Korg Krome 88?

[Caseous]

Hi there. I'm looking for a keyboard for gigging: I need a light but versitile machine, if possible. 88 keys, weighted is pretty necessary for me, too. Mostly playing piano, organ, with a few random sounds here and there. Right now, I play a Yamaha P95, which is fine, actionwise and is probably the lightest 88 out there. However, I need better sound, especially organs. I started looking around and saw the Korg Krome 88. It sounds pretty good and I like the interface. However, the action seemed kind of crazy to me: way too light, like a cross between weighted & unweighted, but with this weird, delayed snap-back of the keys. Also, the key noise was pretty high and I play a lot of soft piano that might really get impacted by that. The thing is, I don't live very close to a store that sells these, so I can't really try them in a lot of places. Is it possible I just tried out a lemon? Does anyone have this keyboard and like it? If so, what do you think of the action and how did it figure into your decision?

 

I get that there's not much in this price range (would be extremely happy to deal with the weight of a Nord Stage 2 88 if I could afford it!) and wasn't thrilled by much else I saw but maybe I missed something. Any thoughts?

 

Many thanks,

 

CC

 

[AnotherScott]

The Krome 88 I played felt pretty bad. If the weight of an NS2-88 wouldn't be an issue, at about the same price as the Krome, the Kawai MP7 has a great action, and has a decent clonewheel organ built in (i.e. you can adjust the level of each "drawbar" individually). And while no weighted action is ideal for organ, the MP7 is also one of the best piano actions for playing organ as well. Not only because of the feel, but also (like the Nord), you can set it for "high trigger" to make it more amenable to organ playing. It's 5 lbs heavier than the NS2-88, but the dimensions and balance make it feel not as heavy as you might expect. I compared it to the weight of a 38.5 lb Korg SV1-73, and they subjectively felt about the same. Both too heavy for me personally, but I'd say that if you'd be okay carrying around that SV1, you'd be okay with the MP7. The MP7 also has good interface/ergonomics.

 

There are some other possibilities: The Yamaha MOXF8 has basically the same action as your P95, and some okay organs, plus the ability to load new sounds via the optional flash card. Roland FA-08 also includes clonewheel organ, plus nice VA synth. The Casio PX5S has what I'd say is a better piano action than the P95/MOXF8 or FA-08 (but not as good as the MP7), in a low-priced and lightweight package that also has some pretty decent organ functionality. All of these are good boards with their own pros and cons. But if your main concerns are piano, organ, and action, in this price range, while I would take any of them over the Krome, the MP7 would be my first choice.

[Caseous]

Thanks. I'm interested to hear more about the PX5S? Is the action better than the P95? Why is it considerably less expensive than the MP7?

 

Thanks,

CC

[AnotherScott]

It's always somewhat subjective, but yes, I'd say that the PX5S action is better than the P95, at least for piano. I don't think either would be a very good action for organ, even as far as weighted actions go, which are a compromise for organ to begin with.

 

Why less expensive than the MP7? Well, for one thing, they're different companies, and Casio specializes in high-value, relatively low-cost boards, something they accomplish at least in part by sharing a lot of components among different models to maximize volume. But to know why an MP7 costs more, all you really have to do is get your hands and ears around both of them. Kawai is also a good value... a lot of people feel it goes toe-to-toe with more expensive models like Yamaha CP4 and Roland RD800 in action and sound.

 

PX5S ia a great value. It is a good sounding, versatile, lightweight board, at a great price. But while some of this is subjective, I would say that the MP7 action is better (for both piano and organ), that its piano and organ sounds are better (including full 9-drawbar control of the organ), its interface/ergonomics are better (it has a bigger, more informative screen, better differentiated controls, less menu diving... all around better ease of use). It has a very solid feeling metal build compared to the plastic Casio, but that's also part of why it's heavier.

 

I think both the PX5S and the MP7 give you a lot for the money. If you want a weighted board primarily for piano and organ with some extra sounds, if you can afford the MP7 and deal with its 46 lbs, I think it's the stronger choice. But the PX-5S is still a great board, esp. considering its size, weight, and price.

[WDMcM]

I have owned a Korg Krome for over a year now and love it. Prior to the Krome I had a Roland RD700GX but wanted something with more sound potential and in-depth programming. There is definitely a difference between the keyboard feel of these two instruments; the Roland is a bit faster in key return than the Korg and maybe has a bit lighter touch, but I have become used to the Krome action and have no complaints.

 

I would like to check out one of the new Kawai DP's. Years ago I really liked the MP9000 and thier new models look very nice. I know a lot of folks are talking up the Casio PX5S, but the lack of an expression pedal input among other issues killed any interest of that one for me. The Nord stuff is built well, but the price and limited layering/splitting keeps me away from those.

 

So, based on your OP "I need a light but versatile machine" the Krome 88 would be a fine choice. It's very light to carry, the action is playable, it has some very usable organ patches with an acceptable rotary speaker simulator, it is extremely versatile in the number of on board sounds, synth programming, layering/splitting, effects/routings, etc.

[Vito Corleone]

I'm very happy with the MOXF8. Great sounds and as lightweight as you're going to find for an 88-weighted key board. The action is a bit stiff for playing organ, but you're likely to find that with any fully-weighted keybed, I would think.

[AnotherScott]

Overall, the MOXF is one of my favorite boards. But if you must play organ from a weighted action, the MP7 is noticeably better in that respect than the MOXF8 (or any of the others mentioned).