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Kronos discontinued?


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Not surprising. They stopped software updates for it and have not released a successor to the flagship position.

 

A lower priced trickle down model was released, they call it Nautilus.

 

My guess is that Korg is riding out the pandemic before launching anything in the $4k range.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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It's had a great run. Kind of glad I didn't invest in one this late in the game. But man, what a keyboard. Excited to see what new board they come up with.

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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It wouldn't surprise me if it was being phased out and probably see a new flagship in a year or so. They came out with the Nautilus which is lower price and fewer controls version of the Kronos, but still the nine engines. Per Korg video they did update a lot of the OS and refreshed a large quantity of the sounds. The Nautilus can play files from a Kronos, but a not all of the Nautilus files can be uploaded to a Kronos. So to me it adds up to products in transition.

 

 

I get the feeling Yamaha could be getting ready to update the Montage because like the CP4 I keep seeing a lot of showing up on eBay and other places. The Montage has a second engine chip the MoDX series doesn't, so they can do more with the Montage to update it.

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If Kronos is being phased out, it could still be a while before we see something better. I'm reminded how, after the Fantom-G was discontined, it was a long time before the new Fantom. For a long time, their most capable workstation-style keyboard was the FA. (They did have the Jupiter 80 and Jupiter 50, but they were very different kinds of boards.)

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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If Kronos is being phased out, it could still be a while before we see something better. .)

 

how about not at all ? Korg is a far different co in 2021 vs Korg Inc of 2010 . Kronos/Oasys was the vision of a Korg w/s inspired by the great Mr Katoh.

 

History does not always repeat for one.

 

Secondly, consider the ongoing chip and component shortage. Its has to be a hassle to create an assemble high priced keyboard dependent on 3rd party components. And consider making vital components like a dedicated Intel motherboard available for warranty when that product also has an EOL factor.

 

Third, great sounds are the standard for any new keyboard under $2000. One does not have to spend $4000. $2000 will buy great features and great sounds such as MODX and the Kurzweil models. And roll your own with $29 MainStage as a start ? Not that difficult to organize a great

keyboard at reasonable cost.

 

I know some are perfectly ok spending $3500-$4000, have their own rationale. My contention is that the $3500-$4000 niche has narrowed.

 

Keep in mind for a Korg or any of these co's its about their bottom line. Plus the spin off and annual iteration of the $4000 board is no sure thing, either.

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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Third, great sounds are the standard for any new keyboard under $2000.
QFT. The differentiators of a pro-level keyboard are in areas like on-board controllers, organ model/drawbars, hands-on sound sculpting capability, and MIDI features. Kronos excelled in many of these area.

 

Cheers, Mike

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Third, great sounds are the standard for any new keyboard under $2000.
QFT. The differentiators of a pro-level keyboard are in areas like on-board controllers, organ model/drawbars, hands-on sound sculpting capability, and MIDI features. Kronos excelled in many of these area.

 

Cheers, Mike

And build quality. And the best sounds a manufacturer can offer.

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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Third, great sounds are the standard for any new keyboard under $2000.
QFT. The differentiators of a pro-level keyboard are in areas like on-board controllers, organ model/drawbars, hands-on sound sculpting capability, and MIDI features. Kronos excelled in many of these area.

 

Cheers, Mike

 

Also quality of keybed. I don't think I've played any 61 note diving boards that are better than on a K61.

____________________________________
Rod

Here for the gear.

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Might be a while. I think Modal owns the Trademark on the Zeus.

 

Quality keyboard are cheaper by the pound.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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I think high-end workstations in general are being phased out. Still no replacement for Yamaha Motif. Roland Fantom last updated 2019.

 

I read a post years ago in another forum that Yamaha and Korg make more money from high-end arrangers than people think, and implement their most advanced sample playback tech in them. All I know is when I go to the Sweetwater site, I still see Genos and Pa4X

 

That all said, I see a Kronos Titanium limited edition on the Korg site. Documentation uploaded just last year

 

https://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/kronos_ti/

 

It's linked from the Korg USA front page.

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Third, great sounds are the standard for any new keyboard under $2000.
QFT. The differentiators of a pro-level keyboard are in areas like on-board controllers, organ model/drawbars, hands-on sound sculpting capability, and MIDI features. Kronos excelled in many of these area.

 

Cheers, Mike

 

I don't disagree. 10 year Kronos owner here.

 

But if it was strictly all about that, the on board controls, etc, why are we discussing the winds of change, and the whispered End of Production for Kronos ?

 

I know keyboard players are attracted to the tactile.

 

Doesn't Nautilus have less on board controls, that are now 'virtual ' ?

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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Speculation - perhaps buyer trends have changed. With all the Mac/PC DAW users today, how many younger players continue to produce their music on a workstation? How many live players choose a workstation today? Nord"s success with tactile user interface has slowly but surely changed Yamaha"s CP/YC direction. Korg appears to consistently sell more SV-1/SV-2 style boards than anything, and our crowd is lusting for the Viscount Legend 70s and Hammond SX rather than the Montage or Fantom. In fact, Yamaha recognized this trend when they dropped workstation features from the Montage - only to add them back after when their older users screamed they had forgotten about them. In the meanwhile - Korg and Roland sell a steady stream of little sub $700 synths and noise makers, even Yamaha noticed with their reface offerings.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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We will see. The process of "nordization" continues. The concept of hands-on controls for many parameters in performing keyboards is just good, so others are following it.

I was a bit afraid of the Dexibell when their products disappeared from Thomann, too. But they seem to be coming back in last days. Consider the pandemic period, particularly in Italy in 2020.

 

But hey, even the King Kronos has become just... old. Can't be eternal.

Yamaha P-515, Korg SV-2 73, Kurzweil PC4-7

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I think high-end workstations in general are being phased out. Still no replacement for Yamaha Motif. Roland Fantom last updated 2019.

 

...

 

Fantom OS 2.10 just came out this February, and added the four analog synth model expansions. So that seems to be doing just fine.

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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I think high-end workstations in general are being phased out. Still no replacement for Yamaha Motif. Roland Fantom last updated 2019.

 

...

 

Fantom OS 2.10 just came out this February, and added the four analog synth model expansions. So that seems to be doing just fine.

 

Fair enough point.

 

Also note the edit to my post regarding Kronos Platinum

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I"m curious how Fantom is selling, we can assume well enough for them to give the go on an OS update, as opposed to another OS update on 10 year old Kronos. New Fantom owners - are you producing tracks on the Fantom, or do you prefer to use your DAW? Was your Fantom purchase mainly for the sounds and plans to play with a band?

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Speculation - perhaps buyer trends have changed. With all the Mac/PC DAW users today, how many younger players continue to produce their music on a workstation? How many live players choose a workstation today? .

 

I agree with asking the " right questions ".

 

To go further , lets define the younger players. Lets say the biggest demographic of buyers is in the 20 - 49 age group.

 

No tomatoes, please. These MI corporations are focused on demographics. They are going to produce and market to

the 20-49ers.

 

My guess is the 20-49ers don't have the legacy loyalty to Korg based on the 01/w, Triton , etc.

 

I understand or am aware of the 55-70 demographic "Korg Camp " legacy loyalty.

As I was a Triton owner and had all the w/s models thru Kronos.

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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I"m curious how Fantom is selling, we can assume well enough for them to give the go on an OS update, as opposed to another OS update on 10 year old Kronos. New Fantom owners - are you producing tracks on the Fantom, or do you prefer to use your DAW? Was your Fantom purchase mainly for the sounds and plans to play with a band?

 

They seem to have added a lot with the new expansions. It would definitely be on my short list if I were in the market. There's something to be said about workstation or hardware sequencers (e.g. non DAW). I found working on the FA-08 sequencer a much more musical, enjoyable process than recording in a DAW. Wish I could articulate more. Seemed more connected....more immediate.

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I have a Fantom 8 in my studio and I am producing in the DAW - but the integration of the Fantom with Logic Pro X and Mainstage is really good in the Fantom screen and surface controls. I enjoy using them together even though I am under utilizing all of the workstation features. It's quite enjoyable to play the F8 for hours and hours.

Yamaha U1 Upright, Roland Fantom 8, Nord Stage 4 HA73, Nord Wave 2, Korg Nautilus 73, Viscount Legend Live, Lots of Mainstage/VST Libraries

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Not necessarily so.

 

Yamaha market their beginner ranges from the very young to newly retired.

 

My local music store sells Yamaha Genos keyboards primarily to players well into their seventies.

 

Imo, Kronos is aimed not just for all ages, the demographic is being able to afford one.

Col

 

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I've tried to go back to a Kronos... But after using a laptop rig, I just can't. It's so slow to do anything on it. It does not sound anywhere near as good. Gig Performer is so good, and laptops are so powerful relative to audio that it's not close. A weighted action of choice, a laptop, and an analog poly would be my choice over a Kronos.

 

I don't think the young players are wanting a workstation, and they already had a laptop anyway.

 

I think a lot of younger players travel with hardware analog and modular synths and a laptop if they are playing new music, and might prefer an MPC to 88 notes.

 

I think the number of people playing 60's - 80's cover band music is not a growth market, so the "do everything in one board" is just not something with broad economics behind it.

 

I think if the music is primarily about piano, organ, or e-piano, people use the real thing, or something that only tries to do that well - like Vintage Vibe or the now excellent digital pianos like a Yamaha P515, Nord Grand, Kawai, etc. But if it's just a "sound" and not the "instrument", then a laptop will do. My sense is the Americana/Roots music scene is heavily based on "the REAL THING", and a Kronos would not be preferable except in a bind.

 

I suspect churches and other markets that use very small amounts of the capabilities of these machines have kept them going.

 

So much good music has been made and performed on a Kronos. But I think there are lots of other ways now....

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You guys are a bad influence on my GAS. I just bought a used Kronos on **bay for a great price. Been updated to the current specs. I LOVE it. barely scratched the surface so far, but should last me a while. I have been a loyal Korg customer, started with a mini Korg back in the 70s and all the rest along the way. Kronos are still for sale new in the Great White North. (Canada), so any shortages are from lack of chips in my opinion.
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My guess is the 20-49ers don't have the legacy loyalty to Korg based on the 01/w, Triton , etc.

I understand or am aware of the 55-70 demographic "Korg Camp " legacy loyalty.

As I was a Triton owner and had all the w/s models thru Kronos.

 

No, the correct usage is "Camp Korg." :rimshot:

 

I became Logic-centric and never made the leap to a Kronos. I still have a Triton, partly for the keys and joystick, mostly for the solid library basics. My curiousity resides in the "What CAN they do next?" column. An enhanced desktop Kronos module like an M3, with bigger I/O options? The new Fantom is more or less everything at once, in connectivity terms, but yes, its more of a hard sell in a world of smart phones and mini-everything. The Nautilus is clearly a trickle-down Kronos, which is usually the sign of an impending new flagship.

 

Frankly, my imagination concerning a wish-list synth is long since satisfied, by about 85%. Its a bit clunky to address. Its mostly about form factor now. A mongo-sized workstation seems a bit less broadly appealing when a DP can now hold half of a synth and a synth on top of it often contain some nice pianos. No sweat for me. I'm buying Pianoteq 7. :keys:

 "I want to be an intellectual, but I don't have the brainpower.
  The absent-mindedness, I've got that licked."
        ~ John Cleese

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Uh, I just checked the Thomann app, and Kronos LS, 61, and 73 are all in stock, with estimated delivery by mid-next week.

 

One of the posters in the other thread claimed to have information that the 88 key and 73 have been discontinued. He, or she, used the term 'end of production'. The same poster said a French seller said they can"t get the 88 key anymore.

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My guess is the 20-49ers don't have the legacy loyalty to Korg based on the 01/w, Triton , etc.

I understand or am aware of the 55-70 demographic "Korg Camp " legacy loyalty.

As I was a Triton owner and had all the w/s models thru Kronos.

 

No, the correct usage is "Camp Korg." :rimshot:

 

Kamp Korg to Kompete with Komplete Kontrol. :rimshot: :rimshot:

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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And build quality. And the best sounds a manufacturer can offer.
Build quality is certainly typically higher on flagship workstations than the budget derivatives - Montage vs MODX, for example. But they do have the same sound engine (with a few minor differences). Roland is going a slightly different path to deliver their premium sounds with its ZenCore technology.

Also quality of keybed. I don't think I've played any 61 note diving boards that are better than on a K61.
Kronos 61 is a lovely action. Compare to the Kross and Krome!

 

Cheers, Mike.

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Personally, the Nautilus doesn't appeal to me at all. Why pickup a Kronos-light when you can grab a Kronos at blow out prices and second hand models are easily found. The Kronos still has everything Korg has to offer in sound engines - they continue to sell lesser synths and soft synths based on the same tech. You can stick any size SSD you like in a Kronos and fill it with sample libraries till the cows come home. If they are working on a new flagship it's hard to imagine where it would be making a leap other than faster processor, more RAM, larger storage.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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