Korg Forums

[kbrkr]

I saw a post asking for when the Pa6x will be released and it got me thinking the Pa5x has so much untapped potential, why do we need a replacement.

The Pa5x sounds incredible and is feature rich; however, I agree the support from new styles, sounds, bug fixes, and enhancements are severely holding back the success of this instrument.

What are your thoughts about the Pa5x potential?
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Pa5x, ForeScore - Korg Forum Member for 21 years and counting

[D575]

It is essential that Korg undertake a comprehensive restructuring of its management team, addressing underperforming elements and fostering a more efficient dynamic and adaptable team, dedicated to achieving success in all undertakings...

This strategic realignment will empower the PA5X to fully realize its potential and attain the recognition it rightfully deserves within the industry and customer base.
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Korg PA5X-76 : Yamaha Montage M8x : Roland Jupiter 80 : Waldorf STVC : Roland Integra 7 : Waldorf Streichfett : Focal Trio6 ST6 : Studio Outboards/RME Audio Interface/A&H SQ-5 Mixer : Omnisphere 2 : Cherry Audio Korg PS-3300 : Soundtheory Kraftur & Gullfoss : Cradle God Particle :

[worth]

My thoughts are that the folks here waiting for Korg to fulfill the potential and fix the OS of the pa5x have the most impressive patience I have ever seen .

Korg have no incentive in fixing the pa5x whilst there are customers dying to empty their pockets again on the next best thing .

Make peace with the fact that what you have is all you’re gonna have .

[nitecrawler]

Simple answer is "yes". I learn new things all the time.
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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=807494

Montage M7, Pa5x76, Nautilus, PA3Xle, Oasys 76, Mini-Moog, EMU Audity 2000, Motion Sound KBR 3D amp, Presonus and Reaper DAW W/Tannoy Reveal 501A powered monitors

[rikkisbears]

I think if they get their act together, it will be an amazing instrument. Has a heap of potential with the matrix pads and the dual player. Just need to put back those missing functions . Also need to do something with problems like the black spots and clacky keys.

Tend to think if they don’t get things sorted, who is going to have enough faith in Korg to buy the next generation of Korg arranger.

I remember the excitement of the arrival Korg i3 back in 1993. Probably one of the first people to get one in Sydney. I’d been pestering the boss to make sure he had one on order for me from the day I read about them. Happy to buy sight unseen as I had previously owned a number Korg products. It arrived with a broken key 🥺😫, packed it up,shipped it straight back , they replaced the key immediately,had it back in a couple of days.

After that , ended up with pa800,pa3x,Pa4x, PA5x.

Tend to think there’s a number of us who have done the same thing, worked our way thru the series.

I certainly wouldn’t consider replacing PA5x with next model if they didn’t get pa5x sorted first.
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best wishes
Rikki

HOBBYIST

PA5X 88 note
Wavesart CFX 9ft Grand Piano 🥰
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Roland FP10 piano

Yamaha PSR SX900

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[AntonySharmman]

[rikkisbears]

[JagiChan]

[chelsea4023]

Hi,
Sorry Guys, but I feel totally different to all that have posted in this thread. It's one of my biggest regrets in buying the PA5X. I still have the issue with the buttons and an O/S that is still is not stable. It's exactly two years since this flagship keyboard was launched and there are still major problems with it. I have been reading so many Posts from Forum Members who cannot do certain things with the PA5X, my one being Easy Record. Whenever I mention it, people go quiet. I get the feeling I'm not supposed to 'make a fuss', just keep quiet and wait until Korg can 'bother their asses' to do something about it.

Same with Korg U.K. I have been trying to get the buttons changed since the start of this year, and all I repeatedly get told is the replacement buttons have not arrived in the U.K. yet !!

I actually don't play the PA5X at all, it just sits switched off and never gets used (what a great investment of over £3,000). Fortunately I have a Korg Nautilus 88 which is very good (and more importantly has a stable O/S) and I play that instead of my PA5X. Once the new O/S comes along and the buttons are replaced under warranty I'll look to move the PA5X on and probably go for a used arranger from another Manufacturer.

Final point about the Thread Title, 'Can we all agree the Pa5x has tremendous untapped potential' ?
Two years since the PA5X launch and we are still asking this question. The answer is yes, but the potential will stay untapped due to the remarkable ineptitude of the Korg software Engineers.
Chris

[fatih89]

Can we all agree the Pa2x has tremendous untapped potential?

[rikkisbears]

[Asena]

Hey everyone,

I hope you're all doing well. I wanted to share some thoughts and feelings about the Korg Pa5x. While I believe it has tremendous potential, I can't help but feel a bit disappointed with how things have turned out so far. Let me explain why.

The Struggles We've Faced
Over the past two years, we've all dealt with a lot – from the challenges of COVID-19 and ongoing global conflicts to supply chain issues and less-than-stellar product launches. These factors have made it hard for all of us, including Korg, to deliver the best experience. However, some of the problems we've encountered seem like they could have been avoided or addressed better.

Technical Shortcomings
No Audio Over USB and Bluetooth: In today's world, these features are pretty standard, and their absence is frustrating. It feels like we're missing out on essential functionality.
Outdated User Interface: For a keyboard released in 2024, the UI should be more modern and intuitive.
Missing Sequencer Features: The promised sequencer isn’t fully realized, and we lack basic functions like UNDO/REDO in the Style Creator.
Stability Issues: Frequent crashes and bugs disrupt our workflow and performances.
Hardware Problems: Issues like cracking keys and faulty LEDs shouldn't be happening with a premium product.
Communication and Support
One of the biggest letdowns has been the lack of communication from Korg. In the past, figures like Trammanoni made us feel like part of a big family, but now it seems like we're left in the dark. We're not getting the answers or updates we need, and it feels like our concerns are being ignored.

Impact on Us as Users
This has taken a toll on many of us. I've heard from at least 30-40 users who are deeply disappointed. We've lost gigs, enthusiasm, morale, and money because of these issues. It's heartbreaking to see a community that was once so friendly and supportive become frustrated and disillusioned.

Continuing to Believe in Korg
Despite all this, I never stopped believing in Korg. I've put in a lot of effort to create amazing sounds, samples, styles, pads, and much more. It wasn't easy, and I'm sure it could have been much better if it were easier to make these directly on the keyboard with an amazing OS and UI that an expensive keyboard like this should have.

Moving Forward
Despite the challenges, I still love the Korg Pa5x. The sound is fantastic, and I genuinely believe in its potential. But we need more from Korg to restore our faith. Here are a few ways I think we can move forward:

Technical Improvements:

Audio Over USB and Bluetooth: If these features can be added through firmware updates, that would be great. If not, an explanation and possible alternatives would help.
UI and Sequencer Updates: Modernizing the UI and adding the missing sequencer features would make a huge difference.
Stability Fixes: Prioritizing stability improvements would help us use the Pa5x confidently.
Hardware Quality: Addressing hardware issues with repair or replacement programs would show a commitment to quality.
Better Communication:

Regular Updates: Keeping us informed about what's being done to improve the Pa5x would rebuild trust. Transparency is key, even if progress is slow.
User Engagement: Re-establishing a strong presence in user forums and communities would make us feel heard and valued again.
Feedback Mechanisms: Implementing a structured feedback system where we can see responses from Korg would improve user relations.
Rebuilding Trust:

Acknowledgment of Issues: Publicly acknowledging the problems and apologizing would be a good start. This should be followed by a clear plan of action.
Compensation for Affected Users: Offering discounts, free updates, or extended warranties could help mitigate the impact on us.
Community Building: Organizing events, webinars, or Q&A sessions with Korg representatives could help rebuild our sense of community.
I know I'm not alone in feeling this way. Many of us still believe in Korg and want to see the Pa5x reach its full potential. Let's hope for better communication and updates soon. We love this keyboard and want to see it succeed for all of us who have invested our time, money, and passion into it.

Best wishes to everyone, especially the end users who have endured so much.

Take care,
Asena/GLOBAL SOUND

www.globalsound.se
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[chelsea4023]

Hi Rikkisbears,
Regarding the buttons, you say there must be a lot of keyboards around with this problem. I assume you mean a lot of PA5X keyboards around with this problem. I have never encountered any musical keyboard (from any Manufacturer) in over 40 years of buying keyboards that has had similar problems with the buttons. Any Forum Member that can enlighten us all with one, then please do. What is particularly galling about this issue is that the PA5X is a 'Flagship' keyboard. I would expect the highest quality materials to be used in the production of a keyboard that was originally priced at between £3,700 U.K. & £4,300 U.K. as of June 2022. They clearly cut corners with the buttons. Please forgive me, but I don't want to keep quiet and accept the dark blobs appearing intermittently on them, or accept the Easy Record feature is currently missing from the keyboard. The button issue will most definitely be a problem when I come to sell the keyboard, so I would like them replaced (after I paid so much for the PA5X just under a year ago). Currently the button issue is only cosmetic but only time will tell.

I do have 1.2.1 O/S loaded. As far as I can make out, Korg have only made one major O/S update for the PA5X which was 1.2.0 on 11th July 2023. Not one major update in 12 months, take a bow Korg !! 1.2.1 was only to tidy up minor problems with 1.2.0.

One small point, some Forum Members were talking about a PA6X one day. It's simply never going to happen that Korg would ever consider making a flagship arranger again. The losses they incur over the PA5X debacle will make sure of that. I'm not sure what the sales figures are for arrangers between Korg and Yamaha but my guess is the Genos 2 is outselling the PA5X despite the higher price.

Rikkisbears, could I refer you to the five pages of Posts in the Problem Report PA5X O/S 1.2.1. There should be enough issues in there to get your teeth into. What I can say with some certainty is that when I was trying to get to grips with my PA5X it froze on three different occasions and the only way to get buttons to work was by turning off the keyboard and re-starting. I admit that was not really a problem for me, but a more stable O/S would eradicate keyboard freezes.

On reading your Post Rikkisbears, I noticed something you have learnt to do well since you purchased your PA5X, and that is to adapt. Because Easy Record has been left out you adapted by using Chord Looper and then using some old P.C. software. When one of the keys kept rattling you adapted by using your Roland FP10 keyboard instead and even repairing your PA5X. Is that acceptable on a $7,500 flagship arranger ?
Chris

[D575]

As Roland is reportedly developing a state-of-the-art flagship arranger, it is expected that many from the Korg community who are currently dissatisfied with existing offerings would now consider moving away from Korg after closely scrutinising Roland's upcoming releases.

NOTE:
This information is derived from unverified reports shared by a Roland representative with a dealership.
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Korg PA5X-76 : Yamaha Montage M8x : Roland Jupiter 80 : Waldorf STVC : Roland Integra 7 : Waldorf Streichfett : Focal Trio6 ST6 : Studio Outboards/RME Audio Interface/A&H SQ-5 Mixer : Omnisphere 2 : Cherry Audio Korg PS-3300 : Soundtheory Kraftur & Gullfoss : Cradle God Particle :

[rikkisbears]