Korg Nautilus - seems like a Kronos in many ways

SeedyLee · Post by **SeedyLee** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 12:20 am

No, it’s not bad. But it’s also not cheap. It’s competing against the likes of the MODX and Montage, which are arguably better performance keyboards.

The market for Nautilus buyers can be split into two categories: those who don’t already own a Kronos, and those that do. For those that own a Kronos is the Nautilus a compelling proposition? Probably not - unless they’re looking for a second board or a new board to replace their ageing Kronos. For those that do own a Kronos, one has to ask why they haven’t bought one over the past ten years, and if the Nautilus changes the value proposition for them. I can’t see many people saying “hmm, the Kronos finally has an ARP now, so time to finally mash that buy button” or “always wanted a Kronos, but never liked the sounds - but these new sounds are amazing”. I also can’t see price being a factor - the Nautilus today is actually more expensive than the Kronos was 5-7 years ago, and is only marginally less expensive today than the Kronos currently is. I just can’t see people suddenly contemplating a Nautilus when the Kronos wasn’t previously an option because of a 15-20% price drop.

Just doesn’t make sense.

Incidentally, last time I checked the Kronos was still outselling the Nautilus on Thomman…

GregC · Post by **GregC** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 12:47 am

SeedyLee wrote:N

Just doesn’t make sense.

Incidentally, last time I checked the Kronos was still outselling the Nautilus on Thomman…

I agree, it doesn't IMO, as a 10 yr Kronos owner

I have no compelling reason to spend $2500. And " not bad " isn't a convincing train of thought.

I am fine waiting for Korg to eventually wake up , hopefully sometime 2022.

nitecrawler · Post by **nitecrawler** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 1:57 pm

SeedyLee wrote:No, it’s not bad. But it’s also not cheap. It’s competing against the likes of the MODX and Montage, which are arguably better performance keyboards.

The market for Nautilus buyers can be split into two categories: those who don’t already own a Kronos, and those that do. For those that own a Kronos is the Nautilus a compelling proposition? Probably not - unless they’re looking for a second board or a new board to replace their ageing Kronos. For those that do own a Kronos, one has to ask why they haven’t bought one over the past ten years,.

Just doesn’t make sense.

Well, let me give you my perspective on your discussion. I have NOT owned a Kronos for the last ten years. Why? Well its design and build materials did not compel me to drop my Oasys for what it offered. Secondly, neither does the build quality of the Yamahas. Now, a keyboard has come along that raises the build quality and simplifies the menu diving by providing enough knob options for live use and provides so many fresh modern sounds. The price is better and I do not have to worry about using a 10 or 18 year old machine out gigging. The arguments proffered seem to be slanted towards justifying staying with their old machines. And that is fine but it does not engage me into wanting to buy into what they like or have. It was an easy choice for me to add the Nautilus to my studio to complement my Oasys and Pa3xle as my main go to boards. And for gigging, the Nautilus should cover my needs just fine.

GregC · Post by **GregC** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 6:46 pm

nitecrawler wrote:[q

Why? Well its design and build materials did not compel me to drop my Oasys for what it offered.

Secondly, neither does the build quality of the Yamahas. )

Thats news to me about "Yamaha's "

How about more of your story on that ?

Lou Sevens · Post by **Lou Sevens** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 9:56 pm

I feel as though my Nautilus is as solid as my original Yamaha Motif 6 from 2002- that at 61 keys was solidly built at around 33 pounds with a nice keybed and none of the modern day plastic cost cutting.

I represent the segment of people that do not own a Kronos- I thought the Kronos was overpriced compared to the Nautilus but that is just me not wanting to pay $3k.

In hindsight- I was wrong and likely should have gotten one given how the least few years were.

However, as I stated above I got 20% + $339 back for the Krome and another 8% credits- I am a businessman as well as a bluesman and classic rock player.

Some of my VST's could be better no doubt- but this will pair nicely with my Electrovoice

nitecrawler · Post by **nitecrawler** » Tue Jun 29, 2021 12:54 am

GregC wrote:
nitecrawler wrote:[q

Why? Well its design and build materials did not compel me to drop my Oasys for what it offered.

Secondly, neither does the build quality of the Yamahas. )
Thats news to me about "Yamaha's "

How about more of your story on that ?[/quote

I'll bite. Modx = a lot of plastic. Montage = sluggish keybed.

SeedyLee · Post by **SeedyLee** » Tue Jun 29, 2021 4:31 am

The MODX is also half the price of the Nautilus, and is more equivalent in price to the Krome. I would argue the MODX has better build quality than the Krome, but they’re pretty similar.

The old Motifs were built like tanks. I wish Yamaha still offered the XF.

GregC · Post by **GregC** » Tue Jun 29, 2021 5:13 pm

nitecrawler wrote:
GregC wrote:
nitecrawler wrote:[q

Why? Well its design and build materials did not compel me to drop my Oasys for what it offered.

Secondly, neither does the build quality of the Yamahas. )
Thats news to me about "Yamaha's "

How about more of your story on that ?[/quote

I'll bite. Modx = a lot of plastic. Montage = sluggish keybed.
"lot of plastic ". Co's such as Yamaha and Roland listened to keyboardists who demanded more light weight boards. So they used plastic mold approach on the MODX, Roland FA, etc etc.

Anyway, the MODX is definitely solid with the tightly plastic mold approach.

I haven't heard that the Montage has a sluggish key bed. Opinions about key bed feel are all over the map.

SeedyLee · Post by **SeedyLee** » Wed Jun 30, 2021 3:11 am

I think it’s more the UI that has been reported as being sluggish on the MODX than the key bed, Greg

nitecrawler · Post by **nitecrawler** » Thu Jul 01, 2021 3:34 pm

GregC wrote:
nitecrawler wrote:
GregC wrote: Thats news to me about "Yamaha's "

How about more of your story on that ?[/quote

I'll bite. Modx = a lot of plastic. Montage = sluggish keybed.
"lot of plastic ". Co's such as Yamaha and Roland listened to keyboardists who demanded more light weight boards. So they used plastic mold approach on the MODX, Roland FA, etc etc.

Anyway, the MODX is definitely solid with the tightly plastic mold approach.

I haven't heard that the Montage has a sluggish key bed. Opinions about key bed feel are all over the map.
Let me refer you to the Montage 7 review on Sound on Sound to further clarify the keybed issues. And, as for plastic, like the ModX if it works for you then great. For me, I will pass. I like what Korg has done on the Nautilus 7 and the Oasys 76. Metal works for me. So we will disagree on this.

GregC · Post by **GregC** » Thu Jul 01, 2021 6:56 pm

nitecrawler wrote:[.

Let me refer you to the Montage 7 review on Sound on Sound to further clarify the keybed issues. And, as for plastic, like the ModX if it works for you then great. For me, I will pass. I like what Korg has done on the Nautilus 7 and the Oasys 76. Metal works for me. So we will disagree on this.

[/quote]

its not about disagreement. I don't follow comparing a $1600 MODX 7 with a $7000 Oasys or a $2400 Nautilus 73.

You get what you pay for. Its fine you are happy with your 2 key board choices.

korgiefanatic · Post by **korgiefanatic** » Wed Sep 01, 2021 9:08 pm

i still think the kronos x i have is amazing all these years later...same with my m3

rbox · Post by **rbox** » Sun Oct 24, 2021 12:00 pm

jimknopf wrote:The double annoyance is that Korg
- a) offers the updated sounds only on an inferior device with a ridiculously poor controller surface, not at all suited for serious live play
- b) so far (since many months) leaves the flagship Kronos without the urgently needed EP updates, which they could easily implement there as well.

That's just offering whack different kinds of shortcomings, not making much sense, across their keyboards, in classical bad Rolandesque manner. Does anyone at Korg seriously think, that they could make the bad controller surface of the Nautilus more attractive by adding a few updated sounds, which they so far deny being bought and used by gigging keyboarders using a Kronos???

I don't recognize and understand this company any longer. Their whole famous flagship workstation spirit seems to have vanished into thin air since some years meanwhile.

Korg Nautilus is already an outdated Product, a cheap and dowgraded Spinoff from the unfinished Oasys. I cannot see any Evolving Development/Progress compare to Spectrasonics Omnisphere or Roland Fantoms.

-Cheap Keys with no Aftertouch
-less Knobs and Controls compare to the Oasys
-no Sequencer Update after 16 Years(that says all)
-thinner and softer Sound compare to the Oasys, because it has a cheaper Outputstage and D/A Converters.
-no Granularsynthesis and Wavetables
-no any Update to the Plugins, no new Synthplugins
-Hd-1 Sampleplayer is completely a joke compare what you can do with Spectrasonics Omnisphere
-Outdated Samplecontent compare to VST Librarys in the PC World
-poor Dynamics when you play Acoustic Instruments compare to Omnisphere
-bad sounding Effects , far behind modern VST Effects

what were they thinking at korg? I do not get it.

korgiefanatic · Post by **korgiefanatic** » Thu Nov 04, 2021 8:41 pm

just got a kronos 88 ex new old stock in box NOS)..Is it still a good board I mean i will have to do alot of updates i think to get where everything is now...? Is the nautilus a better board? can i just update with the latest firmware of the kronos or do i have to do it in steps?