I think Korg is running scared against T3 & trying to keep what ever owners they have from switching with Free upgrades?

Got a good point!!

Korg took the PA1XPO as far as they could...they are out of memory for any upgrades. And a lot was done...all OS upgrades for free! Funny..I never got a single new feature in my $3500 T2???

Like I said before...these mfg's can do a LOT of free upgrades IF they put enough into the hardware in the first plac...if they skimp...then less can be done.

Of course there will be a PA3, but I think the upgrades will still go a long way yet on the PA2.

In reality, when you buy one you can't count on any upgrades...so far Korg is doing bettr than anyone else in this area...and they say MUCH MORE to come...we will see.

Lee

My last Korg was a PA80, so I don't know what updates came after for the PA1x/PA1xpro. But Ketron did the same thing as korg did for the Sd1, so korg wasn't the only one.

Personally, I think what Korg and Roland have done is perfectly illustrate what CAN be achieved with simple software upgrades alone.

That the market leader choses to ignore this is indicative of their attitude towards profits. Company first, customers second.

While Korg play catch-up in the area of CONTENT, now that the bare technological gap has been breached by DNC technology, Yamaha owners can continue to crow about it's capabilities. But that crowing will start to get muted once the samples for DNC to work on are introduced.

Yes, the Korg has few samples in ROM that can make the most of the new system yet. And that, from the reaction to the demos, is the Yamaha fanboys saving grace. But the bottom line is, the raw technology to do exactly the same as SA (and maybe SA2) is now a Korg feature as well. The capabilities of the system look VERY similar as far as I can tell. With one, of course, important difference. You can edit the Korg's SA technology, and you can create content yourself for it, or buy it from a third party.

So Korg, on capability alone, shoots WAY to the front. At no cost to the owner whatsoever. And, when the content arrives, there are an awful lot of Yamaha users, who have had NO choice whatsoever if SA technology is important to them (and I think it is a primary reason why many chose it) are going to look at Korg and think 'Well, it's already virtually a T3 - but in four year's time, it will probably be MUCH better, whereas the T3 will be exactly the same' and make a decision accordingly (remember, this is going to work on a PA800 as well as the PA2Xpro, for those that want 61 notes and speakers and much lower price!).

It's a piece of cake to remain the market leader when you have capabilities that no other arranger has. Basic, fundamental features. But that barricade has been broached. The walls are starting to crumble. And Yamaha, without a dominant technological edge, may have to reconsider the process of only making improvements in new models, when their competitors are doing it for FREE.

It's a short technological step from hero to zero...

Korg don't look like they are running scared... they look like they are looking to the future, and it just got a LOT rosier at no cost to their customers.

I don't think they are actually "running scared", but they do have to do something to stay in the game.

A brilliant move for sure, and although from the samples/demos I heard, they aren't quite in the same league as SA2, they do come close to SA1 and mega voice which are now a few years old.

Only time will tell if they can bump the quality up enough to achieve SA2 level...personally, I don't think T2/T3 owners will give a hoot, as they bought the instrument for more than the voices...the other features like a superb OS and excellent 3rd party support figure well into the decision, not to mention the CD quality sound.

Roland's G70 is at the end of it's cycle, apparently no longer supported with OS upgrades, and incapable of competing with either Yamaha's Mega, SA and SA2, or Korg's DNC technology...so what will they do?

Competition always improves the breed...perhaps we will see a Roland arranger that can once again run with the big boys.

Your move, Roland..the fanboys appear to be getting nervous.

Ian


[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 10-28-2008).]

If korg is in fact catching up to Yamaha's T2 Sa voices, great it's about time. But if the biggest complaint about Yamaha's T3 is that it's to close to T2 even with the Sa2 voices. People have a choice..... don't buy it then. that's the only way to show Yamaha that their customers are unhappy with the board.

I bet if Yamaha made a 76 Tyros 3 there would be a lot less bitchn about them.

[This message has been edited by mc (edited 10-28-2008).]

Seems to be the only complaint, and not really a big one at that...probably good for Korg (and Roland) that they don't.

I'm noticing a lot of T2 owners going for the T3, so I guess the upgrade from one to the other is deemed to be substantial enough.

Ian

Loyalty usually rules. It was hard for me to step out of my comfort zone from Yamaha to Korg - but the former is history

Personally, I am waiting for Yamaha and Korg to catch up with the Roland's in certain critical areas, myself!

This 'fanboy' is in no rush to go out and buy another arranger with WORSE capabilities than the one he already has, just for a few well articulated sounds

Roland may be taking another tack from Korg, and waiting to announce any new arrangers with their version of this technology until the content is ready to go with it. And they are taking a different tack to Ketron by not announcing anything until it actually WORKS!

In the meantime, were I Yamaha, I would be getting nervous... The PA800, once the content gets updated, is a pretty stiff competitor to the T3, but with speakers and nearly $1000 LESS...