What's New with PA4X vs the PA800 and up

Q.E · Post by **Q.E** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 4:50 am

Hello All,
Nice to be here with Ya'll again, I bought a New PA4x,
Can anyone put some words here , as far as what is new with Pa4x

Sometimes I believe there is none

karmathanever · Post by **karmathanever** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 10:15 am

Hi Q.E.
Best way to compare is to check the respective specifications and manuals.

There have been very many changes, additions and improvements since the PA800.
Sound engine on PA4X is superb compared to the PA800 but so many new & improved features.
Here are just a few things:-

Max Audio
Kaoss FX
Chord sequencer
Drawbar organ
DNC & DNC2
Direct access
Set lists
Guitar mode
A multitude of new very high quality STYLEs and SOUNDs
(Fabulous range of guitar sounds)
Super MEDIA management and options
Outstanding SONGBOOK facility
Improved control surface
Great new capacitive touch screen (much nicer than the previous resistive screens IMHO)
Best vocal harmoniser (TCH)
Greater bank capacities
Intelligent and very logical newly designed OS

Even coming from the PA3X (which I absolutely loved) I find the PA4X to be a great step forward.

Anyhow, this can always be very subjective - from a performing and recording point of view, there is no better arranger keyboard for me (Audya may be good - never seen one)

Pete

Kimbol1940 · Post by **Kimbol1940** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 2:41 pm

I have a pa800 that I've own for the last 10 years . It has served me well over the many gigs I've done with it.Im hoping that there is a big improvement on the piano and electric pianos. .I'm looking at upgrading to the PA1000. anybody know if that's going to be a big upgrade over my pa800?.
I know the pa4x is much better than a P1000 , but unfortunately not in my budget so was just wondering if the improvements on a PA1000 justify it over the current pa800 I'm currently still. Using.

Thanks John

Fransman · Post by **Fransman** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 3:18 pm

karmathanever wrote: Even coming from the PA3X (which I absolutely loved) I find the PA4X to be a great step forward.
Pete

+1!, Indeed it is, even more then I expected!
I also loved PA800 and PA3X, but PA4X is the best KB I ever owned.

BR · Post by BR » Wed Oct 18, 2017 6:40 pm

Don't forget the tactile, directional display of Pa4X which is crucial for live performers in a not ideal lighting condition on stage.
That was one the reasons for me to choose the Pa4X over Pa3X (which is good too).

musiccankill · Post by **musiccankill** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 11:48 pm

Kimbol1940 wrote:I have a pa800 that I've own for the last 10 years . It has served me well over the many gigs I've done with it.Im hoping that there is a big improvement on the piano and electric pianos. .I'm looking at upgrading to the PA1000. anybody know if that's going to be a big upgrade over my pa800?.
I know the pa4x is much better than a P1000 , but unfortunately not in my budget so was just wondering if the improvements on a PA1000 justify it over the current pa800 I'm currently still. Using.

Thanks John

If you can live without EC5, Fill buttons, and the 2 extra outputs i wouldn't think about it second time...
The sound quality the pa1000 (and pa700) has is far better than what the pa800 had..
Also the new pa4x engine running on these 2 new arrangers give you the benefit that you can load any set available (even pa4x)!
The engine itself is way more advanced than the pa800 engine with eq everywhere, more and way better efx , more osc/sound , a bit higher polyphony, kaoss , guitar input, and more that i can't recall right now!

Kimbol1940 · Post by **Kimbol1940** » Thu Oct 19, 2017 1:58 pm

Hi
I appreciate very much your input about the PA 1000.
yes totally agree that the Pa1000 new engine for sounds and styles will be much better than my Korg pa800 .
I'm hoping that the pa1000 can use the samples done by Antoine from the wave Arts grand Yamaha piano .. I hope I can use that sample on a PA 1000 and get a very good piano sound that I'm desperately looking for .
thanks again

pa600fan · Post by **pa600fan** » Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:41 am

I dont own one yet but from my homework the pa1000 is a $1999 priced keyboard that puts the $5500 genos to sleep.

musiccankill · Post by **musiccankill** » Sat Oct 21, 2017 11:05 am

Kimbol1940 wrote:Hi
I appreciate very much your input about the PA 1000.
yes totally agree that the Pa1000 new engine for sounds and styles will be much better than my Korg pa800 .
I'm hoping that the pa1000 can use the samples done by Antoine from the wave Arts grand Yamaha piano .. I hope I can use that sample on a PA 1000 and get a very good piano sound that I'm desperately looking for .
thanks again

I am quite sure it will support it!Although i think that the expressiveness will not be as good as with the pa4x due to the lower quality keybed on the pa1000 (yet to be confirmed though as i haven't touched a pa1000 yet but thats what happened with all models till now against their big brothers)

AntonySharmman · Post by **AntonySharmman** » Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:52 pm

Kimbol1940 wrote:I'm hoping that the pa1000 can use the samples done by Antoine from the wave Arts grand Yamaha piano .. I hope I can use that sample on a PA 1000 and get a very good piano sound that I'm desperately looking for .
thanks again

Normally it will support it but all will depend if user samples streaming feature will be valid in Pa1000
in order to support the 450 Mb size of Yamaha C7 library ... time will show !
But do not expect Pa1000 keybed and its size to support a good piano !

Kimbol1940 · Post by **Kimbol1940** » Sun Oct 22, 2017 12:48 pm

Thank you Anthony for your input on the piano samples I only can hope that eventually some decent piano samples of some kind can be used into a PA 1000 but definitely have been disappointed over the years.
I've owned three other Korg arrangers including a pa80 then to the p800. A friend of mine has a pa3x and none of these pianos have improved in my opinion at all while the korg has made vast improvements on a the arranger features throughout the years but the piano samples have always lacked Clarity and substance for me especially the lower end as much as ever I have Eq the pianos as much they never sound good to me and also must include the electric piano sounds as well.
I'm hoping that at the very least that the two new stereo pianos that are on the pa1000 are at least an improvement over what I've used over there last 10 years and more.

John

AntonySharmman · Post by **AntonySharmman** » Sun Oct 22, 2017 1:06 pm

Kimbol1940 wrote: I've owned three other Korg arrangers including a pa80 then to the p800.

John , an acoustic piano requires at least 500Mb in order to sound decently , did you ever expected this to happen in Pa800-Pa3X ?
In Pa4X , Italian Grand is bigger than 1,5 GB (in streaming mode) and still the results are disapointing but I'm not suprized since no keyboard/workstation (not even Kronos) had ever a real acoustic piano development compared to the VST I'm developing , that's
why owners of WavesArt libraries have discovered the difference between real & "plastic".

DonM · Post by **DonM** » Sun Oct 22, 2017 3:12 pm

I suppose the quality of the piano sounds are subjective, depending upon your own needs.
Personally I am happy with the pianos on the 4X. I play it five nights a week, four hours a night, for a living. I've never once had a customer come up and say, "That piano sound is a little weak!"

AntonySharmman · Post by **AntonySharmman** » Sun Oct 22, 2017 3:32 pm

DonM wrote:I suppose the quality of the piano sounds are subjective

The quality is never subjective for the pianists , the timbre character is subjective and fits to our needs !
In real world of acoutic pianos , a perfect piano might not fit as a "timbre color" to a pianist for his playing
style but that doesn't cancel the fact that its perfect !