Korg Forums

This question just came up at the Karma-Lab forums so I thought I'd also post the answer here.

There will be some additional hardware required for adding the RADIAS-R to an M3.

If you look at the back hinging mechanism on the M3-61 you'll see the first type of part:

A lifting hinge mechanism.

This is required for adding any new module as a second piece to an M3 product ( meaning a RADIAS-R to an M3-73/88 or a second M3-M to an 88 ).

If you are adding the RADIAS-R to a unit you will also need a second part (a kind of "tray"), since its design isn't ready to fit into the channel on the M3 keybed mechanism.

And if you want to replace your M3-M on your 61 you'll also need this tray.

Korg is arranging them to be sent to all of us and we will be offering them for sale as service parts, no store-stocking items (they're rather small). Pricing has not been finalized yet.

regards,

Jerry

Thanks for the info.

This combined with the fact that keybeds won't be sold separately takes a bit of the thunder out of the Komponent System. In my opinion it should have been made standardized enough from the start so that modules and keybeds would fit without any additional parts needed. Now there are a lot of Komponents but not so much of a System.

Or at least these parts should have been shipped with the keybeds since Korg's website states:

The 61-key model lets you mount a RADIAS-R analog modeling synthesizer instead of the M3-M sound generator, the 73-key model lets you mount the M3-M together with a RADIAS-R analog modeling synthesizer, and the 88-key model supports the combination of M3-M and RADIAS-R or even mounting two M3-M units simultaneously.

It should have mentioned that this requires extra parts. Because the 61-key model doesn't let you mount a RADIAS-R analog modeling synthesizer instead of the M3-M, and the 73 and 88 don't let you mount additional modules without additional purchase.


However, it's not totally unexpected, and will probably not be a very expensive piece of hardware to buy (finding out where to buy it will probably be the biggest problem).

Anyway, thanks for the info, Jerry. I appreciate it.

Have we got a long term approach for the KKS or will it be just for m3 and Radias ? I'm not asking about new machines, just whether KKS is here to stay.

Hi rfoshaug:

I don't think it's quite as much of a letdown in the concept of the system as you suggest, but you're entitled to your opinion.

If we added this hardware to every unit then the cost of your keyboard would have gone up regarless of whether you ever intended to add something to it. So Korg felt (and I agree) that it was better not to burden each unit with additional hardware in the box. Quite often, users lose things they don't need right away so there is that risk and additional cost as well.

When we get the pricing we'll announce it, and we don't intend to make big profits off these types of hardware options, I assure you.

Regards,

Jerry

P.S. We are modfying the text on korg.com to reflect this need.

rfoshaug wrote:Thanks for the info.

This combined with the fact that keybeds won't be sold separately takes a bit of the thunder out of the Komponent System. In my opinion it should have been made standardized enough from the start so that modules and keybeds would fit without any additional parts needed. Now there are a lot of Komponents but not so much of a System.

Or at least these parts should have been shipped with the keybeds since Korg's website states:

The 61-key model lets you mount a RADIAS-R analog modeling synthesizer instead of the M3-M sound generator, the 73-key model lets you mount the M3-M together with a RADIAS-R analog modeling synthesizer, and the 88-key model supports the combination of M3-M and RADIAS-R or even mounting two M3-M units simultaneously.

It should have mentioned that this requires extra parts. Because the 61-key model doesn't let you mount a RADIAS-R analog modeling synthesizer instead of the M3-M, and the 73 and 88 don't let you mount additional modules without additional purchase.


However, it's not totally unexpected, and will probably not be a very expensive piece of hardware to buy (finding out where to buy it will probably be the biggest problem).

Anyway, thanks for the info, Jerry. I appreciate it.

WOW. Glad this had been brought up as I too was under the impression the Komponent system worked right out of the box.

Call me crazy, but I'm feeling a bit nickel and dimed here. This should have been included with the board at no extra cost. PERIOD. If users "lose things" that's there own fault and can usually accept paying for a "replacement". "Burdened" with hardware? Please.....

Glad you're at least changing your advertising to be a little more honest and clear!

jerrythek wrote:If we added this hardware to every unit then the cost of your keyboard would have gone up regarless of whether you ever intended to add something to it. So Korg felt (and I agree) that it was better not to burden each unit with additional hardware in the box. Quite often, users lose things they don't need right away so there is that risk and additional cost as well.

This is a good point, and from Korg's perspective, I understand why this choice has been made. Every such addition will inevitably increase the cost of each unit, and every extra dollar could have a negative effect on sales in the fierce competition in the workstation market.

For me as a customer, I am personally not worried about the cost of this extra hardware - I am actually more worried about availability and where to get it from. I wish there was an official worldwide or European Korg store like Korg USA. Buying special-order spare parts through Norwegian (or other European) webshops sounds like it could get expensive. I guess there's always eBay...

I also think, like I said in my previous post, that the hinges and keyboard attachment mechanisms (ie. the Komponents) should have been identical on Radias and M3 (and all future products featuring the Korg Komponent System) so that everything I would need to mount the Radias to the M3-73 keybed already was the same hardware I used to mount the Radias on the Radias-KB.


Still, the fact that I can mount the Radias module on the M3-73 keybed (even if I do have to purchase some extra parts) is a big plus that no other synth workstation offers, and i believe the Korg Komponent System has the potential of becoming a very good system (imagine mounting an effects processor and a harddisk recorder or audio CD burner alongside an M3 and Radias-R on an 88-key keybed for the ultimate workstation).


I'd also like to say that I do not believe there is "foul play" or deliberate "false advertising" or dishonesty from Korg in any way. As you say, Korg has no intentions of making lots of money on selling these parts. I also do not suspect that Korg has deliberately done misleading advertising on their website.

I'd also like to thank you, Jerry for the support and info you bring to these forums. Instead of speculating, we get to hear the facts from someone who knows.

jerrythek wrote:There will be some additional hardware required for adding the RADIAS-R to an M3.
A lifting hinge mechanism.
regards,
Jerry

Hey Jerry,

What about installing M3-M in a rack? How much U is that (if I remember the size of M3-M correctly, it's something like 3U?) And, do all of the necessary screws and things come with the M3-M so anyone can put it in the rack?

Cheers,
Vedran.

Hey V.,

The M3-M is too wide to be rack mountable.

This handy graphic from Korg Inc shows the alternative arrangements of M3-M and RADIAS-R you can mount on each of the M3 keybed units (notice how much wider the M3-M is than the RADIAS-R).



At the bottom the left of the graphic are the extra mounting pieces Jerry mentioned.

Daz.

Daz wrote:Hey V.,
The M3-M is too wide to be rack mountable
This handy graphic from Korg Inc shows the alternative arrangements of M3-M and RADIAS-R you can mount on each of the M3 keybed units (notice how much wider the M3-M is than the RADIAS-R).
At the bottom the left of the graphic are the extra mounting pieces Jerry mentioned.
Daz.

Hey Daz-man,

Yeah, I kind of forgot how wide it is, stupid of me. I seem to recall using the word "tabletop" more then once when describing my first impressions of the thing

Ah well, I'll make a custom rack for this unit or build it into my table.

Jerry,
Where do I get the parts to mount my Radias-R to the M3-73? I would really like to get them asap.
Thanks,
grapite

Hello,
I apparently also need the cable\cord that ties it in with the keybed, please, does anyone know where to get these?
Thanks,
grapite

With my M3-73, there was an extra cable included.

Thanks for the info, I guess I'll be getting charged for a cable now too! just one more irritant, I have a suggestion for the nice people at KORG, I believe anyone that can prove they own a Radias-R and an M3-73 or 88, should receive these things for free as part of good company relations for buying all of these products. I actually thought of having someone fabricate the rack type plate from the Japanese photo, but decided against it because I would still need the hinge, and now the cable.
grapite

Oasys 76
M3-73
Radias-R
Triton-R\Moss

Hello,
After waiting for a reasonable time since my last post, I figured I would ask again. Once again, does anyone know where I can get the items needed to install the Radias-R in the M3-73? and, how much extra is this little adventure going to cost? I'm starting to feel like I'm getting the cold shoulder here. At least tell me what the price is, or going to be. I really don't want to start something here, but aggravation and disappointment is starting to set in, I've been a loyal Korg user and customer for almost 30 years, and at least deserve a reasonable response.
grapite

Oasys 76
M3-73
Radias-R
Triton-R\Moss

Grapite,

I do not see the parts on either korg.com or korgusa.com. And there's no service parts list sheet for the M3 at all, so I'd say they're still not available yet....which is unfortunate.

You could email support support@korgusa.com or call them at (631) 390-6500 and hopefully get a definitive answer.