Why?

worth · Post by **worth** » Sun Feb 26, 2023 9:51 pm

[quote="BillTracy"]Take a look at the FAQ for the 5x:

https://www.korg.com/au/products/synthe ... 5x/faq.php

Korg clearly has long-term plans for the keyboard. I can only assume that those plans will include fixing the current OS bugs. Unfortunate for early adopters? Yes, but almost certainly a problem that will be addressed.[/quote]

Sorry to disappoint you but written words on a korg FAQ about what they intend to do in 2023 are as reliable as the written words in the manual or the sales materials . They are just words on the internet.

The reality is probably going to be very different . No company would allow this much damage to its reputation and customer base and it’s distribution network if it wasn’t already in real trouble.

I would not touch the pa5x until it was complete and given the OS problems , polyphony issues and half baked gestures like the matrix pads , I probably would not buy one at all now .

karmathanever · Post by **karmathanever** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 3:59 am

I love the ending (fills me with confidence

):-

FAQ wrote:PLEASE NOTE: all details and dates are subject to change without notice.

BillTracy · Post by **BillTracy** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 3:34 pm

Bottom line is we know what they have said they will do. Now we will see what they will do. For myself, if they don't fix the songbook, I won't buy one. But I would be surprised if that happens.

taichi · Post by **taichi** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:18 pm

We have been posting here about our thoughts. What have Korg been discussing in their daily boardroom meetings over the last few months? They will be fully aware by reading here, on social media and their own testing, every single issue with the 5X. They will have a plan, a strategy.

So, what are their options?

1 Fix all of the bugs/faults to manual spec?

2 Abandon and pull the plug on 5X?

3 Produce another entirely new arranger?

4 Quit the arranger part of their business altogether?

No 1 Korg will be saying fixing all of the bugs/faults will cost millions due to the sheer amount of stuff that needs to be fixed. And even then it may not be possible to fix all of it.

No 2 Korg will know exactly what it will cost to put 5X right and please the customers. If they do have plenty of money business simply does not work like that. They have to have a good return for their money and shareholders. If not they could decide to pull the plug on 5X.

No 3 Producing a brand new keyboard would be a huge investment for korg. But they have several years to do it and will have learnt a lot from 5X. Plus the large savings from pulling the plug on 5X.

No 4 Quitting the arranger side of the business could well be on Korgs mind and focus on their other products. They have already pulled the plug on Pa4X, 1000 and 700 but the enormous investment required to fix 5X could be the final straw that broke the camels back. And would they ever be able to restore their reputation in the arranger market?

You may think Korg have another option or two, let us know because they will not. They treat us like mushrooms, keep us in the dark and feed us plenty of bullsh*t. Very sorry for that last sentence but there are times when we need to keep our sense of humour. And hope, wait and keep our fingers crossed. That is our only option, Korg have several.

Take care

MikeVVught · Post by **MikeVVught** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:52 pm

taichi wrote:We have been posting here about our thoughts. What have Korg been discussing in their daily boardroom meetings over the last few months? They will be fully aware by reading here, on social media and their own testing, every single issue with the 5X. They will have a plan, a strategy.

What you say here, is definitely true, taichi. I'm convinced Korg has taken notice from all complaints and praises all over the world. And at first I thought 'Korg is missing a clear vision and mindset.' It looked a lot like that. Keeping up silence and mysteriousness just like prior to the launch of the Pa5X. Oh, yes, afterwards they put a FAQ on their website which is as clear as a cloudy sky in the winter. But that's it. Did anyone hear anything from the early leakers of the Pa5X? I have not. Where are they? Not a single word about future of Pa5X...

So, what are their options?

1 Fix all of the bugs/faults to manual spec?

2 Abandon and pull the plug on 5X?

3 Produce another entirely new arranger?

4 Quit the arranger part of their business altogether?

No 1 Korg will be saying fixing all of the bugs/faults will cost millions due to the sheer amount of stuff that needs to be fixed. And even then it may not be possible to fix all of it.

Most likely. Look at the past. What kind of buggy beast the Pa4X prior to version 3 of the OS has been. At last the Pa4X has become a machine to respect. Specs which are even nowadays really awesome. But remember: the start was terrible as hell. And now the same happens to the Pa5X. Mark my words: Korg will launch a new OS (2.0??) which shall not be free of bugs but resembles more the potential of the Pa5X. And that version may arrive sooner than anyone would expect (I'd say: after summer 2023, just before fall 2023).

No 2 Korg will know exactly what it will cost to put 5X right and please the customers. If they do have plenty of money business simply does not work like that. They have to have a good return for their money and shareholders. If not they could decide to pull the plug on 5X.

No 3 Producing a brand new keyboard would be a huge investment for korg. But they have several years to do it and will have learnt a lot from 5X. Plus the large savings from pulling the plug on 5X.

Both no-brainers, taichi... I don't think Korg will pull the plug on Pa5X. First of all they want to get the cost of design and testing back of it. Something what every company should do in similar cases.

No 4 Quitting the arranger side of the business could well be on Korgs mind and focus on their other products. They have already pulled the plug on Pa4X, 1000 and 700 but the enormous investment required to fix 5X could be the final straw that broke the camels back. And would they ever be able to restore their reputation in the arranger market?

Might be a possibility but I won't believe Korg would never ever leave the Arranger market. Compared to arrangers the market for workstations and synths is fairly small and wouldn't benefit Korg completely. And when you take a closer look at the timespans in which both workstations and synthesizers have been designed you'll notice Korg has launched more arrangers than workstations.

You may think Korg have another option or two, let us know because they will not. They treat us like mushrooms, keep us in the dark and feed us plenty of bullsh*t. Very sorry for that last sentence but there are times when we need to keep our sense of humour. And hope, wait and keep our fingers crossed. That is our only option, Korg have several.

Well, another option could be:

Rehabilitate support for Pa4X at least and if still possible start producing it again. With one IF: only IF Korg doesn't have enough support and engineering to get a new OS for the Pa5X within one and a half year after date of release. I think only this way Korg shall be able to keep connected to their consumers. One way to keep up at the top in the arranger world. And not to forget: there's an income needed the most now.

karmathanever · Post by **karmathanever** » Tue Feb 28, 2023 1:49 am

Number "1" for me is for Korg to communicate, be accountable, provide some professional customer support....
There are many owners now with this broken product....
If I had jumped in I would have definitely returned it by now....

I still want one!!!! Not given up yet but there seems to be a long way to go before it is acceptable for me.
So far, there is no apparent progress - just silence.

taichi · Post by **taichi** » Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:54 pm

This has reached the stage now where it is difficult to know what to say or write anymore. Seems like we are just repeating ourselves over and over again. The same stuff for over a year and we could be here in a years time doing exactly the same thing.

What`s the point we may ask? Whatever Korg have decided to do we may never know, they treat us like we do not exist. Maybe that is their plan hoping that we give up, go away and run out of steam. I can`t think of anything else to explain Korgs behaviour towards us. Other than sitting around a OUIJA board and saying “Hello Korg is there anybody there, can we have a sign please. Is there anybody there?”

Take care

karmathanever · Post by **karmathanever** » Wed Mar 01, 2023 2:47 am

taichi wrote:Other than sitting around a OUIJA board and saying “Hello Korg is there anybody there, can we have a sign please. Is there anybody there?”

I think you'll find that your OUIJA board needs an OS update before you get a "message"....