Thinking of switching KORG Pa500 for Roland BK5 thoughts?

pros

cons

If I was gigging as often, and for as long a time, as you are, Donny, I'd get myself a proper top end arranger and not muck about with entry level gear.

You love the Korg sound and are familiar with the OS, so why not get yourself a PA3X?

Didn't DonM have one for sale?

Maybe it's still available?

Ian

PS...if you are needing on-board speakers...the BK5's are pretty dismal.

Isn't this all vaguely familiar?

Donny rapidly goes through a slew of different arrangers, constantly asking everyone what they think about this or that (despite his professed view that he doesn't really care anything about what we might think anyway) and then ends up back on a Yamaha mid-line after touting everything he gets as absolutely fantastic, WAY better than what he had, only to sell it shortly afterwards!

Save yourself a LOT of work, Donny, and just wait for the PSR S950 to come out. You are going to be on it eventually, no matter WHAT you get in the meantime.

Deja vu all over again...

Thank everyone for all the opinions it is greatly appreciated...I will be demonstrating the Bk5 next week at Fran's studio...

Yeah, like Ian said a PA3x would be seem like a perfect fit for Donny. But money is a factor so I'm kind of considering the BK5 or PA 500. Here's a few thoughts:

BK5 is menu driven- for example there's no botton for transposing (bummer)

BK5 looks a lot more "pro" than the PA500, plus the BK5 is more compact, thinner, lighter.... I think most people now days want to get away from big,bulk things. Not that the PA 500 is a big beast but the BK5 has a nice "sleekness" about it.

Isn't the PA 500 something like 6 years old? I would think Korg would come out with something new sometime soon? Not that newer is better but I wouuld think that the BK 5 has some newer technology that the PA 500 hasn't. I don't really know what I'm talking about so I shut up now.

Good luck!

I think it is definitely time for Korg to adopt the four fill system from the PA3X into ALL its arrangers. It is long overdue, Yamaha and Roland have had this for at least 8 years or so...

And while they are at it, how about the Chord Sequencer?!

TBH, at least on AUTO-FILL, there really isn't any reason why the OS's of the mid-price line couldn't be updated to allow for the extra fills. But I imagine Korg would make more money bringing out a new model.

Maybe not with utterly new features that other arrangers don't have, but when you are playing catch up to even low end arrangers from other manufacturers, I don't think it pays to restrict something like the 4 (or 5 if you count Break/Fill) fill system to ONLY the TOTL arranger.

Thanx Paul....I went the Totl route a few times.....it doesnt change anything for my needs....I can sound hst as good on mostly any arranger.....navigation is morebut important to me....the Pa500 does a super job on stage for me as predicted...but lacks a few features that the Bk5 has and vica versa. Imo to spend 3k on an arranger kb in this day and age is a waste of money.

I agree 100%......well, 98%. I can see spending 3k on a kb, just not every couple of years. I think Gary, Diki, Boo, TonyMads, and Fran (more or less } have the right idea. Find something you like and then squeeze every ounce of juice out of it. If you're a working pro, which by definition means you're not rich, it's just a poor business practice to keep unnecessarily changing kb's. It hurts your bottom line AND creates a lot more work constantly trying to recreate an already successful act on new and different equipment.

Soooooo, kick the habit. Learn how to maximize the potential of the gear you already have and use the time you spend reading equipment reviews to polish up your act. And take some Gaviscon for the GAS (gear acquisition syndrome - for the uninformed ).

chas

Chas,... just goes to show you that pro players can use OLD Kb's and make them sound great years after the longevity is over...this is due to TALENT as a Player.....many people think TOTL = Sounding better ...not so in my book.....bad players just sound terrible on any gear no matter how much they believe they can spend hoping the KB will magically turn them into Liberace or Yanni, or Keith Emerson......TOTL is not a replacement for Talent. First learn how to play ...then buy TOTL.
BTW try a few drops of Beano if you have gas..

BEANO

Yeah, I meant BEANO. I just couldn't think of the name of it.

chas