Korg Krome

[CfNorENa]

 

Originally Posted by zoink

As a tone generator, it's easily the most powerful workstation on the market.

 

I agree -- which is why, in the end, I'll probably opt for the Kronos over other options (the 16 tracks of HD recording are also attractive to me)...

[Bernard]

 

Originally Posted by zoink

I hope Korg improves on the sequencer .... of the Kronos...

 

All I will say, if it really matters, then wait till they do it before buying... to buy in hope of improvement may be very risky...

[zoink]

I also wonder what the buzz would be if they had called it the M60 instead of Krome.

Point being, Krome has to my eyes the same tone generator and effects section as the M50. Most of Krome's 3.8 gb wave ROM is dedicated to the piano section, with 256 mb left over for everything else. That's not exactly chump change, but the 3.8 gb statistic can be a little misleading.

Krome looks to be an M50 with (much needed) better pianos, a larger screen, and a different look. No doubt it has some other improvements, but that seems to be the meat of it.

Interestingly, this makes a strong case for discontinuity in product lines when it comes to marketing a new offering. Buyers are more apt to think that a new product is a complete departure if it has a completely new name and look.

[Son of HuHefner]

 

Originally Posted by Bernard

All I will say, if it really matters, then wait till they do it before buying... to buy in hope of improvement may be very risky...

 

I think a lot of newbs have bought the Kronos. This is likely their 1st w/s plus they have no experience with the sequencer. Since they are going thru major learning curve, that forum sees a lot of newbie type ' complaints '. And its easy to call everything a bug on that forum when its simply a case of not reading the manual or understanding Kronos work flow.

The Kronos will not see an improved sequencer. That ship has sailed long ago. Folks should investigate better, do some reading before plunking down $3000-4000. There is plenty of user experience info out there to read.

[Bernard]

 

Originally Posted by zoink

I also wonder what the buzz would be if they had called it the M60 instead of Krome.

Point being, Krome has to my eyes the same tone generator and effects section as the M50. Most of Krome's 3.8 gb wave ROM is dedicated to the piano section, with 256 mb left over for everything else. That's not exactly chump change, but the 3.8 gb statistic can be a little misleading.

Krome looks to be an M50 with (much needed) better pianos, a larger screen, and a different look.

Interestingly, this makes a strong case for discontinuity in product lines when it comes to marketing a new offering. Buyers are more apt to think that a new product is a complete departure if it has a completely new name and look.

 

This is the M10

KROME = Colour = New colour screen and new family naming convention...

In the UK vid, they mentioned lots of new sounds not in the KRONOS (and maybe never ) plus some KRONOS sounds and the remainder the best of M3/50. Sure the new Piano's will be a big user of PCM plus the flavors of sound space for the tone tweaking (ambience) and the velocity layers, but no way would it account for all. I think it has had a major overhaul... As before the M3/50 base ROM was not too shabby and the EQ per tone and simple interface to tweak makes a difference too...

[Bernard]

 

Originally Posted by Son of HuHefner

I think a lot of newbs have bought the Kronos. This is likely their 1st w/s plus they have no experience with the sequencer. Since they are going thru major learning curve, that forum sees a lot of newbie type ' complaints '. And its easy to call everything a bug on that forum when its simply a case of not reading the manual or understanding Kronos work flow.

The Kronos will not see an improved sequencer. That ship has sailed long ago. Folks should investigate better, do some reading before plunking down $3000-4000. There is plenty of user experience info out there to read.

 

Agreed !

[Bernard]

They could have called it the Koland Jupiter 8 and everyone could then moan and laugh at the same time... I don't really care what they call it as long as it does not have pink ponies, floating balloons and flowers all over...

[Bernard]

I think this tells us what is in the mind of Korg. iPads and the related connected synths and records are having impact, so they are keeping pace and the screen upgrade was an important feature, hence also a driver for the new name... Korg have lots of iPad apps, so they are aware of what they can do and the trend towards touch controllers...

[Bernard]

From a certain OEM focus'd forum re KROME getting its own area like all the other synths from the same OEM:

''I have to admit that I find it frustrating that you give such a mediocre instrument its own forum''

Seriously. This is yet another example of why I stay out of OEM focus'd forums if I can help it....

[zoink]

 

Originally Posted by Bernard

This is the M10

KROME = Colour = New colour screen and new family naming convention...

In the UK vid, they mentioned lots of new sounds not in the KRONOS (and maybe never ) plus some KRONOS sounds and the remainder the best of M3/50. Sure the new Piano's will be a big user of PCM plus the flavors of sound space for the tone tweaking (ambience) and the velocity layers, but no way would it account for all. I think it has had a major overhaul... As before the M3/50 base ROM was not too shabby and the EQ per tone and simple interface to tweak makes a difference too...

 

I agree.

It's not really the right thing for me, but a hell of a nice package for the price.

Anyone that can offer a workstation with a large touch screen, a full featured sequencer, and a quality sound set that covers all bases well (esp. acoustic pianos, EPs, and organs) for under $1,500 is going to sell a lot of them.

Live performance aside, the workflow and immediacy of Krome makes it look like it would be a handy songwriting tool.

[Gaul]

Now, after the dust has settled, Krome looks just right for what it is: an affordable middle range workstation.

[CfNorENa]

 

Originally Posted by Gaul

Now, after the dust has settled, Krome looks just right for what it is: an affordable middle range workstation.

 

Exactly. I can't believe it won't be a big (maybe huge) seller.

But I wonder how much more it would have cost to add some "professional" features: aftertouch; MIDI thru; internal power supply; balanced outs. I guess Korg's market research tells them that prospective buyers of a unit like this don't care about such things. A shame.

[Bernard]

It would not surprise me if we opened one up to find a 4 GIG SDHC card that streams to RAM what ever sounds are loaded to be ready to play from RAM. Existing Tech. RAM does not have to be very big for the 16 Parts even with the longest programmes loaded.

No hard disk recording or future sample loading to worry about.

[AnotherScott]

 

Originally Posted by CfNorENa

But I wonder how much more it would have cost to add some "professional" features: aftertouch; MIDI thru; internal power supply; balanced outs.

 

As a lightweight gigging board, what I miss are things the TR had (the M50's predecessor)... aftertouch, assignable outs, sockets into which you could install RAM to load some custom samples. (You could also add the ability to actually sample, though I didn't care about that.)MIDI thru, while convenient, can always be added with a cheap add-on box if necessary. I've never needed balanced outs. Internal power supplies tend to make the units bigger and heavier (for various reasons beyond the weight of the power supply itself), so that's a trade-off I'm willing to make for maximum gig-friendliness.

[Re-Member]

 

Originally Posted by Synthaholic

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

 

Even though the specs say "Number of Songs: 128 Songs," that should just be the amount of songs the sequencer is allowed to have loaded per session. Typically you are allowed to save multiple "Sequencer data" files with each file containing 128 individual songs.

[bobbybee]

Originally Posted by keybdwizrd

Assuming the same price, the 61-key Krome could really top the MOX if it has a really nice keyboard action. The MOX is mediocre at best, but better than the M50. If Korg is able to put a really nice action in a 61-key instrument for $1200, that could definitely pull some buyers away from Yamaha.

Street prices in the U.S. look like:

61 - $999
73 - $1199
88 - $1599

[AnotherScott]

 

Originally Posted by AnotherScott

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..

 

The action appears to be the same as on the SP170. I''ll be curious to see how it feels on the Krome. Sometimes the same mechanism feels different on different models... (maybe it's the chassis, maybe it's the way the programming mates the keyboard response to the sounds, maybe it's some subtle tweaking, I don't know, but I've seen it happen...)

[playstation]

Only $999 for a workstation with color touch screen and Kronos sounds? Yamaha and Roland are sunk!

[Re-Member]

I'm feeling rather "meh" about this keyboard. Even though it has more added features than the M50, the M50 still looks cooler to me from a design prospective. Ignoring what's on the inside, the Krome just looks like yet another ordinary keyboard you'd see in a Sears electronics section. I felt the same way about the Kronos, even though the engine still has me intrigued. But to be honest, I couldn't care less how great the new piano sounds are. I'm more of a synth guy and still like using just the classically cheesy M1 piano when it's called for. If they made an alternative version that looked like the M50 and had the AL-1, MOD-7, MS-20EX & PolysixEX engines instead of the new piano and drum engines, I'd be sold in a heartbeat.

[keybdwizrd]

 

Originally Posted by bobbybee

Street prices in the U.S. look like:

61 - $999

73 - $1199

88 - $1599

 

Yes, I am seeing those prices here on the Sweetwater site, with free shipping.

Sweetwater also has the M50-61 for $999, with the "M50 Updates Pre-Installed" -

"Sweetwater updates it for you!

The Korg M50-61 you buy from Sweetwater is better! Before we ship it to you we upgrade it to the latest Operating System v1.10 that adds a number of improvements including 700 additional effects presets. We also install the M50-61 Vintage Keys Collection, which adds 32 new EPs, Wurlys, and Clavs that have up to eight velocity layers and extensive vintage effects processing. Finally, we include a Sweetwater M50-61 Bonus CD-ROM loaded with the new v1.10 M50-61 Editor for Mac and PC, updated Owner's Manuals, Quick Start Guide, Patch Lists, SysEx Charts, Parameter Guide, and USB Drivers for Mac and PC."

Regarding the action, the M50 is simply described as "semi-weighted keyboard."

The Krome, on the other hand, is advertised as having "Natural Touch Semi-weighted Action for exceptional playability."

At $999, the Krome 61 would seem to be an exceptional value (even though those Korg people still don't see fit to put dedicated octave up/down buttons on their 61-key instrument. This is what happens when keyboards are designed by engineers and not musicians who play them.)

I will wait to actually play one of these things, and examine the overall build quality before scrounging up $999 to get one. But assuming the Krome is a reasonably competent instrument, does anyone think Yamaha will have to lower the price of the MOX6 (currently at $1,199)?

[keybdwizrd]

Something else Korg does right:

"A powerful DAW, and plug-in support for your computer-based DAW

The Krome-61's powerful 16-track sequencer, plus five insert effects, two master effects, and per-track EQ, means you can create amazing music with nothing but this workstation. But thanks to the plug-in editor software, you can use the Krome-61 as a plug-in in your computer-based DAW too. So whether you prefer to work on a keyboard workstation, produce on a computer with Krome sounds, or a combination of both workflows, you'll appreciate the flexibility and intuitiveness of the Krome-61."

I can work this way with my Micro X, and the M3 has a plug-in editor as well. They work like a charm with Digital Performer, allowing me to save synth setups directly into the song file.

Yamaha does not have this for the MOX, which blows. I believe they have something that works with Cubase. Really? Cubase?

[zzzxtreme]

anotherscott, yeah i just noticed the weight keys action, apparently same as SP170. I've tried SP170 many times and I prefer it over RH3 which I have owned. RH3 feels to deep/big, making it difficult/tiring to play fast passages, on the other hand SP170 feels way way better, more pleasurable. so it's all good for the 88 key krome

[Metrosonus]

I wonder if they are going to discontinue the M50. Interesting to have this running side by side with it.

Maybe korg hopes there's little market overlap that will sustain both of them?

[Bernard]

 

Originally Posted by keybdwizrd

The Krome, on the other hand, is advertised as having "Natural Touch Semi-weighted Action for exceptional playability."

 

If it is a better set of keys (with sprung hinges), I may go for the 73 Key

I would also hope that they have damped the end stops. Keys with aftertouch and soft springing do not clunk. Where the M50 had a soft action, without aftertouch it clunked a tad as there was such a firm end to the key stroke. I am sure I would adapt in any case

Fingers crossed...

[AnotherScott]

 

Originally Posted by zzzxtreme

anotherscott, yeah i just noticed the weight keys action, apparently same as SP170. I've tried SP170 many times and I prefer it over RH3 which I have owned. RH3 feels to deep/big, making it difficult/tiring to play fast passages, on the other hand SP170 feels way way better, more pleasurable. so it's all good for the 88 key krome

 

Yes, I could see where some people could prefer the SP170 to the RH3. I don't think Korg really has an action that competes with the best of Yamaha and Roland, but actions are notoriously subjective.

 

Originally Posted by keybdwizrd

Regarding the action, the M50 is simply described as "semi-weighted keyboard."

The Krome, on the other hand, is advertised as having "Natural Touch Semi-weighted Action for exceptional playability."

 

Actually, on Korg's own site, the M50 is listed as having as "semi-weighted Natural Touch keyboard" -- and also of note, they list the Kronos as having a "Natural Touch Semi Weighted" action! So the fact that they use the same terminology does not mean the action is the same (as the 61-key M50 and Kronos actions do feel different from each other). It may be premature to assume the Krome uses the SP170 keybed after all.