Anybody using it? How do you like it? Are the sounds comparable to the Yamaha PSR-3000?
Please help

Have you done a search on the Korg Pa500 here on SZ ?... there is so much to read for you about this unit since its release..

enjoy

Hi:

I use the PA 500/800, and T2/T3...
I also owned a PSR 3000 (it did had the Mega sounds, but, is a little older and may not be fair to compare it with the PA500)....oh, and I also had the S900 too.
If you are to compare SOUNDS and want to make sure that is a SUBJECTIVE opinion, well, the PA500 has the "newer" tone generation, at the time when the 3000 was a current model, the Korg competitor would had been the PA 60/50, the PA500 has the newer technology with the RX which was absent in the previous models, and the 500 has plenty of RX sounds, Natural, Pro, etc., if I were to compare the 3000 vs the PA500, I will have to say the PA500 has the newer/better "stuff", in the PSR 3000 storage is also an issue, the "Smart Media" has been discontinued for several years now, and the 3000 also has an USB port in the back, the PA500 has the SD card port for saving/loading styles, songs.

Also be aware that BOTH keyboards have a very different USER interface, both became easy as you play more with them, passing the learning curve.

I use 2 arrangers in my gigs, each one of the arrangers, has their own strong/weak points, and that is also subject of the music style, needs, skills, etc...

I would write down what are my needs, the type of music you play, mainly the styles you may use and check if there are available in either commercial, or in some forums. Like I said, is mainly YOUR say, my needs are very different that anybody else in this forum, and we may have some similarities, my advise is, consider the keyboard that most suit YOUR needs match with your playing style and skills.


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mdorantes

Me, if I was already most familiar with the PSR-3000, I'd take a serious look at either the S900, or maybe stretch your budget and look at a used T2. You will already be familiar with the OS, the styles you already use will be compatible, and there are a boatload of new styles that won't run well on the 3k...

Primary things that people fault the Korg's for are a lack of many user and third party styles (at least in comparison to Yamaha), a lack of fills (half of what the competition has), and in the PA500's case, no SA type technology (you would have to go up to the PA800 for that).

What style do you primarily play in?

I have it. I really like the sounds, but not the styles or interface as much. I guess I have been playing Yamaha, and Roland stuff too long. The touch screen does make the interface easier to use, but I still find the Roland E50 and Yamaha PSR 3000 easier to use. The funny thing is that if you just look at sounds alone, the PA-500 might be tied with the E50, but I can cover more songs on the PSR3000 than the other two put together.

I used to play with the arranger very mcuh, but now we're into midi files and I like the fact that this keyboard has a dual sequencer which won't give a delay between the dance songs