Think long and hard about buying a Kronos. It's great, until

[Liviou2004]

Think long and hard and consider this. Figuring it's not exceptionally common, but my touch screen (just the touch interface, not the display) went out - so no programming anything etc - all I can do is boot to a setlist and scroll through some sounds. Pretty inconvenient to say the least when I use it for programming sounds for music/theater productions. Estimated wait time for the part is 4-6 weeks, and it's been 3 weeks already since I took it to an authorized repair facility.

Here is a tuto wich explains how to replace the touch screen. Perhaps, it'll help you ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zbi1g2kync

And here, some places where to buy a new touch screen :

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32833105423.html
https://www.syntaur.com/Items.php?Item=2949

[Docewil]

I don't think you have to buy all your gear twice. If it fails on stage you have to go throu somehow and compensate the mess. If it fails like its mentioned here i would hire a kronos for the gig.

[Dniss]

If I had to do it all over again, I'd buy a Kronos in a heart beat. This workstation just keep on giving.

[Mike Conway]

It's not at all unreasonable in the least to expect a major multi-national company who sells a flagship product at most major instrument retailers, available for delivery within days, to be able to provide the essential replacement components in a time-eff

I totally agree! Unfortunately, anyone buying a hardware synth/keyboard is going to go through what you are going through. I don't think it matters if it is Yamaha, Roland, Korg, Access, Behringer, etc.

I do know what you are going through, because my son broke the screen on my new Kronos, 7 years ago.




It took several weeks to repair. Fortunately, I had my OASYS, so I was able to continue my work. I paid $8,000 for that synth, so a 3K Kronos was a bargain no-brainer.

It definitely sucks to be without the Kronos, for a length of time. Once again, I agree with what you are saying, but have a backup, even if it's a MODX, or your laptop.

My Kronos was 2900 dollars not 4000. If I was a professional musician I would have two of them, whatever my main keyboard was, I would buy two.

Yep!

If I had to do it all over again, I'd buy a Kronos in a heart beat. This workstation just keep on giving.

If my Kronos goes down for good, I'll be buying a Kronos 2, pronto.

[asteralesmusic]

I appreciate the non-patronizing replies and advice. For the many reasons one would ostensibly choose to buy the Kronos instead of something else, having a true "backup" means having a 2nd Kronos - combis, setlists, user programs etc can't easily be replicated/migrated over to something other than another Kronos. At least some here are capable of empathy and understanding that "just get two" may be a practical if not patronizing answer but gives Korg a total pass for s****y product support. I don't have the experience, nor would I want to attempt this type of repair myself. I've tried contacting the parts dealers who indicate they sell the replacement parts needed - they all confirmed the backlog, and that it's been an issue pre-COVID (coronavirus). Bottom line: should you choose to purchase a Kronos for anything other than casual use - a product that continues to be manufactured and widely sold to "satisfy today’s most demanding, accomplished performers and producers", you have no choice but to (eventually) buy 2 to have one for spare parts, because Korg fails to keep critical components in supply. That's a big tax to pay - a total failure on Korg's part to support something *still being produced* that "no software setup or hardware platform can rival". And yes, in addition to my 73 I will get and keep a 61 to look at and dust off on occasion once I can afford it. Korg gets rewarded with additional sales due to their abysmal product support

[Derek Cook]

I think it is fair to state that you cannot expect 100% reliability in any system (and I speak as an ex hardware engineer), and it is the law of averages and risk as to whether or not you will be the unlucky one. I have had Yamaha gear that is 90s vintage and still 100% rock solid today, but you never know. I have had a Yamaha EX5 fail with a PSU go down to find that Yamaha no longer repair them (and they are switched mode - yuk). But a chance discovery found that Yamaha A3000s (ten a penny on Ebay) use the same PSU, so I got one as a donor (and sold on the SCSI card for more than I paid for the A3000).

I was also in a position in gigs I was doing in Welsh Floyd where the "show had to go on" if I had a failure of any piece of equipment that I used live, and I am not rich enough to have a duplicate of everything!

But I did go through a "what if" exercise, considering what I would do if a piece of equipment futzed out on me, including at a gig (where you have no chance to get a replacement!)

It is a useful exercise to do, and I had emergency sets programmed in other kit, which would not sound as good or be as smooth as my main rig, but it would get me through a gig.

And for that EX5 issue, the solution was a second spare EX5 (brought at a bargain price) until I could retire the main one.

After a gig you have time to sort things. If my Kronos failed and it was months away from repair, I would either look to get one second hand quickly that I could sell on again when mine was back, or I would look to hire one in for the duration for a short term (but my preference is the former).

It all depends on how critical the failure is for your livelihood. I am not currently gigging at present, so have plenty of time to sort failures out. If I had gig commitments, then you need to be ready for any s**t happening.

[asteralesmusic]

Understood, and as I mentioned I do have a Nord Electro 5D that is getting me through various band sets. I know equipment fails, but would not have expected something as critical to the interface as the touchscreen is to the Kronos to fail within a couple years of the purchase. It will be 100% needed in mid-March, and when I brought it in for repair mid-January I did not expect such a long turnaround time. There are no companies that rent them near me, and the nearest place (8-10 hours away) declined even when I offered to pick up in person. Had I come across this thread before I purchased my 73 I would have acted more expeditiously to pick up a 61 for continuity's sake. All that said, it's still terrible product support for a worldwide corporation's flagship product marketed to high-level professionals. "When ambition, imagination, and technology converge—the results are spectacular." *but support for those results is wretched*

[Mike Conway]

I've tried contacting the parts dealers who indicate they sell the replacement parts needed - they all confirmed the backlog

They had that backlog, 7 years ago. What I had to do was get a Korg authorized repair guy to just order one from Korg.

I went through all the hoops, initially - Parts Is Parts, etc. Finally, I just went with the authorized tech and he ordered it straight away. That was my experience, anyway.

[asteralesmusic]

Yes - I took it to an authorized repair facility, the tech ordered direct from Korg. I reached out to the other parts dealers on my own. He has 2 other Kronos (different issues) waiting for parts as well. Not good at all. Like I said, I'll be looking for a 61 so I at least have my own set of spare parts in case something like this happens again but I'm not happy about rewarding Korg for this crap.