Jump to content

Korg Kronos pianos very disappointing


psionic11

Recommended Posts

  • Members

So I get a call from a salesman at Guitar Center, letting me know that they finally have the Kronos on display again to audition. I rush over during my lunch hour, and get to audition the boards (both a 60-key for $2799 and an 88-key for $3299).

 

German piano and Japanese piano were my main motivators. All the other engines, the fancy combis, even the sequencer, were all secondary to having an acoustic piano or two worthy of solo piano sonatas.

 

Not.

 

They were brash, thin, and sterile, with most of the velocity settings favoring hard hammered sounds. Not fluid and warm, nor subtle and responsive, nor expressive and dynamic like I had hoped (for over a year now). Not rich, but flat. Not sonorous, but more fitting for something in the distance that *might* cut through a heavy mix. Not sweet and personal, but more like a really well-recorded soundfont with more than 7 velocity layers, too many to count but not enough to expressively sing.

 

:rolleyes:

 

I don't know. Maybe I just had too high expectations. I thought streaming GB samples from the hard disk would magically render an almost acoustic feel.

 

I get better balance, tone, expressiveness, and bold sweetness from tweaking my modest set up of EX-5, WSA, Fusion, and Kurzweil Micro Piano multi-combo. Not totally faithful to actual acoustic, since it has a touch of Rhodes for thickness, some Micron Ice Tongs for ghostly background singing, Fusion boxiness for big bass notes, WSA infinite (but thin) velocity hammer responsiveness for acoustic expression...

 

And of course, the main course and dominant sound is the Kurzweil. Around 75% Kurzweil, 60% Fusion, 60% WSA, and 50% EX-5. With a 10% touch of Micron, maybe more if I'm in the mood for Debussy.

 

Sorry, long post. Likely dead, too. To all you other Kronos owners, am I missing something? Besides the crappy mono Guitar Center speakers, I did bring a pair of my smartphone earbuds to audition it with. And compared to the Motif's softer but less dynamic grands (which itself is also comparatively weak), the Kronos did not --in the slightest-- compel me to give it a second chance.

 

I guess I should just get a Yamaha acoustic upright piano for $50/month and settle with that, eh?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Agreed with McHale. You did something wrong, because the general public does not agree with you. "Smartphone earbuds", really? Dude, you have to bring pro headphones with ya. Not some earbud crap.

 

Now, Kronos' pianos are definitely not the best this world has to offer (Pianoteq, especially the beta I have here, kills pretty much anything out there), but they're absolutely the best ones in the workstation world, period.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

It also depends on what you are used to hearing from an instrument like this. Out of the rompler/workstations, yammi motif piano is my least fav. Kurz's are my favs. Korg and Roland are in between but just different.

 

 

I agree that the Motif XS piano is the weakest, but the demo I heard of the XF piano nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I agree that the Motif XS piano is the weakest, but the demo I heard of the XF piano nearly brought tears to my eyes.

 

Happy tears because it is so good?

 

Also to the OP, if you think the Kronos pianos are weak, I doubt anything will satisfy you unless you buy a Yamaha concert grand. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

I did bring a pair of my smartphone earbuds to audition it with.

 

 

nice troll.

 

 

 

the rest of us are going to continue making music to the best of our intentions regardless of your observation.

 

 

 

go buy a pair of real headphones, like Grado SR125s, and then get back to us. we might take you srsly that time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

brash, thin, and sterile, with most of the velocity settings favoring hard hammered sounds. Not fluid and warm, nor subtle and responsive, nor expressive and dynamic like I had hoped (for over a year now). Not rich, but flat. Not sonorous, but more fitting for something in the distance that *might* cut through a heavy mix. Not sweet and personal

 

 

I actually pretty much agree with that. I've only played the two main Japanese and German Kronos piano presets, and not the other variations that are in there somewhere, but I found them merely competent. I would take them over the Kurzweils, but I actually prefer the Yamaha XS/MOX piano sound, even though you and others here aren't so thrilled with that one. My favorite is the Nord Piano/Nord Stage 2. I'm not saying any of these are perfect, not by a long shot, but I find them simply more musically satisfying to play. (I also like the Kawai MP10 piano sound better than Kronos, but I don't like the action... plus, it weighs a ton.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

I actually pretty much agree with that. I've only played the two main Japanese and German Kronos piano presets, and not the other variations that are in there somewhere, but I found them merely competent. I would take them over the Kurzweils,
but I actually prefer the Yamaha XS/MOX piano sound, even though you and others here aren't so thrilled with that one
. My favorite is the Nord Piano/Nord Stage 2. I'm not saying any of these are perfect, not by a long shot, but I find them simply more musically satisfying to play. (I also like the Kawai MP10 piano sound better than Kronos, but I don't like the action... plus, it weighs a ton.)

 

 

I am with you on the MoX. But have you tried the XF? [remember: this is recorded through cam microphone, imagine a direct recording!]

 

[video=youtube;K2HYpWozT2E]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

I agree that the Motif XS piano is the weakest, but the demo I heard of the XF piano nearly brought tears to my eyes.

 

 

Just remember demos are just that, demos.

 

Also headphones are crucial but so is practicality.

 

What is your live and studio amp/speaker system going to be? We all can't afford to change that on a drop of a hat. A good piano, organ , and synth needs to conform to any live system and should be able to with minor tweaking.

 

How does the board feel when you play and perform on it. 80% self happiness should be yours and the other 20 should belong to the critiques that will always come from bandmates and the audience; when they decide to get around to listening to you. They too deserve a voice, for positive feedback is good for the soul and will enhance you marketability as a player.

 

Be confident, have a curtious demeanor, be loyal, and most of all open minded. But make the call! You will gain respect that way. And most of play your butt off with a balance of aggressiveness, subtly, tasty harmonies, cool transcribing and chording choices, scale leads, and musical blues/JAZZ fills. Works for me after all these years in any situation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

So I get a call from a salesman at Guitar Center, letting me know that they finally have the Kronos on display again to audition. I rush over during my lunch hour, and get to audition the boards (both a 60-key for $2799 and an 88-key for $3299).


German piano and Japanese piano were my main motivators. All the other engines, the fancy combis, even the sequencer, were all secondary to having an acoustic piano or two worthy of solo piano sonatas.


Not.


They were brash, thin, and sterile, with most of the velocity settings favoring hard hammered sounds. Not fluid and warm, nor subtle and responsive, nor expressive and dynamic like I had hoped (for over a year now). Not rich, but flat. Not sonorous, but more fitting for something in the distance that *might* cut through a heavy mix. Not sweet and personal, but more like a really well-recorded soundfont with more than 7 velocity layers, too many to count but not enough to expressively sing.


:rolleyes:

I don't know. Maybe I just had too high expectations. I thought streaming GB samples from the hard disk would magically render an almost acoustic feel.


I get better balance, tone, expressiveness, and bold sweetness from tweaking my modest set up of EX-5, WSA, Fusion, and Kurzweil Micro Piano multi-combo. Not totally faithful to actual acoustic, since it has a touch of Rhodes for thickness, some Micron Ice Tongs for ghostly background singing, Fusion boxiness for big bass notes, WSA infinite (but thin) velocity hammer responsiveness for acoustic expression...


And of course, the main course and dominant sound is the Kurzweil. Around 75% Kurzweil, 60% Fusion, 60% WSA, and 50% EX-5. With a 10% touch of Micron, maybe more if I'm in the mood for Debussy.


Sorry, long post. Likely dead, too. To all you other Kronos owners, am I missing something? Besides the crappy mono Guitar Center speakers, I did bring a pair of my smartphone earbuds to audition it with. And compared to the Motif's softer but less dynamic grands (which itself is also comparatively weak), the Kronos did not --in the slightest-- compel me to give it a second chance.


I guess I should just get a Yamaha acoustic upright piano for $50/month and settle with that, eh?

 

you are definitely missing something.

 

add some on board EQ to either AP and it sounds terrific.

 

don't waste your time with crappy audio, either

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Since we are on the subject of pianos, I have a question for those of you who might know?

With regards to the following stage pianos:

Yamaha CP1: $4999. &

Roland V-Piano: $6999.

 

How do these flagship pianos compare to the big workstation pianos which are currently available, i.e.

- Kronos

- Yamaha XF/XS/MO

- Kurzweil

 

Would they be the same as the ones available in the workstations or are these flagship pianos so truly magnificent, they are deserving of the high price attached to them?

 

I was wondering if a guy had a lot of money, would the CP1 or V-Piano really blow everything away, and if not then why are they so expensive compared to the current crop of workstations which seem to give the buyer so much more?

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I don't have the Kronos, but I have the EX-1 Piano expansion for the Oasys, and its sounds fantastic! its not going to be on par with say the multi-gig pianos in some virtual plug-ins, but what I like about the Oasys is you can really get into programming the Xfades, dampers, strikes etc. Again not THE best piano but certainly best in a rompler.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Since we are on the subject of pianos, I have a question for those of you who might know?

With regards to the following stage pianos:

Yamaha CP1: $4999. &

Roland V-Piano: $6999.


How do these flagship pianos compare to the big workstation pianos which are currently available, i.e.

- Kronos

- Yamaha XF/XS/MO

- Kurzweil


Would they be the same as the ones available in the workstations or are these flagship pianos so truly magnificent, they are deserving of the high price attached to them?


I was wondering if a guy had a lot of money, would the CP1 or V-Piano really blow everything away, and if not then why are they so expensive compared to the current crop of workstations which seem to give the buyer so much more?


Thanks

 

 

I would imagine that cabinetry, a more durable keybed, and a different target market have the most to do with it. But I'm guessing. I've wondered which piano sample is used on those Kurzweil grand pianos? Is it from the K series, or was it designed specifically for those grands without appearing on any other Kurz boards?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

I would imagine that cabinetry, a more durable keybed, and a different target market have the most to do with it. But I'm guessing. I've wondered which piano sample is used on those Kurzweil grand pianos? Is it from the K series, or was it designed specifically for those grands without appearing on any other Kurz boards?

 

 

Which piano sample!?! Which piano sample!?! That's the triple-strike piano you're talking about, boy! It's legendary!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

 

 

no chorus

 

While I'm on this thread, I have a PF 80 (Yammy) with half damper. Just came that way. One TRS sustain input and the pedal - not sure how it works but it makes the CP-80 sample worth playing. I don't see this feature on too many keyboards including other Yamahas and so called authentic GP keys and modules. So question, why not?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Since we are on the subject of pianos, I have a question for those of you who might know?

With regards to the following stage pianos:

Yamaha CP1: $4999. &

Roland V-Piano: $6999.


How do these flagship pianos compare to the big workstation pianos which are currently available, i.e.

- Kronos

- Yamaha XF/XS/MO

- Kurzweil


Would they be the same as the ones available in the workstations or are these flagship pianos so truly magnificent, they are deserving of the high price attached to them?


I was wondering if a guy had a lot of money, would the CP1 or V-Piano really blow everything away, and if not then why are they so expensive compared to the current crop of workstations which seem to give the buyer so much more?

 

 

I haven't played all of them, and (as this thread well illustrates) a lot of this is subjective as well, but I think the general consensus would be 1) with the possible exception of the Kronos, none of the workstations have piano sounds that are as good as the top-of-line dedicated piano boards; 2) for piano, none of the workstations have actions as good as the top dedicated boards; but also 3) the law of diminishing returns applies, in that the CP1 and V-Piano are not as big a leap over the far lower priced CP-5 and FP-7F as their price differences might imply.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

no chorus


While I'm on this thread, I have a PF 80 (Yammy) with half damper. Just came that way. One TRS sustain input and the pedal - not sure how it works but it makes the CP-80 sample worth playing. I don't see this feature on too many keyboards including other Yamahas and so called authentic GP keys and modules. So question, why not?

 

 

Every Korg workstation I've ever had has had it: Triton series, M50, M3, OASYS/KRONOS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...