Played the Krome today

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 5:54 pm

They had one in the local Dawsons. (Their Reading refurbishment is really great by the way). I got my Kronos from there a few months ago.

Anyway, I thought that it was quite enjoyable to play, fairly familiar from the M3 and M50 although the extra sounds will sure give it a better reputation.

I thought the keybed was pretty good too. Not like that awful shallow plastic hinged one on the M50-61.

Button layout is a bit unfamiliar, with Prog/Combi/Seq on the far right, and with Drum Track, Arp, Global and a few others to the left of the screen (to the right of the knobs).

The slightly updates presets were interesting too, but nothing to get excited about compared to playing the Kronos at home.
There was a preset for a driven EP but I couldn't hear the drive, nor going into IFX and turning up the drive seemed to do anything, which was confusing. Perhaps it was merely 'warm' and I couldn't hear it on the speakers in a slightly busy music store, but I was hoping for something more aggressive there.

The touchscreen is much more responsive, although the new aspect ratio and size is a little cramped. Page select looks weird.

Build seems relatively sturdy although not as classy looking as the M50 perhaps, it's nice to see something new. The inset front panel kind of reminds my of a laptop type design though, looks out of place on a musical instrument.

Frostmaster · Post by **Frostmaster** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 7:19 pm

The piano sounds on it are obviously better but how about the other sounds? Is most of the 3.8 gigs dedicated to just the pianos and the rest are the same as the M50/M3?
Basically I want to know if the strings sounds are at all at different than the M50/M3.

Chriskk · Post by **Chriskk** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 11:52 pm

Build seems relatively sturdy although not as classy looking as the M50 perhaps

Do you really think the M50 is classy-looking? I always thought that the M50 looked too much like a toy.

csteen · Post by **csteen** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:39 am

That is exactly true Chrisk, the M50 is a wonderfully Classy toy. Not only that is an extremely wonderful and fun classy toy like almost none other.

If you ad some KARMA to it it becomes even more calssy and fun I can assure you.

Slovenec · Post by **Slovenec** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:43 am

Korg have made a big deal about the pianos/EPs/jazz drums on the new instrument. What about the rest of the sounds and how much ROM is dedicated to the ROM used by the other sounds besides those mentioned above?

I was actually hoping that Korg's next 'budget' worksation would still include a clonewheel organ emulation and at least one virtual synth (a scaled back AL1 perhaps????). After using Kurzwel's PC3s virtual tonewheel programs for orgnas, I can't go back to static sample based organ sounds (having an organ background, I'm very fussy with my organ sounds!).

I also wonder if Korg has actually made an effort to improve their guitar sounds after the very lucklustre programs that were available in Kronos' multi GB HD1 ROM????????

I'm glad to see that Korg have incorporated the M3 Xpanded sequencer featuers in the Krome!

Whilst only 5 insert fx is now the minimum that shuld be accepted in a 2012 workstation, I was hoping that perhaps Korg could be have a tad more generous perhaps offering up to 8 insert fx.

billbaker · Post by **billbaker** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:08 pm

@ Slovenec,

Patience.

There are a bunch of folks who have suggested that the KLC/Kronos V-analog synth engines deserve their own platform. I think it's just a matter of time before a mid-range priced keyboard will come - since Korg's managed it on the Kronos platform and already split off one side to make the Krome; the other's just waiting... the Kronik?!

The real question is "how much is enough"...

- Enough of a bargain to drive sales (half a Kronos for...$?)

- Enough workstation features to work as a stand alone (is none enough... "I just want the sounds!")

- Enough balance between neo- and classic analog to make it "worthy"

BB

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 5:27 pm

I suspect that the expanded ROM simply covers the new sounds. I didn't look into it but I didn't hear anything particularly new.
Didn't check out the strings sounds at all..

Piano and EP were nice but sounded pretty one-dimensional to me. Perhaps it was the monitoring environment, or the Kronos really has spoilt me..

ShaunKorg · Post by **ShaunKorg** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 8:01 pm

You played the semi weighted right action? Do you think it could pass for playing piano?

burningbusch · Post by **burningbusch** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 10:57 pm

I would be curious to find out if the semi-weighted action is like the Kronos/M3 or the M50. A true semi-weighted action should have weights under the keys. If you have a chance to play a 61/76 Krome, put your finger under the keys. Does it feel flat and like it's metal, or does it have ridges and feels like plastic?

If the Krome comes with the same action as the Kronos/M3, that would be very nice indeed considering the price point.

Busch.

Ajbbklyn · Post by **Ajbbklyn** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 12:10 am

This is pure speculation on my part: Considering the street price of the Krome-61 is USD$100 less than that of the M50 (before the clearance discounts kicked in), I believe that the keybed will more closely resemble that of the M50's. Especially since the specs show the weight of the 61 as 15.87 lbs. / 7.2 kg. The M50-61 is listed at 14.9 lbs.

Again - pure speculation. But, KORG would need to economize in some aspect in order to provide a workstation for under $1,000. - and still make a decent profit.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 7:39 am

Of course, X-Trade actually did say in his opinion the keybed was "not like that awful shallow plastic hinged one on the M50-61".

Ajbbklyn · Post by **Ajbbklyn** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 12:20 pm

In all fairness yes, he did.

And not to discount his impression, we'll know what the broader community's consensus is once the board is released. I suspect KORG is counting on high sales volume for this model. The profit margin at this price point can't be that high. The Krome appears to be positioned as an MO-X killer.

Saxifraga · Post by **Saxifraga** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 7:42 am

I think the M50-61 keybed was much better than Rolands or Yamahas at a comparable price. MO6, PSR and GW-8, Juno Di are all worse.
Of course now i own a RH3 they feel all crappy.

SpecialFX · Post by **SpecialFX** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 2:30 pm

should I get this or the korg m50 88 £725 today?

1jordyzzz · Post by **1jordyzzz** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:28 pm

SpecialFX wrote:should I get this or the korg m50 88 £725 today?

definitely krome IMHO..