Korg Forums

RC-IA · Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 6:44 pm Post subject: a master piece

Congratulations to Korg team. Excellent keyboard. I have or had all the big Keys, this one is the one i would take on a desert island, i asked for a synth like this since years. I listened to a lot of demo on youtube etc etc, where you can "sense" the sound quality and now it's at home it's an amazing board (of course i'd like to have some little things to be added but...)

Thanx, it's been a long time it took some much pleasure to play/program, the whole chain (osc, filters, FX...) is amazing, big quality Shocked

jeremykeys · Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 3:45 am Post subject:

I'm kind of thinking about getting one myself. Don't ell my wife! Wink

I played one for just a few minutes at my local music store and what I heard I liked. I had no problem with the feel of the keyboard but I don;t like the "wall wart" power supply and the power switch seemed wimpy. Also I was surprised at seeing a truly basic LCD display. The price is low enough though that it makes it enticing.
I'm just wondering if it really kicks enough butt. I already have an old
Polysix and even though it needs to go into the shop, is the KK that much better?
Granted it has more stable oscillators, more memory and is velocity sensitive.
I still have to wonder.

Ok. Wondering done.

I WANT ONE ANYWAYS!
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If music is the food of love, play on and play loud!
Gear: Kronos 73, Triton Pro-X, Wavestation EX, Polysix, King Korg, Monotron and Monotron Duo, Minikorg, Moog Grandmother, 1 Roland U-20, Hammond M3, 4 acoustic and 6 electric guitars, 1 Ibanez 5 string bass, a bunch of microphones and other very cool toys, 1 wife and 3 cats!

magikroom · Junior Member Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 59

You know, I was quite negative about this synth when I heard about it and saw the videos and thought it was over priced. I've tried it 4 times in the music shop and have gone to it thinking, yeah but it has no aftertouch, no true oscillator sync...but every time I have used it, I've come up with a great unique sound on each occasion!

Am trying to convince myself now...I may take a punt!
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Korg Kronos 73, KingKorg, Arp Odyssey, X5DR, Roland System 1m, Juno 6, JX-3P, JX-10, MKS-50, D10, Moog Sub Phatty, Novation Bass Station 2, DSI Prophet 08, Tetra, Analogue Solutions Telemark V2 and Leipzig-S, Nord Lead A1, Dreadbox Erebus, Waldorf Pulse, NI Maschine, Komplete 9 Ultimate, Arturia SparkLe, Beatstep, Spectrasonics Omnisphere U-HE Diva (Best Soft Synth ever) + other Softsynths

jeremykeys · Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 12:08 am Post subject:

I don't know if anyone has seen this but it gives a pretty good overview of the KK.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9jrfH65QiE

Hope you like it.
_________________
If music is the food of love, play on and play loud!
Gear: Kronos 73, Triton Pro-X, Wavestation EX, Polysix, King Korg, Monotron and Monotron Duo, Minikorg, Moog Grandmother, 1 Roland U-20, Hammond M3, 4 acoustic and 6 electric guitars, 1 Ibanez 5 string bass, a bunch of microphones and other very cool toys, 1 wife and 3 cats!

Dniss · Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:31 pm Post subject:

jeremykeys · Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 2:07 am Post subject:

I liked the idea of various filters. That really appeals to me. I also like the number of knobs for real-time sound tweaking. That is something that I really should get more into with my Kronos.
On the other hand though, I'm really, really bummed about the wall-wart power supply. To me that just wreaks of cheapness. That for me is very close to a deal-breaker no matter how good it sounds.
I'd really love to open one up and see if there is enough room to stuff one in and find a way to use an actual proper cable. I doubt that there is but I'm a creative guy.

I am quite a bit curious about it though and yes I DO want one but then again I tend to want everything that is new and shiny! Wink

I see that the keyboard response has 3 levels. I'm wondering if that is a global thing or can it be set per sound. For example. I myself would want it set shallow for organ and clav type sounds but deep for piano sounds. EP and the like.

I also realize that this is not an expensive synth by todays pricing so it might just be what it is.
I've only played it in my music store for 5 minutes so I'm still not entirely sure about it. I'm not expecting it to come close to my Kronos but I am expecting it to; let's just say, impressive enough t omy wife to let me get one! Laughing

_________________
If music is the food of love, play on and play loud!
Gear: Kronos 73, Triton Pro-X, Wavestation EX, Polysix, King Korg, Monotron and Monotron Duo, Minikorg, Moog Grandmother, 1 Roland U-20, Hammond M3, 4 acoustic and 6 electric guitars, 1 Ibanez 5 string bass, a bunch of microphones and other very cool toys, 1 wife and 3 cats!

jimknopf · Platinum Member Joined: 17 Jan 2011 Posts: 3374

Key response is per patch: you can have your organ slides on one patch and your expressive synth play with more control (middle position) on the other.
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Kronos 73 - Moog Voyager RME - Moog LP TE - Behringer Model D - Prophet 6 - Roland Jupiter Xm - Rhodes Stage 73 Mk I - Elektron Analog Rytm MkII - Roland TR-6s - Cubase 12 Pro + Groove Agent 5

jeremykeys · Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:22 am Post subject:

That's very cool!

Now to let m'lady know! The big problem is that we also "we as in me!" want an iPad. Want, want, want! That's all we ever do!
_________________
If music is the food of love, play on and play loud!
Gear: Kronos 73, Triton Pro-X, Wavestation EX, Polysix, King Korg, Monotron and Monotron Duo, Minikorg, Moog Grandmother, 1 Roland U-20, Hammond M3, 4 acoustic and 6 electric guitars, 1 Ibanez 5 string bass, a bunch of microphones and other very cool toys, 1 wife and 3 cats!

magikroom · Junior Member Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 59

Went into PMT in Birmingham UK today, to try it out again and had my £999 ready to pay, but just couldn't do it. There's just something not quite right about it, for me anyway. There was a Krome next to it and the keys feels very similar, look the same, but maybe a bit more resistance in the depress, compared to the Krome, but still the same placement of the hinge.

I got some great sounds out of it, very quickly changed the preset to something else, but I noticed that the more I used it, it sounded better with the Tube activated...but when I turned it off...yeah, not so good. I made a decent lead sound on it, but found myself pushing harder to bring in vibrato or to affect the cut-off, but of course, no aftertouch....big mistake not having that. Yes, you can program the leaver, but not as instinctive, for me.

It does make great sounds, the Tube is needed though and I don't feel it's worth a grand (UK). So, I kept my thoughts from the dealer and walked out the shop. £699 to £799, then maybe, but not £999
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Korg Kronos 73, KingKorg, Arp Odyssey, X5DR, Roland System 1m, Juno 6, JX-3P, JX-10, MKS-50, D10, Moog Sub Phatty, Novation Bass Station 2, DSI Prophet 08, Tetra, Analogue Solutions Telemark V2 and Leipzig-S, Nord Lead A1, Dreadbox Erebus, Waldorf Pulse, NI Maschine, Komplete 9 Ultimate, Arturia SparkLe, Beatstep, Spectrasonics Omnisphere U-HE Diva (Best Soft Synth ever) + other Softsynths

kevinh_12345us · Joined: 20 Mar 2013 Posts: 45

I ended up getting mine for around $1ooo + tax US.

If you know the dealer or at least in the US Musicians Friend is always running 10-15% off.

jimknopf · Platinum Member Joined: 17 Jan 2011 Posts: 3374

The tube is there to support warm analog-like sounds and does that extremely well. It is not "needed" for any sound at all, just the contrary: if you want some kind of slim sound character for certain purposes, it is essential to keep the tube off. So it is good just as it is: to have all three option (off, on and boost). It is essential though to be able to save the settings per preset: this is no global setting in any way making sense: Korg should urgently change this extremely strange layout decision.

The price argument sounds a bit funny to me. The omission of aftertouch is bad, but hardly bad enough to think a grand is too much for this synth. May I ask which other polyphonic synths give us such a well done analog-like, non-aliasing, non-stepping basic character, and then delevering a whole set of classic filters which really do a good job?
The only one doing this in a comparable way, which I know of, is the Arturia Origin at ~3000$ for the keyboard version. And although I like a lot of the Artiria functionality, it is much easier to handle the KK, while it does sound at least as good to me - for my personal taste even better.

The cheaper alternatives are all very far from delivering a sound which is as smooth and warm, and as flexible at the same time, as the KK offers. So where is the the challenge concerning the price point? I see zero keyboard synth at 1000$ being remotely a challenge. I even paid 1200€(!) here in Germany, and to me it is completely worth it, without even thinking about it for a minute.
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Kronos 73 - Moog Voyager RME - Moog LP TE - Behringer Model D - Prophet 6 - Roland Jupiter Xm - Rhodes Stage 73 Mk I - Elektron Analog Rytm MkII - Roland TR-6s - Cubase 12 Pro + Groove Agent 5

magikroom · Junior Member Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 59

JPWC · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 1:32 pm Post subject:

I really like the KingKorg. It is extremely easy to operate. Preset sound is very smooth, easy to tweak and you can make it sound more aggressive.

The push to activate knobs is cool, but I've forgot twice - how to turn the reverb on.

The extra PCM sounds could go, but if it was your only keyboard they would be useful.

I got a 12% discount at the GC, I did not intend to buy it. I had just added to my Elektron collection, the Monomachine, and was going to hold out for the MS20mini with my remaining money. While I still want an MS-20 Mini, I will have to wait until next year. I am not unhappy at all with the KingKorg.

Although I think the name sucks, the keyboard is good looking, and easy to read the panel. I don't need reading glasses like the Kronos.
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Kronos-6, Krome, M3, Radias, KingKorg, microKorg, KP-2, KP-3, KO-1, KO-1 PRO, Karma, microX, monotron, monotribe, PadCONTROL, Wavedrum Mini, Volca Keys, Beats, Bass, Sample, monotron Duo & Delay, microArranger, M1, Wavestation, Volca Sample, Keys, Beats & Bass, MS-20

JD-XA, JD-Xi, Aira (system 1, TB3, TR8, MX-1), Prophet 12, Mopho X4, Jupiter-80, FA-06, D50, CS1x, CZ101, DX200, AN200, analogFOUR, MachineDrum, MonoMachine, Motif XF6, Virus Snow, Nord Lead 2X, OP-1, MFOS, Tenori-on, QY100, QY70, meeblip se, miniBrute, microBrute, Bass Station 2

magikroom · Junior Member Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 59

kevinh_12345us · Joined: 20 Mar 2013 Posts: 45

I see MF is offering 15% off until April 29th.
That would make it $1100 US.