SUM-UP OF ZERO 8 PbS: don't buy it!

[euklid.fox]

Ok here is my review of the zero, if korg doesn't move their a s s Ill post it on every forum I ll browse:
remember we paid about 1600euros for a "high quality" product.

_ Hiss: very low Signal/noise ratio wich make it unusable in many cases. (you have to run it really hot to the limit to get no noize, and with static level sound system this can be a drastic pb!!!)

_ No accurate Vu meter ( a pro mixer?) try to tell your sig is -3Db, impossible, fader graduated from 0 to 10, not in db.

_ No audio gain for the headphone, Hp bus sound quality just horrible.clicks pops

_ No ability to save presets or fx/settings.

_ No ability to choose what is midi and what is not.

_No buil in FX when in midi mode.

_ CUEing/mastering issue: CUE and Master not avaible in I/O
so we loose a track (KORG ZERO 7) and can't VST process/limit the master.

_ Calibration pbs: turn the eq a tiny and the result is way too drastic.

_ Cheap audio quality, dull summing, clicks, noize, cheap numerical eq, 8 bits style FXs
strange Freq response, or is is audio quality?

_ Touchscreen speed/response not really accurate.

_ very long time to come drivers/updtate. you know about VISTA?

_ annoying :s h i t lighting not adjustable we see less with it than without. not adjustable/ we can't turn it off.

_ midi clock unusable.not enough precision.

_Not so low latency (in ms and not in samples, some pgm handlle better classical settings 64-128-256-512

_clicks / bugz when switching from audio to midi, audio settings stay and are lost if you move the crossfader. (sendS)

_NO Korg interventions/ ghost support /Informations are banned..

[Dj-Grobe]

Ok here is my review of the zero, if korg doesn't move their a s s Ill post it on every forum I ll browse:
remember we paid about 1600euros for a "high quality" product.

_ Hiss: very low Signal/noise ratio wich make it unusable in some cases. (you have to run it really hot to the limit to get no noize, and with static level sound system this can be a drastic pb!!!)

_ Cheap audio quality, dull summing, cheap numerical eq, 8 bits style FXs
strange Freq response, or is is audio quality?

_ No audio gain for the headphone, Hp bus sound quality just horrible.clicks pops
_ No ability to save presets or fx/settings.

_ No ability to choose what is midi and what is not.

_No buil in FX when in midi mode.

_ CUEing/mastering issue: CUE and Master not avaible in I/O
so we loose a track (KORG ZERO 7) and can't VST process/limit the master.

_ Calibration pbs: turn the eq a tiny and the result is way too drastic.

_ Touchscreen speed/response not really accurate.


_ very long time to come drivers/updtate. you know about VISTA?

_ annoying :s**t lighting not adjustable we see less with it than witout.

_ midi clock unusable.not enough precision.

_Not so low latency (in ms and not in samples, some pgm handlle better classical settings 64-128-256-512

_clicks / bugz when switching from audio to midi, audio settings stay and are lost if you move the crossfader. (sendS)

_NO Korg interventions/ ghost support /Informations are banned..


feel free to add your personal statements

I not agree with you, if i have to recomend to some ableton user what mixer use, i sugest inmediatly ZERO 8, its really great tool.

My unit not have hiss, i listen very low digitial hiss, ONLY when put the amplifier under non usable high levels.

All troubles you explain can be fixed by firmware update, and i think KORG developer work hard right now and come in the next upgrade with lot of features.

The midi clock from this unit is really good dont now what is the toruble exactly you have related to MIDI CLOCK.
I have really low latency around 8ms under OSX tiger.

About headphone, absolutly yes need GAIN option, from now if you use all channels under midi and can loose one chanell, workarounds can be usefull until next firmware arrival.

I sugest before buy any new product check if the product cover all things needed........

I agree with korg support, this is general propose digital mixer........
Anyway is knowed some units aparently older units have hiss etc etc and and lots of things can be improved, i know.
I really sorry for your frustration euklid.fox, but before start create bad image of Korg and this product i sugest just wait a little more,.............allways we have lot of time for make a big hole to KORG , but just wait a little more.

Everybody talk about XONE 3D and compare with ZERO 8.......well boys for your information the xone 3d units have really ugly freezes and crash related to the USB sound card under windows OS, and ALLEN take months to fix........you want perfect product..............NO WAY......we have to leave with that.

If analize the first unit and improvements in the KORG firmware, i just wait for 1.7 firmware..............if we not see really improvements and fixes........................ we can start complaint around the world

euklid.fox for now i sugest just wait a little more, try any workaround you can use until the next firmware is comming.


Any new user interested in this unit, just check if this mixer is ok for the setup needed.
Anyway i not recomend this unit like MASTER STUDIO MIXER, i put this mixer under this category/review:

DIGITAL MIDI CONTROLLER/MIXER FOR LIVE PERFORMANCE
ABSOLUTLY VERSATILE MIXER, WITH SUPER STABLE SOUND CARD AT LOW LATENCY.
100% GOOD FOR LIVE MUSICIAN/DJS PERFORMANCE.

TEST BEFORE BUY ANTHING !

[euklid.fox]

....

[euklid.fox]

I ll bump this every day till a guy from korg will accept to answer us, they're just ghosts!!

HEY KORG GUYS? try to say there workaround for that.

original message DEC 07 we re in JULY 08,

still no FIXING upgrade

[ivanek]

they won't!!!

i talked with my reseller, he regulary call the swiss korg reseller and certainly nothing will come...
Korg is manufactured by Yamaha. Yamaha is good for synthetiser but not really good for audio pro....
They won't do something for us, it should already be done, the zero8 is now one year and half old. It's stupid to wait again.

But the zero8 is the only mixer on the market, no conccurent. You can buy a mackie, an ecler or a xone 4D, it's not the same tool. For my part i will buy an headphones ampli and use the zero8 for what it can do... i'll wait for the next conccurent product of the zero8, maybe in 6 months, maybe one year, and for sure i'll loose money... but it's life.
The feeling i will keep is that i'll never buy again a korg product!!

[euklid.fox]

bump nealy one year, still no fixing update

[Mr. Bit]

I can use my Zero 8 only in the studio.

Because, you can't use external fx equipment in an audio channel with software fx (from Ableton) in a midi channel together in one mix.

_The Send knobs (ext1, ext2, zero fx send) are not independent per channel!

And... I'm waiting for updates and waiting and wait...

cheers,
Mr. Bit

[jayray]

same as my issue posted hear....http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=35743

all other issues fixed by updates or "explained" by korg
even my dealer does not get back to me on this "send knobs not independent" issue......
would return.....but nothing on the market seems to compare to this product, so i hoble it along....the (korg) work around

do you think this issue can be fixed with an update?
and the firewire cue taking up a channel......can be fixed with an update?

[pike]

_Not so low latency (in ms and not in samples, some pgm handlle better classical settings 64-128-256-512

Interesting. You seem to know something. What do you mean ? Can you provide me with some links ?

I have a problem with random huge latencies (macbook, not pro). By the feel of it it is a firewire communication issue...

*-pike

[euklid.fox]

When audio is translated in binary for host/vst programs/plugins, it's made in small packets of 0 and 1, in blocks of "samples" wich is the smallest unit of audio time, like a pixel on your screen. Some programs (in my case the powercore) seems to work on multiples of ie 256 samples
so that'll be 256-512-1024 ect. We can't set up latency like this on the zero, we set it in Ms, wich will give us a sample number between 2 values, ie 384-
So If set to 384, and your other software work in either 256 or 512 , timing results will be variable, or you ll be obliged to set to Upper latency.

I't like when people want to take in the bus: If they're organized and comes in one after the other, all will be faster and smother than if 2 are trying to get into at the same time. sorry im not sure if im clear....
anyway you can try following thingz to have a better stable latency:

1)you can change the sample settingz in samples using REGEDIT.EXE
(Ive not the driver of the zero installed here, but ill tell you where)

2) you should try to remove all other running apps/pgm/services by killing process in the taskmanager, also you can check if you have DCP latency with tools, you can find one Here
ie Ive discovered on MacBook pro that Wiffi/bluetooth connection and a running pgm called KbrdMngr.exe can create peaks and should be disabled.(don't know about macbook..)

3) you can also try ASIO4ALL
wich is a free alternative driver that for me works better than the native Korg drivers!!!!! what a shame on korg !
the only boring thing is then that audio channels are inverted so 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 will become 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, but that's not so boring.

4)I had pb using a powercore firewire with the local TexasInstrument chipset of my motherboard, you could try to install a FW card PCI or PCMCIA with a different chipset that you own. VIA based or PYRO cardz if I well remember seems the more accurate in bandwith transferts.
also did you install the MS correctif http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885222/en
for me all this steps did a good job and reduced latency, glitches and dropouts... hope It will help

[jonnyboy]

Hey guys,

I'm just about to buy a Zero 8 and am a bit worried after reading this post, have any of the issues in the first post been resolved?

To be honest my biggest worries are the headphone gains (I need my cues and monitors loud!) and the Master/Cue bus issues (don't want my Korg to be a Zero 7)

Can you guys provide any information?

[subterFUSE]

Hey guys,

I'm just about to buy a Zero 8 and am a bit worried after reading this post, have any of the issues in the first post been resolved?

To be honest my biggest worries are the headphone gains (I need my cues and monitors loud!) and the Master/Cue bus issues (don't want my Korg to be a Zero 7)

Can you guys provide any information?

If you mix in your software program, and use the Korg as a MIDI controller, then you will have to give up one of your MIDI channels to Audio so you can have a headphone cue. This means a Zero 7, as you say.

If you mix in the hardware, then you will be able to use all 8 channels and still have Cueing ability.


The headphone volume issue is due to the same reason as the Hiss issue. People are not operating the mixer correctly. You must run your mixer levels very high on the Korg mixers. (ie master volume turn all the way up, channel gains turned way up) This will require that you turn your monitors way down. When you run your signals this hot, your headphones will be plenty loud enough.

[euklid.fox]

People are not operating the mixer correctly. You must run your mixer levels very high on the Korg mixers. (ie master volume turn all the way up, channel gains turned way up) This will require that you turn your monitors way down. When you run your signals this hot, your headphones will be plenty loud enough.

yep but that's really an issue with static pa or non ajustable pro - monitors
many amplificators have no adjustable gain, and The main volume is supposed to be set on the console generally, not on the amplifier sytem, (you won't go behind a 25kw sound system and adjust to lower the volume, that's not a correct way of a console should work), If so the zero should have a post master pre-amp to run it hot then lower the volume....
did you ever see a guy in live saying "hey could you go behind the sound sytem and lower the sound, I must run my console at 100 percent only..."

[splurt]

People are not operating the mixer correctly. You must run your mixer levels very high on the Korg mixers. (ie master volume turn all the way up, channel gains turned way up) This will require that you turn your monitors way down. When you run your signals this hot, your headphones will be plenty loud enough.

yep but that's really an issue with static pa or non ajustable pro - monitors
many amplificators have no adjustable gain, and The main volume is supposed to be set on the console generally, not on the amplifier sytem, (you won't go behind a 25kw sound system and adjust to lower the volume, that's not a correct way of a console should work), If so the zero should have a post master pre-amp to run it hot then lower the volume....
did you ever see a guy in live saying "hey could you go behind the sound sytem and lower the sound, I must run my console at 100 percent only..."

EXCELLENT POINT KORG TAKE NOTE!

I HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH ZERO8

YOU CANT ALWAYS CONTROL SOUND SYSTEM IN CLUB!

PLEASE DO SOMETHING!