Am I the last happy owner?

[djjack]

I had Korg Krome Gold in 2016 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH7cSsC0cXg) and last week I bought a new Korg Krome EX. I want to say that I don't realy understand all this hate about this workstation! It's so good piece of gear for a just 650$. Yes, the keybed is not the best on the market (especially lack of aftertouch) , but I also have Korg PA4x. However Krome EX built like a tank and doesn't have any issues of original Krome. It can be very powerful if You use it in right direction. I had Roland FA-06, Juno DS, Yamaha MOXF and I like Korg Krome EX more in almost every discipline. Is anyone still using it here in 2025 ?

[dexman]

I can't say that I've owned a Krome. The last keyboard that I used was a Triton Pro X which was replaced a few years ago with a Nautilus AT (88 keys). From what I've read about the Krome and subsequent variants...the lack of aftertouch was a real negative given its selling price. With many keyboards in the marketplace, aftertouch is largely standard on premium models. To omit it seems like a questionable decision.

With the Krome about to be retired, it will be interesting to see what owners say about it in the months & years to come.

[Gargamel314]

Aftertouch must be pretty expensive to implement in a keybed. Korg has been doing that with many of its keyboards lately to make products more affordable. Truth is, I don't really use it much, but when I need it, it's nice to have. You really can reproduce it with the joystick though, it's not really that special, so I can see their reasoning as to cutting it to make products more affordable. When they left it off the Nautilus, people really complained about that.

I did look at the Krome years ago to keep at work, It seems like it's basically replaced the M3 in terms of functionality, but Korg did it's thing where they omitted features to save money, but didn't really add anything new. M3 had one of the best semiweighted keybeds I ever played on, it's a shame they didn't use that on the Krome.

[Scott]

Krome EX built like a tank and doesn't have any issues of original Krome.

I prefer the original Krome. The legends are much easier to read, the EX legends are much more likely to become unreadable depending on lighting conditions and viewing angle. Also, Korg makes an editor for the original Krome, but not for the EX (though I don't know if the original Krome editor runs on the latest version of MacOS/Windows).

I don't really use {aftertouch} much, but when I need it, it's nice to have. You really can reproduce it with the joystick though, it's not really that special

The problem with using the joystick instead is that it doesn't help if you're using your other hand to play another part (whether on the same board or a different one). I'm often playing chords or LH bass with my left hand while playing leads, so cannot introduce modulation. People sometimes say you can just use a pedal then, but it's not at all the same. Even if you have a spare pedal jack, it's more stuff to bring/connect; it does not feel as organic to your playing (bringing a pedal up and down, compared to pushing on the key for the effect and having it automatically stop when you release); and you also have to deal with whether the pedal was in the right position to begin with.

did look at the Krome years ago to keep at work, It seems like it's basically replaced the M3 in terms of functionality, but Korg did it's thing where they omitted features to save money, but didn't really add anything new. M3 had one of the best semiweighted keybeds I ever played on, it's a shame they didn't use that on the Krome.

M3 was replaced by Kronos. It did use that nice M3 action, and added a lot that was new, though some people preferred the M3's sequencer and pads.

Krome was the replacement for the M50. Better in some ways (like better screen, better pianos/EPs, a Find function), not as good in others (like knob functionality, chord memory, boot time), but basically very similar, even able to read M50 program files.

The M50 was the replacement for the TR... which did have aftertouch, along with assignable outs and sampling that were also removed for the M50. But the M50 did add a number of enhancements of its own.