Keys, Synths & Samplers

[guido61]

I left an entry about this in the "wish list" thread, I hope they add tabs to navigate directly to Set List pages in the future, there's plenty of room for them.

Yes, that would be nice and would probably be an easy OS upgrade fix.

But with the SetList system, I find it much easier to move patches around. Keeping all my first set songs on the first page, 2nd set songs on the 2nd page, etc. Just because of the way it is laid out I find I'm not as mentally tied to the concept of each song being associated with a particular patch number as I am with the Motif. (But maybe that's just the way my brain works.)

Rearranging the order of the patches is more of a PITA on the Motif as you essentially need a blank patch to store stuff while you move other stuff around and have to move everything twice. (And, for the record, I'm still using a Motif classic. I'm not sure what sort of navigational upgrades exist on the later models.)

[AnotherScott]

But with the SetList system, I find it much easier to move patches around.

Absolutely. Yamaha's Master Mode comes close to Set List in terms of live functionality for patch selection, but Set List still has numerous advantages, including the Copy-and-Paste editing you're talking about, and the slot comments.

[Bernard]

I wish someone would explain this wood thing, because in 25 years of buying synths none of them have had wood bottoms. Not even my Moog Voyager which is mostly wood has one either.:idk:

The 61 key looks to be Ali

[video=youtube;ZjJaG89t7lk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjJaG89t7lk[/video]

[gregwar]

spent about an hour at the store with a kronos 61. first impressions is the build quality wasn't as bad as some make it out imho. the keybed and control surface were nice as was the screen. the sound is organized like my 01w with combis, progs, etc and set list mode looks really promising.

as far as sound i found the hd-1 engine to be like many other romplers not underwhelming but just blah. the pianos did sound pretty good tho. i really enjoyed the mod-7, ms-20, and poly six parts of the synth. especially with the touch screen they were intuitive and fun to program.

[Meatball Fulton]

IMHO, they simply improved on a lot of the software they already had and improved the converters. This along with the current build quality doesn't warrant the $3000 price tag. $2400 tops for a 61 and perhaps $3000 for a 88 key version.

The SSD I'm sure adds quite a bit to the price. I know some Motif XF users are bitching about the price of Flash boards, adding 2GB adds $600 to the price...$3000 street for XF6 (the $2400 base price is no higher than the XS6).

[psionic11]

I wasn't too intrigued from what I've seen so far of Roland's latest J synth, but I did like the brass responsiveness. Acoustic piano, brass, and strings are my Big 3 requirements when it comes to a $3k+ workstation... anyone have some audio demos of those hidden/buried Kronos brass samples that are better representatives than the stock factory brass patches? Sam Ash and Guitar Center in Orlando don't have any floor models to demo, unfortunately. Thanks.

[evildragon]

The converters are exactly the same as in OASYS.

[dan88z]

I wasn't too intrigued from what I've seen so far of Roland's latest J synth, but I did like the brass responsiveness. Acoustic piano, brass, and strings are my Big 3 requirements when it comes to a $3k+ workstation... anyone have some audio demos of those hidden/buried Kronos brass samples that are better representatives than the stock factory brass patches? Sam Ash and Guitar Center in Orlando don't have any floor models to demo, unfortunately. Thanks.

Here's a link that compares the Yamaha Motif XS horns to the hidden Kronos horns. It's mostly solo horns- not really any ensemble sounds. Motif is 1st, followed by Kronos on each example. The Kronos sounds very good, though I think I like the section French horns better from the Motif. The sounds are as follows:
Baby Trumpet
Soprano Soft (sop sax)
Clarinet 1
Tp Soft Jazz Legato
Flute Legato
Tp Romantic Legato
JazzyClarinet Legato
French Horn Section
French Horn
Trombone 1
Bassoon
Oboe 1
English Horn
Sweet Flute
Tenor Dynamic
Jazzy Flugel


http://www.purgatorycreek.com/downloads/KvM.mp3

[Bernard]

Here's a link that compares the Yamaha Motif XS horns to the hidden Kronos horns. It's mostly solo horns- not really any ensemble sounds. Motif is 1st, followed by Kronos on each example. The Kronos sounds very good, though I think I like the section French horns better from the Motif. The sounds are as follows:
Baby Trumpet
Soprano Soft (sop sax)
Clarinet 1
Tp Soft Jazz Legato
Flute Legato
Tp Romantic Legato
JazzyClarinet Legato
French Horn Section
French Horn
Trombone 1
Bassoon
Oboe 1
English Horn
Sweet Flute
Tenor Dynamic
Jazzy Flugel


http://www.purgatorycreek.com/downloads/KvM.mp3

The Yamaha sounded smooth, confirms why so many who need real sounds prefer it I guess.

I personally did not like most of the Kronos sounds in that demo. Piercing, Shrill un musical.

It would be interesting to compare in a mix. I think that is where the Kronos may improve as with many sounds you start to get better separation. Yamaha risks sounding muddy but I still suspect many would find the Yamaha as more pleasant to listen to.

[EJ2]

It all comes down to the ubiquitous perceptions of the individual listener. To my ears, I preferred the Kronos versions.

[ChristianRock]

I preferred the Kronos versions as well - they sounded more musical to my ears... except the trumpets and the french horns in general... some sounds, like the trombone and oboe, were tons better in the Kronos...

[guido61]

Here's a link that compares the Yamaha Motif XS horns to the hidden Kronos horns. It's mostly solo horns- not really any ensemble sounds

I'm not particularly impressed with any of the ensemble sounds on the Kronos. But it doesn't take much to layer a few things together for a nice "combi" that sounds great. I've come up with nice, punchy, fat brass on this thing.

[dan88z]

Can you post an mp3 of what you came up with? I'd love to hear it.

I opted out of the Kronos, I'm picking up a used S70XS this weekend for $1500. Then I'm selling my S90ES and some other gear I have and turning it into a pair of K12's for our PA tops.

[zoink]

Here's a link that compares the Yamaha Motif XS horns to the hidden Kronos horns. It's mostly solo horns- not really any ensemble sounds. Motif is 1st, followed by Kronos on each example. The Kronos sounds very good, though I think I like the section French horns better from the Motif. The sounds are as follows: Baby Trumpet Soprano Soft (sop sax) Clarinet 1 Tp Soft Jazz Legato Flute Legato Tp Romantic Legato JazzyClarinet Legato French Horn Section French Horn Trombone 1 Bassoon Oboe 1 English Horn Sweet Flute Tenor Dynamic Jazzy Flugel http://www.purgatorycreek.com/downloads/KvM.mp3

Does anyone know the name of the French Horn section piece at 2:42 in the recording? It rings a bell but I just can't place it.

[koolkat]

Here's a link that compares the Yamaha Motif XS horns to the hidden Kronos horns. It's mostly solo horns- not really any ensemble sounds. Motif is 1st, followed by Kronos on each example. The Kronos sounds very good, though I think I like the section French horns better from the Motif. The sounds are as follows:
Baby Trumpet
Soprano Soft (sop sax)
Clarinet 1
Tp Soft Jazz Legato
Flute Legato
Tp Romantic Legato
JazzyClarinet Legato
French Horn Section
French Horn
Trombone 1
Bassoon
Oboe 1
English Horn
Sweet Flute
Tenor Dynamic
Jazzy Flugel


http://www.purgatorycreek.com/downloads/KvM.mp3

For the most part, I scored them all relatively even. I didn't think any of the sounds of one unit were night and day more or less convincing than the other unit. Both units sounded very good.

[evildragon]

Both have very unnatural sounding vibrato. Basoon line sounded extremely synthy on Motif, Kronos had more substance there. Oboe is much better on Kronos. Flute as well. Clarinet MUCH better on Kronos. Overall they are au pair, Motif had better french horns though.

[AnotherScott]

Oboe is much better on Kronos. Flute as well.

The Yamaha flute has a great "overblown" characteristic on high velocity. I guess one of the problems with this kind of demo is that you're not necessarily hearing each patch exhibiting its strengths.

[evildragon]

I think the Yamaha vibrato is worse than the Kronos, at least in those demos.

That is true, yes. Yamaha has an awfully mechanical vibrato. I believe Kronos' AMS shapers are helping with vibrato a bit there.

[ChristianRock]

Or maybe the Kronos just has vibrato samples (albeit looped)? Its sound library is much larger...

[dan88z]

I'd prefer no vibrato and then add it myself with pitchbending.