Love your Pa4X

[taichi]

Why would any Pa4x owner in their right mind want to buy a new Korg keyboard ?? (Pa ??? or whatever they want to call it). The build quality would be far inferior to what they have now (that’s the way the world is going, cheaper, lighter stuff). Plus they would then have to suffer say two years of complaining about faults and bugs. And still not ever getting them fixed.

We have seen on this site how SOME Pa700/1000 owners have been ignored and sold down the river regarding required important updates/fixes. History says for certain that this will be repeated for any new Korg keyboard. Chuck it out there and let them tell us about the faults and bugs. That is the Korg way.

The 4X is ok. Stick with it. Enjoy. I love mine, a good investment. Don’t throw good money after bad. Pete and others here have often said that they would not buy a new Pa until a year or so down the line after the introduction. Looking at Korgs history it`s a no brainer. Stick with the Pa4X, even buy a good, clean second hand one. I don’t regret for one moment buying my Pa4X.

[karmathanever]

Have to agree 100%
I am still learning new things on my PA4X (and very often with thanks to you guys here on the forum)

Also, if a new model was released today, I would want it to be significantly "different" and not a "PA4X with a few extras".
The PA4X is incredible and particularly when you compare it now to the PA4X when it was originally released!
Korg have already given us the equivalent of a new model already.

My only concern is spare parts and repairs but that applies to most keyboards these days...

Take care with COVID and get into those menus and try some new PA4X features.

Cheers

Pete

[bensel46]

+ 100

[siebenhirter]

..The PA4X is incredible and particularly when you compare it now to the PA4X when it was originally released!..

As a full-fledged style player - compared to the Pa800 / 500 - the Pa1000 has been unsuitable since 2017 - when it was originally released!
*

The 4X is ok. Stick with it. ... have seen on this site how SOME Pa700/1000 owners have been ignored and sold down the river regarding required important updates/fixes.
History says for certain that this will be repeated for any new Korg keyboard. ... That is the Korg way...

Unfortunately, that is - and that is a big disappointment with Korgs way. The inadequacies of the StylePlayer functions of the Pa1000 / 700 compared to the previous models have been known since 2017 and - in contrast to the Pa4x - have not been removed with an update.

For Pa4x owner it is understandable one stick with its Pa4x or buy a second hand one. But who miss styleplayer features of midrange arrangers,will not buy a Pa1000 / 700 or wait for a successor until Korg is ready, to carry out updates in this segment too - at least years after its introduction and in order to at least achieve the functionality and standards of previous models.

Why would any Pa4x owner in their right mind want to buy a new Korg keyboard ??

Same question for users of midrange arrangers: Why one in their right mind want to buy a new Korg keyboard ??

.. they would then have to suffer say two years of complaining about faults and bugs.
And still not ever getting them fixed. Chuck it out there and let them tell us about the faults and bugs. ..

To let tell about faults and bugs and ignore them is not ok - to fix them is required from KORG.

[Korghelper]

Build quality isn’t quite the issue some tout it. As long as the keyboard FEELS good, as long as the buttons and sliders stay reliable, what’s the problem with shaving off 25lbs or so from the weight?

Roland went from a 45lbs G70 to a 20lbs BK-9, and it’s a FAR superior arranger in almost every way. Oh, and the price dropped 30%…

Me, I wouldn’t say no to a 20lbs PA5X76 with a much larger touchscreen for say $2700, would you?!

[BR]

...Me, I wouldn’t say no to a 20lbs PA5X76 with a much larger touchscreen for say $2700, would you?!

Well said.
As a Pa4X's 61 keys owner, for more than 5 years, I am very satisfied except for its weight.

[foxy]

On the other hand;- if no one ever upgraded we'd still be playing i3s!

[karmathanever]

On the other hand;- if no one ever upgraded we'd still be playing i3s!

Funny you should mention that - was at a function recently which had hired a duo (very good) and the backing sounds were unbelievably great. Their setup on stage actually concealed the technology they were using - I had to satisfy my curiosity and discovered it was just an original Korg i3 playing styles and MIDIs.

I performed a lot with my i3 and loved it. The i3 still has some of the best styles and I continue to use them on my PA4X.

Cheers

Pete
(Love my PA4X!!)

[taichi]

Yes, without the pioneer electronic keyboards we would not be where we are today. I bet you don’t remember my first board ? It was a Casiotone 201. I had an upright piano from my teens and the Casiotone 201 was my first step into the electronic world.

Today we have lots of fabulous arranger/keyboards, all models and makes to please everyone. I think that the Pa4X should be the STANDARD by which all other FUTURE arranger/ keyboards are compared to. Everything needs a STANDARD to be compared to.

The Pa4X is out there in a class of it`s own, what a better STANDARD to have. If someone comes up with what they think is better please tell us about it. Why is it better than the Pa4X ? The more one delves into the Pa4X, via the Manual and online tutorials, the more that we can see it is `SIMPLY THE BEST`.

Love your Pa4X

[siebenhirter]

.. we can see it is `SIMPLY THE BEST`..

Everyone can see for themselves what they would like, but it's okay if someone defines something as THE BEST for their needs.

As long as there is potential for improvement, I would not define a single model as a standard, certainly not as a future standard, but rather think about which features should be changed, improved or supplemented.

With the Pa4x there is enough to be done in this regard - especially with StylePlay functions / features. There are shortcomings which have not been remedied since the introduction, but after such a long time users seems to be too tired to discuss it (threads Problem Report, Software Wish List ..).

[karmathanever]

...With the Pa4x there is enough to be done in this regard - especially with StylePlay functions / features......after such a long time users seems to be too tired to discuss it (threads Problem Report, Software Wish List ..).

Possibly too tired for other reasons....

[siebenhirter]

.. Possibly too tired for other reasons....

..... possibly because Korg hardly can squeeze any ideas out of its ...

.... aging chips and synth architecture the PA series is currently based on. ...

Why this should not be the STANDARD by which all other FUTURE arranger/ keyboards are compared to is answered more realistic in threads like:
http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... c&start=64

.... It is LONG past time that the CURRENT Korg state of the art was leveraged as the engine for Korg's 'state of the art' arrangers, rather than fobbing us off with 20 year old design limitations ... Now, don't get me wrong, Korg have done an amazing job squeezing every last bit of usefulness from these aging CPU's and OS's, but they have rather painted themselves into a corner with not a whole lot of place to go any more. ... ...

.... I hope that Korg are using the extra time for hardware R&D gained by the NEXT OS to go completely back to the drawing board. It seems pretty apparent that Korg have pretty much tapped out the current synth and effects architecture (much of which is really just retasked Triton architecture, which is a 20 year old design!), while the architecture for the Kronos line has gone in an utterly different direction.
A far more modern CPU and OS .................. are now the current state of the art for Korg ..

[karmathanever]

@ taichi (OP)
Sorry - this appears to have turned into another complaints-wish-list.
Anyhow...
Seems like some love it and the same few don't which of course is perfectly cool.
I'd love to take some of my Jupiter-80's features and put them on my PA4X & Kronos and visa versa.....
We will never get that "perfect" keyboard because there isn't such a thing.

Like you taichi, I play mine - that's how you get to love it

Take care

Pete

P.S. My first keyboard was a Casio MT-45

[chelsea4023]

Hi,
I made a decision this year that I would try out the replacement for the PA4X (whenever it is launched) and unless it has an excellent hammond clone drawbar engine I won't be buying it. Sorry Korg but putting the CX3 module into the Nautilus is just lazy. It's twenty year old technology for gods sake !! You can buy very realistic VB3 software for 100 Euros that blows the CX3 out of the water, so paying upwards of £3,000 for an arranger with a 20 year old drawbar module doesn't make much sense to me.

It would also need to have a pretty impressive Grand Piano sound. I'd be happy with one great, useable piano. I'm often surprised at how poor the PA4X pianos actually are. I know you are all going to shout about the Italian piano, but it's o.k. and that's all it is !!

Although I tend to use my PA4X mainly as a sound expander I do think it's a great arranger and I have the user and direct fully loaded with additional styles (thank you Dopamine and Korg Bonusware). My Dealer in the U.K. filled my PA4X with Church and Theatre samples (TTT) free of charge so any replacement arranger would have to be pretty good to eclipse the PA4X.

I'll probably end up buying something like a Yamaha PSR-SX900 to add to my keyboards rather than replace any of them, and then I'll finally get those fabulous boys choir sounds that Korg are unable or unwilling to recreate.

Chris

[karmathanever]

(Sorry Taichi - back to the wish-list again....)
Regarding the classic Hammond emulation...

I agree that the CX3 (in my Kronos) just doesn't quite cut it for me but the Kronos add-on library by K-sounds (Organimation) is pretty darn good and inexpensive.

I have always yearned for that classic B3 range of tones - tried Creamware, Roland, Yamaha but never been really satisfied until now - with my PA4X!!!
As for the PA4X and it's DRAWBAR emulation - well it has been the best out of the whole Korg arranger series IMHO.
I have a friend who owns a recording studio, also a superb musician and very experienced Hammond player - he has many studio keyboards including the Nord Stage 3, Hammond XK3C (dual with pedals). He asked me to bring my PA4X to his studio and we spent the evening comparing sounds. I was totally shocked because we had the PA4X DRAWBAR almost indistinguishable from the XK3C. My friend was very impressed. I also must admit that a lot depends on the way you play!!!!

I have now been a little more patient with setting up those classic B3 sounds and seriously would not consider changing or adding anything.

I do realise that anything related to sound-comparisons and preferences is totally subjective.

So, back to the OP - lovin' it!!

Cheers

Pete