Ahead of the 2019 NAMM Show, Korg has announced the KROME EX and KRONOS SE synthesizers.
Here’s what they have to say about the KROME EX:
Updated to meet the needs of the current music scene, KROME EX has a special emphasis on sounds that can immediately fit into productions of all types.
In addition to standard sounds that will never grow old, KROME EX provides numerous new programs and PCM data, including piano programs prepared specifically for this product. This instrument provides high-quality and immediately-usable sounds that take full advantage of the KROME’s high performance specs. The new body also features a newly revamped build and look to accompany the new sounds.
Audio Demos:
See the Korg site for more info.
The KRONOS SE features the new Italian-made grand piano that debuted on the KORG Grandstage.
It also comes with the pre-installed “KApro Showcase” that collects selected sounds from KApro, who provided more than 100 of the KRONOS Sound Libraries.
The KRONOS Special Edition is available in a lineup of three models: 61-key, 73-key, and 88-key. See the Korg site for details.
Look!!! It’s Nothing!!!
WHAT ARE YOU DOING KORG
If they improved the action on the Krome EX that is cool. Sounds great, feels cheap to play.
The Kronos SE… it’s cool that they have the Italian grand in there, and a selection of KApro sounds.
You might be able to save a bit of money and get a used Kronos, add the 2nd hard drive, up the memory, and then simply add the KApro options that you like. The colour is nice but I don’t know if it’s worth it compared to the price of a used unit.
As a longtime korg user/owner of Triton, Karma and Kronos, just to name a few… meh.
Look at it from the other side. What if someone has been itching to pull the trigger on SOMEthing and one of these finally tips them over? Those demos sound a lot less all-in-the-box than the teasers of 10 years ago. Ditto about the cheapo Krome keys. I’d hope for better ones, but I’d take a Krome or King Korg *module* in a NY minute.
Its also very *loosely* the case that when a synth line reaches about its third revision, you see a round of updates and reissues. Its sometimes the house cleaning before a new line is presented. There was an M1 era and a Trinity era. Something snazzy will come after the Kronos.
Good points.
I do wish we still had the module versions to buy. I did finally give in to my BERHINGER fears lol and got a DeepMind 12D. Came today, so really looking forward to adding it to my rack gear and seeing what it can do.
I’m a fan of Steven Kay’s Karma system, which I guess is still part of this? I have an M3 rack, and it’s the most fun synth I’ve ever played as was the Karma I had before it.
Love my karma. Steven is very cool, he helped me with a few questions I had using karma sequences with external gear.
laugable.. i really hoped for an electribe keys or electribe xl w/song mode. kudos to akai/inmusic. they are the only company that makes grooveboxes worthy of the name = standalon.