New Minimoog Model D in White Oak

Sorry, all Certified Open Box models of this item have been sold.

Since Certified Open Box items are such a great deal, they often sell within hours of showing up on our web site. Order a new one below, or browse every currently available Certified Open Box item here.

Korg Pa5X 88 88-key Arranger Workstation

88-key Arranger Workstation with Aftertouch-enabled, Hammer-action Keybed; 2,200+ Factory Sounds; 600+ Styles; Multi-format Recording, XDS Crossfade Dual Player, Onboard Effects, and Comprehensive Connectivity
Share
Item ID: PA5X88
Korg Pa5X 88 88-key Arranger Workstation
$400 Price Drop!
Lowest price in 90 days
Price:$5,399 and 99 cents
Original price, crossed out: $5,799 and 99 cents
Special Financing - Ends Aug 2, 2026. $150/month with 36 month financing*

In Stock!

Add to Cart
Sales engineer photo
Ask An Expert

Our expertly trained Sales Engineers are ready to help!

What is a Sales Engineer?
Sweetwater Gear Exchange

Have one to sell?
Check out Sweetwater's Gear Exchange!
Learn More

Complete Your Order
Product Image - This Item - Korg Pa5X 88 88-key Arranger Workstation
Korg Pa5X 88 88-key Arranger Workstation
$5,399.99
+
+
=
Buy all:
OR
Korg Pa5X 88 88-key Arranger Workstation
In Stock!
Price:$5,399 and 99 cents
Add to Cart
Add to list
Skip to Description
Most Popular Accessories & Related Items
Back to navigation

This article was Written By

Our Product Research Team

Get to know them!

Korg’s Flagship Arranger Workstation: the Next Generation

Korg’s Pa series workstations have set the standard for professional arranger keyboards. Now, the Pa5X ascends the throne as the flagship of the range, further raising the bar for sound quality, playability, versatility, and sheer power. The top panel of this formidable arranger workstation features an assignable Pad Matrix, a Mixer section, multicolored LED buttons, and a large, tiltable touchscreen that put you in complete command of your music creation process. Powered by Korg’s state-of-the-art EDS-XP (Enhanced Definition Synthesis-Expanded) sound engine, the Pa5X leverages advanced hardware design and a powerful new operating system to deliver levels of sonic perfection that were heretofore not feasible. Available with 61 and 76 semi-weighted keys — or with an 88-note, fully weighted keybed for authentic grand piano playing feel — the Pa5X models are clad in a sleek aluminum chassis with wooden side panels that will stand up to grueling tour schedules while adding an elegant accent to your living room or studio. Plus, all the Pa5X keybeds are equipped with aftertouch for enhanced expression.

Streamlined, modern user interface

A large 8-inch tiltable color touchscreen occupies the center of your workstation cockpit. This comprehensive yet easy-to-navigate control center puts you in total command of your Pa5X. Whether you’re at home, in a studio session, or onstage, the screen’s shrewdly designed graphical user interface puts all the sounds and operational functions right at your fingertips. The display is color coded to match the programmable LED buttons on the control panel, facilitating quick selections and tweaking. It’s also bright enough (and of course, dimmable) to be read comfortably in any lighting conditions, and it can be tilted to optimize viewing from any angle, whether you’re seated or standing.

Never run out of inspiring sounds

The Pa5X packs a whopping soundset with over 2,200 inspiring factory patches. You can use these production-ready sounds as is, but when you’re in the mood to create something entirely new, fire up Korg’s patented XDS Crossfade Dual Player. It features a unique X-Fader balance control that enables you to blend or crossfade between songs or sounds in any format; for example, Styles to MIDI files, MIDI files to MP3-files, or Styles to Styles. Add to that over 600 onboard factory Styles — all freely programmable and instantly recallable — and you have an incredibly powerful workstation for composing music in any genre. Composers at Sweetwater are blown away by the Korg Pa5X. If you’re ready for a high-end arranger workstation to take your music to the next level, we highly recommend you give it a serious audition!

Awesome power, refined

The Pa5X’s masterful design incorporates powerful cutting-edge technology that has been meticulously implemented to allow for the subtlest nuances to be massaged and brought out in your music. It all starts with Korg’s brawny EDS-XP sound engine, a triumph of software engineering that powers thousands of premium-quality sounds covering an expansive range of musical instruments and music genres, while delivering an unparalleled degree of sonic realism and expression. Under the hood are 24 stereo oscillators and 160 voices of polyphony, allowing for the realization of pretty much any patch you can imagine, as well as spot-on playback of even the most complex arrangements. The EDS-XP underpins an advanced system architecture that also allows for exciting new features such as Round-Robin drum and percussion performances, Smooth Sound Transition, Sound-Controller 3 functionality, and more.

The last word in professional arrangers

Korg designed the the Pa5X for professional composers — and those who aspire to be. As such, it is equipped with the quality sounds, features, and connectivity that today’s professionals demand. With a bevy of optional premium accessories available separately, it’s also the nucleus of an expandable ecosystem that’s customizable to suit your personal workflow requirements.

Soundset:

  • Over 2,200 factory Sounds
  • 5 multilayer Stereo Acoustic Pianos with Damper/Body Resonance, GM/XG Sound Sets
  • Over 130 Drum Kits, including Ambient Drums and round robin-based Kits
  • User Area: 768 Sounds, 384 Drum Kits
  • Digital Drawbars: 9 Footages, Percussion, Key On/Off, Leakage, Vibrato/Chorus, and Rotary Speaker with Amp Simulator
  • Natural Ambience Drum Sounds, round robin features
  • Defined Nuance Control (DNC) technology
  • Quick, robust sound editing, Drum Family, and full Drum Kit editing

Styles:

  • Over 600 Factory Styles, freely programmable
  • 8 Style Tracks, 4 Keyboard Sets and 4 Pads per Style; programmable Sounds, Effects, and Style parameters
  • Guitar Mode 2, parallel and fixed NTT (Note Transposition Table)
  • Style Record and Event Edit
  • Style Elements: 3 Intros, 4 Variations, 4 Fills, 1 Break, 3 Endings
  • Style Controls: Play/Stop, Synchro Start, Synchro Stop, Tap Tempo/Reset, Auto Fill, Memory, Bass Inversion, Manual Bass, Bass & Lower Backing, Drum & Bass, Individual Style Tracks Mute, Style to Keyboard Set

Songs:

  • Supported formats: MID, KAR, MP3 + Lyrics, MP3+G
  • Lyrics, Score, and Chord data can be displayed on-screen or on external video monitor
  • Markers with Add, Delete, Edit, Loop and AutoScroll functions
  • Jukebox function
  • Fully featured, 16-track Sequencer, Song Edit
  • Programmable SongBook music database based on Styles, MIDI Songs (MID and KAR files), MP3 Songs with Artist and Genre tags; Filtering and sorting options; User-definable Set Lists

Effects:

  • Multimode filters with resonance, 3-band EQ for each track
  • 160-voice polyphony, 160 Oscillators
  • Keyboard Tracks: 3 Insert Effects; 3 Master Effects
  • Style/Song: 10 Insert Effects; 3 Master Effects
  • Master EQ and Finalizer for Songs and Styles
  • Final Mastering Effects: Waves | MaxxAudio Suite
  • Mic processor technology by Shift Audio
  • Mic setup: Compressor, EQ, Gate
  • 4-part Harmonizer, Doubler, Filter, Modulation, Delay, Reverb, and AutoPitch
  • Guitar Processor rack (4 effect slots) with stompbox and amp simulation

Connectivity and storage:

  • Microphone and Guitar inputs with dedicated effects for each
  • Mic input: mono with Gain control and phantom power (combo XLR, balanced)
  • Guitar input: mono with Gain control (1/4-inch jack, unbalanced)
  • Line 1 input: Left/Right (1/4-inch jacks, balanced)
  • Line 2 input: Stereo (3.5mm mini-jack, unbalanced)
  • Line Output: Main Left/Right, Separate Outs 1/2/3/4 (1/4-inch jacks, balanced)
  • 1/4-inch Headphone Output
  • MIDI In, Out, Thru, standard MIDI connectors
  • USB to MIDI, via USB Device port
  • 16 user-definable MIDI presets
  • USB Type A (Device, for storage devices and controllers): 1 front, 2 rear
  • USB Type B (Host, for personal computers and tablets): 1 rear
  • Storage: 1GB Internal Drive; Micro SD card (not included): rear-panel slot with cover; USB Flash drive (not included): may be connected to the USB Device ports
  • Damper Pedal jack (supports half-pedaling with optional Korg DS-1H pedal)
  • 2 Assignable Pedal/Footswitch jacks

Optional accessories:

  • PaAS Amplification System
  • ST-SV1-BK Keyboard Stand
  • EXP-2 Foot Controller
  • XVP-20 Expression/Volume Pedal
  • DS-1H Damper Pedal (supports half-pedaling)
  • PS-1 Pedal Switch
  • PS-3 Pedal Switch
  • VOX V860 Volume Pedal

Korg Pa5X 88 88-key Arranger Workstation Features:

  • 88-key (A0–C8), fully weighted hammer-action keybed with aftertouch
  • Powerful EDS-XP (Enhanced Definition Synthesis-Expanded) sound engine
  • Streamlined, modern user interface
  • 8-inch wide capacitive color TouchView TFT display, 800 x 600 pixel resolution
  • Color-coded LED real-time controllers
  • 9 assignable sliders, 9 assignable buttons, strip display
  • Instant recall buttons: 4 Preset + 1 User settings
  • Matrix Section: 16 Matrix Pads, 4 Preset buttons
  • General Controls: Master Volume, Octave Transpose, Master Transpose, Dial, Up/+, Down/-, Joystick (Pitch + Modulation), Ribbon, 3 assignable Switches, Search, Shift, Keyboard Sounds On/Off, Split, Ensemble, Rec/Edit, Menu, Exit
  • Scale Controls: On-screen Quarter Tone and Arabic Scale, memorized in the Keyboard Sets; Presets assignable to any button or footswitch
  • Over 400 factory Pads, 4 Assignable Pads + Stop buttons; Pad Record function
  • Advanced chord recognition; full chord-sequence library
  • Over 200 factory Chord Sequences; Chord Sequence Recorder/Player; Chord Sequences may be saved to Style and SongBook entries
  • Smooth transitions between Sounds, Styles, and Songs
  • Patented XDS Crossfade Dual Player with X-Fader balance control
  • XDS crossfades anything: Styles to MIDI files, MIDI files to MP3-files, and Styles to Styles
  • Each player displays lyrics and score
  • Create your own Styles and Songs
  • SongBook, your on-the-go music library
  • Complete sound library
  • Over 500 Factory Keyboard Sets, freely programmable
  • Onboard mixer with insert, master, final, and mastering effects
  • Supports standard file formats
  • User PCM Sample memory: 4GB of data (= 8GB linear compressed)
  • Loads Korg, WAV, AIFF, and SoundFont formats; Saves Korg, WAV, and AIFF formats
  • Full Edit, Time Slice, and Sampling features
  • Double MP3 Player/Recorder (records MP3 files, including Styles, MIDI Songs, MP3 Songs, Keyboard Sounds, Pads, Matrix, Microphone, Guitar, and Effects); Transpose (+6/-5 semitones), Tempo Change (±30%); Vocal Remover
  • Sleek, sturdy aluminum case with wooden side panels
  • Internal system clock
  • Upgradable operating system
  • Included AC Power Cable, Music Stand, and Quick Guide manual

Warranty Info

Sweetwater's FREE 2-Year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty

Extra peace of mind at no extra cost.

  • Save money with FREE parts and labor
  • Get back to making music with the industry's fastest turnaround time
  • Fix it the first time with our award-winning, factory-certified Service Department
Learn More about Total Confidence Coverage
Back to navigation

Tech Specs

  • Number of Keys: 88
  • Type of Keys: Weighted Hammer-action
  • Other Controllers: Pitch/Modulation Joystick, Ribbon Controller, 9 x Programmable Buttons/Sliders, 16 x Pads, Transpose
  • Polyphony: 160 Notes
  • Presets: Over 2200 Factory Sounds
  • Effects Types: Guitar FX, Mic FX, Keyboard FX, Style/Song FX, EQ, Mastering
  • Memory: 4GB Internal PCM Sample Memory
  • Storage: Micro SD card slot, USB Flash Drive
  • Formats: KORG, WAV, AIFF, SoundFont
  • Sequencer: 16 track
  • Audio Recording: MP3
  • Audio Playback: XDS Crossfade Dual Player: MP3+Lyrics, MIDI, KAR, MP3+G
  • Audio Inputs: 1 x XLR-1/4" combo (mic), 1 x 1/4" (guitar), 2 x 1/4" (line 1), 1 x 1/8" (line 2)
  • Audio Outputs: 6 x 1/4"
  • USB: 3 x Type A (host/storage), 1 x Type B (device)
  • MIDI I/O: In/Out/Thru/USB
  • Headphones: 1 x 1/4"
  • Pedal Inputs: 3 x 1/4" (damper, assign 1/2)
  • Other I/O: 1 x HDMI
  • Features: Tiltable 8" TouchView Display, Multimode FIlters with Resonance, EDS-XP Sound Engine, Aftertouch
  • Power Supply: Standard IEC power cable
  • Height: 5.74"
  • Width: 49.68"
  • Depth: 15.60"
  • Weight: 44.31 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: PA5X88

What Makes Our Sales Engineers Great?

Sweetwater Sales Engineers are a world-class team of experts dedicated to you. Hand selected from across the globe, each brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the world of music gear to provide you with unparalleled service completely free of charge. Friendly relationships, real trust, and the right gear are only a call or a click away!

Back to navigation

Reviews

V1.4 Puts This Over the Top
I have waited almost 4 years to write this review. My Pa5X has been my fav keyboard for years, but I told them that until they fixed their glaring missing feature, I could not recommend their keyboard. What feature? The inability to record more than 1 MIDI track at a time. Because of that missing feature, I actually purchased a Yamaha PSR-SX920 (the 61-key 'mini-Genos 2'). Korg's v1.4 update is the 3rd free update since I purchased my Pa5X, and it now puts my Pa5X over the top of my other 3 Yamaha keyboards in almost every category. Let's start with the new feature... 'Recording Studio' allows to record all 16 tracks of MIDI at once, but then hugely ups the ante over Yamaha Genos 2 in all of its features for editing and re-recording after the initial take. Like Genos, you can re-record or punch in edits on any single track, but introduces exceptionally easy after-take editing of Chords (Genos after-take chord editing is so cumbersome that it is essentially unusable), Style Variations and Fills, start/stop any of the 4 Pads, switch out different pads, switch out different voice layers, edit (or play) different chords... all easy... all after-take editing... all features missing in Yamaha. v1.4 also introduces Korg's new 'Style Creator Bot' - which had been one of the killer features that Yamaha had over Korg (to quickly create new Styles from any imported MIDI song). Let's pause for a second to acknowledge that there are a few features that I still like better in Yamaha: Entering Lyrics in MIDI songs. Korg can't at all (other than txt file); Pa5X is excellent for song lyrics. While Korg supports audio formats MP3, KAR, MP3+Lyrics, and MP3+G, Yamaha supports all that plus MPEG-1 and WAV. (tip: Logic auto-converts MP3 to WAV). Style Dynamics and Groove features are both better than Korg. Arpeggio Hold is easy and great in Yamaha. In Korg, the Kaoss arpeggio (or FX) unfreezes if/when I choose any other screen or menu (making the arpeggiator borderline useless). Yamaha Expansion Packs to add more sounds and styles. (Korg has very few add-ons). And weight... I love the portability of my 25 lb Pa5X (with speakers) vs. 45 lb Pa5X (w/o speakers). But to play? I LOVE 88-weighted keys. My Yamaha DGX-670 also has excellent weighted keys - and the Grand Piano is my favorite sound to play (on ANY of my keyboards), but that 'same' Grand Piano when played on the SX920 sounds tinny and cheap. So many of the SX920 sounds are outstanding, but not piano. The 4 grand pianos on the Pa5X are all excellent (but not as good as the DGX Grand). Now let's get to the (long) list of what's better in Korg. Wurly and Moog Mini voices. (both missing in Yamaha). More voices. More styles. Twice as many drum kits. Round robin drum samples. 160 vs. 128 max polyphony. Visibility of what instrument sets and pads are available (Yamaha OTS and Pad buttons are like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates - you never know what you'll get). Visibility of Chord Sequences upcoming chords (not just the chord that just played and you missed it). Default Fingering that supports both UPPER and LOWER Chord Scan (not just LOWER). Bass Inversion button that doesn't force you to toggle to an unwanted Fingering when you switch back. Drum and Bass button (Genos can easily toggle just drums, but not drum and bass). Bass and Lower Backing button. All 3 Intros and Endings can have optional chord sequence. Ability to loop any Intro or Ending by double-clicking its button. OLED labels for the 9 buttons and 9 sliders (vs. no labels for the 2 knobs and 8 buttons on the SX920). More in and out connections on the back. Memory button has 3 useful options that I actually use (not just Yamaha's single button for 'Left Hold'). Stop a pad by simply re-clicking its button. Choose from library of individual pads (not banks of 4 pads). Pads play in sync even if a Style isn't playing. Import MIDI for pads. Easily edit pads after initial take. Mixer for pads. (SX920 has none of these features for pads.) Matrix (bank of 16 buttons) can be quickly toggled between banks of extra pads, a bank of chord sequences, and (very useful) visibibility and quick toggling for muting tracks. SST Smooth Sound Transition (unlike Genos, never experience unexpected pops and silences). 15 easily-edited MIDI markers. (Yamaha only supports 4 markers to jump around a song, and editing is so cumbersome that I use Korg to edit Yamaha songs - and Yamaha to edit Korg lyrics). Kaoss features for 21st-century DJ FX and xy pads. 400 pre-defined chord sequences + user library (vs. 8 in Yamaha). Library of individual chord seqeunces (although Yamaha's 4 chord loops per bank does have its advantages). Ability to transpose chord sequences. (In Yamaha, I need to recreate the same sequence for each key). Easily edit post-take chord sequences. (Must re-record from scratch in Yamaha). Library of Keyboard Sets (Korg's name for sets of 4 layered Sounds, which is the very similar to Yamaha's One Touch Settings). Yamaha OTS are stored only within individual Styles (which makes it impossible to search and find sets of matched sounds). Better Search features in all libraries. Bottom line: Yes, the Pa5X costs twice as much as the SX920, but for me, it is worth it. Now that Korg Pa5X has the new 'Recording Studio' features, it blows away the Yamaha Genos 2 in almost every category.
Music background: Songwriter
Korg PA5X Review
Over my very first 3 hour session playing the PA5X, I immediately fell in love with it. I am primarily a guitarist, but yearned to learn keyboards, and I was hoping to find a keyboard that could match the expressiveness that the electric guitar offers. I found the PA5X offers a profoundly expressive experience. The PA5X aftertouch, dynamic responsiveness of the keys, the joystick, the assignable foot switches, and the nuanced instrument voices themselves all work together to give the player amazing ability to express both emotion and ideas. I've found the PA5X rivals the expressiveness afforded by the six string guitar. Just what I was looking for!

The PA5X is extremely well made, with a metal chassis, and elegant wood end pieces. It is heavy, and I imagine that is due in part to the weighted and solid-feeling keybed. Yep, this is a professional musical instrument. The 88 weighted keys are solid, silent, and the feel is a great emulation of a real piano keyboard.
This instrument is pretty complex, but is also incredibly capable. And Korg seems to have thought of everything in designing it's features and programming. The user manual as a result is huge…over 1600 pages. But the manual is very well written and is complete. You'll need to download the manual from the Korg website. At times I have felt a bit overwhelmed by the complexity of this instrument, but that's also why I love it. I am learning about the instrument's features by printing and focusing on one section of the manual at a time. The PA5x is incredibly capable and it's features very complete.

Korg seems to have listened to requests and feedback from it's customer. I love the high-resolution touch-screen and programmable sliders. Utilizing the numerous buttons and choices on the arranger section, you can create amazingly varied, on-the fly improvisations and orchestration as you play! The sounds are wonderful…love the synths, pianos, saxes, fretless and acoustic basses and, surprisingly, the harmonicas. The acoustic guitars seem a bit weak and to need a bit more development, when played by themselves…that must be the guitarist in me coming out. But in a mix the acoustic guitars sound fine. There are amazingly accurate emulations of classic synth sounds used by many well-known synth players…Rick W, Herbie H. Lyle M, and Keith E are all in there. And the electric pianos are so silky and sweet. All the sounds are extremely responsive and will vary subtly according to your own touch and speed….yep, it's expressive.

So far, everything I have imagined doing with this keyboard, from selecting sounds, to jamming with the built-in arranger, to creating my own chord progressions, to assembling just the right combinations of sounds and effects, to tweaking sounds as I play using the 3 foot pedal jacks, to recording my performances, I have been able to accomplish with the PA5x. I've also found it to be a great tool for learning keyboard chords, scales and voicings. Also…the PA5X is immense fun!

I'd like to thank Sweetwater Sales Engineer Isaiah for his very professional and supportive assistance in my purchase of the Korg PA5X 88 key arranger keyboard. I've come to recognize that Sweetwater is a professional organization all the way, from the quality musical equipment they stock, to their thoughtful treatment of the customer. I'm just a Sweetwater customer and a musician-off-the-street, and am not receiving any compensation for this review…I'm just excited to have found my dream keyboard. Hope this review helps you.
Music background: Lifelong musician, student of every musical genre
Korg PA5x 88 key - It’s just perfect
The Korg PA5x 88 key will far exceed your expectations. As a long term Korg supporter and user of a Kronos and now the PA5x you will never be disappointed.
Studio Powerhouse with Premium Touch
As a professional studio musician and long-time user of Korg's arranger workstations, I can confidently say the PA5X-88 is a major upgrade I'm genuinely excited about. It delivers serious studio capability, exceptional sonic depth, and advanced articulation tools that make it an indispensable part of my production workflow.



What I Love
• Mix-Ready USB Bounce-In-Place
I use the PA5X strictly as a multi-timbral sound engine, not relying on its internal sequencer. Each track is pre-processed inside the keyboard and then bounced directly into my DAW via USB—no extra routing, no need to create audio tracks manually. The resulting stems are already polished and production-ready, leaving my computer's CPU free for vocals and heavy plug-ins.
• Studio-Grade Effects
With three insert effects per track and two master effects, the PA5X includes one of the most sophisticated effects engines I've encountered in a keyboard. These aren't basic keyboard add-ons—they're on par with top-tier plug-ins, covering modulation, delay, reverb, compression, amp modeling, and more.
• Realistic, Expressive Sounds with DNC
The acoustic instruments are beautifully sampled and include multiple articulations. DNC (Defined Nuance Control) gives me precise expressive control over phrasing, especially for winds, strings, and ethnic instruments, making each track feel alive and played—not programmed.
• Outstanding Keybed
As someone accustomed to playing a Kawai grand piano, I'm extremely picky about keyboard feel. The ADA-weighted 88-key action on the PA5X is easily one of the most satisfying I've used—balanced, expressive, and a joy to play whether I'm tracking solo piano or orchestrated parts.
• Dynamic Program Changes
Within a single song, I can switch instruments using MIDI program changes to vary articulations, register, or timbre—without ever breaking the creative flow. This kind of dynamic flexibility is rare in hardware.



Why Only Four Stars?

For an instrument in this price range—arguably the most expensive arranger workstation on the market—some omissions are hard to ignore. The lack of a true synthesizer engine (with real oscillators and deep modulation routing) is a missed opportunity for sound designers. And in a studio context, the inability to mirror the touchscreen to an external display feels like a serious oversight, especially when the rest of the instrument is so powerfully studio-oriented.
Music background: Berklee College/Composer-Songwriter
Very Impressive Keyboard
I've owned the 88 version for a few weeks by far, very great features and impressive sounds and styles, I also own a Yamaha Genos and I think the sounds are a little more realistic on Genos, I you can have them both it's nice and that's what I did but if you have to choose between one of two, I think that Genos has slightly and edge over this.