HardBoard bottom instead of metal??

[simajanpa]

As a pre-owner of a Kronos 73 or 88 I was reading the different posts about keybed problems, RAM update issues, random rebooting but the biggest disappointment I see with this board is that the bottom is not metal.
I have never seen a pro level keyboard from Korg, Roland or Yamaha, that didn't have one. For a $4k+ board, that just says, let's cut another corner.

If I purchased this keyboard, opened the box, and saw that bottom, I would be pissed that I spent $3800 of my hard earned money for something that, to me anyways, appeared to be cheaply made.

I've owned Korg since the DW8000, and have always loved their sound and build quality. I now own a Triton EX76 and REALLY would like to stay with a Korg product, but I may have to go with a new Motif, plus that would at least give me the option of a 76 key "synth" keybed.

Anyone else feel this way or am I just being silly about the whole thing?

Does any other manufacturer use wooden bottoms on their Pro level boards?

[Comrad_Durandal]

From how it was explained to me - the use of MDF as a baseboard is because heat and humidity (within the operating limits of the device) has little to no effect on the shape and rigidity of the MDF versus other materials - such as metal. MDF, in significant thickness, can be just as strong as a metal baseboard and lighter than if it was made from metal. It also is non-conductive.

[simajanpa]

From how it was explained to me - the use of MDF as a baseboard is because heat and humidity (within the operating limits of the device) has little to no effect on the shape and rigidity of the MDF versus other materials - such as metal. MDF, in significant thickness, can be just as strong as a metal baseboard and lighter than if it was made from metal. It also is non-conductive.

Point taken.....maybe they should at least paint it black to match, so it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.

[Dany]

Does any other manufacturer use wooden bottoms on their Pro level boards?

Yeah, Yamaha does it on their current 88 Keys flagship workstation Motif XF:

Watch video at 1:45 Min :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wFzXvY-kIg

and as far I know, it's the same with Roland's Fantom-G 88...

Edit: The OASYS-88 is the only 88 Keys flagship I know, which has a metal bottom...

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[Davidb]

Point taken.....maybe they should at least paint it black to match, so it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.

[simajanpa]

Does any other manufacturer use wooden bottoms on their Pro level boards?

Yeah, Yamaha does it on their current 88 Keys flagship workstation Motif XF:

Watch video at 1:45 Min :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wFzXvY-kIg

and as far I know, it's the same with Roland's Fantom-G 88...

Edit: The OASYS-88 is the only 88 Keys flagship I know, which has a metal bottom...


I watched the video of the Yammy and it looks exactly like the Kronos,
Is the 61 and 73 key version the same with MDF?

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[Dany]

Does any other manufacturer use wooden bottoms on their Pro level boards?

Yeah, Yamaha does it on their current 88 Keys flagship workstation Motif XF:

Watch video at 1:45 Min :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wFzXvY-kIg

and as far I know, it's the same with Roland's Fantom-G 88...

Edit: The OASYS-88 is the only 88 Keys flagship I know, which has a metal bottom...

I watched the video of the Yammy and it looks exactly like the Kronos,
Is the 61 and 73 key version the same with MDF?

I think the other [edit: Yamaha] models have a metal bottom...

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[Kontrol49]

The SV-1 has the same underside material panel...

[simajanpa]

Can someone who owns one of the 61 or 73 key versions of the Kronos tell me if they have an MDF or metal bottoms.

Thanks
Paul

[Dany]

Can someone who owns one of the 61 or 73 key versions of the Kronos tell me if they have an MDF or metal bottoms.

Thanks
Paul

I don't own a Kronos, but I know that only the Kronos 61 has a metal bottom. The Kronos 73 and 88 have aMDF bottom...

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[keekma]

My former yamaha s90es had a MDF bottom

[danmusician]

Can someone who owns one of the 61 or 73 key versions of the Kronos tell me if they have an MDF or metal bottoms.

Thanks
Paul

I don't own a Kronos, but I know that only the Kronos 61 has a metal bottom. The Kronos 73 and 88 have aMDF bottom...

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This is correct.

Further, the Yamaha S80 also has a wood bottom, and that instrument is over a decade old, so this is not a new trend.

I'm not sure painting black would make anyone happy. The paint would scratch pretty easily.

I've NEVER seen anyone perform where I noticed or cared what the bottom of their keyboard looked like.

[Dany]

...Further, the Yamaha S80 also has a wood bottom, and that instrument is over a decade old, so this is not a new trend...

Indeed, even my A90ex, Roland's Flagship 88 Keys Master- MIDI-Controller from 1996 (still the best MIDI-Controller available today), has a wooden bottom.

...wooden bottoms everywhere

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[simajanpa]

Can someone who owns one of the 61 or 73 key versions of the Kronos tell me if they have an MDF or metal bottoms.

Thanks
Paul

I don't own a Kronos, but I know that only the Kronos 61 has a metal bottom. The Kronos 73 and 88 have aMDF bottom...

-

This is correct.

Further, the Yamaha S80 also has a wood bottom, and that instrument is over a decade old, so this is not a new trend.

I'm not sure painting black would make anyone happy. The paint would scratch pretty easily.

I've NEVER seen anyone perform where I noticed or cared what the bottom of their keyboard looked like.

I guess never having owned an 88 fully weighted keyboard has kept me from knowing that this seems to be common practice.

I personally still want a 76 note synth though

Thanks for all the replies.

Paul

[Francois]

My only concern about the base is the fact Korg didn't plan a trap door to access ram slots and ssd easily. I wonder if the lack of trap door is due to using MDF as opposed to metal. With the PA1X for example, the trap door to add extra RAM of the VIF option was well designed. And that meant anybody could add RAM. With the Kronos, it's a chew to open the entire base to simply add another ram module.