Korg Krome

[triton76]

did anyone notice if it has the pattern assigned to a key RPPR function?

[zoink]

 

Originally Posted by tim gueguen

The choice of name is interesting. You'd think they might worry a bit that Google would get upset at using the name Krome. No, Google isn't in the musical instrument business, but people have sued over such name similiarities even if a product isn't in the same industry.

 

Google Chrome has a different spelling, so there's no real conflict.

[AnotherScott]

 

Originally Posted by zoink

Google Chrome has a different spelling, so there's no real conflict.

 

It's not as simple as that. If you came out with a browser called Krome, google could probably get on you for that. Trademark law is not cut and dried, but is somewhat tied to how likely a similar name is to cause market confusion. In addition, Chrome is a regular english word (unlike, say, Kleenex), so that further will further limit (but not eliminate) the claims they can make on the term.

[zzzxtreme]

already available here, but funny, M50 still slightly pricier

[zoink]

 

Originally Posted by AnotherScott

It's not as simple as that. If you came out with a browser called Krome, google could probably get on you for that. Trademark law is not cut and dried, but is somewhat tied to how likely a similar name is to cause market confusion. In addition, Chrome is a regular english word (unlike, say, Kleenex), so that further will further limit (but not eliminate) the claims they can make on the term.

 

I understand that. But the fact that they're dissimilar products with differently spelled names being offered in completely disparate markets pretty much eliminates any controversy over trademark priority.

[Bernard]

Not that well recorded but better than nothing ;-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nismology]

 

Originally Posted by Bernard

Do you use the cord assign buttons?

They seem to have gone...

 

As much as I initially thought them useless, I actually did end up using them. I do wish they were assignable to different functions other than chord triggering. I wouldn't really miss them to be honest.

What I really wanted was to be able to change arp or drum track patterns on the fly in combi mode.

[Metrosonus]

 

Originally Posted by zzzxtreme

already available here, but funny, M50 still slightly pricier

 

I heard 1200$ Sounds about right then.

so what's the difference between krome and m50? m50 is the m3 engine and krome is the kronos engine?

[Quru]

I want some midrange workstation to replace my good ol' Motif 7. All I want is good synth action keyboard, aftertouch and basic workstation-sounds to get me going without computer. I thought that Krome would be winner after my disappointment with MOX (same 64 polyphony as my original Motif, no aftertouch), but no. When did manufacturers decide that midrange workstations don't need aftertouch?

[AnotherScott]

 

Originally Posted by Quru

I want some midrange workstation to replace my good ol' Motif 7. All I want is good synth action keyboard, aftertouch and basic workstation-sounds to get me going without computer. I thought that Krome would be winner after my disappointment with MOX (same 64 polyphony as my original Motif, no aftertouch)

 

Maybe look for a used Motif XS (or XF)? In a new board, the closest to what you want might be a Kurzweil PC3LE.

[AnotherScott]

 

Originally Posted by Metrosonus

so what's the difference between krome and m50? m50 is the m3 engine and krome is the kronos engine?

 

I'm not certain, but in terms of sounds, I believe the Krome is closer to an M50, except with Kronos-derived pianos and drums, as well as new EPs which I believe are also Kronos derived, but not using the same technology as in the Kronos (i.e. they are samples, rather than having their own modeling engine)

As for what the actual engines are... The Kronos and the OASYS "rompler" engine is called HD-1. The scaled down version of the same technology appeared in the M3 and M50 under the name EDS. The technology in the Krome is called EDS-X, which obviously sounds like an enhanced version of what was in the M50; it is not HD-1, so it is not the Kronos engine. The open question is just what differences are represented by the X. Is it basically EDS plus the Kronos derived unlooped piano and drums? Or have there been other enhancements that, while not being full HD-1, may still make it somewhat more Kronos like in its other sounds, compared to the M50? That's the part I'm not sure about.

FWIW, at least for some sounds, I didn't think the M50 and Kronos were all that far apart anyway. I think the biggest sonic benefits of the Kronos over the M50 were to be found in the other 8 engines rather than the rompler engine. But maybe that also depends on which rompler sounds you are working with. Nevertheless, even if the Krome were the full Kronos HD1 engine (which it is not), it would still be missing the other 8 engines (though it has sounds derived in one way or another from two of them), so sonically, apart from piano, I think it would be a stretch to call the Krome a mini-Kronos no matter how you look at it.

[Metrosonus]

that seems to the consensus and I guess i'm sitting here in disbelief that korg would release a new keyboard with so little difference between it's predecessor.

My guess is that they are hoping to catch the digital piano people. they're selling this as if it were the SV1, almost. and maybe the new case will fool some people into thinking it's new.

it just seems very unfocused, whatever they are doing with it.

although regardless, this will be a huge upgrade to anyone with a 10 year old rompler.

[Synthaholic]

 

Originally Posted by zzzxtreme

but at 799 uk pounds, and slightly lighter than m50 (if i'm not wrong), I must say they have another winner. i am curious if they keys are better than the horrible m50 though

 

They would almost have to be. Couldn't be worse.

 

Originally Posted by keybdwizrd

As the owner of a MOX, I think these "watered-down" romplers are great. They give musicians access to many wonderful sounds without breaking the bank. And gigging keyboardists don't have to break their backs any more.

 

I agree completely.

 

Originally Posted by Bernard

''aftertouch is not supported''

 

BOO!!! HISS!!!

 

Originally Posted by Bernard

Sequencer

Tracks: 16-track MIDI sequencer + 1 master track

Number of Songs: 128 Songs

 

More suckage. There is no reason why it can't be unlimited number of songs, based on available memory.

 

Originally Posted by zzzxtreme

1/8" headphone out?

 

Really, Korg? How much did this save?

[ChristianRock]

Well the acoustic and electric pianos seem to be a huge improvement over the M50. Other sounds (orchestral) seem to come from HD1. I bet it's a totally different soundset that substitutes (rather than adds to) what was in the M50. I bet the audio quality will just blow the M50 away, that's what I get from the demos at least. The EPs might not be the new Kronos EP engine but boy do they sound good. Same for the acoustic pianos and the strings.

I haven't heard much in the way of synth sounds yet... still need to check out some of the demos.

[zzzxtreme]

 

Originally Posted by Synthaholic

Really, Korg? How much did this save?

 

i was wrong about that. 1/8" headphone out front of the keyboard, and full sized 1/4" at the back. they managed to keep the price low, so all is good. thanks korg for another competitive product

[Strenge]

organ....how is the organ....I want to replace my motif as a one-stop gigging board but the m50 organ stinks. (I missed out on the kurzweil pc361 closeouts, that would have been the ticket).

Edit: I hope like hell that was just a bad organ preset (almost all those on my motif suck too, although there are a couple nice ones) he was using in the demo. That sounded horrible.

[AnotherScott]

 

Originally Posted by Metrosonus

My guess is that they are hoping to catch the digital piano people. they're selling this as if it were the SV1, almost.

 

I think that's the biggest appeal. If the action is decent (remains to be seen), it pretty much replaces the SV1, functionally. Better piano and EP sounds, more secondary sounds, lighter weight, same price range, and with a flat surface you can stack on instead of a curved surface you can't. Only missing the tube.

As for the 61 and 73, well, they're better versions of the M50, which was not a bad board either, but without aftertouch, I can't get too excited about them. For a 61, I'd probably stick with a MOX, I just tend to prefer Yamaha's rompler sounds, and Krome's strong pianos wouldn't e such a big benefit on an unweighted action (though if you're also gigging with an unweighted action you can trigger them from, that could alter the equation a bit).

[bdub]

 

Originally Posted by Strenge

organ....how is the organ....I want to replace my motif as a one-stop gigging board but the m50 organ stinks. (I missed out on the kurzweil pc361 closeouts, that would have been the ticket).

Edit: I hope like hell that was just a bad organ preset (almost all those on my motif suck too, although there are a couple nice ones) he was using in the demo. That sounded horrible.

 

It's a ROMpler so the organs are probably on par with the M50/M3.

[CfNorENa]

For anyone who cares, one feature of the Krome worth noting is the sequencer. It's essentially the M3 sequencer, so a big step up from the M50 (drag and drop editing; track view; piano roll editor, etc.). And it has a bigger touchscreen, in full color. Given the specs and the GUI, the Krome will sport the best sequencer in the Korg workstation lineup -- significantly better, in fact, than what is on the flagship Kronos!

Check out the Kronos subforum on korgforums. Those guys are going BALLISTIC about this!

[zoink]

 

Originally Posted by CfNorENa

For anyone who cares, one feature of the Krome worth noting is the sequencer. It's essentially the M3 sequencer, so a big step up from the M50 (drag and drop editing; track view; piano roll editor, etc.). And it has a bigger touchscreen, in full color. Given the specs and the GUI, the Krome will sport the best sequencer in the Korg workstation lineup -- significantly better, in fact, than what is on the flagship Kronos!

 

I honestly wonder why Korg would do that.

[Bernard]

 

Originally Posted by zzzxtreme

i was wrong about that. 1/8" headphone out front of the keyboard, and full sized 1/4" at the back. they managed to keep the price low, so all is good. thanks korg for another competitive product

 

No... only at front and small... say the specs

[Bernard]

 

Originally Posted by CfNorENa

For anyone who cares, one feature of the Krome worth noting is the sequencer. It's essentially the M3 sequencer, so a big step up from the M50 (drag and drop editing; track view; piano roll editor, etc.). And it has a bigger touchscreen, in full color. Given the specs and the GUI, the Krome will sport the best sequencer in the Korg workstation lineup -- significantly better, in fact, than what is on the flagship Kronos!

Check out the Kronos subforum on korgforums. Those guys are going BALLISTIC about this!

 

My confession of the day... reading them go ape was fun.... LOL

[Bernard]

M50:

System

EDS (Enhanced Definition Synthesis)

Sound Engine

Maximum Polyphony: 80 voices max, single mode/40 voices max, double mode

* The actual maximum polyphony will vary depending on oscillator settings such as stereo multisamples and velocity crossfading.

Preset PCM: 256 Mbytes (when calculated as 16-bit linear data)/1,077 multisamples (including seven stereo), 1,609 drum samples (including 116 stereo)

KROMEO:

System

EDS-x (Enhanced Definition Synthesis-expanded)

Sounds

Maximum Polyphony:

120 voices (120 Oscillators) / Single Mode

60 voices (120 Oscillators) / Double Mode

*The maximum simultaneous voice polyphony will vary depending on oscillator settings such as stereo multisamples and velocity crossfading.

So yep... we now need to be careful with our beloved headphones on a front mounted 1/8th connector and we have lost four maybe not so useful buttons and gain some additional sound controls that maybe more useful...

Subject to hearing more and recalling the M50 did sound good... I still think this is a big step up... In so may ways that may or may not matter to everyone...

I love the continuation of adding stuff higher models will not get...

I love the fact KARMA is still not part of this... This is more musical, KARMA is more of a programmers play ground and not so instant or repeatable (random GE's).. Nothing wrong with KARMA, just glad they kept and it seems enhanced the Dual Poly ARPS..

[CfNorENa]

 

Originally Posted by Bernard

just glad they kept and it seems enhanced the Dual Poly ARPS.

 

Which can be EDITED from the board itself. That's a pretty significant advantage over KARMA, in my opinion...

@zoink: it is indeed mysterious. The only explanation that makes sense to me is that Kronos is derived from Oasys (old sequencer), and Krome is derived from M3 (new sequencer), so that putting all the new goodies into the Kronos would actually involve re-writing the entire code for the sequencer. Or Korg is seeking to establish clear product differentiation for market reasons (though I'd be hard pressed to explain them)...

[zoink]

It's strange. I remember a while back sitting down to play the Kronos for the first time and noticing just from poking around in it that I didn't like the sequencer as much as I liked my M3. It was one of the factors that kept me from getting a Kronos.

I figured there must just be something I was missing. The idea of putting an inferior sequencer in their flagship workstation just didn't make sense.

Then I looked at recent close up videos of the Krome sequencer, and it immediately reminded me of the M3 sequencer that I like so much.

I hope Korg improves on the sequencer and some other aspects of the Kronos OS (larger fonts please?). As a tone generator, it's easily the most powerful workstation on the market.