Imho you cannot find a new PA4X ( let alone a 76 version) for 2600 euros ( that would be approx. 2200 quid in your currency).
Forget about it and go for the one you have set your eyes on !!!!

regards
John

Okay so I spent an hour at PMT music in Birmingham playing the Korg PA4 X 76 key keyboard.

I went through all the drum kits and all the bass sounds and all the guitars and all the electric and acoustic pianos. And as I played I couldn't help but notice the very close similarity in sound to what I'm used to hearing through my own 10-year-old Pa1x board.

For example apart from the ambient drum kits ,most of the other drum kits were exactly the same as the ones I have in my old keyboard. For example all the jazz kits all the standard kits sound the same even the velocity switching on the snare drums and hi hats . In other words in relation to the drum programming, it was 10-year-old drum samples . Pretty much all the electric pianos that I heard were very similar to the ones I have on my golden entertainer expansion board. I can only tell you what my ears were actually hearing through my one headphones in the music store.

There was a significant improvement in the sounds of the acoustic guitar is and strings however most of the electric guitars sounded just like the ones that my keyboard came with on the golden entertainer expansion board but different affects, not necessarily better affects, just different .

I really wanted to get excited about purchasing this keyboard as I was when I originally purchased the PA1X . I was really looking forward to owning one of these by Friday this week.

But something just doesn't feel right. I can't put my finger on it exactly I mean I had got myself a killer deal on a very nearly new PA4 X . But as I played and listened and played, I just felt this was not a good idea. I didn't feel like the "upgrade" was worth £2300 of my hard earned money . I mean 80% of what I was hearing was what I could produce on my old keyboard.

So now I am in a bit of a quandary! I know my old instrument, can't last forever and at some point will fail . But if I buy the 4x I'm going to be looking at learning a new operating system and becoming very comfortable and familiar with it for what gain ?

I understand that Keton and Yamaha will bring out new instruments towards the end of this year. I've decided not to pull the trigger on the new Korg at this point, I think if I still feel like upgrading six months from now I'll have to listen to the competition and keep my old board . I can probably still get a relatively good deal on a new or nearly new korg if I go that route also .

Thanks for everyone that p.m. to me and those that contributed to this thread. I very much appreciate your advice and your patience with me.

Nope - returned it as soon as I found it's sonic achilles heel.

Hey Dave.. Can you clarify the sonic achilles heel ?

I hear you Bachus and I understand the arguments about backward compatibility. But is a weak argument in my view and I will explain why.

I want to buy a new keyboard to take advantage of the new sound engine and all the new styles along with all the backward compatible styles. Not merely to play my old styles using all the old sounds. Or Am I misunderstanding why people buy new keyboard?

If the new styles we are using the new EDS sound source, then I am very surprised that it doesn't sound significantly different to the old styles. To my ears that was what really surprised me and I was inderwhelmed .

I agree with you however that the DNC guitars and saxes are a great improvement over the old ones. In fact any of the sounds that use DNC are clearly better than those that do not use it. but most of the keyboards sounds are not using DNC . Further more I had upgraded my original keyboard using the golden entertainer XMS1 expansion board scone years ago , therefore the improvement from this to the 4x is not as great as you might expect .

Anyway . Thanks for everyone's input. I trust my ears and my own intuition. My money will still be available should korg or Yamaha produce an instrument worthy of the upgrade on my terms . Enjoy whatever you play .

God bless

Worth