PA5X Price Drop

[chelsea4023]

Hi,
I am probably mentioning something that all Forum Members are aware of but here in the U.K. I was a little shocked at the current drop in prices for brand new PA5X's. One shop (in Preston, Lancashire) has stock of brand new boxed 61 note models £750 cheaper than the original selling price (£3,699 down to £2,949).

I guess that the arrival in the coming weeks of Yamaha's Genos replacement will have a bearing on the decision to reduce the prices. I also expect the issues with the operating system might also be a factor.

As a novice player, the O/S has not been too much of an issue for me although I would like the easy record function to work. I'm sure Qui robinez or Antony Sharmman can offer an alternative method of button pressing to be able to record but I just want the 'simple' method.

Reading various Posts, it appears that an O/S update is on the cards for December 2023 so hopefully we'll all have a PA5X keyboard-tastic Christmas !! Sorry, couldn't resist that.
Chris

[QuiRobinez]

that is great news!

I just checked it over here in holland, the pa5x 76 keys is now 4295 euro, so that's a lot cheaper then the 4900 it was before. Let's hope these price decreases continues so that they are affordable for everyone that wants one.

[D575]

Hi,
I am probably mentioning something that all Forum Members are aware of but here in the U.K. I was a little shocked at the current drop in prices for brand new PA5X's. One shop (in Preston, Lancashire) has stock of brand new boxed 61 note models £750 cheaper than the original selling price (£3,699 down to £2,949).

I guess that the arrival in the coming weeks of Yamaha's Genos replacement will have a bearing on the decision to reduce the prices. I also expect the issues with the operating system might also be a factor.

As a novice player, the O/S has not been too much of an issue for me although I would like the easy record function to work. I'm sure Qui robinez or Antony Sharmman can offer an alternative method of button pressing to be able to record but I just want the 'simple' method.

Reading various Posts, it appears that an O/S update is on the cards for December 2023 so hopefully we'll all have a PA5X keyboard-tastic Christmas !! Sorry, couldn't resist that.
Chris

Let's hope so Chris, many of us need that "keyboard-tastic Christmas" feeling and resist not, as a little humour is refreshing

[leland_iko_music]

I have the 88 key version, for which I waited SIX MONTHS for delivery...
Given the limitations that it does have compared to how it was originally advertised (i.e. purported to take a lot of the sounds and functions from the Kronos, Nautilus and SV2), I'm somewhat underwhelmed...
Don't get me wrong, I love the instrument and make the do with it the best I can, especially with the great tricks and tips provided by Qui Robinez, but given the 4999 Euro price point at the time for the 88, I'm starting to think that the Nautilus-AT or Kronos-II would have been a much better investment since I don't use the arranger functions all that much.

(I do use them sometimes, but tend to just go to sound edit mode and select the sounds that I want and record them via the RC505 loopstation rather than trying to set up a whole arrangement - easier to do for live streams on Twitch anyway)

Oh well ....

[D575]

I have the 88 key version, for which I waited SIX MONTHS for delivery...
Given the limitations that it does have compared to how it was originally advertised (i.e. purported to take a lot of the sounds and functions from the Kronos, Nautilus and SV2), I'm somewhat underwhelmed...
Don't get me wrong, I love the instrument and make the do with it the best I can, especially with the great tricks and tips provided by Qui Robinez, but given the 4999 Euro price point at the time for the 88, I'm starting to think that the Nautilus-AT or Kronos-II would have been a much better investment since I don't use the arranger functions all that much.

(I do use them sometimes, but tend to just go to sound edit mode and select the sounds that I want and record them via the RC505 loopstation rather than trying to set up a whole arrangement - easier to do for live streams on Twitch anyway)

Oh well ....

Seems to me you might just be better off with a Nautilus or Kronos if arranger features are mostly redundant for you, perhaps it is worth investigating further and get your hand on them in store, even Roland Fantom and Yamaha Montage might have something to offer you.

[MartinHines]

In the U.S., the Pa5x 76 is the same price as it was six months ago, $4,899

[AntonySharmman]

I'm starting to think that the Nautilus-AT or Kronos-II would have been a much better
investment since I don't use the arranger functions all that much.

Although it's out of topic , Nautilus is not even close to Kronos 2 without Karma that means without direct deep access to sound engine
that Karma provides for advanced sound development and low notes consuming via Karma Scenes that only power users are aware off.
That's why WavesArt do not distribute advanced sound libraries for Nautilus.

Therefore if you just compare Sound engines as workstations Kronos 2 & Pa5X , Pa5X if far superior in sound quality and overall
stereo-phony and Program/SOUND interface with very advanced Nuance controls for articulation for sound developing while Kronos 2
Program interface is still in Triton age with no legato detection like DNC2 engine of Pa5X.

If you compare factory Libraries , Pa5X is best in all solo instruments like Brass , Guitars , Strings , woodwinds , organs , Accordions ,
Choirs , except Grand pianos where many GBs size are required and extra analog engines that Kronos provides.
If you want to invest in Kronos 2 then you have to purchase premium third-party sound libraries of over 1500 $ due to compete Pa5X
factory library but still the critical legato articulation control will be missing.

Just an idea of why your Pa5X 88 , is still the best investment even as a workstation.

[mstodola]

In the U.S., the Pa5x 76 is the same price as it was six months ago, $4,899

I agree. Sweetwater hasn't dropped the price a penny.

[leland_iko_music]

@D575 and @AntonySharmman

Thank you both for the feedback and information.
I agree that many of the sounds on the PA5X are superior, with a few exceptions. I'm not impressed with the brass sounds (and I often do quite a bit of orchestral/epic type of things as loops).
I've been watching a few demo videos of the Nautilus and am impressed with some of the sounds that I've come across in them.
Another reason that I was having a slight bit of buyer's remorse for the PA5X is the sequencer on the Nautilus (and Kronos) seems much simpler to use and access. On the PA5X, it's basically a case of creating a new style for the arranger. One drawback that I've found with this method, however, is that when selecting sounds during the style creation, they are from the sound-edit lists of sounds, so things like the vocorders that are only in the arranger section are not accessible during edit/creation. (at least I've not found a way to access them to include them in one of the tracks of the style being created).


I guess it's a case of workflow habits ... I knew coming into this that I would have to spend many months getting used to the workflow on the PA5X - and I'm still learning every single day. The Nautilus and Kronos have far fewer buttons to press and navigate, so workflow seems a little simpler.

To be honest, it was a toss-up for me between the PA5X and the Roland Fantom8 ... but decided that the arranger functions would be an added bonus, even though I don't use them all that often.

Leland

[mstodola]

I guess it's a case of workflow habits ... I knew coming into this that I would have to spend many months getting used to the workflow on the PA5X - and I'm still learning every single day. The Nautilus and Kronos have far fewer buttons to press and navigate, so workflow seems a little simpler.

I guess I'm the same. I'm getting older and I don't want anything complicated to learn anymore. The Montage ended up one of those beasts, so even though I like the sounds, it is not used so much because it is so hard to figure out how to do even simple things. I took the time to learn the Pa4x and it pretty much does what I need without too much time being used. For what I do, the Pa5x does very much the same with only a change in where things are. When I want to create some kind of special sound I tend to go to workstation I already know how to use.

As far as workstations with only a few buttons, that only means that there are menus under menus under menus under menus. That doesn't mean it will be easy to program. ..... Just a thought.

[AntonySharmman]

I'm not impressed with the brass sounds and I often do quite a bit of orchestral/epic type of things

Do not confuse arrangement of Brass with solo Brass and Woodwinds , Kronos solo instruments are completely crap compared to Pa5X
just browse them next time in Kronos and you will discover it !
All are a subject of Brass arrangement , if you have good solo Brass then you have good ensembles of them , but Pa5X factory resources
did not meant to demonstrate big bands and Epic Symphonic ensembles so you can't find such KBD Sets , you'd rather create them.
But in both instruments , if you deal with Symphonic Orchestras , you definitely need third-party premium Sound Libraries.

Nautilus is downgraded in most of established Kronos & OASYS features so Kronos is also enough complex due to create advanced sound
libraries & Scenes !

[karmathanever]

8-9% drop in Australia

[SpOoNmAn]

I can't find any news/rumors on a price drop in the U.S.

I hope it does. Even a cpl hundred $ would be welcomed, I'd sell my fantom 06 and mpc key61 in a heartbeat to pay for some of it. Was hoping for another os update b4 jumping in, but a price drop would do it for me.