Compare the Synths nice video

videorov · Post by **videorov** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:39 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX0aEnasa6Q

Synth Giants Korg Kronos, Kurzweil PC3k and the Nord Stage 2
for 2012

DrpC · Post by **DrpC** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 8:29 am

Wow, super nice. Thanks so much for posting this.

This has become one of my favorite videos.

Course it appears the Kronos is more of a complete workstation, however all three have tremendously good sounds especially when played together.

Hmm, did anyone notice a Yamaha is missing from the band

ariadi · Post by **ariadi** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 8:46 am

So where are Yamaha XF and Roland Jupiter 80 ?

billysynth1 · Post by **billysynth1** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:29 am

That Nord Piano is awesome!
Why is the Kronos 61key and not 88 like the others?

Very nice, thanks for that.

Billy

petem · Post by **petem** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:31 am

billysynth1 wrote:Why is the Kronos 61key and not 88 like the others?

Because they wanted one with a working keybed?

(Hey, just kidding! But running for cover anyway...)

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:53 pm

To my ears, the Kurz is the clear loser in this comparison. The Kurz pianos and epianos sound ok, but not more from my view: they sound quite dull and lifeless in comparison (no wonder with their outdated small sample set), and the clav is missing high frequencies and bite as well. The Kronos VA synth sounds also have by far the highest quality over anything offered from the other two.

There's only one thing that really sounds just as good as the Kronos to me: that is the really nice and balanced Nord Piano sound played at the start. It sounds just as good as the Kronos and perhaps cuts through even a bit better in band context/mix.

All in all each of these boards is well useable, but my clear favorite is the Kronos. It combines the highest sound quality with the by far biggest flexibility (something which could only be covered in part in this comparison).

Synthoid · Post by **Synthoid** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:58 pm

billysynth1 wrote:Why is the Kronos 61key and not 88 like the others?

Cost?

NuSkoolTone · Post by **NuSkoolTone** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 12:57 am

Synthoid wrote:
billysynth1 wrote:Why is the Kronos 61key and not 88 like the others?
Cost?

I think it might have more to do with the others appear to be real players. The Kronos guy sounded like guys I hear noodling in the music store.

As a Kronos owner, I have to say I liked the Nord Piano Best! IT sounded the most realistic in this comparison. Also as a Kronos owner, I feel the Kronos was handicapped in this comparison due to the player. Not to slag the guy, but he's not even in the same league as the other two and I think it had a real impact on the comparison. I felt the Kurz sounded great, but was showing it's age. Especially on the Piano.

aron · Post by **aron** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:33 am

I thought the PC3 piano was fine. Actually live it's just as good as the Kronos on the bottom and top end, not as good in the mids. Overall for live, it can be tweaked to be quite good. I agree about the performances. I would have liked to see them to use similar sounds.

I bet I could get all of them to sound similar. The Kurzweil would win for layering and muting/unmuting of sounds.

Dniss · Post by **Dniss** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:24 am

Thanks for the vid. They're all very good players.

The final jam was entertaining.

jamsire · Post by **jamsire** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:37 pm

I like that Nord for sure! I wish - as a guitarist, I could justify buying it!

aron · Post by **aron** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:58 pm

Subjective for sure, but I've played the Nord Stage and I much prefer the Kronos. Not sure if I have played that exact piano (if it was added on later).

For me, it has finally come to the point where every major manufacturer has a pretty darn decent piano sound. The Electric pianos while superior on the Kronos, are still very useable on other keyboards. It's the UI and response that makes a big difference for me now. Oh and the amount of great programs.

PianoManChuck · Post by **PianoManChuck** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 2:19 pm

Excellent video, but.... the guy on the Kronos should have played it as is, NOT with Karma on, it detracts from what the main purpose of this video is all about in the first place! Also, the Nord is 88 key, the Kurzweil is 88 key, the Kronos is 61 key? Is this because of the RH3/note cutoff problem with the 88's?

rob314159 · Post by **rob314159** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 2:51 pm

I think everyone is reading in to the whole 61 versus 88 too much. Do we know if these were their own boards, or just what was there?

PianoManChuck · Post by **PianoManChuck** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 3:07 pm

rob314159 wrote:I think everyone is reading in to the whole 61 versus 88 too much. Do we know if these were their own boards, or just what was there?

As of this writing, there's 89 pages (count 'em) of complaints on the RH3 cutoff/double-strike problem. I don't think anyone is reading too much into this at all. I've had 3 defective 88's in a row. I just tried an 88 last weekend at my local Guitar Center and it too has the problem.

Korg Forums

Compare the Synths nice video

Compare the Synths nice video

The Battle of the (2) 88's vs. the 61 key!