Buy New Kronos 2 or wait for the next upgrade?

[Hellcliff]

Hi all, i want to buy New Kronos 2 73 keys, and i have been thinking, is it a right time to buy it, or wait for the next "kronos", it has been 7 years since 2011 kronos launched.

please give me your advice. thanks.

[robertaramar]

the Kronos 2 with OS version 3 was announced in November 2014

[Hellcliff]

the Kronos 2 with OS version 3 was announced in November 2014

Hi, thanks for the reply
yes kronos 2 was announced in 2014, but the kronos series starts in 2011, my point is, is korg will move on into another series like oasys (2005) to kronos (2011)? it was 6 years.

[19naia]

What Next Upgrade?
When? In a few years?
Looks like the latest upgrade was released a week ago and it was the same old Kronos 2 that was first released in 2014 or 2015, and it did not even come with a new OS version last week.

A wait would mean indefinite, possibly years and possibly never again.

I doubt anyone could be sure how long of a wait and if what you are waiting for will come in the form of what you expect.

What if they just release a software version of kronos?
With major OS/system upgrades and then release a controller keyboard that can work the various software synths and more -that Korg has been putting out?

You could wait if you already have something good to hold you over indefinitely.
If you can afford to buy what is avaialable now, and still be able to afford to upgrade when the time comes, even if you have to sell, then it is worth it.
Especially if you are not familiar with kronos operation and features.
It can take a long time learning Kronos.

Right now, if the next generation Kronos came out, i would not jump on it. I would keep my Kronos 2 and continue focus on putting together a computer and software extension to Kronos. And maybe wait years before even considering upgrading to the next generation.
Unless i made a surprise bigger amount of extra money that year, and it was enough to upgrade to next kronos without leaving a scratch on my wallet. Then i would upgrade right away as well as have computer and software DAW +synths.

The people getting the most out of kronos, are the ones pairing it with computer and software as well as other synths.
Kronos has capabilities beyond its own processing power, so i end up using iPad synths to add to Kronos mix and also external hardware drum machine to stack the combined processing power of all those devices into working for kronos sound stacking.
That is why i am focused next on computer and software upgrades. The latest laptop is my interest because i know it will come with all the processing power and software flexibility i need.
I doubt even a next generation kronos would come with all that, and that is what i am really lacking -even with current Kronos being more than i actually need in many other regards.

[GregC]

Hi all, i want to buy New Kronos 2 73 keys, and i have been thinking, is it a right time to buy it, or wait for the next "kronos", it has been 7 years since 2011 kronos launched.

please give me your advice. thanks.

I think its best to look long term at a purchase like this,

For the performing keyboardist, the K is not even close to being outdated.

No one knows anything of Korgs plans, its all guess work. If you are thinking a Kronos replacement, some are thinking 2020.

There is the NAMM factor which is January. Only 4 months away. You could play a waiting game, and possibly catch a price drop.

Some dealers in the US are pushing Kronos refurbs with a warranty. Financially, that seems like a good alternative.

As you noticed, it seems that almost all owners love their K's. There is no price on that feeling. Depending on your music plans, the time to buy was yesterday.

[Hellcliff]

What Next Upgrade?
When? In a few years?
Looks like the latest upgrade was released a week ago and it was the same old Kronos 2 that was first released in 2014 or 2015, and it did not even come with a new OS version last week.

A wait would mean indefinite, possibly years and possibly never again......

Hi @19naia, thanks for your reply.
you opened my confused and uncertain mind .

you have a lot of strong point why i should buy it if i can afford it and not to wait the uncertainty.

i will let you know when i already have my own kronos .

really appreciate your thought. thanks again :

[Hellcliff]

Hi all, i want to buy New Kronos 2 73 keys, and i have been thinking, is it a right time to buy it, or wait for the next "kronos", it has been 7 years since 2011 kronos launched.

please give me your advice. thanks.

I think its best to look long term at a purchase like this,

For the performing keyboardist, the K is not even close to being outdated.

No one knows anything of Korgs plans, its all guess work. If you are thinking a Kronos replacement, some are thinking 2020.

There is the NAMM factor which is January. Only 4 months away. You could play a waiting game, and possibly catch a price drop.

Some dealers in the US are pushing Kronos refurbs with a warranty. Financially, that seems like a good alternative.

As you noticed, it seems that almost all owners love their K's. There is no price on that feeling. Depending on your music plans, the time to buy was yesterday.

Hi, thanks for the reply

if it is not 2019, i think i will go for kronos even it is replaced in 2020, thanks for the info

nice alternative, i will think about it.

and yeah, i already asked many many people, and not a single musician dislike kronos, they all lovee it

thanks again!

[Liviou2004]

It's the way the human being is done : he always wants more, better and so on...
I do agree with all that has been said : the Kronos is an amazing unit. As I told in another thread, I'm considering it as a complete studio (without speakers of course !).
If you're not afraid of spending many, many, many....times in working and discovering its huge possibilities, then for sure you won't be disapointed !

[Lightbringer]

I went through this same process at the end of last year.

The only thing I can add to the discussion that hasn't already been well said is this. If you buy a Kronos today, and Korg happen to release a new workstation model in the future, it's not like the Kronos's value will suddenly drop to 0. It may take a hit, but I'm sure it will still have a high resale value.

Then again, it may not take that much of a hit. It's possible a new workstation design could eliminate some desirable features in exchange for cost.

The Oasys seems to retain its value pretty well. Haven't looked at Motifs lately, but I imagine they are still pretty desirable. Yamaha dropped some desirable features from their workstation line after the Motif.

[blazerunner]

Korg keyboard are always a stable music investment. When Korg puts out a Keyboard it usually sticks for a good while before they discontinue it. In some cases it exists forever like the MicroKorg hehe.

I brought my Korg Triton in 99' and I've used it for 19 years because that's how long it took for me to feel that the Keyboard needed to be updated. In that time I watched Korg drop a lot of synths but Korgs and even though I would play around with those synths too I never felt like I was that far behind the ball even with my ol' Triton. I even laughed when I first played the Kronos at the music store because it had a lot of Triton sounds in it. HD of course but it was still the same ol' Korg stuff.

If you think that a "new" Korg release would push a Kronos aside I'd say most likely not. Korgs advances in Keyboards make sense but they're never exactly earth shattering over the previous version. They go in and fix things and add things. I could say that at best they take their time to give people what they want. Like the Trinity vs. the Triton.

If there was a next gen Kronos it would be the same format with a better screen display,probably a few more synth engines, added features to their previous synth engines, updated and bigger drives & more up to date processors.

Unlike computers....synths are hard to make obsolete. It's only outdated when you find you no longer have a use for it sounds.

[matro]

I have not even seen any rumors about a replacement/upgrade of Kronos.
The LS from 2017 still is the same as Kronos 2 internally.
I know a lot of people hope for a new version with increased polyphony, Kronohacker and others have shown that it is possible to get 200 for all engines. I don't think that Korg is interested in that.

[Rigel]

After having six years spent with my Kronos, I've just got to grips with it. I can realize anything that comes to my mind instantly now. I won't bother another 5-6 years to learn how to manage another monster. I love my K and it will stay with me to the grave.

[leonh]

Biggest frustration for every musician is where in the heat of creating a song an instrument is not capable of making that idea into the reality and for me Kronos did never disappoint me and I had many keyboards I always fell that Kronos can do more than I am capable off save for geniuses out there who need much more.

[Bachus]

Buy a used first series kronos, and then use that as a downpayment whenever a kronos replacement arives..

We have no idea when a new kronos arives, could be nex month, could be never..

[Kronos2ison]

Korg is riding this Kronos pretty hard. Hopefully a new successor releases in January.