Rumor From Guitar Center : New Korg Kronos 3 / 2017/18

[Johnny Foster]

I heard from a Guitar Center keyboard rep today, that Korg is now discontinuing the current Kronos 2, and will be introducing a successor to the Kronos soon.

From my conversation with Guitar Center today, this will be the Kronos 3, and I presume, updated to modernize the current issues that Kronos 2 users want updated.

Has anyone heard similar news ?

TIA,
JT.

[KK]

[GregC]

I heard from a Guitar Center keyboard rep today, that Korg is now discontinuing the current Kronos 2, and will be introducing a successor to the Kronos soon.

From my conversation with Guitar Center today, this will be the Kronos 3, and I presume, updated to modernize the current issues that Kronos 2 users want updated.

Has anyone heard similar news ?

TIA,
JT.

we hard this exact same statement a year ago , and a GC keyboard rep was said to be the source.

And it was obviously fiction.

Sorry. What else did he tell you ?

[19naia]

I don't know but i do love my Guitar center branch and they have put up with my problems as much as i have put up with theirs.
I have been misinformed by music gear reps in the store before. Of course i didn't know any better myself until later with personal experience rather than always taking a sales man's word.
One of the things sales people will do is make up what sounds like good conversation material along the lines of creating excitement.
Starting rumors about a New Kronos is easy to do because a new Kronos is expected or some kind of better replacement is guaranteed. A matter of when and not if, so someone at a dealer outlet states an approximate "When" and it takes off like the best of rumors.

My personal opinion? I want to believe it is true and so i will hope along the lines of it being true. Because i am a Korg fan and for sure a Kronos fan.

Will it still be called Kronos or will they finally make a new series called "Zeus"? Maybe "Gaia" will be more like it because Zeus is a little too much title for a workstation that doesn't put an end to all workstations. Maybe Korg Saturn?

[Johnny Foster]

I heard from a Guitar Center keyboard rep today, that Korg is now discontinuing the current Kronos 2, and will be introducing a successor to the Kronos soon.

From my conversation with Guitar Center today, this will be the Kronos 3, and I presume, updated to modernize the current issues that Kronos 2 users want updated.

Has anyone heard similar news ?

TIA,
JT.

we hard this exact same statement a year ago , and a GC keyboard rep was said to be the source.

And it was obviously fiction.

Sorry. What else did he tell you ?

Well, after receiving a defective K2-73 unit from Sweetwater and returning it, I was checking around to see if a GC had the 88-note version in stock and were able to get it to me sooner than the slower turnaround from Sweetwater. In checking with my local GC, I was told that the current Kronos models are being discontinued, and that if I wanted a current one, they'd have to ship one of the three remaining in GC from Las Vegas ( I'm in Oregon ).

Or, they said, do I want to wait for the newly updated model coming out fairly soon from Korg that was replacing the current one.

What to think ?

- JT

[kbrkr]

I heard from a Guitar Center keyboard rep today, that Korg is now discontinuing the current Kronos 2, and will be introducing a successor to the Kronos soon.

From my conversation with Guitar Center today, this will be the Kronos 3, and I presume, updated to modernize the current issues that Kronos 2 users want updated.

Has anyone heard similar news ?

TIA,
JT.

Korg would NEVER discontinue a keyboard until they start shipping a new one. I call bogus.

[GregC]

I heard from a Guitar Center keyboard rep today, that Korg is now discontinuing the current Kronos 2, and will be introducing a successor to the Kronos soon.

From my conversation with Guitar Center today, this will be the Kronos 3, and I presume, updated to modernize the current issues that Kronos 2 users want updated.

Has anyone heard similar news ?

TIA,
JT.

we hard this exact same statement a year ago , and a GC keyboard rep was said to be the source.

And it was obviously fiction.

Sorry. What else did he tell you ?

Well, after receiving a defective K2-73 unit from Sweetwater and returning it, I was checking around to see if a GC had the 88-note version in stock and were able to get it to me sooner than the slower turnaround from Sweetwater. In checking with my local GC, I was told that the current Kronos models are being discontinued, and that if I wanted a current one, they'd have to ship one of the three remaining in GC from Las Vegas ( I'm in Oregon ).

Or, they said, do I want to wait for the newly updated model coming out fairly soon from Korg that was replacing the current one.

What to think ?

- JT

Johnny, this is my experience. I like GC online very much. They do a great job, IMO. So I am not against GC or dislike them.

But some of the store reps work in their own small universe and they say 'things' to achieve a quicker sale or achieve something quickly.

Its my opinion the GC rep is just throwing the 'reason' around at you , and has no proof or solid source what Korgs plans are. So don't take his comment to the bank.

I don't believe in further 'presuming ' from his 'reason'.

There are more factual ways to qualify if a model change is imminent.
Its not a quick statement from the lips of a single GC rep.

Back to other tangible matters, if GC has a factory sealed K2 , at a good price, and its what you want < i would not hesitate.

[exsequor699]

Well said, GregC.

[Bachus]

On top of all of this..

If the name is Kronos 3, that would indicatie just a visual changement and a new processor board.. but same performance and functionallity as the original K from 6 years ago.

I dont see this happening another time.

[Johnny Foster]

Thanks to all of you for your wise insights into my situation...

Most likely, I will re-order the 88 Kronos 2 from Sweetwater next week. It looks like a terrific instrument that I won't outgrow anytime soon...

Thanks again !

- JT.

[Mike Conway]

Will it still be called Kronos or will they finally make a new series called "Zeus"? Maybe "Gaia" will be more like it because Zeus is a little too much title for a workstation that doesn't put an end to all workstations.

After using the name King Korg, I would consider any name a possibility. As for "Gaia," Roland already covered that one.

[billysynth1]

I've noticed here in Australia that some retailers are stating in their online sales of Kronos 88 'Last One'.

Not sure if this means 'last one' for good, or 'last one' before we get next shipment which might be a month or so away.

Anyway, if Korg wish me to purchase their next flagship workstation it better be a behemoth with no polyphony stealing...more power. Yes i'm happy to pay more for the extra horse power and features.

If a person can't afford the new generation workstation Korg have the Krome available and all the other cheaper, but reasonably good, synth products.

People shouldn't complain about top of the line product pricing, that's why you have various product levels befitting their price. This is true in all industries: automotive, computers etc.

BK

[narf]

I've noticed here in Australia that some retailers are stating in their online sales of Kronos 88 'Last One'.

Not sure if this means 'last one' for good, or 'last one' before we get next shipment which might be a month or so away.

It's definitely the latter Billy, no indication regarding a Kronos replacement from the Aussie distributor.

[SeedyLee]

Well of course the Kronos 2 will be discontinued - the question is when and what it will be replaced with, if anything.

No manufacturer produces the same product forever!

If I was to speculate, my bet is there will be a revamped Kronos in the next 18 months. My bet is that it won't be substantially different from a hardware perspective - perhaps a slightly faster processor, and possibly support for 64-bit.

I believe Korg will strive to maintain backwards compatibility whilst continuing to make software updates available for previous models.

[GregC]

Well of course the Kronos 2 will be discontinued - the question is when and what it will be replaced with, if anything.

No manufacturer produces the same product forever!

If I was to speculate, my bet is there will be a revamped Kronos in the next 18 months. My bet is that it won't be substantially different from a hardware perspective - perhaps a slightly faster processor, and possibly support for 64-bit.

I believe Korg will strive to maintain backwards compatibility whilst continuing to make software updates available for previous models.

the topic " Future of Kronos " has some more speculation.

The topic/discussion shows up every month or 2