Any PMA-5 fans (or enemies)?

[mrx]

While evaluating a drum machines with bass sounds (Roland DR-670, Zoom RT-123, etc.), I found my old PMA-5 and am wondering if it's worth using in that capacity.

The user interface and manual for the PMA-5 were so bad, that I all I ever used it for was an expensive GM sound module. At the time I wanted everything stored in MIDI format, using my own styles, etc. Now, working with digital audio, I'm wondering if using the PMA-5's internal styles with everything except drums and bass muted might be a better solution for creating backing tracks than a drum machine.

Anybody out there still using the PMA-5? Anybody in the same boat who still thinks it sucks? All rants and opinions welcome and appreciated.

Thanks!

[LAZI]

I had a PMA-5 and sold it... I sold it fast and cheap.

The sounds really weren't that bad so every now and then I wish I still had it. In the end I know it wasn't even worth keeping just for the sounds.

Ohh... I already had a bunch of other equipment though. If i didn't I wouldv'e kept the PMA for sounds. Not for those thin drums though.

[mrx]

Uh, I take it you found the real purpose of the machine to be poorly implemented?

I guess my point is that there's a dedicated following for this device that claims it really works better than the first impresion would indicate - that once you get past the bad Japanese manual, the UI is really not that bad?

[oldbluesman]

About those thin drum lines on the PMA5 I was able to program one the most realistic double shuffles plus fills and variations. Sounds great to me. I responded to the question of use on the Fostex forum. Someone asked the question there.