I’m going to be selling my KMA Liverpool and looking for a full size arranger keyboard. The EK50L has caught my interest, but now comes along the i3. I know they’re both new and maybe not even available. But for you Korg veterans how do you think these two compare? Both are under $600. I’d probably like to pair this up with a Studiologic X2 piano.

buyer beware Cass...just sayin'

New I3, Ek50L, XE20 and older EK50 , all of them have less functionality ( no user styles creation/ no sound editing/ less functional display/ shared buttons/ less performance locations and more cumbersome to access ) than Microarranger.


Positive side is to be able to play audio files and they can be battery powered ( except XE20 can’t be).

None of them has MIDI sockets ( they only have USB midi). I3 has midi out only.

XE20 is a better deal due to additional piano sounds/ polyphony ( arranger poly is still 64) and is the lightest arranger with 4 variations ( unlike heavy and 2 variation Yamaha DGXs). The only downside is no joystick.

http://www.synthzone.com/forum/ubbthread...nd_E#Post486653

I don't know what happened to my previous post. But the ones you mentioned are all entry-level boards trading on a name. A Pa50SD would be better than any of them! If you're not wedded to the old MicroArranger O.S., a gently used Pa500 or Pa600 would be much more capable, and similar in price.

I get excited about new gear too. But I then I scrutinize the manuals, and I'm disappointed by marketing schmaltz.

I have had the ek 50 and although it sound very good there is almost nothing you can edit. To much reverb on some of the styles and no option to edit this made me sell this arranger. Better choice will be the pa600 which is still sold and cost only about 100 euro more.

Thank you all for your comments. I guess I got excited by an eBay listing of the Liverpool for over $1100. I thought if I could get $800 plus that would pay for the Studiologic. Then if I could get something light and adequate for around $500 I could o to a 2 keyboard setup. But maybe the extra features of the Liverpool would be worth keeping and still pair it with a Studiologic.

Cass personally I always thought the Roland G70 was your
finest hour IMO..