This was a discussion on the Korg forum where a forum member (galetouille) did a direct comparrsion between some of the stykles of the PA1X that was also on the PA2X . Remember that the PA2X boasted of the new EDS sound source . I remember saying at the beginning that i couild not hear any sonic diference between the PA1X and 2X. Galetouille owns both the PA1X and the 2X and is a very talented amateur sound designer. Many of the sounds on my keyboard were created by him and distributed freely on the Korg Forum so i hold his opinion in high regard,

This is what he did

'I recorded the song in the PA1X, recorded it in cubase, using digital output, saved the midifile, played it in the PA2X and recorded it using PA2X digital output. Then I mixed them in cubase. No plug in, no EQ, nothing. Just ultra fast crossfades (less than 1/20s) between PA1x and PA2x files.
http://galettouille.perso.neuf.fr/mp3/besamepa1x2x.mp3

Now, everybody can ear the big difference between EDS and HI sound generator. Lol
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http://galettouille.perso.neuf.fr/'

does anyone hear the difference ?

Not at all, and I must commend Korg for this, as it is rare that you can transfer an old style/pre-set (From a previous instrument) without having to do any tweaking. (Although I also like the way Yamaha put the old legacy sounds and styles in a separate folder)

The only criticism I can say is that they used the digital out, thus bypassing the D/A convertors and analogue pre-amps of the instruments themselves, as this can also make significant difference to the sound.

It would also be interesting to see how much older styles and sounds can be improved by using the new features and sounds of the PA2x, in comparison with the old PA1x model though.

Well done Korg

Bill

Actually other than a few bells and whistles for example more memory in the sampler section, the PA1X in my opinion sounds better than the PA2X, so it's not always true that the new is better.

Spalding, I don't hear much of a difference, even after listening several times.

Would the situation be similar between a PA2X and a PA3X using the same recording?

Has anyone tried this out?

Ian

i dont think anyone has tried this out but it blows a big whole in the 'newer technology' argument being better at least sonically for me.

Unless all the old sounds have been reprogramed to make use of the uprated sound engine, (Highly unlikely as it would be too expensive to do and reduce compatibility with previous instruments) there will be minimal difference between them. (As mentioned in my previous post (If you would care to read it)

A PA1x voice on a PA2x or PA3x will sound almost exactly the same as a PA1, because it is a PA1x voice.

The D/A convertors and pre-amps in the output stage also make a big difference to the sound. (If these have been improved then there will be a notable sound improvement to PA1x voices, if not then there won’t)

Bill

i am not sure i understand Abacus. The style in the example was the exact style found on both the PA1X and "X instruments as shipped from the factory except the boast of the PA2X is that it uses the updated EDS synthesis sound source instead of the much older HI on the PA1X .

Other than a few drum kits and a few dnc 'enhanced' guitars and saxes ( the saxes style honk like a goose) you have to ask yourself what EXACTLY are the NEW sounds that come with the PA2X or 3X that ACTUALLY uses the EDS because i have struggled to hear it since the launch of the PA2X and 3X

Hi Spalding

Example:

Acme Keyboard

All voices are sampled at 3 different levels and at 8 note intervals so as to conserve memory, and the notes between the 8 intervals are approximated by the on-board processing system.

3 years later Acme 2 Keyboard is launched which has much greater memory and processing power.

All New voices are sampled at 5 different levels and each note is sampled, this means you no longer have approximated notes, and much greater expression (5 levels instead of 3)of the sound, thus the voices sound more realistic.

You load a style in the Acme 2 keyboard that has been directly transferred over from the Acme keyboard; will this now give you a better sound?

The answer is No, because the sounds used are still played using the old 3 level 8 note interval system.

Load one of the New styles in the Acme 2 keyboard, which uses voices produced by the new updated (Enhanced) sound engine, and the difference becomes noticeable, as more samples give a greater definition of the sound. (The Marketing team would probably call it an Enhanced Definition System, as it sounds good, but in reality like all marketing terms it actually means dam all)

This is why new keyboards are continually produced, so that they can update it, and charge you an arm and a leg for it. (Yamaha SA voices are no more than the older voices with extra layers added which automatically switch between the layers to give more realistic effects)

Hope this clears up the confusion

Bill

So how many styles are actuially new and take full advantage of the EDS sound engine in the PA3x or 2X ?

Does anyone know ?