If you want to play live and thats where you will be spending most of your time on the board the Korg PA2x is the best choice..

This from a very happy Tyros 3 owner who sold a PA2x after four months...(because we don't use an Arranger live)

Squeak quote.." I was pretty shocked to hear the G-70 doesn't have dedicated user voice slots. "

Squeak, this is a typical misconception of abilities on a G70...

The G70 can edit tones..Vibrato(delay, depth, rate)
TVF/TVA (attack, decay, release)
TVF (resonance, cutoff)..

You can use and edit multiple effects..

And you can layer, velocity switch, as well as individual editing up to 6 tones for the "fattest" sound you will ever need..

Now the user saving of voices...that folks think do not exist...The G70 User program is as good as it gets...You can use the user programs as your user tone slots..Hold functions (your choices)..can lock out changes you do not desire..as styles, and many other holds...This allows you to use the user programs as your "voice slots"..


Now see if you can edit 6 tones ( up to 12 oscillators in Korg talk)..all edited to your own desire...BTW: the sliders make this a breeze...Setting them up with velocity switching, pedal control and multiple effects........On the Korg..

I think the G70 is just as capable if not more than the PA2x..

I am not trying to persuade you, I just wanted to enlighten folks the G70 can handle edits too..

And as DonM mentioned the lack of active breaks (sorta a fill) on the G70...needs to be originated from existing fills ( a very easy edit on the G70..just allow silent space in a existing style and re-save the style....and if you want the Roland "silent break"..assign the break to one of the dedicated writable buttons...

Thanks for explaining that in more detail Fran. I do like the G-70.., but Roland's sound set.., even in their TOTL arranger IMO (although quite good) isn't as "hard" when compared to the PA line.

Whichever TOTL arranger I get.., it will not only be used for more traditional styles.., but I'm going to venture out and do what no one else is doing and use it to create modern styles. Korg's patches IMO have a slightly more edgy sound to them. I'm also needing good quality orchestral patches too. That's one area that Roland IMO has always let ME down. I sold my Roland Fantom X6 because (although it was awesome at modern styles of music) it just failed so terribly at anything orchestral related (I even had my Roland expanded with the Orchestral Board).

What I need is an arranger that has a sound set that has a little bit of a bite. I think Korg's PA line has always had that little extra bite. PLUS one HUGE thing for the PA is that sampler that reads AKAI format!!!!!

I love orchestral music too.., so what I've decided on that end is to go TOTAL SOFTWARE! Some great orchestral software apps out there that make my (now sold) Expanded Roland Fantom X6 look like child's play.

As I look down the spec lists.., and compare features/sounds I have to say that I'm leaning more to the Korg PA2X.

**I will say that I at one time considered the G-70.., but after installing the orchestral board on my X6.., I just knew from there that even if I had bought the G-70 and expanded it with the orchestral board I wouldn't be happy.

One thing to remember, Squeak(but you probably already know) is that the Roland G70 is out of production and no longer receiving updates...the PA2XPro just had a substantial upgrade, and there will probably be more in the future.

It looks like your best bet, considering your requirements.

The G-70 being discontinued is also a concern of mine too. I think the G-70 sounds great.., and IMO has one of the best acoustic pianos on any arranger (cough cough FANTOM X).., but IMO I don't think it'll hit as hard as the Korg PA would in the area of modern styles. It's almost hard to explain really. We all have different tastes in patch quality.., but Korg's patches have that little extra bite. It's on their synths and their arrangers. Both lines have that little extra bite ya know. Also that big thing is a sampler. I'll only be able to get so far by tweeking internally.., which I know on its own will yield amazing results using a Korg sound set.., but an arranger with a sampler that READS AKAI! Is a HUGE plus

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 05-27-2009).]

No doubt Korgs voices have more of a raw edge and thats what makes it a great live board over the more polished sounding Tyros which can easily be replaced with recorded CDs made from it which is how we use it..

Ian, the G70 is still a current model, and just had a new 3.2 OS release..better check your source guy..He is letting you down..

BTW: It appears the E-80 is the model being liquidated..that usually follows a big reduced price..

E-80 sells less than the G70 based on "current" dealer prices..



[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 05-27-2009).]

My bad, Fran, I thought the G70 was discontinued and the E-80 was still current.

I thought I saw it posted here, but, again my mistake.

it's not 3.2 that was released for G-70
it's 3.02 that was released
so the update is probably minor

will check it out though to see if it's worth my time

ye very minor indeed...

"The update is a bug fix, which fixes the problem with G-70 showing the piano sound family, when choosing the brass sound family."

i never had this problem but whatever...