Interesting comparison:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRBbC59M_3s

Enjoy.

As no one commented, I have to say hat Pa900 is obviously no replacement for Pa3x. But I think it is for Pa2x.
The sounds on Pa900 are just a bit less defined, but just enough to justify the difference in price.
If you can, get Pa3x - that could be the lesson from here.

I hear some differences, but both sound very good to me. I used headphones.
Each time I watch one of these demos I seem to learn something though. Not necessarily what the demo is supposed to be about, but still it's good to keep finding new things about the PA3X. I was using a different style for Dock of the Bay, but I may like the Soul Ballad he used here better.
DonM

I agree with Don - there is some difference, but I find each has some voices that sound a bit better than the other, but over all I like both boards a lot. Sometimes the Pa3x has a depth to the sound hard to explain, but the difference is like someone playing a violin by just barely touching the string and getting that thin sound compared to really digging in and making that box thing under his chin resonate fully.

Bill G

I hear differences too, and overall I'd give the PA3x the edge. Probably better d/a converters in the latter.

Both sound excellent.

Ian

I wonder, could the better sound on Pa3x be the result of some eq-ing and mild compression from "mastering tools"?

PA3X has the Waves Maxx plug in as a finalizer... that is probably helping it out.

Best way to make an apples to apples comparison is to turn off ALL that mastering stuff on both units, then play same voices, same reverb settings, same volumes... then you stand a chance of hearing what is different and what isn't.

If you were listening to both of them running through a PA at a typical gig, do you think you'd hear much difference?

Nope.
It's for the studio work that might count.

In a studio, first thing they are going to want to do is turn off all that mid priced mastering stuff..!

They've got finalizers that cost as much as the entire arranger, sophisticated multi-band compressors, limiters, EQ's, you name it. Bottom line about that stuff is, you don't put it on until the mix is perfect... laying down the keys is only the first step (and any decent studio is going to want separate audio for each part, with no reverb).

And yes, on a gig, my friends PA3X's Maxx processor makes a night and day difference.