Korg Kross 2

[Stargazer]

Looks like that good synth became even better.

http://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/kross2/

Interestingly, it has 128Mb free slot for future expansion. Two knobs. Pads.

Red line is gone.

Does anybody knows, is it backwards compatible with the Kross 1?

[sutekh]

With the two new knobs, can you select what they modify in real time? Cause it looks like you can. If so, that could be the most useful feature ever.

One thing missing from the Kross 2 is the handle, an extremely useful feature of the Kross 1.

[meatballfulton]

What jumped out at me:

-- Audio recording direct to SD card. Allows Kaossilator style overdubbing so you can add external audio parts.

-- USB audio interface.

[wladymeer]

Very short question - has anyone tried to use Kross 2 for multisample program? I mean, can you use its sampling options in a way all Triton series could?

I've found this article but not sure if it's valid or not: https://www.patreon.com/posts/korg-kross-1-or-14217998

just browsed through the Operation Guide and the Parameter Guide of Kross 2, specifically looking for info on "how to play samples": They can ONLY be played with the pads, not with the keyboard keys. Which means, they can't be played chromatically (that means if you sample a nice bell sound, you can't play a melody with that, you can just start and stop the sound in the original pitch).

For the sake of completeness: There is a function which converts the current pad samples to a sound program, so you actually CAN play the samples on the keyboard, but still not chromatically - the 16 samples will automatically be bound to keys C2-D#3.

[Matty_Boy]

I read some of the manual this morning and it does state that you can convert samples from the pads into a multisample to be used in a program. But I didn’t read it in detail so I’m not sure what the restrictions are in terms of number of samples and how it is mapped.

[highlandstudio91]

Looks like that good synth became even better.

http://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/kross2/

Interestingly, it has 128Mb free slot for future expansion. Two knobs. Pads.

Red line is gone.

Does anybody knows, is it backwards compatible with the Kross 1?

Honestly,I don't know why anyone even seriously considered the original Kross(as based on the physical aesthetics alone,I had to pass on it.)Also...the 88 key version had horrific action on it and due to it's very modest soundset,it was in dire need of an expansion option.
However...I was broadsided by a radical new version of the Kross,as the Kross 2 is absolutely brilliant!
When I had returned 2 defective Korg Krome's...I was done with Korg and hardware altogether,but the Kross 2 seduced me back into hardware.For me,the Kross 2 will serve as the ideal midi controller for my PC set up,but with some very nice bonuses(for the times when I just feel like creating without a computer.)
Don't really understand the backward compatibility thing,as I should think every Kross user would want to sell their Kross,in favor of a new Kross 2(but...to each his/her own,I guess.)

[highlandstudio91]

Very short question - has anyone tried to use Kross 2 for multisample program? I mean, can you use its sampling options in a way all Triton series could?

I've found this article but not sure if it's valid or not: https://www.patreon.com/posts/korg-kross-1-or-14217998

just browsed through the Operation Guide and the Parameter Guide of Kross 2, specifically looking for info on "how to play samples": They can ONLY be played with the pads, not with the keyboard keys. Which means, they can't be played chromatically (that means if you sample a nice bell sound, you can't play a melody with that, you can just start and stop the sound in the original pitch).

For the sake of completeness: There is a function which converts the current pad samples to a sound program, so you actually CAN play the samples on the keyboard, but still not chromatically - the 16 samples will automatically be bound to keys C2-D#3.

Wow...the guy in that link(Synthesaurus Rex)...is a rabid Kross fan-boy,as his level of fandom is not rational(very much like a Roland fan.)
In his article, he states that it doesn't matter which Kross you get(Kross,or Kross 2)...provided that you are not expecting wonders from a budget workstation and yet,when the Kross was released,all he did was complain on YouTube,about how Korg failed to fix all of the "major issues" with the first Kross and that all of the new features on the Kross 2,were just arbitrary and it was all about flash.
Included in his rant,he stated that the Kross 2 wasn't a real sampler(which seems to imply that just because the Kross 2 does not have all of the advanced features of a flagship Korg workstation sampler,it is therefore not an actual sampler,in the strictest sense.)
If that wasn't mental enough,he has the audacity to charge $40 per month,to join his club of tutorials on the Kross.How in the bloody hell,can anyone think to charge money for tutorials on such a simple keyboard(especially when Korg already has tutorial vids!)

[Matty_Boy]

I’ve just read the parameter guide and he is correct. You can convert 16 pad samples to a program but you cannot map them across the keyboard, it is fixed. What a missed opportunity, wha are the chances of them adding that in an update?

Here the excerpt:

In the converted program, each sample will correspond to the following keyboard regions:
(the same for KROSS 61-key and 88-key models)
Sample numbers: 01...16 → Keys: C2 - D#3

I guess the other option is to create our own expansion packs, but I don’t know if this is possible for a normal user.

[highlandstudio91]

I’ve just read the parameter guide and he is correct. You can convert 16 pad samples to a program but you cannot map them across the keyboard, it is fixed. What a missed opportunity, wha are the chances of them adding that in an update?

Here the excerpt:

In the converted program, each sample will correspond to the following keyboard regions:
(the same for KROSS 61-key and 88-key models)
Sample numbers: 01...16 → Keys: C2 - D#3

I guess the other option is to create our own expansion packs, but I don’t know if this is possible for a normal user.

Ummm...this is an entry level workstation,so why would a-n-y-o-n-e think that the Kross would have the same level of sampling features as that of a mid-grade or flagship Korg keyboard?Do any Roland products in this price range,have the ability to map sample across a key-bed??Whatever the case,I certainly wasn't expecting such a feature in the Kross 2.
If you ask me,Korg delivered a helluva lot more features in the Kross 2,over the old Kross(for the same price) and I for one,am very grateful and very pleased with what Korg has done.

[furqat.maestro]

Looks like that good synth became even better.

http://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/kross2/

Interestingly, it has 128Mb free slot for future expansion. Two knobs. Pads.

Red line is gone.

Does anybody knows, is it backwards compatible with the Kross 1?

Hello, gentlemen! How to use optional 128Mb optional memory? What to do? I tried Awave Studio, Kromatic, KSTool 2.0. But I could not download samples. Files META.IMG and SAMPLE.IMG Kross-2 does not see. Any ideas???

[kockpit]

It seems like you can use your own samples (recorded onto the pads, then converted) as a single multisample. If it actually works this way, is yet to be investigated. Sadly, no Kross 2 in Swedish stores yet.

This is what's stated in the parameter guide:

If you want to create a simple setup with only a single
Multisample, just set up Multisample1 as desired, and then set the
Threshold Velocity to 1 and the Crossfade (Crossfade Range) to
Off.

The banks are divided into three types: ROM, RAM, and option.
For each type, you can select either mono or stereo multisamples.

RamM, RamS: User multisamples. Samples that you sampled
using the pad sampler can be used by converting them.

[furqat.maestro]

It seems like you can use your own samples (recorded onto the pads, then converted) as a single multisample. If it actually works this way, is yet to be investigated. Sadly, no Kross 2 in Swedish stores yet.

This is what's stated in the parameter guide:

If you want to create a simple setup with only a single
Multisample, just set up Multisample1 as desired, and then set the
Threshold Velocity to 1 and the Crossfade (Crossfade Range) to
Off.

The banks are divided into three types: ROM, RAM, and option.
For each type, you can select either mono or stereo multisamples.

RamM, RamS: User multisamples. Samples that you sampled
using the pad sampler can be used by converting them.

Not so it is clear so far. How to contact the KORG staff? It would be good if they clarified this issue thoroughly.

[synthesaurus]

Hi guys. First of all: thank you for even noticing my nonsensical blabbering. And yes, I am a Kross fanboy of the worst kind. I'd rather compare myself to an iPhone fanboy. Let me correct some things that were said about me here:

1. "Complaining about Korg" is not "all I do" on Youtube. I do tutorial and review videos on Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/user/keepshowkeeper
2. Oh, it would be so great if every patron paid me 40 bucks per month! In reality, you can donate 1$ per month to the Synthesaurus project. You know, to say "thank you", or support me in general. And as a reward, you get stuff, like extra tutorials and free patches.
https://www.patreon.com/synthesaurus

Btw, it's because of haters like highlandstudio91 I'm trying to avoid this forum.

[Koekepan]

Honestly,I don't know why anyone even seriously considered the original Kross(as based on the physical aesthetics alone,I had to pass on it.)

Low cost.

Low weight.

Very portable, with handle (61 key version).

Genuine linear sequencer with reasonable entry options, including live recording from external controllers.

Serviceable sound set.

Battery operation.

USB MIDI controller.

MIDI DIN for acting as master keyboard for all my other MIDI devices.

Sound engine responds to aftertouch.

Incorporates a vocoder.

I don't know about you, but for me the Kross was not only a great buy, but it's still in my stable and I have no plans to sell it on.

[dfahrner]

Low cost.

Low weight.

Very portable, with handle (61 key version).

Genuine linear sequencer with reasonable entry options, including live recording from external controllers.

Serviceable sound set.

Battery operation.

USB MIDI controller.

MIDI DIN for acting as master keyboard for all my other MIDI devices.

Sound engine responds to aftertouch.

Incorporates a vocoder.

...and the original Kross can load user samples too - OK, it's not easy to do, it helps if you've done some previous sample work and have an engineering background (!)...and with the light weight, that handle is the best feature, too bad it's gone on the new version...

df