Thinking of selling my OASYS 88 workstation.

[Sharp]

or that other new keyboard manufacturer from Italy I think..can't remember the name off hand...please help us out here Sharp

That would be Lionstracs.
It's a much better option than Open Labs too since Lionstracs products while having touch screens also have lots and lots of direct buttons to access the systems.

Regards
Sharp

[t_tangent]

Thanks Sharp, yup that was the one. I had a feeling the name had something to do with large cats but just couldnt quite get there

Might be worth a try Lewis.

Cheers

[lewisjalexander]

its alright sharp you haven't got it wrong lol don't worry. I agree about oasys users being rather short changed in terms of updates and other aspects. when you have a production grade workstation which demands the highest possible use, you need to get the best out of it, whether it's expansion, software updates or hardware upgrades. take as an example the oasys using an intel P4 chip. why not upgrade the motherboard to use a core 2 duo board, give us 4GB ram, a more powerful and stable OS which can be made completely accessible with a built in screen reader. say mac os x snow leopard or something like that hahahha.

give us more plugin support.

the M3 is not a machine I would ever consider owning. don't like the feel, the quality etc. just doesn't do it for me.

bring back the oldies.


lew

[Davidb]

For the record, I think the OASYS is superb, but I do wish that they had been able to update it a bit more, it even if it meant only once a year or so, or a higher paid for update. I do sometimes feel that we OASYS users were given the short straw, especially when you compare to M3 or M50 users still being given updates...I think.

Just my opinion...but then what do I know...probably got it all wrong again

Hi t_tangent

FWIW.
You are not the only one with that opinion.

But yeah, what do we know.


Thanx and regards.
D.

[t_tangent]

Hi David,

Thanks for the +1 and good to see I'm not alone

Cheers

Tim

[MartinHines]

For the record, I think the OASYS is superb, but I do wish that they had been able to update it a bit more, it even if it meant only once a year or so, or a higher paid for update. I do sometimes feel that we OASYS users were given the short straw, especially when you compare to M3 or M50 users still being given updates...I think.

The OASYS had more updates than the M3 or M50, and the OASYS updates were huge compared to the M3/M50 updates.

[t_tangent]

Oh...ok...thanks for the info. I stand corrected. But any chance that Korg will one day update the sequencer as has been asked for ages by a great number of users...just a thought

[Sharp]

For the record, I think the OASYS is superb, but I do wish that they had been able to update it a bit more, it even if it meant only once a year or so, or a higher paid for update. I do sometimes feel that we OASYS users were given the short straw, especially when you compare to M3 or M50 users still being given updates...I think.

The OASYS had more updates than the M3 or M50, and the OASYS updates were huge compared to the M3/M50 updates.

I don't get the point behind what your saying there Martain.

The M3 is a closed keyboard and yet it got a equence update, Xpanded, and a number of additional sample libraries. All this cost the end user exactly $0.00

The OASYS is an open keyboard that was promoted and advertised as one, each update you had to pay for, and now it's discontinued mainly because of the recession.

There is no limitation on the keyboard that pervents it from being expanded more with additional synths other than the fact that KORG has pulled the plug on this.

So t_tangent comment is very fair. I too wish that more updates had been resealed because it's not like KORG came even close to hitting any internal limitation of the OASYS hardware that would have pervented them from doing this. The OASYS as it stands now is a measure of where KORG pulled the plug, not where the keybaords limits where reached.

Regards
Sharp.

[mdh]

the M3 is not a machine I would ever consider owning. don't like the feel, the quality etc. just doesn't do it for me.

hi lew,

Being an OASYS owner I felt the same way about the M3. However, since OS 1.3.3 is the last, one more update to your screen reader and you'll never have to do that again AND get to keep your OASYS! Seriously think about the business opportunity here too, not all of us get to invent something useful that could appear in every future Korg product and give us royalty payments!

I've wondered how I could continue music if I ever lost my eyesight. You may be onto something world-changing that only you can do; don't give up!

[t_tangent]

Thanks Sharp for pointing that out to Martin. I think I responded a little too quickly to Martin's reply and didnt stand my corner very well. Also I completely forgot about that huge and totally free Xpanded upgrade that the M3 had and just as we OASYS users were waiting with baited breath for a similar update they pulled the plug on us. And as you state, the point that the OASYS was sold and advertised as an open ended system.....hence the name of the workstation....whereas the M3 was not, is one of the major factors that upset so many OASYS users, so thanks again for so clearly reaffirming what I was trying to say

Martin, as I did also mention previously, I still love using the OASYS for its fabulous sound and there are many features that make it such a pleasure to play, but I also think that Korg could have done a lot more, and it does sometimes feel like a slap in the face when you think how much the OASYS cost.

Oh well, hopefully Korg will be able to resurrect their support for the OASYS when the economy improves, or so one can only hope.

But thanks again Sharp for your support

[MartinHines]

I don't get the point behind what your saying there Martin.

My point was the OASYS had some very big updates, more substantial than the M3 or M50 updates.

I wasn't commenting about whether Korg should have done more for OASYS owners, nor the fact that OASYS updates cost money while the M3's were free.

I completely forgot about that huge and totally free Xpanded upgrade that the M3 had and just as we OASYS users were waiting with baited breath for a similar update

The M3 Xpanded update primarily consisted of samples taken from OASYS updates, specifically the EXs Woodwinds and Brass.

Unless my memory has failed me, the OASYS had the following updates after it was released:
-- STR-1
-- LAC-1
-- MOD-7
-- EXs -3 Brass & Woodwinds

Oh well, hopefully Korg will be able to resurrect their support for the OASYS when the economy improves, or so one can only hope.

Please do not expect any OASYS update. The OASYS was discontinued as a product. I am not aware of any situation where Korg released a signifcant update for a product AFTER it was discontinued.

and it does sometimes feel like a slap in the face when you think how much the OASYS cost.

We will have to "agree to disagree". I paid full price for an OASYS 88 and I was one of the first people in the U.S. to buy one (S/N 30). I do agree it would have been nice if Korg could have supported the OASYS longer, but I always asssumed OASYS updates would not last forever given its high price and therefore "niche" market.

[t_tangent]

Hi Martin,

Always interesting to hear other people's views, be they similar or different

What I can't understand though is why you as a fellow OASYS user seem to be defending Korg so steadfastly. Don't get me wrong. I do also feel a certain sense of loyalty to Korg as one often does to a company whose products one enjoys using over time. And particularly when the product is pricey, otherwise its like admitting that you have made a major mistake as often the more costly the item the greater the sense of loyalty and pride. I guess this is human nature and something most of us are guilty of. But yes I do feel priviledged when I sit in front of the OASYS...as it is a superb instrument.

Also my gripe is not with the OASYS R&D department of Korg. They have done a fantastic job, and people like Dan etc have been more than helpful, so I would like to thank them for all the support they have given us. My disappointment is more with the head office, as I think ultimately they are the ones responsible with ceasing production of OASYS and just wish that Korg Japan would have not got involved

I do also appreciate that there were some substantial updates for the OASYS, as you mention. I bought all of them as I am sure most OASYS users did, and even the fact that they were paid for updates was not a massive let down as it is only right to pay people for their hard work. So why did Korg give away free updates to users of M3 and M50. If Korg followed the same update policy on their other instruments, for example if the M3 Xpanded update had been available for a small fee rather than free, then perhaps Korg would have been able to continue working on OASYS a little longer.

Again, as Sharp said earlier, the OASYS updates were not only expected, but promised by Korg as part of their whole Open Architecture concept according to Korg's advertising and marketing of this workstation. No other Korg workstation has had this same open ended system as its main selling point.

I also do respect that all products have a shelf life and that nothing is supported indefinitely. But there were issues that OASYS users requested for years, in particular the sequencer update. So what did Korg do. They then released the M3 and shortly after that, as part of the free M3 Xpanded update its sequencer was updated and now incorporates all the features that the OASYS users requested. And yet, OASYS users still have had no update for the OASYS sequencer.

So, like I say, it does sometimes feel as if we were used as very expensive guinea pigs and then tossed aside after they gathered all the useful feedback and feature requests from OASYS users only to then put them in the M3 and M50. Ok, that might sound a bit harsh and I am trying hard not to sound unappreciative, but just want to get my point across. Not that it will actually change anything sadly.

I do agree with you though with regards to the future. It is very unlikely that they will ever start updating the OASYS again. I guess I am just hoping that if I keep saying it prehaps one day it might happen

Anyways, I hope this reply does not come across as too argumentative. I do see where you are coming from and I too am really very happy with my OASYS even as it is now....I just cant help but think how much further they could have taken it if not for this blasted economic downturn.

Well cheers for now...and lets pray that some big wig at Korg reads this and takes pity on us, haha

[danatkorg]

Thanks Sharp for pointing that out to Martin. I think I responded a little too quickly to Martin's reply and didnt stand my corner very well. Also I completely forgot about that huge and totally free Xpanded upgrade that the M3 had and just as we OASYS users were waiting with baited breath for a similar update they pulled the plug on us.

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... 300#282300

[Charlie]

Hehe ...

Well, I think Korg did an excellent job in supporting the Oasys. They just stopped it too early!

[Sharp]

Thanks Sharp for pointing that out to Martin. I think I responded a little too quickly to Martin's reply and didnt stand my corner very well. Also I completely forgot about that huge and totally free Xpanded upgrade that the M3 had and just as we OASYS users were waiting with baited breath for a similar update they pulled the plug on us.

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... 300#282300

I don't see any EFX's (like advertised) or the FUNCTION button listed there

Dan, you guys done yourself proud for sure. It's a truly awesome keyboard. The best KORG ever produced.

The general feeling though is that the plug was pulled long before the limitations of the keyboard were ever meet. It was a recession / financial reason why it was discontinued.

So to turn around at any point in the future with an OASYS mark II and no big bone to throw existing OASYS users would be a slap in the face when the existing OASYS was stopped well short of it's hardware limits.

Cheers
Sharp.