Pa5X - 88-key "review"...

G · Post by G » Sat Apr 15, 2023 3:52 pm

Anyone interested in the 88-key Pa5X should watch (and listen) to this 88-key demo on YouTube from Synth Cloud.

She is obviously a very talented classical pianist.

And while the video was made to show the piano sounds of the Ps5X - she does answer questions from viewers regarding the 88-key keybed.

In short - she says it has:

"... excellent dynamic response..."

"... a fantastic keybed and the piano sound is also really high quality."

"... very smooth and playable."

So, take it for what it's worth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT-7QFIjrsw

Bromalex-vic · Post by **Bromalex-vic** » Sat Apr 15, 2023 10:30 pm

Thank you "G" for the link to this very good piano demo of the Pa5X 88.

Just a "small correction"

The pianist is a man. An Italian, named Riccardo Torti.

In his Youtube channel, in January 2023, he made some very interesting comments on the 88 version keybed.

He says it is a Fatar TP100 Custom and adds that he actually believes it to be the newest Fatar TP110 "disguised" ... maybe because of some marketing or exclusive deals preventing Korg from stating it is the newest version.

In his opinion, the Pa5X 88 keybed is a step forward regarding the older TP100 with a very good response, but refers some doubts regarding its reliability and durability over time.

Also, given its almost 5000 € price, he believes that Korg should have included the better Fatar TP40 keybed, instead! even if that increased the weight of the machine a few kilograms more.

By the way he considers the Pa5X 61 and 76 semi-weighted keybeds as the best on the market, without a doubt.

You can check all this in his video from 3m20sec: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcfKpe5ycRc#t=3m20s

Cheers

G · Post by G » Sat Apr 15, 2023 11:14 pm

Thanks for the reply!

Sorry, I just saw the hands and they looked... well...

Very nice to hear what he has to say about the keybed - it is my main concern.

And I agree totally with his sentiment of a $5,300 keyboard having the TP40...

rikkisbears · Post by **rikkisbears** » Sat Apr 15, 2023 11:17 pm

Thank you G,
great clip, haven’t seen that before.

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Sat May 13, 2023 5:03 pm

Bromalex-vic wrote:Thank you "G" for the link to this very good piano demo of the Pa5X 88.

Just a "small correction" The pianist is a man. An Italian, named Riccardo Torti.

In his Youtube channel, in January 2023, he made some very interesting comments on the 88 version keybed.

He says it is a Fatar TP100 Custom and adds that he actually believes it to be the newest Fatar TP110 "disguised" ... maybe because of some marketing or exclusive deals preventing Korg from stating it is the newest version.

In his opinion, the Pa5X 88 keybed is a step forward regarding the older TP100 with a very good response, but refers some doubts regarding its reliability and durability over time.

Also, given its almost 5000 € price, he believes that Korg should have included the better Fatar TP40 keybed, instead! even if that increased the weight of the machine a few kilograms more.

By the way he considers the Pa5X 61 and 76 semi-weighted keybeds as the best on the market, without a doubt.

You can check all this in his video from 3m20sec: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcfKpe5ycRc#t=3m20s

Cheers

No word yet on the keybed they use? I played the 110 on numa piano, its a very nice action, good for playing piano’s as well as organs and synths and everything in between…. As long as its a triple sensor action, i am okay with it.

Its almost imposible to find a demo version of the 88 key..

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Wed May 17, 2023 8:24 pm

I have found a shop in the Netherlands that has a demo unit of the 88 keys, so tomorrow i will finally have a chance to test the keybed myself…

I will report back inhere

rikkisbears · Post by **rikkisbears** » Wed May 17, 2023 9:54 pm

Bachus wrote:I have found a shop in the Netherlands that has a demo unit of the 88 keys, so tomorrow i will finally have a chance to test the keybed myself…

I will report back inhere

Hi Bachus, great that you can get to try one.
The 88 keys hasn’t suited everyone.
The operating system is a work in progress, so really it’s whether the hardware suits or not, and whether you like the overall sound.
The operating system should be updated in a few weeks, so you have time, as I gather you weren’t planning on buying yet anyway.
At least you’ll know whether it’s worth waiting for the musikant or not.

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Thu May 18, 2023 11:58 am

rikkisbears wrote:
Bachus wrote:I have found a shop in the Netherlands that has a demo unit of the 88 keys, so tomorrow i will finally have a chance to test the keybed myself…

I will report back inhere
Hi Bachus, great that you can get to try one.
The 88 keys hasn’t suited everyone.
The operating system is a work in progress, so really it’s whether the hardware suits or not, and whether you like the overall sound.
The operating system should be updated in a few weeks, so you have time, as I gather you weren’t planning on buying yet anyway.
At least you’ll know whether it’s worth waiting for the musikant or not.

bad luck, shop was closed, despite their website showing them as open on this day...

Where would you place the key action?

If its anything like the TP 110 i played (Numa X Piano) then i am sold. TP100 might be acceptable but TP8, TP9 and TP10 would be unacceptable...

TP40 and TP400 will not be an action to use either, they are to much piano oreitned and leave you in the dust with Synths and organs

D575 · Post by **D575** » Thu May 18, 2023 12:26 pm

Bachus wrote:
rikkisbears wrote:
Bachus wrote:I have found a shop in the Netherlands that has a demo unit of the 88 keys, so tomorrow i will finally have a chance to test the keybed myself…

I will report back inhere
Hi Bachus, great that you can get to try one.
The 88 keys hasn’t suited everyone.
The operating system is a work in progress, so really it’s whether the hardware suits or not, and whether you like the overall sound.
The operating system should be updated in a few weeks, so you have time, as I gather you weren’t planning on buying yet anyway.
At least you’ll know whether it’s worth waiting for the musikant or not.
bad luck, shop was closed, despite their website showing them as open on this day...

Where would you place the key action?

If its anything like the TP 110 i played (Numa X Piano) then i am sold. TP100 might be acceptable but TP8, TP9 and TP10 would be unacceptable...

TP40 and TP400 will not be an action to use either, they are to much piano oreitned and leave you in the dust with Synths and organs

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpbb2/ ... b1d290a60e

Quote>
"On the Label the Fatar TP-100 is printed. Nothing more."

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Thu May 18, 2023 7:08 pm

D575 wrote:
Bachus wrote:
rikkisbears wrote: Hi Bachus, great that you can get to try one.
The 88 keys hasn’t suited everyone.
The operating system is a work in progress, so really it’s whether the hardware suits or not, and whether you like the overall sound.
The operating system should be updated in a few weeks, so you have time, as I gather you weren’t planning on buying yet anyway.
At least you’ll know whether it’s worth waiting for the musikant or not.
bad luck, shop was closed, despite their website showing them as open on this day...

Where would you place the key action?

If its anything like the TP 110 i played (Numa X Piano) then i am sold. TP100 might be acceptable but TP8, TP9 and TP10 would be unacceptable...

TP40 and TP400 will not be an action to use either, they are to much piano oreitned and leave you in the dust with Synths and organs
http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpbb2/ ... b1d290a60e

Quote>
"On the Label the Fatar TP-100 is printed. Nothing more."

As long as it has the triple sensors, i guess thats what you try to describe, it should be okay…

Makes you wonder why Korg choose Tp100 tough, price difference is rather small between 100 and 110 but the 110 is a step forward in player experience and a leap forward in long term reliability..

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Fri May 26, 2023 12:07 pm

Finally got a chance to play the 88 key international version (for the Dutch: they have a demo at Oostendorp in Hilversum) i got the chance to play it for like 2 hours.

First of, it confirmed that i am in the market for one, as i seriously need to cut down my setup…. As an arranger i am pretty sure it will offer all we ever need when its finished.

Then to the keybed. I played it and compared it to my Kronos. And i must say, i enjoyed playing it, its rather accurate and not to heavy… i think its better for piano sounds then the Kronos.. but i think the kronos still is better suited for synth and organs.. i do think it got the tripple sensors in there. Which would explain why it feels so accurate..

But then i compared it to the Nord stage 4, Kawai MP7se and the Roland RD2000. And even the numa X piano(non gt) I shouldn’t have done that, they all three feel leagues better. So i turned attention back to the PA5x and played some more.. testing more then just the piano, which confirmed to me that a pa5x is the way to go.. it offers most i need. And i am pretty sure the rest will follow over time..

Strange, where the 76 key version offers pretty much the best keybed for weighted keys available on the market, why didn’t they make the same choice for a better 88 keys keybed, because i guess thats the market where quallity amd realisme is even more important.

Lets see what the next software update brings, before i bite the bullet on 5 grand..

mate · Post by **mate** » Fri Jun 09, 2023 10:24 am

Is the Korg Pa5x RH-3 (88 keys) keybed like the Nautilus?

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Thu Jun 15, 2023 5:30 pm

mate wrote:Is the Korg Pa5x RH-3 (88 keys) keybed like the Nautilus?

No its a Fatar keybed..
Which in my opinion is miles ahead of that RH3 on the Nautilus as it has tripple sensor and aftertouch and a nice feel.

peterco · Post by **peterco** » Mon Oct 21, 2024 8:43 am

mate wrote:Is the Korg Pa5x RH-3 (88 keys) keybed like the Nautilus?

Seems like the keybed is a Fatar Tp/100 or maybe 110.

Interesting comment in the YouTube Synthcloud video from 'basspig':

"I own both the pa5x and the Kronos but for solo piano work I still prefer the Kronos because it has much lighter touch sensitivity whereas the PA 5x only seems to respond to hard or touch and plays harder louder tones."

This echoes a comment on the PianoWorld forum where one owner 'AndrewKeyz' says he sold his Pa5X because he had to hit the keys too hard to get a dynamic response:

"I was disgusted with the keybed in the Korg in all honesty. I thought it was atrocious, so noisy even straight out of the box. You really had to ram the keys to get good sound. Seemed nothing like a real piano to me."

Maybe later OS updates have changed the velocity sensitivity range (presuming it really is as good as Riccardo Torti says) and can you do this within the OS anyway?

I'm interested because I'm happy with my Korg Kronos 88 key RH3 action and considering a Pa5X 88 key hoping that it will also have a good action (even though I know it won't be the same).

chelsea4023 · Post by **chelsea4023** » Tue Oct 22, 2024 12:04 am

Hi,
I have the PA5X 61 note and it's midi'd up to a Nautilus 88. I play them organ style with a set of bass pedals. I love the RH3 keybed
on the Nautilus. Playing the PA5X pianos through the RH3 keybed is a pleasure. I really don't understand the bad feeling towards the RH3 keybed. My previous piano keyboard was the Roland RD2000 which was heavier to play so I have no complaints.
Chris