Time for an OASYS upgrade/update?

[cello]

Am sure there are many people who will be amazed at the Kronos, as advertised! As usual from Korg, it’s a polished product.

However, I suspect one group that won’t be amazed is that of OASYS users. Yes, we’re very lucky to be able to use this instrument that only exists because of the skill within Korg, and I think it’s still ‘top of the tree’ – but generally Kronos is nothing new compared to the O (okay, some more synth engines).

It does occur to me (as posted in the Kronos/news thread) that Kronos wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the R&D work done on the OASYS – and the fact the early adopters paid for that effort. In addition, the extra modules cost extra money... There have been no updates since November 2009.

So, I think Korg should be encouraged to give us O users something in recognition of the investment that was made in buying an OASYS, that they’ve ‘developed’ (bundled?) it into the Kronos, they will make more money out of their ‘bundling’, that there were broken promises and the ones who showed confidence in Korg are still waiting for an upgrade.

Please - this is not a hate Korg post for such broken promises, or no function for the function button, poor sequencer, no new sounds, etc (already many threads on this subject) – this is a genuine attempt to show Korg that we as O users want to continue getting the best out of our significant investment.

Hence, here's a poll to indicate the desire for an upgrade and what percentage may or may not pay for such an upgrade and if so, how much.

You may care to comment here as to what you think an ‘upgrade’ should be...

[vEddY]

You still need to define what an "upgrade" is. Are we talking about sample libraries? Two additional synth engines? Or both?

[cello]

You still need to define what an "upgrade" is. Are we talking about sample libraries? Two additional synth engines? Or both?

Agreed about definition - hence why invited comments around that; I'm not an expert in all the technicalities see need inputs!

Sequencer?
OS upgrade?
Kronos PCGs?
Sample libraries?
Extra synth engines?
Karma 3?

Any of the above I guess but any attention from Korg for O users would be welcomed by many I think!

[vEddY]

Agreed about definition - hence why invited comments around that; I'm not an expert in all the technicalities see need inputs!

Sequencer? OS upgrade? Kronos PCGs? Sample libraries? Extra synth engines?

Any of the above I guess but any attention from Korg for O users would be welcomed by many I think!

They should or shouldn't be welcomed, it's a matter of perspective as it's a very, very sore subject in this forum I'm sure you noticed if I'm not wrong, Naviára used the term "general slap in the face of O buyers". Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that you're wrong in any way.

My personal approach to this if I was KORG would be to bring the OASYS at least up to date to Kronos in terms of sounds. So, to offer both of those (sample libraries and synth engines) for some discount price to OASYS users as they're the ones who ultimately payed for development of these stuff. It would be a very positive gesture and overall an excellent marketing move.

I realize that there's much more samples here then what OASYS can handle in real-time. Which doesn't mean people can't use those samples loaded "according to their wishes", at any particular point in time. We can do that with samples in the big O for a long time...

BTW, on a more personal note - I do have the O, but I really don't need anything new in it per se as I've found other ways to manage "the situation". Although I would love to play with new sounds, that's for sure, an honest statement. Which is all the more reason to support those who haven't, didn't, or couldn't. There are people who took mortgages to buy the O so it would be only fair.

[Naviára]

If it's possible to bring the whole Kronos OS with all it's new features (including ROM Expansion & synthengines) to the O, then I would prefer that as upgrade. The upgrade could be delivered on 16 GB USB Stick or SD card (with a new label for the "Function" Button of the O - changing it in "drum track")

If it's a paid update the Installer could be signed, similar to the EXi options.

The Kronos OS have be installed beside the Oasys OS, so you can choose wich OS you want to start, if you switch on the O.

greetings
A.

[Akos Janca]

I like the poll but I remember forum members are only a minority compared to the thousands of OASYS owners who are silently and contentedly working somewhere.

I'm afraid our opinion doesn't mean that much in reality (even if it's valid). Most probably Korg will not start to allocate resources for any development because of few OASYS users on the forum.

But if the OASYS and KRONOS systems are compatible (as I hope) then, of course, I would be glad to add something to OASYS. I cannot estimate the price, it depends on which option.

[iksrazal]

I voted "Korg owe us nothing and so we shouldn’t get upgrade" . We actually got a lot more upgrades after cancellation than anything I can think of besides the Access TI.

I continue to vote with my wallet though - my last five or so purchases were analogue, as well will probably be my next five. I understand its not a good market for them, hence the little guys are becoming more and more interesting to me. Free markets at work .

That being said, I really do want to be interested in Korg still and would pay for new Oasys features - but I don't expect that to happen. And if they make a serious non-toy analogue I'd buy it for sure.

[cello]

I like the poll but I remember forum members are only a minority compared to the thousands of OASYS owners who are silently and contentedly working somewhere.

I'm afraid our opinion doesn't mean that much in reality (even if it's valid). Most probably Korg will not start to allocate resources for any development because of few OASYS users on the forum.

But if the OASYS and KRONOS systems are compatible (as I hope) then, of course, I would be glad to add something to OASYS. I cannot estimate the price, it depends on which option.

You're right to point out that only a number of O users are active on this forum. I just thought this might be an indicator of opinion.

You never know... Korg might read it

And what a clever marketing move it would be - let's face it, anyone who is considering buying a Kronos will do some research and very quickly learn about the OASYS (if they don't already know about it). Then they will see that users are (generally) disappointed for all the reaons that have been posted on these forums (don't want to open that debate here!). They might be put off spending many bucks... So, perhaps Korg will see that if they offer O users something, then Kronos sales will be further encouraged

[Timo]

I understand how you may feel given the near arrival of Kronos.

On the other flip of the coin I think of Access-Music who make the Virus. Those who bought a Virus TI|1 in 2005 with TI OS version 1 have effectively had four brand new keyboards at no extra cost since it was released, one for each and every new OS version. It wasn't even expected of them to do this, they could have simply discontinued the current synths and made new ones and flogged them instead, but they didn't. Since Virus TI OS v1 (which was already a substantial upgrade from the previous Virus C keyboard ), new Wavetable-, Formant- and Graintables-oscillators, Atomizer [new realtime performance MIDI glitch effect], all the effects (new Characters, Tape Delay, Distortions, Ring/Tremolo modulation, FrequencyShifter), Side-chain, Stomp boxes, Comb+Vowel filters, step sequencing, 64-bit support, etc., have all been added with new updates through to OS v4. It means their original purchase TI in 2005 is still bleeding edge.

OS v4.5 will be released at NAMM in a day or two, adding even more features including vintage and modern chorus effects, along with another main feature update that Access have left us hanging on.

Access don't lose money in less sales, they just end up selling more of the same model keyboard as more customers join the ranks.

That's how it should be done, in my humble opinion.

[vEddY]

Access don't lose money in less sales, they just end up selling more of the same model keyboard as more customers join the ranks.
That's how it should be done, in my humble opinion.

Absolutely agreed. I've been monitoring them for years. Maybe I don't get that "special vibe" from their products, but I respect the company and the approach.

[Davidb]

Access don't lose money in less sales, they just end up selling more of the same model keyboard as more customers join the ranks.
That's how it should be done, in my humble opinion.

Absolutely agreed. I've been monitoring them for years. Maybe I don't get that "special vibe" from their products, but I respect the company and the approach.

True, I agree completely, lads.

[Davidb]

The upgrade could be delivered on 16 GB USB Stick or SD card (with a new label for the "Function" Button of the O - changing it in "drum track")

True, and you mention just what I was thinking about the "drum track" and the "function button".

Installer could be signed, similar to the EXi options.

Indeed!

[SirRoyRogers]

Korg have to give an upgrade for free in this year.
A new OS?

[t_tangent]

Korg have to give an upgrade for free in this year.
A new OS?

I think that is just wishful thinking

But then again was that a pig I just saw fly past the window

[fallingman]

I briefly read the Kronos spec and thought immediately that most of its apparently new technology we've had in the OASYS for ages now - there's nothing new about the synth engines for a start.

If it had the M1, Wavestation and Mono/Poly engines in there too, that'd've been a step forward, but again just a bundling of existing technologies.

A quick summary of the Kronos seems to be it's essentially an OASYS plus a M3 (hence the drum track) with a few minor improvements - the new screen looks different, and I presume it'll have the sequencer (still only 16 tracks) of the M3.

What also struck me is what computing / processor platform is it running on? I presume there's no Intel P4 / Linux in this baby!

So they've managed to squeeze the best bits of the OASYS and M3 into a new box powered by a proprietary processor presumably?

I don't wanna be cynical but I expected more - there's nothing particularly groundbreaking here, though as ever the price point will be key, and what really makes it attractive, I guess.

In terms of Korg giving us an upgrade, a port of the M1 / Wavestation / MonoPoly engines would be nice, a drumtrack, and a sequencer upgrade...

...but hey, that's what the Kronos is almost!

(This must be my longest post ever!)