Pa5x around the corner?

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:50 pm

Its been almost 4 years since the release of the pa4x
So far all korg pa1234x models have been released with a 4 years periode between them

So i guess its safe to asume thee will soon be a new top korg arranger key..

Makes you wonder what they might have changed/added?

When i look at the competition...
- encoders or knobs
- bigger touchscreen
- performance memmories like yamaha..
- launchpad feature like ketron
- synth engine advancements (wavetable, va oscilators, fm etc etc)
- DSP ... atleast 2 dsp’s/sound
- instead of 1lft,r1,r2,r3 ... 8 voices split/layered over the whole keyboard
- stepping up from 16 to 32 voices multitimbrallity
- true divisi voices..
- better daw or even gadget integration...
- modern sequencer (akin to digitakt or so) also with a piano roll..
- add a live looper...

There is quite a lot of things Korg could add..

But hopefully they will make a leap in processing power, because the pa4x still had nearly the same processing as teh pa3x..

Niki_Keyz · Post by **Niki_Keyz** » Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:20 pm

With all those great ideas you just said, I really wish you worked for Korg.

The topic name brought me in here. I really can’t wait for the new totl arranger from korg. Yes, they really need to beef it up more than they have with the last arrangers.

Can’t wait.

Korghelper · Post by **Korghelper** » Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:38 pm

Korg just brought out a huge advancement in the OS. Why would they do that, and make us all more satisfied with the PA4X's capabilities, if they were about to launch a new PA5X?

It would make zero business sense.

My guess is that the NEXT OS bought them another year or two to move to new hardware and iron out the problems. At least, I hope it did! As mentioned, the hardware and OS (particularly display and sample load/stream times and FX structure) is showing its age, and Korg really need to move on to a more Kronos based architecture. This is going to take time. Cranking out one more Triton based arranger won't satisfy too many of us.

Yamaha have made 256 voices and gobs of FX the new TOTL standard. Hopefully, Korg will want to one-up them!

korg1 · Post by **korg1** » Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:42 pm

- Better midi note editor indeed
- Ability to load or at least to successfully convert kontakt5 sounds
- professional mastering effects and mixer with parametric eq for styles
- better DAC
- spectralizer on style mode or an Abbey Road Studio 3 plugin like,to help us mix our styles better
-superior drummer 3 build in for drum tracks inc.libraries

pawlikp100 · Post by **pawlikp100** » Sat Aug 17, 2019 11:47 am

Who knows. I would see next Korg arranger at the same time as Genos 2 is being released.

Fransman · Post by **Fransman** » Sat Aug 17, 2019 1:38 pm

Korghelper wrote:Korg just brought out a huge advancement in the OS. Why would they do that, and make us all more satisfied with the PA4X's capabilities, if they were about to launch a new PA5X?

It would make zero business sense.

My guess is that the NEXT OS bought them another year or two to move to new hardware and iron out the problems. At least, I hope it did! As mentioned, the hardware and OS (particularly display and sample load/stream times and FX structure) is showing its age, and Korg really need to move on to a more Kronos based architecture. This is going to take time. Cranking out one more Triton based arranger won't satisfy too many of us.

Yamaha have made 256 voices and gobs of FX the new TOTL standard. Hopefully, Korg will want to one-up them!

I think it would be 'typically Korg' to release PA5X within a few months from now.

Surprise, surprise!

karmathanever · Post by **karmathanever** » Sat Aug 17, 2019 2:43 pm

We are in a "never-before" timezone with Korg arrangers....
PA4X, then some huge enhancements (Kaoss), V2 then V3 OS-NEXT

This has not happened like this before.... could we be in for a whole different keyboard?
That would no doubt upset the "PA die-hards" and even though I love the PA I would always consider any new Korg.

Casio produced a one-off and very very different workstation-arranger - the MZ-X500 - it is like a hybrid starting point of what I think many would like to see - workstation, arranger, audio and MIDI recording, with user samples, B3-Leslie emulation, chord backing sequencer, sound editing etc.... and actually with some very very nice sounds and styles, will load and play Yamaha styles too!!! etc...etc... OK, so it's Casio and it seems they've already dropped it and the whole idea - they're an odd company when it comes to arrangers and workstations.

So, do we really want a PA5X? Or a sister-keyboard to work with the PA4X (rather than in place of it)?

Personally, here and now, in 2019, I can't imagine improving my PA4X-Kronos combination - it is a match made in musical heaven - but that's personal.

I will be shocked if we see a PA5X as an upgraded PA4X (I have no knowledge of what is happening but just feel that way).

In the meantime, I just continue to play and love my 2 Korgs - it would now take a lot for me to jump at a new Korg - hard to imagine anything more inspirational than what I already have - it would have to have a whole lot more than a bigger HD screen and a coffee cup holder

Anyhow from a musical perspective, the PA4X (as a musical instrument) can't get better no matter how much programming and hardware is thrown at it - it seems now that many requests merely want it to replace the PC rather than provide improved playability (and I can't see how that can be improved anyway!!).

Cheers

Pete

Musicwithharry · Post by **Musicwithharry** » Sat Aug 17, 2019 4:15 pm

I am a PA700 owner and quite a happy one...

My main question with a new flagship offering from Korg is the following:

1. Would they be able to maintain the backward compatibility with previous versions? In order to really release a flagship unit that would 'WOW' us, wouldn't they really need to design and incorporate features not currently allowed/available with current OS limitations and conversion stuff?

In order to really get a new flagship product, wouldn't they need to abandon the current model for something new? Isn't providing backward compatibility somewhat limiting their adding new features? Maybe backward compatibility can be achieved by a nice software program that allows for customization of older styles/sounds/sets/samples through this software for the new machine.

I know that my above statement would turn off A LOT of current users...

I am reminded of Ensoniq (my favorite synth company), and when they went from the VFX-SD/SD-1 units to the TS series. They lost all of their backward compatibility with the VFX-SD/SD-1 when they released the TS series. You could not load the sequences from the older machines to the new TS. The sound libraries were not compatible either. It turned a lot of us off to getting the TS. I still have a VFX and a VFX-SD and I used to have a TS-10...

I think that there are some great additions that need to be done to the PA series (WAV file creation in addition to the already available MP3, etc...)

I think that they might have to abandon the current OS/computer hardware to get something really different. The screen changes and additions in the Next update may not be enough...

What I would like to see is a new flagship (that I might actually buy and exclusively use in my studio) and then trickle down some of the features to the mid/lower models.

There is always going to be faster tech on the horizon...making a user-upgradeable path for that can be problematic. I could understand being able to add more RAM/Flash internally being a definite option, but what if the hardware changes and that memory becomes obsolete?

I would love to see some kind of integration when using a touch screen monitor. In the studio, some may opt to get an external touch screen and hook it up to the keyboard. Sure, the built-in screen is good, but an external is BETTER

How cool would that be? Maybe they could also finally get rid of the RCA video output with an HDMI AND provide a Korg-approved RCA to HDMI converter cable that has been tested to work with the Korg units. I know that the newer versions of the PA700 have an HDMI port now instead of the RCA. I have one of the first version models (serial # under 135) and it has the RCA port. Since I do not use that, it does not bother me (although I would gladly use it with an external touch screen monitor if I could in my studio).

I love the idea of wireless connectivity as well. Would that be available with the current OS? Surely, it could, but integration would possibly require more memory/speed/etc. to make it truly usable.

How about the ability to use soft-synths and external apps seamlessly with the hardware? I am a fan of hardware stuff and do not use soft synths at all, but I can appreciate the idea of seamless integration.

Being able to add additional storage (SSD drives) should be a lot easier too.

Would these options/upgrades be able to be achieved with the current OS? It may be a Linux back-end, but newer versions of that are coming out and further integration may need to have the newer OS (it is just like our PCs and how the OS updates sometimes require a MAJOR release).

Additionally, what would the price be? It would have to be affordable, but conversely, a flagship product would have to be more expensive...

Grace,
Harry

menara · Post by **menara** » Sat Aug 17, 2019 7:06 pm

Pa5x around the corner?
Not until the stabilization of the NEXT OS, the fall of the pa4x's sales against the genos and the depletion of stocks.

Korghelper · Post by **Korghelper** » Sun Aug 18, 2019 2:36 pm

Fransman wrote: I think it would be 'typically Korg' to release PA5X within a few months from now.
Surprise, surprise!

OK, I’ll bite... Has there ever been an occurrence before of Korg providing a major OS update (not just a bug fix patch, but a complete and total rewrite with groundbreaking new features) and then closely following this with a brand new model?

You see, if there hasn’t, then doing so would NOT be ‘typically Korg’ by any means..! Yes, it would be a surprise, but it sure wouldn’t be ‘typical’...

kbrkr · Post by **kbrkr** » Sun Aug 18, 2019 2:53 pm

Why do I want to link the next Pax arranger to a new Kronos release? They haven't released a new Kronos in like 7 years.

The more advanced technology gets, the longer it takes to bring it to market. I wouldn't expect a Pa5x for another year or more.

Korghelper · Post by **Korghelper** » Sun Aug 18, 2019 2:59 pm

karmathanever wrote:
Anyhow from a musical perspective, the PA4X (as a musical instrument) can't get better no matter how much programming and hardware is thrown at it - it seems now that many requests merely want it to replace the PC rather than provide improved playability (and I can't see how that can be improved anyway!!).

Cheers

Pete

Au contraire, Pete. I can think of a LOT of ways Korg could improve simply the arranger engine for playability improvement. To name a few...

Velocity offsets for style Parts based on how hard you are playing (works amazingly well on Roland’s)
Better pianostyle chord detection (Roland’s ‘5 notes before a new chord with sustain pedal down, 3 with it up’ is a game changer for pianists)
Yamaha’s Ensemble system, to automatically create realistic section voicing for strings and brass
More fills (six definitely smooths out some of the jumpier transitions)
Hold final notes of an ending until the player lifts his hands
Multiple chord sequence loops available from touch screen for different song sections or vamps or medleys
More options for multipad use and how they sync to the style engine

There are so many, many ways that playability can be further improved. I’m happy you’re happy with your Kronos/PA4X combo, but if you can’t think of ways it could get better, you aren’t trying hard enough!

Biggles · Post by **Biggles** » Sun Aug 18, 2019 3:26 pm

Personally when Yamaha released the Genos it hit Korg’s development plans quite badly.

I am not a fan of Yamaha but having head the Genos quite a few times it does now seem to be the Top Gun of the Arranger world.

Its the same as when Jaguar was developing the F-Pace SUV there was Porsche releasing their Macan SUV which was so good Jaguar had to go back to the electronic drawing board in an attempt to improve their F-Pace, Jaguar failed but that is another story but what it did do was to delay its release.

So if a PA5X was on the cards, the Genos wiped the Korg development slate.

I can see Korg continuing with the PA4X and releasing say a new PA3000 model which will be better than the current Genos all be it at a significant jump in cost compared to the 4X.

One this for sure, if I was to buy a 4X within a few months a new model will be released.

Korghelper · Post by **Korghelper** » Sun Aug 18, 2019 3:53 pm

Yamaha have definitely thrown down the gauntlet...

256 stereo voices, 28 insert effect processors that can be freely assigned and stacked, USB display out for charts and lyrics, round robin drum voicing.

I hope OS NEXT is Korg realizing they finally absolutely HAVE to use the Kronos engines for the next arranger model and they just bought some time so they can get on with it!

Aripearlmusic · Post by **Aripearlmusic** » Sun Aug 18, 2019 11:53 pm

Yamaha doesnt make any professional arranger workstations period. None of their arranger machines have a 3 band EQ on each channel and gain control and they just cut 90% of their midi event editor. They are not competition with anyone because they make no effort on the bare minimum mandatory features and time saving utility. Its basically a pig in a fancy looking knockoff dress.