Found this link at the Korg site I frequent. I really like the sound of this Keyboard.
http://www.rolandkeyboardclub.com/v/prod_detail.php?id=224&selected=3&pagina=1

Kinda lackluster if you ask me..

Sorry, but those demos didn't really impress me. The Drums sound pretty good though, as do the Electric Pianos. The AC Grand was average in my opinion.

And besides that it weighs 50 lbs., doesn't sound near as good as a Tyros/2 in my opinion, plus you'll need to fork over $4,000+ to get one.

Buy a Tyros2 for much better sound, much lighter weight, and also is much less expensive than an E-80.

>> Roland, Roland,... What were you thinking???

PS: You can add SRX Expansion cards to the E-80 which will give you better sounds - but why does Roland skimp on the preset voices? >> Because they want you to buy their rather expensive SRX expansion cards thus adding a hefty amount to the already astronomical price tag of the E-80, that's why.

Too bad the Tyros2 doesn't have 76 keys because I would get one if it did. That is of course if they kept the weight down to the low or mid-30's range. But I've essentially given up on Yamaha making a 76 key Tyros2. In my opinion they were so discouraged from the lackluster sales of the PSR 9000PRO that in their mind it is just too risky to develop a 76 key high-end Arranger again. When the Japanese make something and it doesn't sell well 9 times out of 10 or thereabouts they abandon the idea and move on. So it would take a miracle in my opinion for Yamaha to produce a 76 key high-end anything, since after having made one and it didn't meet expectations "as in the 9000PRO" (and regardless of whether the public is all for it or not), they simply in all likelihood won't take the risk again.

I'm learning more about the Japanese mind set through things I've read. Although it could be mostly a geography thing and it mainly pertains to those residing in Shizuoka, I'm not sure.

On a side note: Korg is coming out with a new line of Arranger keyboards with USB 2.0 capability later this year. Hopefully they will have increased polyphony and there will be a 76 key version available that is also light weight.

I don't care which Brand gets my dollar so long as they meet my criteria.

Btw, the Korg Pa1XPRO is getting a little long in the tooth so I expect them to come out with a Pa1XPRO replacement when they unveil their new line of Arrangers, most likely at this years summer NAMM. Let's hope so..

Competition is good!

Best regards,
Mike

I am a Pa1X owner and lover of the board.
I sold my TyrosI to get it. I still have the PSR 3000 Yamaha, but I will probably sell it because I spend the majority of my time on the KORG.
However, I see something in the new Roland which I like, so I posted the demo here. The Korg really needs 128 notes of Polyphony.
Where did you hear that KORG was going to introduce new arrangers this year? I haven't heard that and no one is talking about it on the Korg Forum.

Stan

I read from a reliable source that Korg Italy is in the process of making a new line of Arrangers with USB 2.0. The source said that they would release the new Arranger line of keyboards this year i.e. 2006. I thought that it might be at this years summer NAMM session but low and behold Korg is not even going to summer NAMM!

Sources have been wrong about release dates before so it may be sometime 'next' year i.e. 2007. But it IS true that they are in the process of developing a new line of Arrangers with USB 2.0 capability. It might be a case where things are proceeding at a slower pace than Korg Italy anticipated thus delaying a 2006 launch. Nevertheless, be on the lookout for these new line of Arrangers from Korg. They will eventually hit the market and hopefully sooner than later.

Best regards,
Mike