First impression of the Korg ek50



I liked the PA4x, but think it is over priced..

I did not like the PA1000...

I hate the EK50..


To say it is not for me would be an under statement.

It lacks too many things that I take for granted..

Yes I know it is an entry level,
but it could be improved for not much money..

Even the Micro arranger had better features..

Here are some negatives I found..

If you play back a song , even a SMF...
I had dead areas are the keybed,
silent not allowing me to play with the file.

I quess this helps the lack of polyphony (only 64).

Just about any modification while playing, needs both hands..
You need to hold down shift and select another button,
out of reach of one hand operation.

Every operation require two button touches.

The speakers are just okay.. 10 watts a side,
not as loud or useful as E-A7 (12 watts per side).

The biggest disappointment... Media player..
Limited to 99 songs in a file. Both SMF and MP3..

No lyric reads at all..
Limited arranger intros , endings, fills etc..


I will check it out closer tomorrow..

The E-A7 is 3 times the cost of the EK50,
but is worth the 3 times cost..
The PA4x is 3 times the cost of E-A7,
and they are close in comparable features.
Fact the E-A7 is better in many areas..

If you are thinking about the EK50,
I would give thought upgrade a bit to the PA700, BK5
or the next level, the E-A7.

I will check out my grandson's Yamaha E400 (?),
and see if the media player is just as bad or better..

I am pretty sure the EK50 is availble for sale.

http://www.synthzone.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/471507/KORG_EK-50_...#Post471507

Sorry, it is NOT for sale ... because it's going back to Sweetwater.
I agree with many of the down sides, and even though I do like a lot of what it does, I know I'd regret taking it on a job. It's not a bad value for the $$$, but I'm not in this for the money.
Fran - I'll come get it tomorrow after lunch. Meeting Mikey D, and Buddy O at Michales - a "Mixed Company" reunion lunch! (and NO - the crazy B was not invited)

Oh well Dave soooooooooooooooo what's next for the
winery gig & beyond???

I'n going to grab a PA700. It's enough like the 4x to reduce my thought process, and cheap enough to justify. If my PA900 wasn't broken, I'd never be in the market at all.
The EK-50 was a good contender, and no where near as awful as Fran described, but it's just not what I want. Neither is his "hallowed" EA-7, but that's a topic for another post.

Thank goodness for return policies...

2nd impression Korg EK50


You can indeed play over files.. certain buttons need to be activated..

Sounds are okay, not great. Like other manufacturers,
they are a cut below the top models in sound.

If you arrange your material in an orderly list or group,
the keyboard can get you through senior gigs or other hour shows.

You need to prepare all your songs (SMF),
muting the parts you want muted, set volume levels, and change instrument sounds.

Because you can not edit anything on the keyboard.
Not even simple stuff we can do on most any keyboard..

One major problem with the EK50...You can not search while playing..
If you try, the keyboard stops what it was playing..
Apparently songs(SMF) have to load into the Korg ram..
there is a considerable time delay between songs. So if you have to search for your next song(after current song is played).then add in

Playing arranger mode (styles)...
the controls (intro/ending, variations) will drive you crazy,
but you will get use to it.

Prepare your "homework" and have a set list, you can get by,



but I would not want to do a regular job with the EK50.


Well I am going to get the EK50 ready to return it..

You better hope she doesn't see this post.

If "she" does ... I'll know it was YOU!

Don't forget to make a toast, in memory of Emil..