Korg Forums

Here's the scenario, I am in the market for a new board, The Kronos interests me greatly and I like the Pa4x as well and I will be choosing between these two boards.

I understand that these two boards are completely different but within the same price ranges. That said for anyone that has both boards which would be best for playing back midi files or mp3s live ?

The Pa4x gives you playback of both formats plus auto arranger functions which could come in handy for duo or trio work and solo, the Kronos gives you playback of both formats plus a sequencer, from what I have heard the Pa4x has great drums and bass and the board sounds realistic in a live setting through a decent PA.

The Kronos has great pads, strings and basses plus the other sound engines and maybe could sound as great as the Pa4x for live playback and of course the Pa4x does not have the long boot up time of the Kronos.

I am torn between the two and could have real fun with either, I am going to play the Kronos tomorrow but cant try the Pa4x until near the month end so have time to consider my options

I have both - PA3X and Kronos BUT

If you are wanting the best workstation with in depth flexibility then Kronos
If you are needing arranger functionality - then PA3X/4X

I love the sounds on both - DNC on PA3x/4x is definitely worth consideration (not on Kronos)
However KARMA on Kronos is beyond amazing....

I MUST have an arranger so I would not part with my PA3X

I use my Kronos for my blues band (mostly for guitar and CX3 sounds).

I am planning on getting the PA4X and may consider parting with my Kronos - but not until it is in my hot little hands

Right now I am not overly impressed with the tone wheel organ emulation on my PA3X - I am hoping PA4X is better
for this reason I bought a Roland VR09 which IMHO sounds better than a Nord Stage 2 (I've had both together here in my studio)

Sorry - I'm not being much help to you but some major questions for you to consider are:-
1. Do I need an arranger keyboard? PA4X
2. Do I need a workstation with 32 track sequencer (16 MIDI/16 Audio)? Kronos
3. Do I need a workstation with 9 sound engines? Kronos
4. Do I like/want the DNC features? PA4X
5. Do I want to have 88 note option? Kronos
6. If I want 76-note option then Kronos is fully weighted keys - PA4X is not
7. Both can sample!! Is that important? KK would be better option sampling-wise.

If your answer to Q1 is NO then KK may be your best choice

You must try and play them both though (as you plan to).

Happy to answer any other questions if you wish

Pete

Hey Pete,

Thanks for the overview on both the Kronos and Pa4x and your observations, my trouble is like many I suspect that I mainly play bands and in that respect I have the keyboards well covered in that scenario as I use a Yamaha S90ES 88 note which I primarily use for Acoustic Piano/Rhodes and Pads, on top I have a Korg Triton Pro expanded with Studio Essentials and the Piano Keys Board, The Moss EXB board, midied to either of those boards I have a Roland XV5080 fully expanded so I am not short of sounds or options and can build that rig up and down to suit the job, For organs I have a Crumar Mojo running via a Neo Ventilator or Leslie 145 space dependent, when I cant use the Mojo I have some excellent Tonewheel samples that work on the Triton via the Ventilator. This setup gives me all I could reasonably want in any band environment and the truth is soundwise I am happy with the sound.

Of course this is a lot of gear to haul, set up time etc but I have complete versatility without compromise in this setup.

Lately I have been thinking about scaling this all down as none of us are getting any younger, maybe going for a smaller footprint on stage and quicker setup times/load in and load out. BUT, I am reluctant to part with a stage setup that is proven.

Having looked at the current market only the Kronos maybe the 88 suits me or possibly the 73 version and keep the Triton just in case I need two boards, or get the 73 and keep the S90ES to use as a controller and other duties which would allow me to just use the 73 as and when required.

Those are my options for band work, however I am now thinking about putting a duo with a Guitarist together and possibly a girl singer making a Trio this configuration which could at times be Keys and Guitar/Vocals or Keys and Girl singer. In this scenario I need quality playback of Midi Files and Mp3 tracks and on occasions I might also need to work solo, this I think is where an arranger enters the picture, I have looked at the Tyros T5 and while I like many of the sounds it sounds too produced and the big style intros when listening to my own ears starts to fatigue me. The Pa4x sounds much more like a real combo to me with the Drums sounding great and the basses sounding like 5 string basses it seems to have more live oomph to it,

I cant see me putting songs together in the Kronos Seq as I use Logic Pro X on my Macs but hey ! who knows what I might do once put in front of the Kronos.
Its a tough decision the only part being clear as far as the latter work scenario goes in that having the arranger functions would be a strong point from a solo point of view where I would be free to use styles on the fly or use the Midi playback for sets of songs.

karmathanever wrote:I have both - PA3X and Kronos BUT

If you are wanting the best workstation with in depth flexibility then Kronos
If you are needing arranger functionality - then PA3X/4X

I love the sounds on both - DNC on PA3x/4x is definitely worth consideration (not on Kronos)
However KARMA on Kronos is beyond amazing....

I MUST have an arranger so I would not part with my PA3X

I use my Kronos for my blues band (mostly for guitar and CX3 sounds).

I am planning on getting the PA4X and may consider parting with my Kronos - but not until it is in my hot little hands

Right now I am not overly impressed with the tone wheel organ emulation on my PA3X - I am hoping PA4X is better
for this reason I bought a Roland VR09 which IMHO sounds better than a Nord Stage 2 (I've had both together here in my studio)

Sorry - I'm not being much help to you but some major questions for you to consider are:-
1. Do I need an arranger keyboard? PA4X
2. Do I need a workstation with 32 track sequencer (16 MIDI/16 Audio)? Kronos
3. Do I need a workstation with 9 sound engines? Kronos
4. Do I like/want the DNC features? PA4X
5. Do I want to have 88 note option? Kronos
6. If I want 76-note option then Kronos is fully weighted keys - PA4X is not
7. Both can sample!! Is that important? KK would be better option sampling-wise.

If your answer to Q1 is NO then KK may be your best choice

You must try and play them both though (as you plan to).

Happy to answer any other questions if you wish

Pete

Yamaha S90ES 88 note - very very nice!!!!

Seems like you're covered band-wise and sequencer-wise but your comment about "duo" plans leaves me thinking that the PA4X will be a killer for you - easy playback of MP3s, MIDIs and of course styles.
Easy to create set-lists etc... Kong arrangers are designed for the performer and for live recording too.

All the best with your decisions

Pete

I am due to try out the Korg Pa4x around the 20th of this month so will know far more then. Turns out the dealer also will have a Kronos in stock so maybe I will be camped in the shop for the day evaluating the instruments versus my needs. I am a little concerned by some of the posts regarding the Pa4x and its OS which seems to be giving a few owners problems, these units are new and in the UK many dealers still have no stock, whatever the issues are I hope that Korg get them sorted.

I gig with a Kronos88 on the bottom and a PA1X76 on the top. I'm about to replace that PA1X76 with a PA4X76. I love them both. I am going to also see if i can't play the 4X from the Kronos keyboard (MIDI) as well. That should be possible at times when I want that.



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karmathanever wrote:I have both - PA3X and Kronos BUT

If you are wanting the best workstation with in depth flexibility then Kronos
If you are needing arranger functionality - then PA3X/4X

I love the sounds on both - DNC on PA3x/4x is definitely worth consideration (not on Kronos)
However KARMA on Kronos is beyond amazing....

I MUST have an arranger so I would not part with my PA3X

I use my Kronos for my blues band (mostly for guitar and CX3 sounds).

I am planning on getting the PA4X and may consider parting with my Kronos - but not until it is in my hot little hands

Right now I am not overly impressed with the tone wheel organ emulation on my PA3X - I am hoping PA4X is better
for this reason I bought a Roland VR09 which IMHO sounds better than a Nord Stage 2 (I've had both together here in my studio)

Sorry - I'm not being much help to you but some major questions for you to consider are:-
1. Do I need an arranger keyboard? PA4X
2. Do I need a workstation with 32 track sequencer (16 MIDI/16 Audio)? Kronos
3. Do I need a workstation with 9 sound engines? Kronos
4. Do I like/want the DNC features? PA4X
5. Do I want to have 88 note option? Kronos
6. If I want 76-note option then Kronos is fully weighted keys - PA4X is not
7. Both can sample!! Is that important? KK would be better option sampling-wise.

If your answer to Q1 is NO then KK may be your best choice

You must try and play them both though (as you plan to).

Happy to answer any other questions if you wish

Pete