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Kronos Party at Bellevue American Music
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brimoore
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Joined: 04 Mar 2011
Posts: 86
Location: Everett, WA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 5:37 am    Post subject: Kronos Party at Bellevue American Music Reply with quote

It was great!!!! Steve the demo guy was very open to questions, demonstrated all the synth engines for about 30 minutes or so. Then he took questions and let us play the keyboard for a while. One of the guys was convinced there was audible static while turning the pots - ground plane problems he said.... I played the board for about 10 minutes. Oh yeah baby!!!! It's so much deeper than I realized, but also very accessible - the tabbed menus were easy to navigate. Control surfaces, Karma, voice editing all literally right at your fingertips. The touch screen font is a little small, so all you aging rockers get your glasses out Smile The 61 note version was serial number 9, looked and sounded great. There is really no wait time for new sounds - instantly switching (unlike the Z1, Wavedrum, even my Novation Nova!). The white LED's are a little bright, but the touch screen was very responsive (and very dimmable). We all got Korg Kronos t-shirts. The Bellevue music guys were great, and there was a visit from John Bowen of Solaris infamy. The Korg rep did say that they wouldn't be shipping until June - but not even that erased the smile from my face Smile It was a blast!
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Kurzweil K2500 (stolen), Korg Z1 18-voice (stolen), Yamaha P250, Novation Nova, Korg Wavedrum, Korg Kronos 61 (it's here!), as many free VST's as I can find Smile
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peter_schwartz
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Joined: 14 Jan 2011
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 5:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bellevue, Washington state?
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McHale
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Joined: 10 Feb 2009
Posts: 2487
Location: B.F.E.

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What were the pre-order prices?
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Current Korg Gear: KRONOS 88 (4GB), M50-73 (PS mod), RADIAS-73, Electribe MX, Triton Pro (MOSS, SCSI, CF, 64MB RAM), SQ-64, DVP-1, MEX-8000, MR-1, KAOSSilator, nanoKey, nanoKontrol, 3x nanoPad 2, 3x DS1H, 7x PS1, FC7 (yes Korg, NOT Yamaha).
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sparkie
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Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 743
Location: Indiana

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Re: The damn small font size on the screen..grrrr.... Twisted Evil

Didnt I read somewhere that you can adjust the font size?? Or not?? Anyone know the answer? Thanks in advance.
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Lou
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Joined: 06 Sep 2002
Posts: 1305
Location: DE. USA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The M3 housed 16 tracks on the UI, I can't imagine the font size to be any smaller than that? Plus the increase in the K dimensions.
Then again, .. you never know. Rolling Eyes
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brimoore
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Joined: 04 Mar 2011
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Location: Everett, WA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 4:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All good questions Smile It was in Bellevue, WA. I didn't check the pre-order price - I had already ordered mine from Nova Musik for $2799. I don't think the font is adjustable - but I didn't confirm that there. Some of the screens had larger font, but the ones that had everything crammed onto one screen was like the font size on my iPhone.

Did I mention it sounded GOOD???? Really really really GOOD! They also gave away a Korg MR2 digital recorder. I gotta say if one of these Kronos parties is coming to an area near you, you should definitely go!
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Kurzweil K2500 (stolen), Korg Z1 18-voice (stolen), Yamaha P250, Novation Nova, Korg Wavedrum, Korg Kronos 61 (it's here!), as many free VST's as I can find Smile
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burningbusch
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Joined: 30 Jan 2005
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Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I posted my little review from the party on another forum but I'll cut/paste it here.

I saw, heard, and played the Kronos last night. Nothing made me lower my very high opinion of the instrument. I think it's best-in-class in so many areas: APs, EPS, clavs, VAs, FM, plucked string derived sounds, drums. And some by a wide margin.

If I could sum up my impression of the Kronos in one word it would be precise. Maybe it's the hi-res screen, the tight configuration of the layout on the 61 coupled with the detailed sounds that made me feel that way. The knobs/sliders are solid and smooth. The only control I didn't think was all that great is the main encoder to the right of the screen. The body seems to be an anodized aluminum with metal undercarriage on the 61. The end-caps are a high gloss plastic but have the look of a high gloss piano finish. No it doesn't have that industrial strength look/feel of the OASYS but it doesn't have a cheap feel at all. Yes, some of the text is very small. I'm 57 years old, but am near-sighted and could read the screen without issue. I could see this being a problem for people with certain vision problems. As far as the touch screen goes, a few times I had to touch the screen a second time to activate the parameter but most of the times I had no problem at all. This really shouldn't be an issue live as Set List Mode gives you large touch areas and you would use the hardware controls to manipulate the sound.

I spent most of my (too short) playing time with the EPs. There's good variation between the six models. The tone sounds very authentic through the entire velocity range, which is completely smooth. The FXs are excellent. The EPs are a joy and easily best-in-class, IMO.

So for someone like myself who is largely software-based and will use this primarily as a studio instrument, why is it of interest to me?

1) Soft-synth quality acoustic pianos without latency
2) EXCELLENT, tweak-able EPs again without latency
3) STR-1 is the best pluck string synthesis I've ever come across. Yes I've used AAS String Studio and other pluck string systems but I've never been able to create musical results of the same caliber as the Korg system. I even prefer the very basic version found on the OASYSPCI (which I own and have recently set up again) to the more complex but less rewarding software.
4) MOD-7 is not just FM synthesis. It's a very deep, unique engine especially considering you have access to all the onboard PCM waveforms.
5) The Kronos is better at putting together large complex (combis) layered/split sounds from a variety synth engines than is software.
6) I love the depth of the engines--this is tweaker/sound designer paradise.
7) It looks to be an excellent controller for my studio.
Cool If I were to gig with it I would still likely use a laptop. The USB connection seems really clean. Using one cable you have MIDI going to the computer and audio coming back. The Kronos becomes your audio interface. Nice simple setup.

Busch.
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sodapop



Joined: 15 Mar 2011
Posts: 22
Location: seattle

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 6:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I live in seattle and would have been there if i had heard about it. Just about to order from Nova Musik also. Best price I have seen.
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Lou
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Joined: 06 Sep 2002
Posts: 1305
Location: DE. USA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

burningbusch wrote:


The USB connection seems really clean. Using one cable you have MIDI going to the computer and audio coming back.
The Kronos becomes your audio interface. Nice simple setup.
Busch.


Thanks for the nice review.
Can you or someone elaborate a little on this. I'm currently using an Apogee Ensemble, and would like a little clarity on how
I'm going to be connecting to my daw (Logic) via as you say usb or audio cables to my audio interface?
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sodapop



Joined: 15 Mar 2011
Posts: 22
Location: seattle

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you saying they will not ship until June or they will be here in June? I will give American Music a call.
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burningbusch
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lou,

Hopefully Rich or Dan will respond to your question. I would be speculating as to the best way to set up the Kronos in you particular environment.

Does Logic support multiple interfaces?

Busch.
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Lou
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Joined: 06 Sep 2002
Posts: 1305
Location: DE. USA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

burningbusch wrote:
Lou,

Hopefully Rich or Dan will respond to your question. I would be speculating as to the best way to set up the Kronos in you particular environment.

Does Logic support multiple interfaces?

Busch.


No, Logic doesn't. You can make an aggregate device but I'm not crazy about the idea. It seems as though I will be using cables to my AI.
If I was just concerned about the audio of the K I would go with the usb, but I do vocals also and don't want to be switching back and forth between the two..
Thanks
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jimknopf
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Joined: 17 Jan 2011
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

burningbusch wrote:
I posted my little review from the party on another forum but I'll cut/paste it here.

I saw, heard, and played the Kronos last night. Nothing made me lower my very high opinion of the instrument. I think it's best-in-class in so many areas: APs, EPS, clavs, VAs, FM, plucked string derived sounds, drums. And some by a wide margin.
...
I spent most of my (too short) playing time with the EPs. There's good variation between the six models. The tone sounds very authentic through the entire velocity range, which is completely smooth. The FXs are excellent. The EPs are a joy and easily best-in-class, IMO.
...

Busch.


Busch, as you can imagine from our earlier talk, I am extremely curious concerning the EPs:

a) you remember our discussion of a realistic "dry", at high velocity barking Mk I sound in the upper range, as opposed to the unrealistic thin bell/music box sound I heard on some demos?
Now please tell me I won't ever need a sampled Scarbee Mk I Rhodes on board of a Kronos to get that dry, grooving ~1974 sound! Razz

b) the Wurlies weren't covered well in the demos I saw so far (most demo sounds had a lot of FX going on): how does the raw Wurly sound?

c) the Clavs don't belong to the EXi, as far as I remember, and those from HD1 and/or plucked strings sounded a bit thin in the demos, if I remember right. Did you check them as well?


BTW, which other forum did you post your review to?
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zahush76
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Joined: 09 Mar 2011
Posts: 98

PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jimknopf wrote:
BTW, which other forum did you post your review to?


The keyboard corner.
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MidnightPackage
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Joined: 03 Apr 2011
Posts: 171

PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just found a handful of short videos from this event here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/BellevueAmericanMusi
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