Hey guys,

Does anybody know the price for the new Korg arranger, the Elite? Will it cost the same price as the Pa1X Pro even though it has CD and MP3? It's not available in the US yet, right? When will it be available. And, between the Pa800 and the Korg Pa1X Pro, which one is better now, in terms of sound quality, number of styles, and other features. Sorry to have so many question but I'm having hard times deciding which one to buy--the Elite, Pa1X Pro or Pa800. Need Help!!!

Thanks,
Tidus

Hi,

I've no heard official statements from Korg but for what I know from best Korg dealers it seems that Pa1X Elite will replace the Pa1X Pro for a similar price ! This looks nice considering the option onboard: it's the most complete arranger ever (with cd-rw audio player and mp3 encoder/decoder), and it's really competitive against T2 and G70 (not considering the sound issue, that depends on each one musical taste).

The Pa800 it the replacement of Pa80 so must be a step lower Pa1X, even if, coming with a new technology, for some specs (like polyphony, EQ) it's better than the flagship. And also a Pa1X os 3 is announced with further enhancements.

Anyway, as always, save some time to check them out when your dealer have both in stock.

Hope this help.

Regards.

I think the Elite is merely a PA1xPro with options installed, rather than something all new.
DonM

Don is right. The Elite is not going to be anything but a PA1XPRO with Korg installing the MP3 recorder and the CD burner for the customer. The price according to Korg will not be the same as a stock version but will be about $400.00 more.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California www.kayesmusicscene.com

I just got off the phone with my Korg Rep here in California and he just told me that the elite will not be sold here in the USA. It is for European distribution only at this time.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California www.kayesmusicscene.com

All,
I ordered a Korg PA800, but I listened to the PA1XPro Elite demo and was very impressed. If the weight is not an issue, would you please tell me why shouldn't I buy the Elite?
John-Paul

You should find a reason TO buy, not NOT to buy!
I think you'll be happy with the PA800. I'm considering one myself.
BTW, my brother-in-law works for your company in Florida.
DonM

DonM,

My point is I have no problem with weight, so what are the advantage or pros of the PA800 over the PA1xPro elite?

BTW: What is your relative name who works at NG.


John-Paul

I'm not the one to answer the question. The only Korg I owned was the PA80. I liked a lot of things about it, but didn't like the vocal harmonizer and the fills and endings, or lack thereof. I'm told these problems have now been corrected in later models.
My wife's brother is John Bourque. He was previously in Lake Charles but now in Florida.
DonM

They are virtually the same instrument at the heart of the matter but the PA800 has a better sampling capacity double that of the Elite and also double the polyphony so it can handle deeper richer (layered) sounds both in ordinary keyboard use and in the sounds used for the programmed styled backing. That said , many of the styles are exactly the same as the styles used in the PA1X and if you listen to the demos, some of them are exactly the same as the PA1X . The PA800 is supposed to have a newer sound engine but from the demos, you have got to have super hi fidelity hearing to notice any difference whatsoever! Neither the PA1X or the newer Pa800 have an answer to yamaha's super articulated voices but their RX technology (Real Experience )is really nice and equal if not better (in my opinion) to yamaha's mega voices. However as an all in one production package the Elite has got it all including MP3, cd player and hardrive which is just all the add ons of the ordinary PA1X that you would have had to buy separately. The Pa800 can also have a cd player as an optional extra but no MP3. Its vocal harmonbiser is slightly down graded from the PA1X and its speaker system is not as powerful as the PA1X hence the reduction in weight.In my view it is not so much a step above the PA1X elite and more like a sideways step.

Just as a thought why not pick up a second pa1x and buy the add ons that you really need when you want .

Either way you will have an outstanding machine with Korgs track record of future operating system upgrades to protect the value of your investment going forward.

I dont think that you can lose either way.

From what I've heard from the product manager at Korg USA, the PA1XPRO still adds many features not found on the PA800. First, there are sliders for all the parts and for the draw bar organ footings. Next, you can have expansion boards installed into the PA1X which cannot be put into the PA800. The vocal harmonizer in the PA1X has more options such as vocal voice modeling which allows you to download new features (at a cost) if you want these. And the big difference is that the PA1XPRO still has the nicer feeling keys which are both 76 in number and more like playing a piano in length and feel, espcially the black keys, which on the 61 key models are shinny and shorter and a longer, flat finish on the 76 note model.
According to Korg, the sound engine is the same on both models.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California www.kayesmusicscene.com

Thanks Georges. See you soon.
John-Paul

That’s interesting, as according to the Korg Web Site http://www.korgpa.com/pa_root/en/products/pa800_info.html?en the Sound Engine has been dramatically improved for the PA800, allowing some of the sounds of the OASYS Workstation to be incorporated. (The polyphony has also almost doubled on the PA800 compared to the PA1X)

Bill

I think what I meant to say was that the sound engine is the same but the piano is new and some new sounds have been added.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

If I didn't have to buy one immediately, I would wait for Korg to come out with a new PA1X with the newer engine and polyphony from the PA800.......... plus whatever else they can come up with in new features and sounds (the piano in the PA800 totally blows the PA1X out of the water, IMHO).

Maybe a used PA1X will suffice until the next generation PA1X comes out if you HAVE to get one now....?