Korg PA 80 3.01 rel. (PA 90?)

Seems that Korg has been busy with software updates for the PA 80, does anyone own the PA 80 with the latest O.S? I know Korg AJ owns one. I would like some feedback on the PA 80, I happen to think it's a great all around board (my opinion) and am considering puchasing one as soon as I get the $$$, I know I've been saying that for 2 months now, times are tuff, unemployment is not where I thought I would end up, but the economy is pretty bad regardless what they want us to think. I am hoping to get something soon even if it's a Casio, so I can make some money and get by. Who knows maybe I can get enough gigs to save up and by a Pro arranger! Need help PA 80 WHAT DO THE PRO's HERE THINK? By the way does anyone know if Korg has a pro arranger due out replacing the PA 80, (PA 90?) must have something in the works PA 80 has been out for a while!

I played a version 3.0 PA80 yesterday, and there are some nice improvements over the beta release. It is still, a little clumsy to use in a live situation compared to the MUCH easier O/S of the psr2000. There are some features on each that shine, but the Korg is just not as ergonomic in a live setting as the Yamaha.
EG:
1)fill in buttons are accesed by the SAME button as the variation you choose(psr)
2)acc buttons are all very close to the left hand(psr)
3)mic harmony presets are more musical and easily edited(psr)
4)multi-pads can be freely programmed to include many arranger-like features. This is limited on the Korg, I believe - wasn't even offered on the first release. Anyone clear this one up?
5)drum patterns and fills are more logical, and match each others energy level better
Now for the Korg:
1)Much better feel. Keys are more solid
2)drums are more real sounding, but often TOO busy
3)dual sequencer adds versitility for smf playback
4)stereo inputs to the sound system (onmy mono on the Yamaha)

On the PA80, the multipads can now control all the major ( and quite a few minor ) functions. This came about with 3.0 .

I would have to agree with your assessment for live play Uncle Dave, but for different reasons too. In playing live, if all I was ever going to do was use the arranger and never use a midi file, I'd rate the two very close. Disk functions and storage and the simplicity in which midi files are accessed are just so much better on the 2000 though.

Korg AJ

Uncle Dave & Korg AJ,
Are we saying that the PSR 2000 is the better of the two, for live playing? Even with the O.S. bugs?

PA 60, new arranger from korg no expansion slots, so no harmonizer. Charcoal colored PA 80 case, same board much like the PSR 1000 to PSR2000.

I managed to get a translation on the net.

Here it is!
MUSIC FAIR NEWS World premiere - Pa60 Professional Arranger With the Pa60 KORG a new Begleitautomatik keyboard presents, which almost the same outstanding features as his grosser brother. Pa80 offers. Only in punkto verstaerkerleistung, expandability (no FMC cards usably) and keyboard the Pa60 became opposite the Pa80 a little abgespeckt., in order to be able to offer it for an affordable and extremely attractive price. It operates likewise with from triton admitted and several times distinguished HI synthesis, which lends its extremely professional sound to the instrument. With a Polyphonie of 62 voices, as well as a ROM memory of 32 MB, which constitutes a total sound selection of over 660 Programs (including e.g. a stereo multi-cSam-polarize piano), needs to hide itself the Pa60 in no keinster way. With its 150 internal plus it belongs to the 48 user Styles quite intended for the well equipped key boards. Up to 304 Styles can be stored in the internal memory. Like the Pa80 also, the Pa60 is equipped with a multitasking operating system, with which several functions can be executed at the same time, then can one e.g. a sound with current Style edit. The Pa60 contains likewise the revolutionary dual Crossfade sequencer, which enables an infinitely variable to over screens or into one another mixing via Crossfader between current and when desired synchronized sequences. The instrument can be completed naturally also with fixed disk and video INTERFACE. Only the Harmony board available for the Pa80 cannot be used.

Pa60 here at "harmony"

PA60


The close-ups nearly as big as the real thing



[This message has been edited by Jupitar5 (edited 03-13-2002).]

I'm gonna reserve judgement yet on whether the 2000 is better than the PA80 for live play. At this point, I would say yes, but today I discovered that there is also something wrong with the OS in my PA80. I'm not getting a certain screen to come up that is shown in the manual. thisw screen allows a sort of jukebox setting by the numbers. That would make a big difference to me for using midi files. I discovered this by accident when trying to find out why the groove feature is also not working in the board, so I'm gonna reload Os 3.0 and see if I missed a step or two. ( I think I may have ). I had never really thought of using the PA80 as the primary board in my live act so all of this is a bit new to me. If I can get it straightened out, I may forego the 2000 altogether and go in a new direction, after the conversation I had with my dealer today. That will come up shortly on a new thread after I test the OS again for the PA80,

Korg AJ

Well, I did OS 3.1 instead and wonder of wonders, everything works fine now so far. I must have done something wrong when I loaded 3.0. Hmmm. I'll have to experiment more but I'm thinking that this might make the differnce totally for me now synth on mid files. Seq 2 wasn't always l;oading properly, the screen didn't look right and no groove function to boot. now it all comes up like the manual says it should.. I'll have to play a little now and try to simulate what I'm going to do live.. I think I can maybe use the PA80 as my primary gigging board and maybe eliminate the 2000 altogether. I have some decisions to make.

Korg AJ

I'm sure, if you take the time to customize the programs - you can do just fine in a live situation. The Yamaha really shines in this application with NO setup time, and that's why so many of us are having such good luck with it so far. It's far from perfect, but it really has the best combination of "gotta-have" features in the best layout.
If the Korg had just a few more improvements, I'd give it another close look, but it's still missing a few key elements of ease for me.
For one - I'd really miss the 4 fill ins, and fast mixer levels. I don't like the default window on the Korg for minute changes in volume to the main parts. You cannot make incremental changes unless you are in the mixer window, and that takes 2 more (button)pushes to get to where you need to be. If sequencing becomes a bigger issue for me - I think I may even be a PA60 candidate - I don't like the Korg harmonizer, and that seems to be the biggest feature missing. I'd use the stereo inputs to feed the signal from my Voice Prism, and have a better all around sound than I have now. I just want to wait a bit to see if anything else pops up. I'd hate to settle again. The mic input in the 2000 is really good, and it's spoiling me. I rarely need the rack bag at all.
(Oh dear ...... I'm getting complacent !)

Uncle Dave - Thanks for the reply. I can't disagree too much with your thinking on this. I like the simplicity of Yamaha's styles MUCH better for the live material we do, and the fills are better and more plentiful ( 4 vs 2 ). I like PA80's better for helping me compose, but I don't use the styles that much in finished compositions anyway. Maybe it's because I've played the PA80 a lot more than the 2000 / 1000, but I actually find accessing certain functions easier on the PA80 ( it's become so 2nd nature though ).

The one thing I really almost GOTTA have though that the PA80 has and the 2000 doesn't are the sliders. ( I hope I'm not developing a slider fetish here.., but I can't help it.. it's the one thing that stems back to my analog synth days..sliders and knobs.. I love em .. I need em.. ) On my PA80, one is setup by default to control the midi / accomp volume level, while I set the the assignable one up to control the performance volume. ( ie what I play in realtime ). The bottom line though is that I think I CAN work well with either board if I apply myself , but I want to choose one and use it primarily. Out of need at this time, because of my situation with the 2000, the PA80 gets the nod over the replacement 1000.

By the way, on the PA80 you can change individual accomp volumes in one move. You just simply hit the track select button and go to the button next to the track you want, then hold either the up or down button and the volume will change incrementally while you hold the button.

Korg AJ

Because I can't type at all and I always have to correct my posts ( sometimes several times ), I'll now close with.............



[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 03-13-2002).]

Korg AJ,

The 3.01 version is suppose to get rid of the 3.0 bugs and more, I'm glad it works fine now.

[This message has been edited by synthmeister (edited 03-14-2002).]

AJ,
I'm talking "single push" increments. One digit at a time. In the main window .... select the button next to ... the bass part, for example. If you don't hold the button down, it won't change the value no matter how many times you tap it. I sometimes need very small volume changes, and I like to get to them fast. Are we saying the same thing? Is the track select, the buttons at the side of the window?
Anyway .... I support your decision to take a full refund, and start from scratch. The next wave of 2000's will hit soon, and you can try them out then. Until they arrive - start auditioning other possibilities ..... maybe a used X1? That'll give you a good harmonizer and a backup hard drive/arranger too.

Yes, we are on the same page Uncle Dave. It doesn't do the tap thing. You have to hold it down, and then after about 1 to 1 and a half seconds, the data will change , at first by only 1 increment, then if you hold it for a little bit longer it starts to speed up. I'd like tapping and getting the change better than holding it and waiting a second or 2, but I've gotten pretty used to it and it's accurate enough for me. It also saves me the steps of having to fumble through menu buttons.

In style play mode, once I select the individual accompaniment track screen using the Trk select button, ( one button push ) the screen I choose will become my default screen. In other words, all other functions, once completed, will return me to that screen ( provided of course I don't have the screen freeze function turned on ). So, since the volume for what I play in real time is assigned to the extra slider, the only move I ever need is to go to that screen with one push of the Trk select button the first time I turn the board on and voila. All I have ever to do the rest of the time to change accomp volumes is use the button next to the instrument I choose to change. No screen changes. I actually like this better than the way it works on the 2000. Ihe glaring thing that I don't like with the 2000 is having to access a submenu to select my intro and ending every time I change a style. Hopefully in the latest version, at the very least that info is saved to a registration memory ( It wasn't in mine ).

Korg AJ




[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 03-14-2002).]

I'm still not sure of my new version, but it does NOT remember the intro choice in registrations.