What's your Lower Tier if your Kronos is an Upper Tier?

Derek Cook · Post by **Derek Cook** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 7:56 pm

Thanks for all the comments on the thread. I have been listening.

Need to research a few of the suggestions; in the meantime I have an EX5 and a spare EX5 as my lower tier, so can take my time to check them out.

BillW · Post by **BillW** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:08 pm

I've got a PX-350 under mine. It's on channel 2, acting strictly as a controller. I use a Midi Solutions box to inject expression pedal into the MIDI feed from the PX-350 to the Kronos since the Casio doesn't have an expression pedal input.

ferchis · Post by **ferchis** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:14 pm

BillW, how do you like the PX350? I had the 330 and sold it to purchase the K88, but I'm aching to have a fantastic key action such as the 350 in a lightweight piano

BillW · Post by **BillW** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 12:10 am

ferchis wrote:BillW, how do you like the PX350? I had the 330 and sold it to purchase the K88, but I'm aching to have a fantastic key action such as the 350 in a lightweight piano

I love it! I have a Kronos X73 and prefer the feel of the PX-350. I play a lot of the harder solos on it (Supper's Ready, Cinema Show). I've been gigging with it for a couple of years and haven't had a single issue with it.

ferchis · Post by **ferchis** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:28 am

I'm really interested in the key action. is it sturdy or hard? (I'd love it if it were!)

CaptLego · Post by **CaptLego** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 2:51 am

I use a K88 as my main board, and only board when I can. When needed, I'll add an upper board based on either the action or sounds. Some shows are actually scored for Roland XP-80's sounds. If the Kronos is supplying the sounds, then the upper board is selected for either a semi-weighted synth action or a VK-8 for a waterfall keyboard.

BillW · Post by **BillW** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 5:08 pm

ferchis wrote:I'm really interested in the key action. is it sturdy or hard? (I'd love it if it were!)

To me, it just feels more like a piano than the K73/88 keybed. It's maybe a bit less "stiff" than the RH3.

djcactus · Post by **djcactus** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:59 am

just posted this in another thread:

If you have money flying out the rear why not shell out for the 97 key LACHNIT. Say goodbye to transposing keys to get your austrian extended bass.(and money of course)

http://www.flkeys.at/Products.html#Mode ... erial_97:_

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:10 am

I love the name. Must be a Dutch thing.

hand solo · Post by **hand solo** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:36 pm

Kronos 61 on top (2nd SSD and 3G RAM expansion)

Nord Electro 3 or 4, or Nord Stage 2 73 or Stage 2 76 on bottom. Generally gig with the Electro...very easy real-time tweaking.

Derek Cook · Post by **Derek Cook** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:11 pm

hand solo wrote:Kronos 61 on top (2nd SSD and 3G RAM expansion)

Nord Electro 3 or 4, or Nord Stage 2 73 or Stage 2 76 on bottom. Generally gig with the Electro...very easy real-time tweaking.

As a Nord G2 Engine owner (and huge fan of) , I had wondered about a Nord Stage, but, in your experience, what would it give me that the Kronos doesn't do?

hand solo · Post by **hand solo** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:27 pm

in general i like the hands-on tweaking of the Nord Electros without going thru menus....the Stage does a lot more but also is more complicated. it has the dedicated Synth section that the Electro lacks....plus a Mod Wheel, pitch bend, splits, and more memory for samples.

if i had to use just one board, it would be the Kronos. but i need two to gig, and the Electro gets the vote...honestly i haven't had the Stages long enough to fully explore their potential.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:41 pm

I second the Nord interface on the Stage and Electro. It's great, a real joy to play. It's also the complete opposite of the interface (and flexibility!) of the G2! They're both red, but that's about as far as the similarities go.

Derek Cook · Post by **Derek Cook** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:59 pm

SanderXpander wrote:I second the Nord interface on the Stage and Electro. It's great, a real joy to play. It's also the complete opposite of the interface (and flexibility!) of the G2! They're both red, but that's about as far as the similarities go.

My Nord G2 Engine user interface is a little on the simple side....

In actual fact when I first got it, I found it a little formidable, as it wasn't even obvious how to control it from MIDI, and it's the only way you can control it! So I took quite a punt on it when I purchased it (bargain at £400 new in 2005). But what an amazing box. I still think it's my best analog VA, followed by the AN1x. The Kronos AL-1 does a good job of course and I am getting it closer to the Nord lead sounds I used live.

I viewed the Nord G2 Engine as the go faster stripe in my gig rack!

Derek Cook · Post by **Derek Cook** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 10:04 pm

hand solo wrote:in general i like the hands-on tweaking of the Nord Electros without going thru menus....the Stage does a lot more but also is more complicated. it has the dedicated Synth section that the Electro lacks....plus a Mod Wheel, pitch bend, splits, and more memory for samples.

if i had to use just one board, it would be the Kronos. but i need two to gig, and the Electro gets the vote...honestly i haven't had the Stages long enough to fully explore their potential.

Thanks. How do the organs and EP compare to the Kronos?

I still like gigging my EX5 (I feel a bit safer now I have a spare) as it makes an excellent controller keyboard and its FDSP modelled electric pianos still hold their own, although I am now finding the Kronos EPs more natural sounding. I only use the EX5 for a handful of sounds live now (the Kronos does most now, and it allowed me to retire my rack). I use a sync lead sound using EX5 AN (nearly a mono AN1x) for 'Floyd's "On The Run" and that lead sound still blows everything else out of the water for that song!

It's been a great thread to see what everybody is using. If my gigging gets regular enough again to invest in a second board (the Kronos was the big splash out last year, along with an authentic Strat and GR55), then I have plenty of options to check out!