To buy or not

Chuck · Post by **Chuck** » Sat Jan 28, 2023 8:47 pm

After reading all the remarks on the new PA5, I've been holding off purchasing.

I notice several comments on the EC5 issue with the PA5. I use a foot pedal for on and off on my PA4. How is the harmonizer used on the 5?

Another comment was the lack of new Styles on the 5. Most comments indicate the 5 has the same styles as the 4 but have been enhanced. I was hoping for newer styles. So that is not going to happen, right.

The price in the USA is $4700 for the 61 key. Pretty pricey for a new product that has so many negative issues.

Just venting, comments welcome. Thanks

Chuck, Ohio, USA

karmathanever · Post by **karmathanever** » Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:21 am

Personally, I'm on the long wait.... so, as you have a PA4x, I would say "don't buy yet"....

It is Korg's hands to get fixed.
PA5x needs some work and I am hoping no more than 12 months before I'll reconsider it.
Even then I will not risk parting with my PA4x until I have my PA5x fully set up to my satisfaction.

worth · Post by **worth** » Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:58 am

It’s not even a difficult decision . Don’t buy an incomplete product . Simple .

the_boss81 · Post by **the_boss81** » Sun Jan 29, 2023 1:26 pm

I do not know what you need... I have yet not tested Pa5X. But some people in other topics on this forum write, there is a big positive sound improvement in Pa5 vs. Pa4 and Pa4 sounds very good...

taichi · Post by **taichi** » Sun Jan 29, 2023 5:17 pm

Finally at last we seem to have got there. Just wait, save your hard earned money and keep your fingers crossed that Korg, Yamaha or others come along and lay their cards on the table. The sooner the better.

One day maybe but as Pete says leave it in the hands of Korg. And Worth says 5X is incomplete. As do all of the other posts here since its premature untested release.

Pa5X is far too an expensive TOY just to mess around with at home, there are far better cheaper option available for that. As the positive and honest posts above suggest it is simple, a no brainer. Just wait, save your hard earned money and as Pete says leave it in the hands of Korg.

Take care all

Synthhog · Post by **Synthhog** » Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:18 pm

Personally i'm loving the PA5X but coming from a Tyros-3 which i had from new so a long long time its a huge upgrade for me....

Chuck · Post by **Chuck** » Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:37 pm

I'll wait. Lots of wise people on this forum

rikkisbears · Post by **rikkisbears** » Sun Jan 29, 2023 8:58 pm

Hi Chuck, since you already own a Pa4x, I’d be inclined to wait till after next update, at least. I probably would have waited if I had still owned a Pa4x, especially if it was a case of having to sell one to buy the other.

Loving mine, but some of the bugs are annoying, and I am waiting to see what functions they bring back. It sounds great though.
I miss ec5 pedal , I’ve had mine since the early 90’s for the Korg i2/i3 .I was glad that my paas speaker system worked with PA5x. I had sold the Pa4x , but fortunately I didn’t sell the paas.
I have my Korg sitting on my Kawai es920 piano stand. The guy buying piano didn’t need it. So I’ve just connected 3 sustain pedals, one for sustain and the other 2 for triggering pads or whatever. Works well enough. Just have to prioritise what I use the 2 pedals for.

The styles sound great even if most of them are the same ones as in Pa4x. I’ve been sorting thru them. Same old trick used by Yamaha as well, give duplicate styles a slightly different name, makes you think there’s more new ones than there are. Makes it hard working out what’s new, what’s old . Even found a few that have identical names, but aren’t identical styles. There are some Pa4x styles that aren’t on PA5x, and there’s quite a few PA5x styles that weren’t on Pa4x, though I haven’t been through all the bonus styles on the Korg site, so some of them might be on PA5x now as factory styles.

D575 · Post by **D575** » Mon Jan 30, 2023 6:25 am

After a "Momentary lapse of Reason" I now regret in many ways letting go of my PA4X for the PA5X...

Yes PA5X sounds better than PA4X (Video comparisons on YouTube show this) but as I have said many times, the release of PA5X was premature and clearly requires more work...

I won't go into why I made the decision to change, despite being apprehensive at the time, because nobody really wants to hear my excuse...

So for now.. I will continue to commit to PA5X while we wait for Korg in a time of their own choosing to get this keyboard into a condition that reflects the price and the pedigree Korg aspires it to be at some point (!)...in the future.

taichi · Post by **taichi** » Mon Jan 30, 2023 2:58 pm

A couple of weeks ago I made a decision to be more positive about Pa5X and give it a chance. I am far more optimistic at the moment. The state of play as I see it looks like we, this forum, have our very own Pa4X owners and “TESTERS” who are playing, experimenting and reporting back here. Plus the several non 5X owners who are technically very knowledgeable.

And the “STICKYS`” are up there.

The greatest challenge for our “testers” will begin with the next update. The big question is when will that be ? Our hands are tied on that one.

Lets hope that Korg chuck in a few simple updates for Pa4X, 1000 and 700 too and get Korg back to the top where they belong.

PS If Korg did the simple updates for 4X, 1000 and 700 mentioned above they would greatly redeem themselves and so could relax over 5X giving them more time to get it right. Korg would be sending out a message saying “we are going nowhere, we are still here please trust us”. A win win situation for everyone.

Take care

D575 · Post by **D575** » Mon Jan 30, 2023 7:59 pm

taichi wrote:A couple of weeks ago I made a decision to be more positive about Pa5X and give it a chance. I am far more optimistic at the moment. The state of play as I see it looks like we, this forum, have our very own Pa4X owners and “TESTERS” who are playing, experimenting and reporting back here. Plus the several non 5X owners who are technically very knowledgeable.

And the “STICKYS`” are up there.

The greatest challenge for our “testers” will begin with the next update. The big question is when will that be ? Our hands are tied on that one.

Lets hope that Korg chuck in a few simple updates for Pa4X, 1000 and 700 too and get Korg back to the top where they belong.

PS If Korg did the simple updates for 4X, 1000 and 700 mentioned above they would greatly redeem themselves and so could relax over 5X giving them more time to get it right. Korg would be sending out a message saying “we are going nowhere, we are still here please trust us”. A win win situation for everyone.

Take care

I am not sure you will see further updates for discontinued or current older models now, I don't think they have the resources for that considering how Korg are handling their latest and greatest, which is ment to be the star of the show with PA5X...

For example... I picked up very earlier (report logged and confirmed with korg) the missing Factory Drum Pad Folders where the Drum Sequences are available to use in specific styles but No Factory Folder to locate and use freely else where, this was also apparent with some of the Factory Synth Pad Sequences which seams to have been addressed in part with the first update, but still No Facrory Drum Pad Sequence Folders todate (i have contacted korg again and logged my concerns post the first update)...

I find it amazing korg completely missed Factory Pad Folders which i would consider Rudimentary...

This shows me Korg are struggling and do not have the resources for PA5X, let alone discontinued or current older models...

One thing I agree with here, korg do need to redeem themselves and soon, that will require Strong Management (which looks to have been missing in action) to give what can only be a small and struggling development team the required help, that will mean pulling in resources from within the Korg Umbrella or Hiring within the industry to renforce and help the Pa5X development team...

I would like to think this has happened, but of course Nobody is talking, so we will not know unless things start improving quickly in 2023.

rikkisbears · Post by **rikkisbears** » Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:11 pm

D575 wrote:
For example... I picked up very earlier (report logged and confirmed with korg) the missing Factory Drum Pad Folders where the Drum Sequences are available to use in specific styles but No Factory Folder to locate and use freely else where, this was also apparent with some of the Factory Synth Pad Sequences which seams to have been addressed in part with the first update, but still No Facrory Drum Pad Sequence Folders todate (i have contacted korg again and logged my concerns post the first update)...

I find it amazing korg completely missed Factory Pad Folders which i would consider Rudimentary...

.

Hi, makes me wish I’d saved my Pa4x sequenced pads as well as Pa4x factory styles. (Wise in hindsight. ) styles I managed to get.
Don’t know if Pa4x sequenced pads are able to be converted same way as the styles, but even Pa4x sequenced drum pads would have been better than not having any. If pads can’t be converted, then,
Might have been as simple as using pad copy to style function, creating style from the pads in pa4x , converting the style in PA5x, then using style to pad copy function to create the pads in the PA5x.
There again,who would have known they would botch things up so badly .

Chuck · Post by **Chuck** » Tue Jan 31, 2023 12:32 am

Rikki. You are o good. I really like your insight. Tell me, just how are people using the vocal harmonizer, is it the old fashion way with reaching up and turning it on and off with your finger?

Chuck, Ohio, USA

rikkisbears · Post by **rikkisbears** » Tue Jan 31, 2023 3:47 am

Hi Chuck, sorry but not something I can’t help with, I can’t sing, so not something I know anything about.

There’s a utube PA5x manual available , might be of use , or maybe start a seperate topic and someone may be able to help.

https://youtu.be/hORggX_apfs

Asena · Post by **Asena** » Tue Jan 31, 2023 9:26 am

Guys do not buy this kb yet!
There is hardware and software problems!
Many buttons are not in good quality.
Even if the sound quality is good, it’s the worst kb ever from Korg.
2023, and it has been out now for 7/8 month and there is no connection between users and Korg.
No responsibility at all!!!
Please think twice before you buy it.

Korg did a very bad work on this kb.

No wave, no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, no audio over usb,
And at this price range,
Well, this is the worst ever from Korg.
I was a Korg fan, but time to drop it like they dropped the seller respect for users.

One more thing,
I do not have any kind of undarstanding for them,
I feel sorry for my great fellows that payed a lot of money for it!
Sorry but this is the truth