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Back to the Future IV
the realization by Korg of VSTi Triton is really very well conceived and the playability is superb with the Kronos

The fact that Kronos is still a product offering and rarely addressed is a testament to just how forward thinking the team that designed it is. Sometimes I consider just selling all my other synths and concentrating all my efforts on it, as I know I'm only about 20% competent with the full implementation.

It could, however, use a major sequencer overhaul. The lack of piano roll and the very painful event list make editing sequences take a back seat to just re-recording parts.

There are a few other things that bug me, one of them being the fact that when I want to assign AMS, the list of available choices is not always complete. But if I knew more I'd probably realize there's a reason for this....

yeskeys wrote:The fact that Kronos is still a product offering and rarely addressed is a testament to just how forward thinking the team that designed it is. Sometimes I consider just selling all my other synths and concentrating all my efforts on it, as I know I'm only about 20% competent with the full implementation.

It could, however, use a major sequencer overhaul. The lack of piano roll and the very painful event list make editing sequences take a back seat to just re-recording parts.

There are a few other things that bug me, one of them being the fact that when I want to assign AMS, the list of available choices is not always complete. But if I knew more I'd probably realize there's a reason for this....

Agree - they nearly future-proofed it save for advances in hardware tech. I think the fact that it's been so stagnant leads to the strong speculation that they're coming out with a replacement every year around this time. Yet they seem to keep not doing that.

Sequencer overhaul would be nice. There are one or more threads here on the Kronos board with lots of feature requests. It would be really cool to see them pick off some of the lower hanging fruit from those.

I'd be wiling to pay for an OS upgrade with some real meat to it, if they're planning to keep the Kronos around for a while. I like the way they did it with the K2 - OS upgrade is free, buy the new expertly programmed sound pack that takes advantage of it.

What is this silver shell they're showing at NAMM? Apparently booth staff is clueless.

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A chrome Krome replacement prototype? Sonic State says it is the Nautilus: https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Zxd9BB2fX/

A 61 and 88 key version would suggest some sort of workstation, but there are just a few buttons and knobs and no sliders which seem to contradict the notion of a workstation. Unless KORG has decided to bring back menu diving as an homage to the nineties (which I doubt very much).

I think the shell is too sketchy for serious guess work.

There are no bank buttons. The mode buttons are gone.

And lets remember , Korg makes a Krome.

Looks like a new Krome to me.

Or it could be just a curiosity prop. A shiney chassis.

We need more info.

I noticed they had two Kronos there. They were the platinum colors again, but the end caps were a natural wood color. Not sure what that keyboard was all about. Haven't seen a video showing it yet, just a video with it passing in the background.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-f7MAjrcj4 Go to 7:00

you have a good eye. I finally spotted the natural wood end caps.

My guess its a color/chassis variation on the K2.

Since Korg is not making a big deal of it, its not a big deal.

Eventually a product specialist will demo it with video. Maybe today.

GregC wrote:I think the shell is too sketchy for serious guess work.

There are no bank buttons. The mode buttons are gone.

And lets remember , Korg makes a Krome.

Looks like a new Krome to me.

Or it could be just a curiosity prop. A shiney chassis.

We need more info.

You’re right, I forgot what the current Krome looks like.
I still don’t understand why KORG would want to leave out sliders, even on a midrange.
The choice of the name would suggest something entirely new instead of a spin-off from the KRONOS.
Maybe it’s a spin-off from the upcoming successor of the Kronos, the Naughty - Nautilus line up?

GregC wrote:you have a good eye. I finally spotted the natural wood end caps.

My guess its a color/chassis variation on the K2.

Since Korg is not making a big deal of it, its not a big deal.

Eventually a product specialist will demo it with video. Maybe today.

Yes Greg, after this last year great Korg invention and creation : the RPK (Red Painted Kronos) we are going to discover the 2020 Korg new creation : the SPK (the Silver Painted Kronos) !!

Sorry, I'm a bit ironic !

Jan1 wrote:

GregC wrote:I think the shell is too sketchy for serious guess work.

There are no bank buttons. The mode buttons are gone.

And lets remember , Korg makes a Krome.

Looks like a new Krome to me.

Or it could be just a curiosity prop. A shiney chassis.

We need more info.

You’re right, I forgot what the current Krome looks like.
I still don’t understand why KORG would want to leave out sliders, even on a midrange.
The choice of the name would suggest something entirely new instead of a spin-off from the KRONOS.
Maybe it’s a spin-off from the upcoming successor of the Kronos, the Naughty - Nautilus line up?

I noticed that most of Korg's new/2020 hardware based products are under $2200. [ IMO, the SV2 is way over priced].

I wonder if this is a conscious trend by Korg to avoid playing in the + $3000 keyboard niche. Which can be very fickle. Sure, Korg grand slammed with Kronos but that was then.

A thought that Korg might " MODX-ify" the Kronos. Strip down some features and boost up processing. Have a shiny flashy chassis and go for $2499 for a 88. And less for 73, 61.

Krome is cheap at $999. I think Korg stopped making them. So that concept is out of the way.

A shiney Kronos MODX [ or nilly willy Nautilus] would be a 'safe ' product for Korg to crank out.

It would potentially undercut Fantom and share the mid price 'performance synth ' space with Yamaha's MODX.

This is another reason why I am in no hurry to spring $4000 for Fantom.
I am suspicious Korg has an answer - they can spring it anytime this year.
And not need another NAMM. I tend to watch Kronos prices at US retail, Korg
dropped the 61 Kronos to $2727.

That tells me they are trying to clear out Kronos 61 units at retail and distribution. Or maybe its tariff, hard to say.

Don't go by my tea leaves. But these little hints get the tea pot warm.

GregC wrote:
This is another reason why I am in no hurry to spring $4000 for Fantom.
I am suspicious Korg has an answer - they can spring it anytime this year.
And not need another NAMM. I tend to watch Kronos prices at US retail, Korg
dropped the 61 Kronos to $2471.

That tells me they are trying to clear out Kronos 61 units at retail and distribution.

Don't go by my tea leaves. But these little hints get the tea pot warm.

Sweetwater dropped the price of the Kronos 61 to $2727.99. Who is selling it for $2471?

right you are, good catch. Corrected my typo

Thanks for everyone's thoughts on this! So if Korg is showing Platinum Kronos 2s with different end-caps, they surely are current, new product and there is no new Kronos 3, agreed? Although the button-holes on the silver shell don't line-up exactly with the Krome's, it would makes sense: "chrome," "Krome."