Spoiled by Korgs keybeds...Kronos?

John01W · Post by **John01W** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 7:59 pm

I haven't went to a music store after not played anything but my synths I've had at home in quite a while but went and checked some out last night.

One thing that struck me is how really amazing the keys/synth action/keybeds feel on the 01/W Triton series compared to everything I played. I mean everything there felt like a toy.

Does Kronos 61 key synth action feel like Korgs of old? They did have a Krome there, don't want to say anything bad but it didn't even come close.

geoelectro · Post by **geoelectro** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 8:43 pm

The keybeds in the 01/w and Triton were Yamaha made, same as the DX-7 for example. Yamaha no longer makes them. The Kronos 61 has a different keybed. It feels better than a lot of keybeds but I prefer the Yamaha version myself.

Geo

John01W · Post by **John01W** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 8:51 pm

geoelectro wrote:The keybeds in the 01/w and Triton were Yamaha made, same as the DX-7 for example. Yamaha no longer makes them. The Kronos 61 has a different keybed. It feels better than a lot of keybeds but I prefer the Yamaha version myself.

Geo

Thanks:)

geoelectro wrote: Yamaha no longer makes them.
Geo

That's sad:(

fcoulter · Post by **fcoulter** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 9:06 pm

John01W wrote:
geoelectro wrote:The keybeds in the 01/w and Triton were Yamaha made, same as the DX-7 for example. Yamaha no longer makes them. The Kronos 61 has a different keybed. It feels better than a lot of keybeds but I prefer the Yamaha version myself.

Geo
Thanks:)

geoelectro wrote: Yamaha no longer makes them.
Geo
That's sad:(

Have you tried them in Yamaha keyboards? I suspect that Yamaha still makes them. They just don't sell them to their competitors.

wma · Post by **wma** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 9:31 pm

the keybed used with kronos 61 synth-action is akso a yamaha keybed .. a shorter version of the yamaha FS used with old korg keyboards and was used before on some old yamaha sysnths. Maybe ther is differences in weights & materials that affects smoothness and back-tension of the action

John01W · Post by **John01W** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 2:31 am

Appreciate all the responses.

Kontrol49 · Post by **Kontrol49** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 5:12 am

I've been using Korgs workstation since 1989 starting with the M1 and had all the others since then(01/Trinity/Triton etc,etc),last year sold I my Oasys which was the last Workstation I owned that had those Yamaha Keybeds,I loved the action on them and other than the Roland Jupiter 80/Roland Fantom G6 never found any other synth action Keybed so pleasing.

Last year I Purchased a Kronos 2-61,The Keybed is totally different to the past beds used on the older Korgs,I believe these are Korg's own made keybeds,not sure if this is the same ones as they first fitted to the M3,but I reckon this is far better than the older Yamaha beds.

it feels a little more spongy and the response is really fast,good and light as far as Synth action semi weighted go this is by far and away the nicest for me personally the keys have a nice tactile surface feel to them to,

it also sounds less clacky or there seems to be less mechanical noise than the older Yamaha Keybeds (but that could be because its relativity new whereas my older Tritons have been hammered to death)we'll see in a few years time on the Kronos 2

spaceman3 · Post by **spaceman3** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 6:53 am

I use to have a YAMAHA MOTIF6.
The keybed on that was really noisey and clunky.
My KRONOS 61 key is really a joy to play.
Best keybed i have played.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 8:52 am

The Kronos 61 has the same keybed as the M3, which was the first one to break away from that familiar Yamaha keybed. I actually thought the new one was Korg made (like their newer weighted keybeds), but apparently it's also Yamaha? I'm not sure there. It seems to be a bit of a love/hate thing in that most players I've spoken to really love it but I've also heard some who think it's awful.

Mike Conway · Post by **Mike Conway** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 9:29 am

SanderXpander wrote:It seems to be a bit of a love/hate thing in that most players I've spoken to really love it but I've also heard some who think it's awful.

It took me a long time to get used to the Kronos synth key action. I don't think it's awful, but I prefer the OASYS 76 keybed, which is very similar, if not the same as my SY99. If I remember correctly, I liked my Triton and Triton Extreme keybeds, much more. I also have Virus TI and E4K keybeds which are pretty nice (keys are covered underneath, so they aren't as frail as hollow bottom keys).

Aftertouch is night and day between the OASYS and the Kronos. The OASYS is very responsive, while I have to work at it with the Kronos (that's with both boards playing the Kronos sounds). I do like the Kronos keybed better than my Rolands (JP8000 and Fantom).

John01W · Post by **John01W** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 9:37 am

Thanks guys....the noise of the keys don't bother me as much as how they feel. If you can hear the noise of the keybed then the amps are not loud enough lol;)

Glad to hear the Kronos 61 synth keys have a good feel at least. My local store won't get a Kronos. They have the lower and mid tier offerings it seems from the big 3, tons of midi controllers(all feel bad compared to the Korgs)....they did have a jdxi and let me tell you those synth mini keys were so toyish and terrible.

I will say one thing about it, the analog section of that little bugger had a pretty good sounding filter, was quite surprised....

Anyway, again I appreciate it all.

Geoff Flynn · Post by **Geoff Flynn** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 9:59 am

Mike Conway wrote: It took me a long time to get used to the Kronos synth key action. I don't think it's awful, but I prefer the OASYS 76 keybed, which is very similar, if not the same as my SY99.

Agreed Mike. Oasys 76 keybed is perfect for me and feels the same as my SY99. Kronos 2 keybed is OK, but not nearly as nice to play.

voip · Post by **voip** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 10:59 am

[quote="Mike Conway"]

Aftertouch is night and day between the OASYS and the Kronos. The OASYS is very responsive, while I have to work at it with the Kronos (that's with both boards playing the Kronos sounds). I do like the Kronos keybed better than my Rolands (JP8000 and Fantom).[/quote]

The Kronos aftertouch can be calibrated, even to the point where it is too responsive, although the procedure set out in the Parameter Guide does not clearly explain how threshold and maximum are set. This is something Korg could work on. There are also selectable aftertouch curves, including an aftertouch "random" curve for unpredictable modulation.

.

DennyC · Post by **DennyC** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 3:34 pm

Geoff Flynn wrote:
Mike Conway wrote: It took me a long time to get used to the Kronos synth key action. I don't think it's awful, but I prefer the OASYS 76 keybed, which is very similar, if not the same as my SY99.
Agreed Mike. Oasys 76 keybed is perfect for me and feels the same as my SY99. Kronos 2 keybed is OK, but not nearly as nice to play.

Technically speaking, I have to agree with Mike. IMHO Mike is a super contributor to the forum and I appreciate his help. I sold(traded) my Oasys last year but I really loved the keybed. One of the forum members traded me for his Kronos. My experience with Korg dates back to the M1, 01W, Trinity, Oasys and now the Kronos(all 61keys).

I missed the 76 keys so badly that I picked up a Jupiter 80 to go along with my Kronos. Honestly, after having had all of these boards, the action or differences in feel of these keyboards completely melts away when I turn them on and 'get lost' in all of these glorious sounds.

Bald Eagle · Post by **Bald Eagle** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 4:10 pm

I have a Kronos 61 and M3 73 and the keybeds are identical. I have played an OASYS and I actually prefer the Kronos. The Kronos/M3 keybeds are the best in my opinion with the possible exception of the Motif. Nothing else really comes close.