OK Squeak--I'll bite. Enlighten us on the complete OS change and updates that Korg and Roland provided and exactly what those updates and changes did to enhance the keyboard's sound, ease of operation, etc.. I'm really interested in hearing about the specifics, mainly because this could be very beneficial to the forum membership. Who knows, Roland might lighten up the G-70s ensuring versions so old farts such as myself could handle them.

Cheers,

Gary

------------------
Travlin' Easy

Gary..., you seriously can't think of any OS updates that added new features to a Korg or Roland arranger..??? Does Roland's G-70 version 2 sound familiar? That update was rather impressive. Last time I checked didn't Korg add a very cool feature via an OS upgrade that was a feature to compete with a guitar related feature found on Roland's G-70? Do you really need me to point these and other things out to you...? Do you only follow posts related to Yamaha?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't OS update version 1.50 or 1.51 (or something like that) that added the Guitar Mode to PA-800 owners. Wasn't this the new feature on the top PA model.... Yet Korg didn't want to leave PA-800 owners drooling, and gave this feature via an OS update. That's a pretty darn useful upgrade feature IMO. I think it's safe to say that many PA-800 owners saw that as a freakin sweet OS upgrade feature.

Last time I checked Korg is set to release a new OS update that's said to be huge: http://korgpa.com/pa_root/en/news/pa800_pa2x_v2.html


I don't understand why Yamaha owners get so upset when someone mentions Yamaha's lack of OS upgrades to add new features (not screen colors and modified fonts). It would seem that the general population would think OS upgrades are to fix bugs only.

The problem is there are some here who are too closed minded and seem to think that every time you see an OS update for a keyboard it means something's wrong and they keep having to fix it. Perhaps if Yamaha added OS updates that included new features in the way Korg does for example.., more Yamaha owners just might understand what an OS update is all about.., and that it's not because the system is choc-ful-of-bugs.




[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 08-29-2008).]

Squeak,

I'm not impressed by press releases or hype. I can get that kind of information from the manufacturer's internet sites. I am, however, impressed with technical aspects as to how these updates improved things. That's all I was asking for--something specific. Something that someone with hands-on experience could post that would tell forum members what actually took place and specifically what the updates did. No pissin' contest stuff, or as Joe Friday said "Just the facts!"

I don't spend a lot of time at the Korg site since I sold mine many years ago. Same holds true since I sold the G-800. However, I do tend to read what is posted here, even when it pertains to other keyboard manufacturers. And, I've read most of the stuff about the upgrades. Some of it was impressive, but most of the posts were somewhat subjective. When someone says their guitar sounds better since the upgrade, I really would like to know why it sounded bad to begin with, and I also would really like to know how the upgrade improved that orriginal sound. None of that seemed to be in those posts. Maybe it's a deep, dark secret that the manufacturers don't want us to know about.

Ain't it amazin' how the posting of a photo has gone this far off the beaten path.

I'm outa' here--going sailing for the next three days if the weather cooperates. Seems like the logical thing to do.

Cheers,

Gary

------------------
Travlin' Easy

Gary....
Now thats a great reply and so true!!


Enjoy the boat!!

Sometimes a keyboard has too many features at the expense of others, Thats one of the reasons why I sold my Pa2x after a few months of use.

Too many features!!!! I want them all..

You don't have to use them...but you sure can't use what you don't have...

And features don't add too much weight..


Just curious..what features (that you didn't need)..would cause you to dump this Korg?
Or is there a underlining reason to sale it?

The last free upgrade from Korg for my PA1X was this

Korg Pa1X OS Version 3.0 Released
February 15, 2007



The Korg Pa1x arranging keyboard workstation series has gotten a fresh operating system version and with it a notable expansion of capabilities. Version 3.0 is for Korg's Pa1x, Pa1x Pro and Pa1x Elite. The upgrade also ships with a new set of piano sounds and 64 new styles. Here's the main upgrade feature list:

Support for long file names. You are no longer limited to the classic format 8.3, all capitals. Now names can be as long as you like, and mix upper and lower case characters. Names of files transferred via USB or CD from a personal computer will not be cut into shorter names, and will look exactly as the original
Easier way to start recording Songs from any measure. Go on recording your Song. If you want to do second-pass recording, starting from a measure different than the first one, you are no longer asked to move to that measure using the Fast Forward command. Just choose the new starting measure with the Start Measure parameter, and go on recording from there
Up to 16 oscillators per Sound. Create Sounds as sophisticated as you like. In the Pa1X, each oscillator is a different sound. You can either create very rich sounds, or add as many dynamic layers as you like, for the highest degree of nuance in a single sound
Smarter pre-selection of Style Elements. You can now select a different Variation just before jumping to a different Style. The Variation you choose will overtake the one memorized in the Style Performance
Faster SongBook operations. Huge SongBook files are now loaded and saved much quicker
Ending 3. A new, shorter ending is included. For those of you who prefer to cut short in the end
Revised user interface, with bigger buttons, bigger fonts and colored sliders
Enhanced Lyrics and Select pages, for better readibility
Revised Musical Resources, with various improvements and the new Ending 3 for Styles
Smarter Solo Mode, to be activated with Shift + Touch
Tempo Lock in Song Play mode, to quickly freeze Tempo and keep it the same in subsequent Songs
Contextual Help now available also in Dutch and Russian languages

I can tell to that the upgrade was like having a new keyboard but i did not have to pay for it !!!

and it was major. The pianos were a major improvement, the sequencers was even more detailed and the ability to have asound composed of up to 16 elements blew my mind.

Hi KingFrog,

I totally disagree with you. The Yamaha buttons have not stood up to the gigging stresses that the Korg has I've had the Triton, Triton Extreme, and now the Pa2xpro. Don't even start to compare built quality between the Yamaha keyboards and the Korg because you will lose hands down. The Korg's are built rock solid and endure a lot of punishment.

I had to baby the Yamaha's with soft padded cases and a blanket to boot. I had to replace the DIRECT ACCESS key twice on my Tyros 2. Not once have I replaced anything on the Korgs.

Al

Huh????

I thought you sold it becuase the Yamaha sounds were so much better???

The probably reason you sold your Pa2 was because you didn't spend enough time to learn this fully customizable keyboard.

The Korg sounds, with some exceptions are every bit as good as the Yamaha and certainly more Live especially on the BASS and DRUMS which are really the Bread and butter sounds for Live Play.

Al

--------------------------------------------
The probably reason you sold your Pa2 was because you didn't spend enough time to learn this fully customizable keyboard.
--------------------------------------------

That statement sums up a lot on this forum. People on this forum so often don't hold on to the board long enough to learn what it can do. They go from brand A to brand B.., piss and moan because brand B's OS is completey different from brand A (which they've been using for the last 10 years), and rather than learn the new OS.., they dump the board.., then come up with some BS reason as to why they dumped it rather than admit they couldn't grasp the operation-and didn't want to take the time to learn it.

I can't help but laugh at comments here about this sound sucks, it could be better if it did this.., blah blah blah, yet the majority don't even bother to tweek or edit the sound to their liking. I'm not talking about adjusting the DSP or EQ either. Tweeking a sound is much more than DSP and EQ adustment, but if those here who are so quick to dump and run actually explored the synth editing on their arrangers they'd realize the tools to make those sounds the way they like are already built into the keyboard. Adjusting ADSR and Filters can breathe new life into a dull sound.

I still say you Korg owners are sitting on a beast of a synth/arranger! You got an arranger keyboard with the synth editing power of a WS.., and Korgs OS updates are through the roof at times. I've got several friends who own WS's who also wanted an arranger, but one that had the power of a synth... (THEY ALL OWN ONE OF THE KORG PA MODELS), and love them!