For Sale:
Korg Pa4x 61 keys EC5 pedal $2,200 Pick up $2,100
Yamaha S975 Pedal $1,300 pick up $1,200

John C.

Hi John, will you cover postage to Sydney ???? LOL
Price is great for me, just dreaming!
I need a justifiable reason to move on from the KN7

Ray

P.S.

Happy New Year to all at S/Z

Hi Saint, oh I mean Ray,
I am putting together a complete answer which I hope will answer yor question. Busy till Saturday.
John C.

Hi Ray, good to hear from you.
You ae talking to a man who had 4 Kn7000, and sold everyone. Why? To have all the features that is needed to great job. This where the Pa4x shines. I have retired, no more playing for dollars; so, my needs have changed. Are you playing out?

What can take can take the place of a Kn7000? (without spending a bunch of money) Nothing. I feel the Yamaha S975 is the closets. It has a gentle clear sound without doing too much. And there more styles and people ready to help than any other keyboard.

Ray here’s my best thought for you. (If dollars allow) Keep the Kn7000, and buy a used Korg 1000, or a used Roland Ea7. Now this is personal to me. When I listen to the live recordings and sequences I made in the Kn7000 days, I know I should have kept mine. And maybe I should have kept my first wife to. Hahahahaha

If all goes well I will have another Kn7000 shortly. (smile)
Take care, John C.

OK, Saintly Ray
The learning curve is far less on theS975. The eight Regs are pretty much the same as the Kn7000. You can customize the window on a Kn7000, not on Korg or Yamaha.

Tremendous support and styles for the Yamaha. Far less with the Korg. Gary sent me, and this is a guess, of styles, all with the name of the song they match up with. (with regs also) Hundreds of MultiPads are available. The sound of the S975 is closer to the Kn7000 than the Korg.

Now if you play out (Jobs) there is no contest. Get the Pa4x , it is a working OMB keyboard, everything is in front of you. If dollars are short, the Pa1000 will do the job.

That’s all I have right now, John C

Hi John,that is not a bad option, I salivate at the thought of a PA4X, but external speakers are not my favoured way to go. The KN7 has ample power (60 watts)for anything I do.
Plus,I have so much data collected over the years in the Technics
I could not live long enough to do it all again with another OS.
There are very few things lacking in the KN7 for my taste (MSA is probably the weakest area that I can find, IMO).
The Korg 1000 does look good for the amount of outside stuff I do.
I live in an over 55 complex, and play for most of their activities, up to 120 pp. with dinner/background, and dance music.
P.S. Money is no option when it comes to music !!!!

Happy New Year, John

Ray

Hey Ray!
Don't overlook the Roland EA7. Great sounds, styles and speakers. Light weight, and as deep as you want to go as far as customizing. I find myself using it more than my Korg PA4X, and that is a shocker to me!
Best wishes!

Don, what is it that you like about the E A7. I believe that more Pa4x keyboards have been sold here on SynthZone because of DonM, So when you show favor to the EA7 I am listening.

I won’t listen to Fran, although I respect where he is coming from, he is married to Roland. The last time I owned a Roland is when they had just come out with the “D” beam.
John C.

John , you can listen to me.. And make up your own mind.

Back in the 80's I probably owned as much Yamaha and Korg gear as I did Roland..
Being a Roland dealer then, I had an opportunity to try all Roland gear.. , but I always did fair comparisons..


I compared the EA7 side by side to many competitors.. including relative products like G70, BK9 etc.

The EA7 holds it's own.. often at 1/3 the cost..

Overall I even give the EA7 an edge over the BK9, better OS with control.. Speakers, sampling, and pads.

I still prefer the G70 over any product..

My main concern (for years) is the quality of workmanship with product coming from China..
I know Roland is trying to move back to Japan and other areas..
Italy was more stable in quality .. Most of my gear is from Italy , Japan and USA.

My China hold outs are the Marantz Voice Rover, and M-Audio Code61..


Even the well cared for EA7 that DonM has, developed a problem with solder connection.. not uncommon with China production..


Always makes me wonder about low cost items like Podium speakers that may be made in the same factories as QSC speakers at 6 times the cost

Thanks Don, I am still happy with Technics, but always on the lookout just in case it fails so I won't have to do much research

Ray