First time contact with Pa5X

[evo3]

Last Saturday I was finally able to view and play around on a Pa5X 76 keys in an music shop here in Switzerland.

As I plan to replace my Pa4X with it, I am following very interesed the Pa5X official lunch since June last year.

Therefore, first I had to update from 1.2.0 to 1.2.1.
Next step was the import *.set form my Pa4X.
It took around a half hour.
The conversion was successfully with 2077 resources have been converted.
Afterwards I loaded the new *.KST file and merged to the existing entry’s.

First check was looking good, all my songbook, styles, songs, samples and keyboard sets entry got imported.
But when I select one entry from the songbook it was not loading the correspondent keyboard set even all the keyboards set were imported.
Very strange and disappointing.

Furthermore, I find out that the damper pedal entry has not assignable parameters as the other two. That means apart of not having the EC5 socket anymore it is also not providing the possibility to use tree pedals.
What I also noticed, is that the drum and accompaniments volume on every style is too low.

In conclusion only for having a better display, sound engine and less buttons I am very happy that I not spend all that money for it and waiting for future update.

My question to you, is it really an import issues the problem with the not loading of correspondent keyboards set? Did someone other also had this experience?

[tavro]

I cannot find any advantage of upgrading from Pa4x to Pa5x.

[karmathanever]

I cannot find any advantage of upgrading from Pa4x to Pa5x.

+100

[Nemydom]

I cannot find any advantage of upgrading from Pa4x to Pa5x.

There is one major advantage, and it outweighs everything else: the Pa5x sounds way better!

[karmathanever]

There is one major advantage, and it outweighs everything else: the Pa5x sounds way better!

Was my first impression when I tested it but in all seriousness not better to any great extent - same DACs but reconfigured DSP (Yamaha's trick!! ) are the multisample all new???

I would challenge that the two keyboards can really sound the same with some tweaking (on both sides).
When performing I would doubt one would notice but maybe for recording. I did not like several of Yamaha's DSP-overdosed sounds - thought PA5x was a little similar.

BUT this is my opinion and it is all subjective when it comes to sounds, what you are listening to them through, and configuration.... too many varying factors....

[evo3]

But we should confess, that at least Korg provided now on the Pa5X an possibility to import some stuff from the Pa4X. This was NOT possible on the Pa4X coming from the Pa3X.

[AntonySharmman]

same DACs but reconfigured DSP (Yamaha's trick!! ) are the multisample all new???
I would challenge that the two keyboards can really sound the same with some tweaking

Pete it's not a matter of DAC (any 24 Bit DAC is excellent) nor a matter of DSP , it's the programming itself.
Just anything with bypassed effects sounds far better with precise stereo-phony and frequency details for first time.
No tweaking in Pa4X or any other Korg product can compete that , and the reason I bought it directly in early 2022.
It's the best sounding Korg keyboard so far ...

[karmathanever]

Pete it's not a matter of DAC (any 24 Bit DAC is excellent) nor a matter of DSP , it's the programming itself.
Just anything with bypassed effects sounds far better with precise stereo-phony and frequency details for first time.
No tweaking in Pa4X or any other Korg product can compete that , and the reason I bought it directly in early 2022.
It's the best sounding Korg keyboard so far ...

Antony, you are without a doubt the most technically experienced sound developer I have known and I fully respect your knowledge, reply and comments.
I guess I am not at that level of comparing sounds with bypassed effects etc... (that would be interesting) - I just do not find the overall sounds of the PA5x to be that much improved at the level I use my keyboards - certainly not worth 80% more $$ than my PA4x. Yes, I did think it sounded nice even though my experience with it was only with headphones.

Pete

[karmathanever]

But we should confess, that at least Korg provided now on the Pa5X an possibility to import some stuff from the Pa4X. This was NOT possible on the Pa4X coming from the Pa3X.

Hmmmmm..... I did not experience that and transferred all my performance data (styles, sounds, samples, songbook etc) and was up and running very quickly when coming from PA3x to PA4x such that I didn't miss one rehearsal with my band.
I admit that I stupidly took a risk with that and sold up my PA3x just before getting my PA4x but fortunately had no conversion/importing issues at all.

I was lucky

[AntonySharmman]

I just do not find the overall sounds of the PA5x to be that much improved at the level I use my keyboards

I agree that sounds are not much improved because as in OS , current sound development is also poor as in Pa4X , but factory
samples size in Pa5X is 3 times larger than Pa4X with quality and velocity samples of many important acoustic instruments that you
can find after deep digging and exploring extra existing articulation and samples that have not used yet or not obvious.
Also just 2 obvious features , triple Ram , 2,5 times more stereo polyphony than Pa4X ...

I always inform members of not obvious features as also for hidden flaws until all will be fixed properly and they will ...

[Biggles]

Whatever you decide, Do Not sell or trade-in your 4X.

I decided that when the 5X was released to hold off buying until the OS was as bug free as possible and the “missing” features restored.

18 months later my cash is still in the Bank.

I have lost confidence in Korg.