Korg NAUTILUS

[nadroj]

Our very own Woody has a nice first look demo:

 

[video:youtube]

 

Nice work Woody, and congrats on grabbing one!

[Docbop]

So appears they did a rewrite on the Kronos OS for the Nautilus, I expect a revised Kronos OS and maybe even internals over the next year after the initial Nautilus bug fix cycle once out in real peoples hands.

[AnotherScott]

Alas, it seems we're entering a new season where the 73/76 weighted options are dying out again. Forte7 and Kronos 73 were perfect little(ish) boards. Are they just too niche?

I'm not yet ready to assume that the Kronos will be discontinued. If the maintain it, then it is arguably better to have the choice of 73 weighted (Kronos) or not (Nautilus). And they did maintain the 73 when they transitioned from the SV1 to the SV2 (and they still have the Grandstage). And Yamaha is a relatively recent convert with the CP73 and P121... so I think the fears of the weighted 73's death may be premature!

[nadroj]

Alas, it seems we're entering a new season where the 73/76 weighted options are dying out again. Forte7 and Kronos 73 were perfect little(ish) boards. Are they just too niche?

I'm not yet ready to assume that the Kronos will be discontinued. If the maintain it, then it is arguably better to have the choice of 73 weighted (Kronos) or not (Nautilus). And they did maintain the 73 when they transitioned from the SV1 to the SV2 (and they still have the Grandstage). And Yamaha is a relatively recent convert with the CP73 and P121... so I think the fears of the weighted 73's death may be premature!

 

Fair enough. Was the P121 the one that missed a beat by omitting a MIDI OUT socket?

[zeronyne]

It"s pretty clear that for Keyboard Corner power users, this is not a win nor a slam dunk.

 

So it must be designed for me. I like flagship engines, but I simply don"t use all of the workstation features. If the Kronos had a rack version with just the sounds, I"d have purchased it years ago. I have a MoDx and an Integra, so the Kronos engine(s) would complete my Big 3. I don"t need Karma (I"m sure removing it saved the royalty to Mr Kay) or the sliders, and the weighted keys mean I can finally retire my Triton Pro X.

 

So for me, the question is do I risk the various issues when buying a used Kronos or can I live without aftertouch?

[AnotherScott]

Was the P121 the one that missed a beat by omitting a MIDI OUT socket?

Yeah. :-( The only 73 hammer with standard MIDI jacks in that price range is the Studiologic SL73.

 

It"s pretty clear that for Keyboard Corner power users, this is not a win nor a slam dunk.

 

So it must be designed for me. I like flagship engines, but I simply don"t use all of the workstation features.

I can relate to that. Before the MODX7 came out, I might well have purchased the 73 key version of this to use as my main 2nd-tier board. But between the MODX7 and the forthcoming Kurz PC4-7 which even gives me aftertouch, I can't get excited about something that weighs this much more (and costs more, and has less real-time controls). Yes, it sounds great, but so do the others. In fact, if I were willing to gig with a 30-something pound 7x-key board, I'd seriously look at the Fantom, because its control surface seems so appealing.

[gg22]

Couple of minutes start time - same as Kronos?

I still prefer the Grandstage - 30 seconds boot time, 8 pounds lighter, shorter, pitch and mod wheeles, available in 88 or 73 weighted keys. That unless you need a sequecer and like to tinker with sounds.

[stoken6]

Loss of faders would be a shame if Nautilus replaces Kronos.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[nadroj]

I suppose the lack of faders could be remedied by something like the NanoKontrol 2, but then we'd be moving into Apple's "buy this extra accessory if you want to fully use this item" territory...

[AnotherScott]

I still prefer the Grandstage...That unless you need a sequecer and like to tinker with sounds.

Or want to split/layer more than two sounds; or if you want quick access to more than 64 of your favorite sounds/combinations; or want a DX7-compatible FM sound engine; or want to do even minimal editing, like organ drawbar settings; or want an assignable out for doing LH bass (or to send organ to a Vent); or want to load custom samples; or want a multi-zone MIDI control function to integrate external sounds from a sound module, iPad, whatever... lots of differences!

[jimkost2002]

Do we know if the nautilus os will be available for the Kronos

[ElmerJFudd]

I suppose the lack of faders could be remedied by something like the NanoKontrol 2, but then we'd be moving into Apple's "buy this extra accessory if you want to fully use this item" territory...

 

That"s nuts for a board in this price point. Dropping faders was silly.

[nursers]

I'm really interested whether they've improved the responsiveness of the touch screen. I find the Kronos touch screen requires a lot of pressure to use compared to my MODX.

[Song80s]

I'm really interested whether they've improved the responsiveness of the touch screen. I find the Kronos touch screen requires a lot of pressure to use compared to my MODX.

 

 

the guy in the 43 minute YT made comments about some lag in Nautilus touch screen

 

He also suggested to use fingernail on Nautilus LCD.

 

I agree with you, MODX response is snappy/quick.

[CEB]

It"s probably just me but .... 'those 'prepared pianos" sound like ass.

[AnotherScott]

Well, the point of a prepared piano is not to sound like a piano, so I think that's a hard call to make, except to the extent that you find any given synth sound to be a pleasant or an unpleasant sound, I guess.

[ProfD]

Well, the point of a prepared piano is not to sound like a piano...

Scott, you're giving away the secret to the next hit Pop record.

 

The Korg Nautilus will be a hit for those who wanted a brand new Kronos for less money.

 

Never ceases to amaze me how much technology manufacturers continue recycling. That GUI and touch screen should be updated before the Nautilus is released.

[Dave Bryce]

My Kronos is pretty happy exactly where it is.

 

dB

[CowboyNQ]

Our very own Woody has a nice first look demo:

 

Nice work Woody, and congrats on grabbing one!

 

I echo Jordan's comments. Also, thanks for answering the one burning question I had: What's the keybed on the 61 like?

[CEB]

Well, the point of a prepared piano is not to sound like a piano, so I think that's a hard call to make, except to the extent that you find any given synth sound to be a pleasant or an unpleasant sound, I guess.

Nah, you surely jest. ð

[Fleer]

Our very own Woody has a nice first look demo:

 

Nice work Woody, and congrats on grabbing one!

 

I echo Jordan's comments. Also, thanks for answering the one burning question I had: What's the keybed on the 61 like?

So, what"s it like?

[nursers]

Another thanks to Woody for the vid - really covers all the bases. If I didn't own a Kronos I'd have a real conundrum deciding between the Fantom and the Nautilus

[Adan]

Woody briefly discusses the action at 11:00. Better than Kross, not as good as Triton, quiet, not clacky.

[konaboy]

Thanks for watching my video and the kind words. I like the comment "really covers all the bases".

 

You know, when doing demos, you need to keep in mind who your audience is. I actually picture the members of this forum as my target audience. It's true.

 

i've been in our community here for 20 odd years and I've picked up on what's important for hobby and working keyboard players. I've read all the threads on topics like key action, piano sound, sympathetic string resonance, rhodes, tonewheel emulation, rotary sims, weight, the list goes on and these all factor in to my demonstrations. I find a lot of these topics missing in other demos and reviews.

 

Just thought you might enjoy that, you guys are in the back of my mind whenever I make a video.

 

Regarding the keys, it's a new keybed, quite unlike anything I've played on a korg or other synth. Extremely quiet and smooth, with quite shallow travel. It's pleasant to play and is expressive. Probably really good for organ, and a nice compromise for piano and synth sounds. It's not quite up to the standard of flagship synths. That might be due to shorter key lengths and the hinge/pivot distance thing. A big upgrade from the Kross/Krome which I believe share the same action.

[Fleer]

Cheers Woody! And thanks for all those elaborate vids you do. Highly appreciated.

[Fleer]

Two questions if I may, somewhat noobish (as I never had a Kronos):

- Does that 60GB SSD contain Korg samples, and if so how many, or is it only there for user recording and/or sampling?

- As the Nautilus has a resistive touch screen (like on the MODX) vs the Fantom"s capacitive one, which is better?

- Would the Nautilus" acoustic and electric pianos be different from the ones in Korg"s GrandStage?

Thanks!

[AnotherScott]

The 60GB SSD is for everything. The OS and all the stock samples (or whatever set you've defined) load off the SSD into RAM at startup (or in the case of instruments with large sets of sample data, a portion loads at startup and the rest may stream as needed from the SSD). As you add your own samples or optional free/paid sound expansions, they will take up SSD space as well. The original Kronos had a 30 GB drive (and as shipped it was not full), so I would guess that probably in the neighborhood of half the 60 GB of the Nautilus is available for expansions and your own recording/sampling. If you want more space, the ability to install a second SSD remains a Kronos advantage, I believe.

[Song80s]

It"s pretty clear that for Keyboard Corner power users, this is not a win nor a slam dunk.

 

 

Its the Siren Song calling KCers.

 

Its shiny, its new, and soon to be 2021, where KCers get over tactile everything and

get into virtual controls for the gigs to be in 2021/2022.

[Mighty Motif Max]

I will say this about the Nautilus - as a Krome user, not coming from a Kronos, this looks like a nice board. I do think it's overpriced in relation to the Kronos though. Things like the arps and drum track are upgraded versions of what the Krome has, which is probably why they're not on the Kronos. It's basically a much nicer Krome rather than a mini-Kronos, from a physical control and layout point of view.

[tucktronix]

My Kronos is pretty happy exactly where it is.

 

dB

 

I echo this sentiment