Korg Forums

I'm just returning to the forum having recently acquired a 76 note O on the used market.

I haven't read all the lamentations about the discontinuing of the Oasys, but it seems to me that no company is going to persist with a loser. According to Wikipedia (I know, but it may be right this time) only a little over 3000 units were sold WORLDWIDE!!

Of course, it was Korg's fault for making the thing too damned expensive, and clearly the Kronos is an attempt to get back some of the massive investment put into the Oasys, and not then recouped in sufficient sales.

It's sad to see it go, and particularly disheartening that it is unlikely that there will be any more upgrades, but it's no surprise.

I seem to remember a post where Dan said that OASYS sales were right where Korg expected them to be. Though the company stocks a certain amount of motherboards for repair, I don't think they expected to go beyond the amount sold.

It took 6 years for the Kronos to follow and in that time Korg figured out a design where they could reintroduce the OASYS established architecture at a pricepoint on par with other mainstream workstations.

Though OASYS owners probably won't see new sound add ons from Korg, you or I will never exhaust it's possibilities. I don't see getting a Kronos anytime soon, but I'm glad it's there if something happens to my OASYS.

For now, enjoy that much bigger screen and 76 synth keys (vs 73 weighted). It's a nice animal!

I shall indeed, Mike.

I was just surprised that so few had been sold. 3000 worldwide doesn't seem many, but maybe long term their value might increase, or at least stabilize.

Won't be getting rid of mine in a hurry, that's for sure - I made that mistake three years ago!

It's not as scientific as seeing Korg's sales/production figures but interesting nonetheless...

http://www.karma-lab.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6456

From that (of those that contributed), there are 1220 or so O-76 and around 2120 O-88s. That makes approx 3,300 Os out there.

Being an early adapter cost a lot of money, however on the other hand, an 'open architecture' system would suggest longer support.

It did get support for twice as long as every other workstation they've ever had.

So, zirkdextron

More importantly - how is your adoptee?

What is the best thing about it so far?

I'm after a 76 soon - sod that cheap kronos rubbish. I may put a request on the forums soon, and am willing to travel anywhere in the uk!

john

Well, it's actually better than I remember. I bought one new in 2006 and sold it 2 years later, due to financial stringencies. £5000 was a big outlay!

My latest one cost less than half that sum, and came with ram upgrade and all additional software and version 1.3.3.

Everything works pretty well, no mod lever problems, but one or two buttons need an extra press, but that can be remedied.

Soundwise it is still as awesome as ever. Nothing really matches it. Plenty of software programs sound very good, of course, but it is the immediacy of a workstation, and the fact that everything works in an integrated fashion that means computers just do not seem, somehow, as musical as a workstation, and there is no better example than the Oasys. I use a Nord Stage 2 live, but I'm planning to use the Oasys live sometimes. The Nord Stage 2 is a great keyboard, but the lack of editability of the rotary effect lets the organ sounds down, to my ears. Yes, they're very good, but you can't change the ramp up and down speeds beyond fast, medium and slow. The Oasys gives you full editing on all facets of the FX.

So yes, I love it, and with only 3000 sold worldwide, it's going to be a future classic, so get one while you can!