Korg is making the upgrade from K to K2 impossible

Francois · Post by **Francois** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 2:48 pm

How many sales are Korg going to lose because people cannot transfer libraries bought for a Kronos if they buy a Kronos 2?

There should be a mechanism that allows the return or deactivation of the libraries so you can transfer them to a new machine. Not sure how feasible it is, but it would help cross-selling.

For example, that system could include a deactivation producing a stamp file to return to Korg to prove that the original serial or public ID has been deactivated and then Korg would issue a new serial and/or a new ID for the Kronos. That way, it can be sold on the used market to somebody who has to buy libraries and won't be able to use the old ones that had been installed and authorised, whilst the original purchaser of the libraries can enjoy them on his/her Kronos 2.

To me, this sounds like a fair arrangement.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 2:54 pm

I agree philosophically, but why would you upgrade to a K2 if OS 3 is available for all of us? Wouldn't it always be cheaper to just buy the new libraries?

Francois · Post by **Francois** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 2:59 pm

This goes beyond a simple K to K2 upgrade. For example, it could have been put in place when the Kronos was released for Oasys owners wanting to buy a Kronos. Same remark regarding libraries/options bought on a PA1X and transferred to a PA2X, etc. The mechanism should be in place as it would benefit other Korg applications, since I presume the authorisation system is that same as was first introduced on the Oasys and PA1X.

As for why you would want to buy a K2, I'd says simply "why not?". Personally, I'm not going to do so, but I'm sure there are K owners out there who are thinking about it but won't do it because of the libraries issue.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 3:04 pm

Again, I agree philosophically, I just don't see this as the best example.

black953mj · Post by **black953mj** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 3:55 pm

Here is maybe a better example.

Let's say I'm a regularly gigging musician who uses his Kronos extensively. Over the years time and use take its toll and it a replacement is needed. If purchased libraries where transferable, and the player in question bought quite a few, there would be a large incentive to buy another Kronos.

Without transfers that hook is not available and may actually cause the replacement shopper the be annoyed enough at korg to consider other options more seriously.

"Really? These sounds are compatible but I can't deregister from one board and use on another? That's annoying, might as well see what is out there. "

Just a possible scenario.

GregC · Post by **GregC** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 4:11 pm

putting on my cold corporate electronics company hat.

appears to me that Korg has essentially sold out the original Kronos and the X.

so the lack of an easy Library transfer has not impeded sales of the flagship. We all agree the current restriction is overly expensive.

I really think Korg should offer 2 tier pricing on the Libraries. really cheap for the 2nd purchase. But this assumes they have perfect Kronos owner data base management. Its my wild guess that 2 tier pricing might be difficult to manage with accuracy.

This should have been thought out 4 years ago, IMO. Of course, its not easy to predict what will be a success when creating a flagship keyboard. I think loyal Korg Kronos owners should be accommodated , possibly get offered a " Loyalty Program ".

dfahrner · Post by **dfahrner** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 7:18 pm

...and it seems like if you own more than one KRONOS, you shouldn't have to buy multiple copies of an EXs library (backup / studio instruments aren't used at the same time)...I complained to Korg USA about this, but they said it was Korg corporate policy, so I wrote to Korg in Japan, and never got a reply...if there was a more reasonable policy (a key, or a reduced price for the second copy, or ???) Korg would probably sell more EXs libraries - I'd buy a few tomorrow...

df

LivePsy · Post by **LivePsy** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 9:18 pm

Any hardware has a lifespan. Buying a license for software which cannot be transferred to new hardware is a Microsoft strategy (since we're all so proud the Kronos is not a Windows computer). Purchasing the EXs libraries doesn't make sense to me. Keyboards come and go around me too often to have a platform dependent sound library.

PS I rarely sell anything in fact, but the amount of gear plugged in is limited. I can gurarantee the Kronos won't be permanently plugged in my setup in 10 years time.

B

levioter · Post by **levioter** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 9:28 pm

Francois I totally agree with you ! Korg should provide us a way to insure that each library bought for a certain Kronos ID are not lost when you want to use another Kronos either because it is a new Kronos2 or Kronos x replacement !
I think for the Kronos the usb key licenser may be a good solution.
This would insure to Korg a better selling point for the sound libraries !

Cheers

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 10:20 pm

Some kind of Dongle or E-license makes sense to me too. If I could afford to have 2 Kronos', 1 for my studio and 1 for live, I most certainly would want to be able to have whatever sound libraries that I bought put onto whichever machine I want without having to buy the libraries twice.

I'd be curious to hear from some of the sound designers out there to hear what they have to say about this.

Bald Eagle · Post by **Bald Eagle** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 12:39 am

Transferring a license for a sound library on a board that is this expensive should not be such a problem. In the scheme of things, not that many Kronos are sold compared to Windows PCs. Even fewer are replaced or upgraded.

Korg needs to learn from Karma-lab. Some time ago my PC died and was replaced. I explained my situation and was given a new authorization code for my Karma software. It doesn't take much effort to track and review requests like this.

As for dongles on a hardware synth. Don't even think about it

MoonMusic · Post by **MoonMusic** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 5:23 pm

They should just do like software companies do....Since each Kronos has a unique ID number anyway, have an allowance of 2 or 3 to be activated at any given time....That way if you want to sell the Kronos, simply deactivate your library authorizations before you sell and activate them in your new one when you get it....This still doesn't answer the question of how to quickly get expansion sounds in a backline keyboard but it would cover 99% of most issues......moon

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 6:14 pm

I don't mind them being strict and limiting us to one board at a time, ye olde expansion boards also only worked in one board. But you could take those out and put them in another board (which I did with my MOSS board moving from KARMA to Triton Extreme) or even bring them to a gig in another country (when you couldn't bring your own board). As it is, the new system is less flexible than the old hardware system. It seems to me a USB key would most closely recreate the old conditions. It would make sure you could only use your libraries on one K at a time, there's an actual piece of hardware involved and you could move it to another Kronos without needing a service center to (hopefully) interfere on your behalf. I guess they're afraid of piracy but it sucks that us regular users are the ones to pay the price of the strictness. I would even pay for a "Kronos iLok" (for the record, I hate iLok) that also held the actual libraries for easy installation on a random Kronos.

dfahrner · Post by **dfahrner** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 6:28 pm

I sure hope that danatkorg and other Korg people have seen this thread, and will pass these concerns on to Korg Corporate, who apparently are the ones who made (and could presumably change) this library policy...as I said above, letters from us little people don't seem to have any effect, or even deserve a response...

df

andrewt · Post by **andrewt** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 6:39 pm

Bald Eagle wrote:

As for dongles on a hardware synth. Don't even think about it

This