Kronos OS 1.5 - the English version

[StephenKay]

KRONOS MUSIC WORKSTATION
System Version 1.5

Free update adds more space for new sounds, USB MIDI input, plus software editing

Kronos System Version 1.5 makes Korg’s game-changing workstation even more compelling. New user-requested features include the ability to load more sounds and samples at once, support for Korg USB pad controllers such as the nanoPAD2, and support for installing additional RAM. Version 1.5 also supports the Kronos Editor and Plug-in Editor software, providing editor/librarian capabilities for Mac OSX and Windows and compatibility with popular DAW software. The update is free to all registered Kronos owners, and will be available for download in mid-October of 2011 at www.korg.com/kronos.

Kronos System Version 1.5 Highlights

• 7 new Program banks provide 896 additional free slots to store programs from Korg, from third party developers, or those you create yourself
• 7 new banks each of Wave Sequences and Drum Kits to match the new Program banks
• The maximum number of RAM Samples and Multisamples has been increased by four, allowing Kronos to load more samples at once
• Supports input from USB MIDI controllers: play Kronos sounds from auxiliary keyboards via USB
• Direct support for playing and selecting chords from Korg pad-equipped USB controllers, including the nanoPAD, nanoPAD2, and KONTROL series
• Support for installing additional RAM: more than double the amount of memory for EXs and RAM samples
• Support for the Kronos Editor and Plug-in Editor software

7 additional User Banks
Kronos Version 1.5 adds seven more User Banks each of Programs, Wave Sequences and Drum Kits, numbered USER-AA through USER-GG. These banks are initialized by default, free for storing either your own sounds or libraries from Korg and third party sound developers. Program Banks are easily accessed from the front-panel hardware by pressing both the INT and USER buttons simultaneously. For instance, to select USER-DD, press both INT-D and USER-D.

4 times the number of RAM Multisamples, Samples, and Multisample Indexes
The maximum number of RAM Multisamples has been increased from 1,000 to 4,000; the maximum numbers of RAM Samples and Multisample Indexes have each been increased from 4,000 to 16,000. These four-fold increases will be especially helpful when loading libraries with large numbers of relatively short samples, such as drums. Please note that EXs sample data does not count towards these maximums; they apply to the RAM banks only.

Support for USB MIDI and Korg USB pad controllers
Kronos Version 1.5 adds support for connecting USB MIDI class-compliant controllers directly to the Kronos. For instance, you can use a Korg microKEY as an auxiliary synth-action keyboard for a Kronos 73 or 88. Even better, Korg USB MIDI controllers with pads–including the nanoPAD, nanoPAD2, and padKONTROL are automatically mapped to the Kronos chord pads, for playing and programming drums, triggering chords, and selecting and assigning chords for Chord Mode.

Support for additional RAM
Version 1.5 supports the installation of additional RAM into the Kronos, which can be performed at any authorized Korg service center for a nominal fee. This more than doubles the maximum available sample RAM, up to approximately 2.2 GB. Of course, when loading EXs using Virtual Memory, the total size of the loaded sample data can be much greater. Kronos uses widely available, off-the-shelf DIMMs. More details to be announced in mid-October of 2011.

Kronos Editor and Plug-In Editor
Kronos Version 1.5 adds support for the Kronos Editor and Plug-In Editor, which allows the editing and organizing sounds from a Mac OS X or Windows computer. Plug-in operation allows you to save settings as part of your project with any VST-compatible Windows software, or any VST- or AU-compatible software on Mac OS X. The Kronos Editor and Plug-In Editor will be available for free download in late November 2011 at www.korg.com/kronos

http://korg.com/go.aspx?kronos_system_version

[Ksynth]

Great news.

Wonder what the Korg Authorized installers will charge to install 2GB ram?

[michelkeijzers]

Great news.

Wonder what the Korg Authorized installers will charge to install 2GB ram?

Same for me ... probably more than doing it yourself.

actually switching banks by pressing two buttons is elegant and 7 extra banks should suffice to start playing around a little until a good librarian is available.

[RC-IA]

Already a 1.5 os. And a lot the things that were asker for! Thanx a lot Korg

[Ksynth]

Great news.

Wonder what the Korg Authorized installers will charge to install 2GB ram?

Same for me ... probably more than doing it yourself.

actually switching banks by pressing two buttons is elegant and 7 extra banks should suffice to start playing around a little until a good librarian is available.

Direct support for playing and selecting chords from Korg pad-equipped USB controllers, including the nanoPAD, nanoPAD2, and KONTROL series

Hopefully this will also cover using other manufacturers' pad controllers.

[michelkeijzers]

I hope they will be so 'surprisefull' with the editor and (European) availability too. They must have worked hard to get this update done. Thanks Korg!

[Melodialworks Music]

Support for additional RAM
Version 1.5 supports the installation of additional RAM into the Kronos, which can be performed at any authorized Korg service center for a nominal fee. This more than doubles the maximum available sample RAM, up to approximately 2.2 GB. Of course, when loading EXs using Virtual Memory, the total size of the loaded sample data can be much greater. Kronos uses widely available, off-the-shelf DIMMs. More details to be announced in mid-October of 2011.

Is 2.2GB a typo? I thought it would be 4GB (minus O/S overhead requirements, which works out 3.something).

[EvilDragon]

1 GB goes to OS and "ROM". You get 3.25 GB of useable RAM when you install 4 GB, because of 32-bit OS limitation.

[Melodialworks Music]

1 GB goes to OS and "ROM". You get 3.25 GB of useable RAM when you install 4 GB, because of 32-bit OS limitation.

3.25. Got it. Then why does it say "2.2 GB"?

[michelkeijzers]

1 GB goes to OS and "ROM". You get 3.25 GB of useable RAM when you install 4 GB, because of 32-bit OS limitation.

3.25. Got it. Then why does it say "2.2 GB"?

2.2 or 3.2?

[EvilDragon]

1 GB goes to OS and "ROM". You get 3.25 GB of useable RAM when you install 4 GB, because of 32-bit OS limitation.

3.25. Got it. Then why does it say "2.2 GB"?

Math! 3.25 GB total minus approx. 1 GB used by the OS and "ROM" gives you ~2.2 GB for EXs and user sample loading...

[aron]

Supports input from USB MIDI controllers: play Kronos sounds from auxiliary keyboards via USB

Will this also power the USB controller? If so, this would be something I have wanted for a while.

[jeebustrain]

Supports input from USB MIDI controllers: play Kronos sounds from auxiliary keyboards via USB

Will this also power the USB controller? If so, this would be something I have wanted for a while.

USB controller hardware spec allows for such a thing - since the Kronos is supposed to be using mostly standard PC hardware components for things like this, I would think that would be the case.

Certainly would be cool!

[burningbusch]

The only way to power things like the Nano series is via the single USB port, so it seems that it has to be able to provide power.

Busch.

[MartinHines]

Supports input from USB MIDI controllers: play Kronos sounds from auxiliary keyboards via USB

Will this also power the USB controller? If so, this would be something I have wanted for a while.

You just have to make sure you don't have too many USB devices connected. Some USB devices use double-power (they have a cable that connects to the host using two usb ports).