trun down)
3. I dont know if a 76 key monster with speakers is portable even for a young buck like me (39 today)

If i am going to break my back lugging a 76 key beast around i may as well buy some speakers and make two trips back and forth to the car, make a cup of tea, flirt with some of the single ladies in the choir ( i'm kidding of course!) . By then the instrument would have booted up !

Did Yoshihiro Doi tell you that personally Ian or was it from some other reliable source? What authority do you have to make such a bold statement Ian? I'm not trying to belittle you of course I'm just curious that your relationship with Yamaha is such that you can definitively make such a bold assertion. Did you marry into the Yamaha corporate family? Even though Yamaha said NO to a subsequent 76 key high-end Arranger years ago doesn't mean that they might reconsider and forge ahead in the future does it? Especially since just recently there has been a shake up of how operations are run on the corporate and manufacturing level and how subsequent products are being assessed and produced from these changes and new directives. Like thinking outside the box and encouraging more direct input from fellow staff members. That said, I hope you're not the one telling Yammie to keep the status quo Ian.

I try and keep a glimmer of hope that Yamaha will surprise everybody and do what once to them was the unthinkable; that is, to put their pinky in the water and decide to dive into the 76 key high-end arranger arena again. If you are Yoshi Doi's mouthpiece Ian then I guess we can take your words to the bank. If there are other sources telling you it won't happen I would like to know who the other sources are that are telling you that. In other words, are you speaking for yourself or has someone else told you this information? If it is someone else telling you, how close to the top of the ladder are they? I mean, is it Steve Deming, or Yoshi Doi, or some other high up executive? I'm curious.

Best,
Mike

The statement is true, Mike...76 keys is not going to happen.

I am not at liberty to reveal the source, but I can tell you it is reliable.

Ian

Shame, Yamaha could own me with 76 keys but since they don't I'll be looking at other brands this weekend.

Good idea, Seve, the new Korg looks really nice, as does the oldie but goodie G70.

Ian