That's right. At musiciansbuy.com, the PA80 goes for $2050.00 with the vocalizer, a vocalizer that isn't as good as the PSR2000's - and if you're performing live, you want that good vocal sound. You can get a PSR9000 for around $2050 (I've heard of less). You can get a PSR2000 for about $1050 - and perhaps get a 2 year warrantee thrown in. So we're talking about approximately a $1000 difference.
I'm a gigging musician. I normally have two gigs a day. When you practice for a gig and you use arranger keyboards, you can't really practice on another brand of keyboard - you have to have the right style, you might have to do some editing of registrations, styles, voices, etc. I own two PSR2000s that I got for $2100 including shipping and extended warranty. One stays in my car trunk and the other stays in my studio. If I want to practice for a gig, I just turn on the keyboard in my studio and start practicing. Perhaps I have to fetch my keyboard floppy files from my car to edit some styles or registrations.
If I had only $2100 I could buy one PA80, and I'd have about $50 left over. Then I would have to be shlepping a 35lb. keyboard out of the trunk and up and down the stairs - add the gig bag or case. If I came home for lunch and had 1 1/2 hours between gigs, I wouldn't even bother to get my keyboard unless it was an emergency.
If one of my PSR2000s breaks, I have the same exact keyboard to replace it. If my one PA80 broke, well I'd be in trouble unless I had a plan B.
The fact that the PSR2000 is in the PA80's league - and it is, makes it a best buy in my opinion. I was only able to look at a PA80 very briefly, so I can't make a truly informed opinion. But from what I have heard about each keyboard, it would be a difficult choice between the two only if they were the same price. I think the ease of use, better vocalizer, and access to the many stunning CVP209 styles would make me veer toward the Yamaha, but the PA80's superior voices and access to hard drive would make me pause - if the two were the same price.

Larry

I agree with Beaky, the price performance arranger still goes to Yamaha. I am still a Sam Ash visitor player, but I go there a lot till I am able to buy.
The Yamaha continues to impress me. Its like a grown up 740, which to me did not really make the grade. The 2000 finally does.
The PA-80 to me is a better board overall, but even at Sam Ash its almost double the cost with the Harmonizer. As a guitar player, the Yamaha approaches the PA-80 but at a much lower cost.
I still enjoy this forum so much, it really helped me to understand these arrangers, coming from th 6 string world its a great help.
thanks
thomas

I understand where your coming from Larry... From the standpoint of someone playing professionally for a paying crowd it makes perfect sense to me to have your backup be the same board. That to me is a very sound business decision. If just judging strictly from a performers point of view, I might even concede that the PSR2000 would appear to be in the same league for me if I were in your situation, but the reality is, as someone who owns and knows both boards very well and who uses the boards to play and create on, the PSR 2000 is in no way in the same league as the PA80 for me. There are reasons for the price gap between the two, but I can clearly see why many of those reasons might not be as important to some of the live performers. That certainly doesn't make the PSR2000 a bad board in my opinion. I think it's a great value at it's price. In fact I just recommended it over the PA80 to someone because of his particular needs.

I'm sorry Larry, please don't take this as me trying to be argumentive with you..it isn't meant to be that way at all. Rather it is a point of view from someone who owns and knows both well, and who mainly uses the boards in a different capacity than a dedicated performer would. In fact the only reason I even bought the 2000 was to replace my 740 for those occasional times that I play out live, but now that the OS on the PA80 is up to snuff, ( and I actually worked a little and learned the board ) I think that was money that could have been better spent. Still, I need a backup just in case and the PSR740 is long gone. I have set up and know both boards enough that I can go from one to the other in a live setting and probably not miss very much. I wouldn't wanna try that if I didn't know them well enough though. I agree with you on that one Larry.

Again though folks, I cannot stress it enough... even with sounds and so much else being subjective..these boards are NOT in the same league. Is there enough of a difference to justify the extra money ? For me, the answer is a resounding yes..for others it might be just the opposite.

Thomas,

I agree with you.. the PSR2000 is in so many ways a major improvement from the 740. Hard to believe even that they are so close in price for the differences in features.

AJ




[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 01-26-2002).]

Well we need to search the net for the latest prices. Synth planet lists the PA 80 for $1248. That means it is about $250 more than the PSR 2000, yes you need to add a harmonizer $??, but still look at the difference in what you get. The PA 80 has 2 inputs which give you effects, no harmonizer, but you can add it. That is the difference; you can add to the PA 80 and
re-arrange the styles, a sampler, etc... what you get for $250 more makes the PA 80 the new bang for the buck. All other arrangers that are in the Pa 80's league are alot more money some thousands!!!!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by synthmeister:
[B]Well we need to search the net for the latest prices. Synth planet lists the PA 80 for $1248.

Please post the web site.

thx


bob

Synthplanet is in Europe. Questions:

1. How much is shipping to the US
2. How much is customs?
3. Is the warranty valid?
4. Is the impedance correct?

Bluezplayer, I am very slow to take offense. You could tell me that my PSR2000 is the equivalent of a Fischer Price toy, and I wouldn't care.

If you have thoroughly explored both keyboards and you think the PA80 is much better, then there must be some merit to what you're saying. On the other hand, there are other performing musicians on this forum who have tried both keyboards and use the PSR2000 for gigs. It sounds like the PA80 is clearly a better piece of gear for the recording studio.

Larry

1. How much is shipping to the US?
**About $86 dollars, even for smaller stuff
2. How much is customs?
** Nothing to US
3. Is the warranty valid?
** NO - US dealers will NOT honor the warrentee
4. Is the impedance correct?
** It was with my PA80.

Synth, I wish it were so ,but Synthplanet prices are not all that they seem. This is graymarket goods and you do have to figure in all the factors that Larry listed.
It is unfair to US dealers for Korg and others to sell cheaper to the Euro market..
That may not be your concern now,but could someday be a concern to all who enjoy their local music shop.
Profit is not optional! It is survival.

Back on topic! My suggestion is that you do not compare by price or specs, because that misses the main thing,which is the essential character of the keyboard.They have very different flavors.I do think that the PA80 is worth more that a PSR2k,but price should not be the main concern here. If you can love the Yamaha,be glad that you got a such a good value,but if the Korg is speaking your language than pay the price and have no regrets. Good luck and have fun.
Bill E

Synthmeister: I primarily use the PSR2000 for live gigging but I also think it includes all the features needed for composing too. The sounds on all three KBs (VA7, PA80 & PSR2000) are great but I personally favor the PSR2000 particularly for it's great 'live' sounding acoustic sounds (flutes,sax,pedal steel, guitars, etc). For some reason the 2000's seem to sound the most natural and realistic for 'my tastes'. The 2000's styles, though not necessarily as glitzy as some other arrangers, sound great overall and the fill ins transitions work especially well (smooth, no glitches). The PA80 has a great KORG like fresh synthy sound which is great for a more contemporary styles, but I prefer to emulate a more traditional acoustic sound. The VA7 sounds are great too, but I find its touch screen unacceptable as a live performer. I also found the PA80 rather awkward to navigate. I still prefer the Technics KN arranger's chord recognition cababilities over any other arranger (especially for playing jazz type piano changes in full keyboard mode), but the PSR2000 fits the bill for a player who doesn't really on the styles alone and PLAYS the keyboard LIVE as well. AFterall, the auto accomp parts should support your keyboard/vocal performance, not compete with it. I originally purchased the PSR2000 as a backup keyboard to my Technics KN5000, but it surprisingly has become my main board now, at least until I find out what the 'next' Technics keyboard (KN7000?) brings. Synthmeister: I hope this gives you some perspective (at least from where I come from) on all this. - Scott

PS: glad you enjoyed the NAMM pics.

There is only a shipping charge of around $100 more or less. I have one question why is the PSR 2000 at the same sight listed for about $1000. Am I not being fair in my comparison, just because Synthplanet is in Europe doesn't disclude it from a price comparison. The truth is the stores here in the U.S. don't sell arrangers like in Europe, "quantity wise" so they price them where they feel that the keyboard category fits, we are talking profit! Why would I as a store owner not charge $700 more for a KB that has a abundance of more features. If you walked into a store and looking for an inexpensive pro arranger and saw the PA 80 and the PSR 2000, compared specs. With the PA 80 costing less than $240 more; how many PSR 2000's would they sell? I'm not even sold on the PA 80 yet, although it seems to be the KB for me when comparing specs, price, and sounds; but we must not be blind to it's bang for the buck. I must mention again with the 3.0 upgrade adding sampling etc.. how can you not agree. I do agree that the PSR 2000 is a great KB but for a little more you get an arranger workstation. I would like to just say that everyone has been helpful and I narrowed my choices down to a PA 80 "obviously", Ketron SD1, Technics 6500. Although they were not in my original choices I have found more info on these boards and am trying to actually try one out. SORRY PSR 2000 fans but for a little more money these other boards offer a lot more.