Kronos 88 and RH3 keyboard faulty

[QuiRobinez]

I received my replacement Kronos 88 today -- serial number 11xx, about 40 higher than the last one.

The second chord I played from the new one was cut off. Recreating the problem on the newer keyboard seemed much easier. For those of you who aren't experiencing this, I would say while playing a 30 second mid-tempo passage of chords it occurred around 10 times, clearly and audibly detectable.

that's bad news for you

My 88 Kronos does have this behaviour also in specific situations, but i would say it only happens once in 30 minutes or so. You can check that yourself when listening to my demo in the thread: http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=65612

Everything was played live in that demo (also the piano part) and there is no cutoff in that demo.

But i can reproduce it easely by using an init combi. Then instantly notes are cutoff during play. Also when using the German grand i can reproduce it (but less often) when using lot's of notes and the hold pedal. Which makes me think, do you also have the cutoff on notes when NOT holding the hold pedal?

I still find it hard to believe that it's something with the keyboard, because the cutoff sounds only occures in specific situations. But then again, when you see those movies of 'ghost notes' registering within hundreds of seconds, that's quite worrying

[Korgstream]

Someone might say when it will end?

When at last Korg stop persisting in producing their own keybeds (or in letting turkish or chinese subcontractors produce them?) and when they resume mounting Yamaha keybeds in their instruments like they used to do some years ago (remember the Trinity?).

Or possibly when the new Korg top management finally understands that too hard a cost cutting policy can do more harm than good to the company in the long term (maybe even in a not-so-long term).

Yes, i agree with you.

[alians1109]

The keybed is exactly why I haven't bought a Kronos 88. The Kronos sounds absolutely out of this would but IMO the keybed lets it down.

Now, if they had a Yamaha CP5 keybed on the Kronos I would have had one by now

[outjet]

KORG - Silence is acceptance.

Korg has followed up to get some information about my specific issue -- it seems they are interested. I'm a constant optimist, so I'm going to hold for a bit and wait to see what they say.

when using the German grand i can reproduce it (but less often) when using lot's of notes and the hold pedal. Which makes me think, do you also have the cutoff on notes when NOT holding the hold pedal?

I still find it hard to believe that it's something with the keyboard, because the cutoff sounds only occures in specific situations. But then again, when you see those movies of 'ghost notes' registering within hundreds of seconds, that's quite worrying

All very good points:

I never plugged any pedals into the second Kronos to eliminate third-party issues.

I agree the cutoffs somehow are easy to find (or notice) on the German grand, although I get the same thing on the general MIDI pianos and other patches. Also, like you said, it seems easier to reproduce when playing multiple notes at once, but then again I guess that may be statistical probability in action.

Also, I agree it doesn't feel like hardware alone - sometimes it's easy to get a failure and sometimes they go away for a bit.

[dregsor]

Also, I agree it doesn't feel like hardware alone - sometimes it's easy to get a failure and sometimes they go away for a bit.

Exactly what I was seeing with the 73. Of course the clunking noise of some keys on release is hardware. I'll be very interested to know the cause of the note dropouts. As far as anyone knows is this only a problem with some of the 73-88's? Any 61's have this problem?

The Sweetwater rep said they are sending the returned 73 back to Korg. If I can get any more information on what they find I'll pass it on.

[outjet]

The Korg (technical support line) response on my multiple Kronos 88s experiencing cut-off notes:

• - Sounds like hardware
  - This is not the norm
  - Possibly something happened in shipping
  - Suggested I contact dealer (for a third board). They warned of long turnaround times at Korg service center.
  - They were interested in serial and lot numbers (serials between 1050-1150). Both lots numbers are J07.

If two boards can't survive a trip from Korg to Sweetwater (in their own factory packaging), followed by a trip from Sweetwater to me, I'm asking myself about its roadworthiness, where it will be subject to transportation multiple times a week, in and out of cases, over ramps, bumps, occasional drops, etc.

As discussed on this Italian music forum, it's not like it's a loud fan or a dead pixel on the display. This is the keyboard part of the keyboard.

One other question - my Kronos came with little cardboard spacers and instructions to keep them and insert into the keybed every time the board is transported. Is this common practice? I've never used spacers on any board I've owned, including several Korgs.

[Petekey]

I think my board has this issue also. I was thinking I was crazy or that my technique was bad, but my issue sounds like what other people have reported here although it's less frequent, definitely not as often as in the video I've got serial #518. Should I contact Sweetwater or Korg directly?

Thanks,
Pete

[dregsor]

- Possibly something happened in shipping

They really said that?

One other question - my Kronos came with little cardboard spacers and instructions to keep them and insert into the keybed every time the board is transported. Is this common practice? I've never used spacers on any board I've owned, including several Korgs.

I had a XF7 for a while and it did not have them. Don't remember any others having those either. The Doc's said to install those whenever moving the board. I put them back in when I shipped it back.

[sparkie]

One other question - my Kronos came with little cardboard spacers and instructions to keep them and insert into the keybed every time the board is transported. Is this common practice? I've never used spacers on any board I've owned, including several Korgs.

Are you joking?? So every time you move it to a gig or studio etc you have to put these spacers between all the keys..?? Maybe next they might tell you not to play it either?? That is really pitiful.. Sounds to me as if they know about a problem and just trying to cover it up.

[outjet]

- Possibly something happened in shipping

They really said that?

Yes indeed.

One other question - my Kronos came with little cardboard spacers and instructions to keep them and insert into the keybed every time the board is transported. Is this common practice? I've never used spacers on any board I've owned, including several Korgs.

Are you joking?? So every time you move it to a gig or studio etc you have to put these spacers between all the keys..??

They don't go between the keys but between the keybed and frame. Maybe to stop anterior movement of the keys that wasn't anticipated? Not sure. Certainly not something I look forward to doing before and after each gig. Just curious if other keyboards ask for this - never something I've seen in the past.

[PinkFloydDudi]

One other question - my Kronos came with little cardboard spacers and instructions to keep them and insert into the keybed every time the board is transported. Is this common practice? I've never used spacers on any board I've owned, including several Korgs.

Are you joking?? So every time you move it to a gig or studio etc you have to put these spacers between all the keys..?? Maybe next they might tell you not to play it either?? That is really pitiful.. Sounds to me as if they know about a problem and just trying to cover it up.

Played quite a few gigs in the past couple months - not a single problem with my Kronos - not once have I used those spacers. Not saying something will never break, but those are a bit unnecessary as long as you have a nice case.

[SanderXpander]

Is it just me who finds it cynically amusing that they first warn that the display may display horizontal stripes, uneven lighting, (half-?)dead pixels or flickering and then claim it's a precision device?

[PinkFloydDudi]

Is it just me who finds it cynically amusing that they first warn that the display may display horizontal stripes, uneven lighting, (half-?)dead pixels or flickering and then claim it's a precision device?

Ever read the warnings on any LCD device? I've seen quite a few things from TVs to computer monitors that say there may be these artifacts.

[SanderXpander]

I know. I'm not dissing the Kronos by the way, I just find that kind of thing somewhat sad and amusing at the same time. Also on tvs and monitors and whatever.

[Korgstream]

Is it just me who finds it cynically amusing that they first warn that the display may display horizontal stripes, uneven lighting, (half-?)dead pixels or flickering and then claim it's a precision device?

Prepare to be Amazed, because the Game Has Been Changed!