Kronos vs M3

Akos Janca · Post by **Akos Janca** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:22 pm

Thanks, Randy, for your good advices and opinion.

I'm not an organ specialist but I love the Hammond and love to smear and slam the keys (maybe because I used to learn playing percussion and drums...

).

So, although it's off topic, here is a little link collection. Enjoy.

• Jimmy Smith - The Sermon (1964)
• Tony Monaco with the XK-1
• Burnin' B-3 Man - Tony Monaco - Jimmy Smith Tribute
• Pistaccio - Rhoda Scott, Sarah Morrow, Julie Saury, 2006 in Budapest
• Barbara Dennerlein & Rhoda Scott on Hammond B3 Organ
• Barbara Dennerlein "Swing the Blondes" on Hammond B3

apex · Post by **apex** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:31 pm

Randelph wrote:
Plan C:
If you decide the Kronos is too good to resist (get thee behind me!), I would suggest selling the M3 and the XS rack (not the G7, 'cause it'd be good to have a semi-weighted board as well). How much technology do yo want to learn/deal with? For my money/time, I'm going with Korg as being my main workstation ax- it's a lot to learn any one of the workstations, let alone 3 of them.

Randy

so you think it would be better to sell the xs rack module and keep the roland xv5080?

Sina172 · Post by **Sina172** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 11:00 pm

MidnightPackage · Post by **MidnightPackage** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 1:03 am

Sina172 wrote:I have 4 of them in the studio and I LOVE the way they sound!

Yeah, no. Ok, at least you are hilarious.

Apresmidi2010 · Post by **Apresmidi2010** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 1:16 am

Akos: I love Rhoda Scott.

apex · Post by **apex** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 2:40 am

Sina172 wrote:
apex wrote:
Randelph wrote:
Plan C:
If you decide the Kronos is too good to resist (get thee behind me!), I would suggest selling the M3 and the XS rack (not the G7, 'cause it'd be good to have a semi-weighted board as well). How much technology do yo want to learn/deal with? For my money/time, I'm going with Korg as being my main workstation ax- it's a lot to learn any one of the workstations, let alone 3 of them.

Randy
so you think it would be better to sell the xs rack module and keep the roland xv5080?
YES! That 5080 is a legend!

I have 4 of them in the studio and I LOVE the way they sound!

That would compliment your KRONOS very nicely.

Sina

yeah, but since I am getting rid of things... (downsizing the rig, to make room/money/time for the Kronos) would it make sense to get rid of the yamaha sound generator and keep two roland sound generators? seems like it would have made more sense to keep sources from korg, yammy, & roland instead of just roland roland, korg....

Sina172 · Post by **Sina172** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 4:48 am

apex · Post by **apex** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 4:50 am

Sina172 wrote:
apex wrote:
Sina172 wrote: YES! That 5080 is a legend!

I have 4 of them in the studio and I LOVE the way they sound!

That would compliment your KRONOS very nicely.

Sina
yeah, but since I am getting rid of things... (downsizing the rig, to make room/money/time for the Kronos) would it make sense to get rid of the yamaha sound generator and keep two roland sound generators? seems like it would have made more sense to keep sources from korg, yammy, & roland instead of just roland roland, korg....
If you want a GREAT Yamaha module without flattening the wallet, sell the Motif XS Rack and get the EX5R or the TG77 module. BOTH are selling for LESS than $500 today.

Those are some SERIOUS legends that will give you a sound you won't be able to get anywhere else.

Keep the Roland, get rid of the XS Rack, get the KRONOS and one of the Yamaha modules I mentioned. Trust me. It'll be the best decision you'll make.

Sina

i've never heard of the TG77, but I really don't want another 2 space module. And is the ex5r better than the fs1r?

ScoobyDoo555 · Post by **ScoobyDoo555** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:16 am

apex wrote: When i purchased my m3 last summer, I had all intentions of it being my LAST WORKSTATION purchase.

I totally get where you're coming from

Before the whole computer-based DAW took off, I spent just under £4500 on a brand new Kurz K2000 fully loaded. And said the same thing.

That was 1999/2000. My next workstation, will probably be Kronos. Nearly 13 years later.

The nice thing is that the K2000 has paid for itself over and over. And still does a stirling job now.

ScoobyDoo555 · Post by **ScoobyDoo555** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:20 am

Another +1 for the TG77. It's a 3U - BIG beast.

Lots of outputs and monster sound (AFM & AWM).
I've toyed with changing my SY77 for TG but I just love the keyboard too much - I've had it since I purchased new in 1993 (£2700!) I know it VERY well.

Check it out - great bit of (highly under-rated IMHO) kit. Makes a lot of stuff sound very weak indeed. FM7 doesn't come close. The Motif doesn't come close.
Great additional timbre and sonics to a production. I still use mine all the time.

Dan

Akos Janca · Post by **Akos Janca** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:58 am

Apresmidi2010 wrote:Akos: I love Rhoda Scott.

Hi Apres, me too.

Fortunately, I got this LP from my parents when I was a kid. Listened countless times just because of the amazing sound and the magical music. I didn't know anything about the Hammond then and I haven't seen her playing.

EXer · Post by **EXer** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 10:52 am

apex wrote:i've never heard of the TG77, but I really don't want another 2 space module. And is the ex5r better than the fs1r?

You can't compare them. They are totally different beasts.

I own and use both, and I can say that they complement extremely well. Together they offer the best digital synth engines Yamaha has ever developed.

An EX5R is a rackmount EX5, with AWM2, AN, VL and FDSP synthesis, sampler, sequencer and real time control knobs. By today standards it has a limited sample ROM (16Mb) but imo it's still the best sounding AWM2 synth. It's a deep synth, aimed towards a different crowd than the Motifs (which are more aimed towards users expecting a preset laden rompler). If you buy one it MUST be equipped with the followiong options: RAM (128 Mb), flash RAM (8Mb EXFML1 or 16Mb EXFLM2) and SCSI interface.

A FS1R is an 8 op FM and FS (formant shaping) synth. It is compatible with all DX7 patches, but it can do much much more, thanks to its *8* 'voiced' operators (used in FS and in 'classical' FM algorithms (there are 88 of them in a FS1R)) + 8 'unvoiced' ops (used in FS), its Formant Shaping features, its (excellent) filters, its controller matrix and its effects. Again, this is a very deep synth, and it sounds excellent on the whole spectrum (like an EX5!). You can get very interesting sounds out of it if you are not afraid to go into programming. It would actually be a pity to stick to its presets or to use it a as DX7 patch player. Nevertheless, the learning curve is very steep if you really want to get the best out of it, and it's very time consuming to program it from the panel, so you have to have an editor (imo SoundDiver is the best).

My advice, as an EX5 and a FS1R owner and as a sound designer :
¤ if you're in sound design, you must not chose between them, you must have both (I'll NEVER sell mine!)
¤ if you want an easy to use rackmount instrument whith ready and good sounding presets, go rather for a Motif rack...

Apresmidi2010 · Post by **Apresmidi2010** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 11:25 am

Hi Akos: If you know "Jazz in Paris" CD series, there was a Rhoda Scott live from sixties in the series. Unfortunately I could not get a copy myself, but I listened to it at a coffee shop+second hand book shop in Nezu (one of the older parts of Tokyo where lots of native Tokyo people are still living).

I have at least 100 Jazz organ cds/vinyls including Jimmy Smith and Brother Jack McDuff. Out of 100, 30+ are Jimmy Smith's but that does not necessarily mean he is the best to me. I prefer Brother Jack McDuff three times. I like Gregg Rolie/Tom Coster of Santana/Brian Auger as organists in more rockish field.

Sina172 · Post by **Sina172** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:53 pm