Kronos 88 issue...maybe...

[Starlin]

Hi -

So after playing a good 8-9 hours with the K88, and banging away at it, I've started to hear/feel something. I don't know if it's an RH3 thing or not... And I don't recall it happening during hour 1 or 2, but not completely sure.

Anyway, the 'E' above middle 'C' - do you hear/feel a slight click as the note is coming back up? Additionally, the 'E' is _slightly_ harder to push down than the other notes.

No other note has this - so I'm just not sure if, as I mentioned, it's an RH3 thing, or potentially something faulty on my keyboard.

(un)fortunately, I'm one of the only 88 owners currently, so as the community receives them, please take a look and feel and see how your 'E' is.

Thanks in advance from this great community.

[BetaMark]

Hi -

So after playing a good 8-9 hours with the K88, and banging away at it, I've started to hear/feel something. I don't know if it's an RH3 thing or not... And I don't recall it happening during hour 1 or 2, but not completely sure.

Anyway, the 'E' above middle 'C' - do you hear/feel a slight click as the note is coming back up? Additionally, the 'E' is _slightly_ harder to push down than the other notes.

No other note has this - so I'm just not sure if, as I mentioned, it's an RH3 thing, or potentially something faulty on my keyboard.

(un)fortunately, I'm one of the only 88 owners currently, so as the community receives them, please take a look and feel and see how your 'E' is.

Thanks in advance from this great community.

Not sure about the 'E' thing, and I don't have my Kronos yet. BUT...

I've had an 88 M50 for the last few years (sold it just yesterday to make way for the Kronos) and one of the things that most impressed me about it was the RH3 action. It was perhaps just a tad noisier than other keyboards, but in a good way; it just seemed to have the most marvelous 'mechanical' sound and feel to it. One of the best fully-weighted keyboards I've played, IMO.

[Chriskk]

No other note has this - so I'm just not sure if, as I mentioned, it's an RH3 thing, or potentially something faulty on my keyboard.

It's not an RH3 thing. If I were you, I'd return it for a full refund and get another one. Best luck.

[twstone1983]

There was a discussion going on in the SV-1 thread about the RH3 keybed doing the same thing. You can read about it here http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=56083

I dont know if it really is a deffective keybed or part of the mechanics as some have stated. I have the TR88 with the RH2 Keybed and on a few notes, you do hear a very slight clicking noise. But if you have headphones on or have the speakers turned up you would never know its there. Now keep in mind the RH keybeds are supposed to simulate a grand piano in that the lower keys are a little stiffer to push than the upper ones so I dont know if that is what you are expiriencing or not. But all my keys on the TR88 feel fine and go from stiff to somewhat lighter as you travel up the keyboard like they should even with some of the notes having that click sound. Hope this helps and hope a korg rep can chime in too.

[Starlin]

Thank you for the link and your thoughts.

I believe that the lower keys are harder to hit than the upper keys - which makes it seem that much more 'piano-like'. And I love that about the RH3.

But, as it is now, only 'E' (above middle 'C') is the only key experiencing 'clicking' noise. And, yes, with headphones or monitors turned up, you don't hear it. I'm also not sure if my fingers 'feel' the clicking 'sound' or it's just a mental thing...

I will call my local store this weekend on the off-chance that they can look at it and/or just replace it with a new one. But, who knows how many 88's they might still have...

There was a discussion going on in the SV-1 thread about the RH3 keybed doing the same thing. You can read about it here http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=56083

I dont know if it really is a deffective keybed or part of the mechanics as some have stated. I have the TR88 with the RH2 Keybed and on a few notes, you do hear a very slight clicking noise. But if you have headphones on or have the speakers turned up you would never know its there. Now keep in mind the RH keybeds are supposed to simulate a grand piano in that the lower keys are a little stiffer to push than the upper ones so I dont know if that is what you are expiriencing or not. But all my keys on the TR88 feel fine and go from stiff to somewhat lighter as you travel up the keyboard like they should even with some of the notes having that click sound. Hope this helps and hope a korg rep can chime in too.

[CoreyMast]

My Triton88 has the same issue. I noticed it about 6 months after owning it. It may have always been there but I played a scale one day without the power on and noticed it. I never did anything about it because it didn't bother my playing at all. I just forgot about it and I can't tell you if it still does it today, but I can tell you that after 8 years my Triton still plays great. Same note as well E above middle C. Next rehearsal I will check it out though and see if it went away. Hope this helps!

[Starlin]

Corey - thanks.

But, to my insane self, it's like noticing a missing pixel on a monitor or an LCD tv...and you can't NOT see it anymore. LOL

My Triton88 has the same issue. I noticed it about 6 months after owning it. It may have always been there but I played a scale one day without the power on and noticed it. I never did anything about it because it didn't bother my playing at all. I just forgot about it and I can't tell you if it still does it today, but I can tell you that after 8 years my Triton still plays great. Same note as well E above middle C. Next rehearsal I will check it out though and see if it went away. Hope this helps!

[twstone1983]

Corey - thanks.

But, to my insane self, it's like noticing a missing pixel on a monitor or an LCD tv...and you can't NOT see it anymore. LOL

OMG I totally agree with this. This is why the single line in my screen on my TR88 is so annoying. The screen is still readable but $100 to replace it is steep! There was a time before kids though that so much as one bad pixel in my 17 inch laptop screen, i buy a replacement the minute i saw it lol. Those days are gone though.

But back on topic, if the E above middle see feels more stiff than middle C then there may definately be a problem. 88's are just arriving so I dont know about your chances of returning it for another one. But you are definately under warranty and maybe they could order you a replacement keybed for it if the one you have is infact faulty. I can understand the frustration of laying out almost $4k and comming across this problem. Hell I only paid $800 for my TR88 used and it annoyed me atfirst hearing the keybed do that, but after reading about others saying their88 weighted keys made similar noises i just chalked it up to the design and didn't worry about it anymore lol. But at the veryleast I would have your dealer check it out for you.

[Chriskk]

I have two digital pianos - a Yamaha CLP-150 and a Roland RD600. Both of them are more than 10 years old and none of the keys make clicking noise. I have a Kawai concert grand piano, which is 25 years old. Every key on those pianos works as it is supposed to.

What's the store's return policy? Since you bought the 88 new and it has a defective key, you should have no problem returning it for a full refund. I wouldn't want it to be fixed because it's brand new. You deserve a 100% working, brand new 88.

[Starlin]

First of all, thanks for the replies and the insight from the various posters.

A HUGE "shout-out" to Sam Ash in LI, NY.

I explained the situation to my sales guy over the phone and they're ordering me a new one and it should be here whenever they get their next shipment.

Anyway, I definitely feel better now.

Starlin.
p.s. If anyone wants my sales guy's name, just PM me. Not affiliated at all with the store, they just treated me right - and I'm not used to that these days...

[Davidb]

More about RH3 keybeds here:

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hlight=rh3

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hlight=rh3

[Beavis28]

I also found same issue on K73, so it may not be only on 88Key.
Also, in my case, If holding E key, and press Ckey, that C is slightly harder than other keys. So I think this is initial failure.

Still waiting answer from Korg,, if they fix or return new one.
Very frustrating situation,,,

[madbeatzyo111]

I think there might be a QC issue with the RH3 keybed. At my GC I noticed the RH3 on the M50 and M3 models sometimes had unevenly spaced keys and uneven height. Some keys felt different when playing also. Of course this could also be a wear and tear issue since they were floor demos, but I didn't notice this on the other manufacturers' keyboards nearby.

Edit: in other words, I don't think you should settle for a unit that doesn't feel right to you where it matters the most.