Korg Pandora PX5D Multi-effects for Guitar/Bass

[lkmuller]

Hi, I realize I'm a little late weighing in on this thread, but.........

I am a new PX5D owner and actually am quite happy with it, except for one MAJOR problem I am hoping there is a solution to. There is a pronounced hiss whenever I strike a note on my guitar, so loud that it makes the unit just about unusable in any situation. I've tried different eq settings, different input/output settings, but all to no avail. Apparently, the hissing problem is inherent with a lot of digital effects units, but the demo video I watched on youtube had absolutely no hissing.

And when I conect the unit to my computer to use the sound editor, there is a constant buzz whenever I turn the volume up.

What can I do to eliminate this hiss and buzz? Any suggestions or ideas would be welcome.

Thank you very much,

Lee

[edeibler2000]

 

Originally Posted by santos

Yeah, I've got to agree with you there. I don't know that drum programability would be that much fun on such a tiny device. Useful? Sure, at times.

 

I have an earlier iteration of the Pandora. It does, indeed, have its uses. When I travel I take it and a speedster guitar along with a cord and headphones. All of this fits quite easily into my duffle or suitcase and the space they take up is negligible.

[kensmith]

I have had a number of different types of mfx units. I have had a few drum machines from Boss and Zoom and I numerous pedals on my board...including loopers and trainers.
My PX5D is one of the best units I have owned and it will be with me for a long time. The functionality is perfect for my lower volume home practice on timing, playing along with mp3 player (or from my Tascam DR-1 from rehersals) and sounds great into headphones, acoustic amp, or even guitar amp (usually best into effects return...bypassing preamp stage).
It is clear and effects sound great, NR is there if needed, and the computer interface is awesome as well. And to boot you can power from computer or USB power supply or hub. I have not tried it direct into soundboard at church (since I like control of my monitor) but I am sure it would sound very nice live in that setting as well.
Big kudos to Korg on this one.
AND I traded a $100 pedal for my PX5D...so that was another bonus...but worth the $250 they go for!
Ken

[bigchasbroon]

Hi everyone Im new here and fairly new on the guitar. I just bought a px5d i have to say that I really love it. I had a zoom g2.1u but it wasnt nearly as easy to use and the fact that the display simply had a number but there was no list in the manual to let you know what type of sound the corresponded to the number consequently I never used it much so I sold it on ebay and it paid for half of the px5.

As a relative beginer the PX5 is 100 times easier to use. I have only used the presets and they are great. I just select whokids and im pete townsend playing the kids are alright (its a nice world my world). or Floyd and im dave gilmour. I play through a humble marshall mg30dfx and the px5 makes it sound good it is has given my learning a new boost of encouragement by getting a sound much closer to the original recording.

The reason I bought it was that it was recommended to me by someone much better than me at guitar. I havent really seen the line 6 pod range up close but the one thing that it seems tohave in its favour is the vast collection of user defined programs that are available which dont seem to be available for the korg (maybe someone could point me in the direction of a site if there is such a thing).

I have never played live so I wouldnt really know how good it would be with the pedals. But you cant expect a multifx unit like this to give the same vesatility as 6 or 7 stomp boxes when it barely costs as much as 2 pedals.

Anyway overall verdict 81/2 out of 10

[Wisko]

I got a PX5D last week, and have been enjoying a PX4B for about a year. It was a great "upgrade", and has some interesting new effects & drum rhythms, but what's so cool is the USB hook-up. Being able to program the bass/drum patterns and the sounds on the computer is the ultimate.

[Anderton]

I agree completely. The PX5D is cool "as is," but the USB options - and the recent upgrade - put it into an entirely different category, especially for the price.

[Wisko]

Last night I found that the PX5D has a lot more memory for recording/playing back than I thought! I used to have to set the tempo on the PX4B to 130 to have a complete 16-bar jam, but even at 110, the PX5D can have up to 32 measures, with the bass & drum patterns AND the rhythm guitar track.
Quite the amazing device!
I'd be curious to hear of any negative experiences that anyone has had, because so far, it seems too good to fit in that small of a device.

[danelectro1]

I am a harmonica player and work with a guitarist. I bought the Korg Pandora PX5D to use on gigs to provide bass and drums. I'm more than a little overwhelmed by the complexity, and am hoping someone could take me through a step-by-step process of programming the rhythm tracks and storing them for easy access onstage.
For example, the song, Mustang Sally in C, or any blues/rock acoustic duo song you care to demonstrate.
Thanks,
Mike

[bmatchick]

Great review! I went out and picked up one. But I'm having one issue and thought I'd check with you guys.

I'm following the manual and holding EXIT while pressing TAP/Bypass, but it doesn't work and just acts like I'm holding the TAP/Bypass (turns on tuner). Is this a misprint in the manual, or is a feature missing in the firmware (and will it be updated)?

If anyone can try this and tell me if it works on your unit that would be great. I'm trying to avoid a trip back to Guitar Center and really can't see how this doesn't work while everything else works fine. I'm betting it's an unimplemented feature or something.

Thanks a lot! I appreciate any help.

Brian

[ssites]

Anyone know of a website where we can trade patches for the Pandora?

[ZUrlocker]

You can find a half dozen or so custom patches for the Korg Pandora PX5D here:
http://www.haax.se/filesite/index.php?unit=px5d

I was also wondering if there's a list somewhere of the song Chains that are built-in. For example, it would be helpful to know what key they are in, etc. Also if anyone has found a site that has downloadable chains that would be very cool.

Thanks much
--Zack
www.guitarvibe.com

[LaughingGuitar]

I read an article in Guitar Player a while ago where the guy the article is about liked to use a PX4D instead of a PX5D because he said it sounded warmer. Does the PX4D really sound warmer than the PX5D?

[Anderton]

Sorry, but I don't have a PX4D here for comparison.

[Jon Chappell]

 

Originally Posted by Anderton

Sorry, but I don't have a PX4D here for comparison.

 

Nor do I.

[Wisko]

Sure, the effects are nice. Great tracking on the synths, wah's & filters, but what pushes this over the top is the rhythm section! There are 20 different user-defined chains, and each chain has 16 sections, each having choices for the rhythm, variations (basic, Var 1 (with a crash cym_, or var 2 (ending roll)), bass key, bass var (basic, var 1 (maj), var 2 (min)), and how many times to repeat the section.
I figured the bass & drums out for "Little Wing", and a 12-bar blues, basic I-IV-V rock beat, as well as making up some of my own. The USB/software interface is great!

[Weekend_Warrior]

I have been using this little beast every day for a bit over 12 months now as a practice box. Great unit. The 'Jam' feature is just a wonderful tool, as is the phrase trainer.

I wish it had some overdrives in the effects as I like the sound of tubesceamers in from of a marshall, but since it is not a gigging rig it is OK.

The input jack became quite noisy after about 4 months of ownership. I jiggle the cable and all is well, but it is annoying. No doubt some contact cleaner would sort it out, but I am afraid of opening it up and breaking something.

Highly recommended as a practice tool.

[Orange Jackson]

I have the px4 and it is an awesome little unit as well, I use it all the time.

How is the audio quality when using the phase trainer on the px5? On the px4 my guitar starts to sound pretty degraded if I do a loop with drums that is longer than about 12 seconds.

[Weekend_Warrior]

OJ: It isn't bad, but when you get above 30 seconds it does sound pretty lo-fi...

[Wisko]

I hardly ever used the phrase trainer. The function that I used the most (until my PX5D crapped out last Friday, after owning it for less than 14 months) was the rhythm chain.
Planned obsolescence, i.e. programmed defects, made mine die, and Korg has lost a customer. In the time that I owned it, I didn't drop it, pile stuff on top of it, over-use it, or loan it out.

[Sandvich]

So anyone had a chance to compare the 4 and 5?

[Joe Hendrix]

I'm using the PX5D Sound Editor and would like to edit some of the user settings. I can figure out how to make changes, but it doesn't seem to allow you to change the name of the setting. In other words, in User 00 - Metalic, I would like the name to be changed to User 00 - Hendrix. Can this be done? If so, how?

[mikesim]

Great! I love it!by the way.. I'm a newbie here guys! I'm having fun reading and discussing the topics..

[Rick6]

I just ordered one. The idea is to use it with a ZT Lunchbox or a PA. So, a key feature is "small". I want it to provide some reverb and tone shaping.

I'd like to get it someplace, like on the guitar strap or on the guitar (a 335 type) where I can control my volume with with the device.

Any ideas about how to get it affixed?

[Rick6]

I loaded the software. It worked.

But, later, I tried to use Band In A Box and it didn't work.

Apparently the Korg software wrote over the drivers that BIAB needs.

Anybody have a solution to this?

[jingly-jangly]

i have owned alot of gear, and have had many different brand-named expensive effects units. my stage effects (over the years) have included everything form Digitech rack units, to top end Zooms.

but funny enough, i bought the first Pandora series many years ago, and i just loved the sounds of that unit, infact the majority of my playing has been done on pandora series one.............it's just easier in a small practice enviroment, to use the pandora then the bigger gear.

so although i use a lot of high end effects............. i do have series one pandora, and i am not unfamiliar with the programing and tweakings of the smaller units. however i simply can not get a good distortion sound from the PX5.............. ?

it seems to me that unlike Pandora series one, where the distortions are found and tweakable within their own EFFECTS chain, the Pandora PX-5 only has a handful of ugly sounding Distortions within its DYNA effect chain, (with hardly any tweakings available) and it seems that the majority of Distorts have to be selected by chosing the correct AMP and SPEAKER selections................... could someone please tell me if i am doing something wrong, and i'm just failing to understand this unit.

because it seems to me the majority of Distortions have to be chosen by cosing correct AMP and SPEAKER selection (yet even they sound bad)

......................... on the positive side, i do have a BOOMERANG phrase sampler, and i love it, and i use it everyday, so i have been spoilt, but i would like to say that i am impressed by the Phrase Sampler on the PX-5