Korg Nautilus - if you’ve been on the fence….

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

If you’ve been on the fence about Nautilus because it has less on board surface control than Kronos…then check out the video, it may change your mind.

A conversation point if nothing else…I’m also interested to know if it changes your perspective at all to know that this is available or if it could be useful in a live or programming session.  Thanks

 

 

[ElmerJFudd]

Kronos 2 on reverb are being offered at about the same price as a new Naitilus.  Thanks for sharing! 

[ProfD]

Excellent tutorial showcasing a very cool feature on the Nautilus. 😎

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

3 hours ago, ElmerJFudd said:

Kronos 2 on reverb are being offered at about the same price as a new Naitilus.  Thanks for sharing! 

That's great!!!  Kronos is still KING!!!! 

The only problem with making an investment like that today is if something goes wrong, parts are dumb scarce.  

 

But yes that's still great news!  I love my Kronos too! 

3 hours ago, ProfD said:

Excellent tutorial showcasing a very cool feature on the Nautilus. 😎

Thank you sir!  

[sherry]

Umm, question:  Could a Korg Nano-Kontrol 2's buttons be programmed to turn on and off programs within a combination, much like using the scene buttons? I know the faders can be programmed for CX3 organs.  Thanks.

[LarsHarner2]

I have had mine for 16 months. I enjoy it a lot- mostly the bread and butter piano/B3/Rhodes sounds. In particular, I think think it sounds better than several of my VSTS.

 

[rickzjamm]

I'll stick with KK2.

 

[drawback]

My mint condition Kronos 2 73 arrived last week, and I just sold my Kronos 61 for more than I paid for it (used).

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

4 hours ago, sherry said:

Umm, question:  Could a Korg Nano-Kontrol 2's buttons be programmed to turn on and off programs within a combination, much like using the scene buttons? I know the faders can be programmed for CX3 organs.  Thanks.

The faders on the Nano Kontrol can not be programmed for organ faders (currently) but I'm working on something. 

 

And yes possibly on the mutes.  Let me check that though and get back with you.  

3 hours ago, LarsHarner2 said:

I have had mine for 16 months. I enjoy it a lot- mostly the bread and butter piano/B3/Rhodes sounds. In particular, I think think it sounds better than several of my VSTS.

 

How have you gotten by with making drawbar adjustments to the cx3 patches?

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

3 hours ago, rickzjamm said:

I'll stick with KK2.

 

Yeah can't beat a Kronos.  But Nautilus is a good option for those who need alternatives to Kronos. 

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

3 hours ago, drawback said:

My mint condition Kronos 2 73 arrived last week, and I just sold my Kronos 61 for more than I paid for it (used).

You bought it new and then sold it for more used than you paid?  If so, that's a lick!!!! Congrats!  

 

Congrats on the Kronos 73.  I got a few videos for those too.  I love mine🥰🥰🥰

Kronos is King!!!

[Mighty Motif Max]

2 hours ago, Julius D Majestic Studios said:

You bought it new and then sold it for more used than you paid?  If so, that's a lick!!!! Congrats!  

 

...

 

Prices are nuts these days - my PC4 is worth approx. $600 more used than it cost new (overall new price is up almost $900). Almost tempting, but anything I'd replace it with has also gone up a corresponding amount, so it's not that useful lol. And I like the key triggers (chord triggers mapped to individual keys) too much for pop gigs lol.

[DeltaJockey]

Nice features on the Nautilus. I think they are a great instrument if you don't own a Kronos and want to get into it. I wouldn't though, be selling my Kronos for one. I don't really consider it an upgrade, but it seems entirely rational in today's world that Korg have progressed to this type of configuration. At least there are less moving parts to wear out, and still retaining the functionality in some form. 👍

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

3 hours ago, DeltaJockey said:

Nice features on the Nautilus. I think they are a great instrument if you don't own a Kronos and want to get into it. I wouldn't though, be selling my Kronos for one. I don't really consider it an upgrade, but it seems entirely rational in today's world that Korg have progressed to this type of configuration. At least there are less moving parts to wear out, and still retaining the functionality in some form. 👍

Retained functionality in the majority of form.  IMO Korg was the only company of the big three that didn't release a step down version of their "flagship"... Korg waited till the end of Kronos life to do it.  VERY SMART.... 

 

and then to release it and they be basically the same minus Karma, and some controls, but at the same time ADDING some things that Kronos didn't have... And shaving close to 1000$ off the asking price.  

 

But it does come down to functionality and user preference.  What works for some may not work for everyone.  So I def understand where some people would want a Kronos instead.

[LarsHarner2]

11 hours ago, Julius D Majestic Studios said:

 

How have you gotten by with making drawbar adjustments to the cx3 patches?

There a few patches I really like- for example, a gospel type one, once in a while when I find a setting I really like I save it as a new patch. For my VB3's I am using Native Instruments Vintage Organs and UVI's Retro Organ Suite- even though the NI and the CX on retro allow for drawbar control, I am thinking of changing over to IK Multimedia for their B3

[Radagast]

I’m not on the fence.  Lack of aftertouch is a deal killer.

[dalpozlead]

13 hours ago, Radagast said:

I’m not on the fence.  Lack of aftertouch is a deal killer.

Same for me… also very disappointed by the overall build quality and keybed action…

[drawback]

On 10/7/2022 at 9:17 PM, Julius D Majestic Studios said:

You bought it new and then sold it for more used than you paid?  If so, that's a lick!!!! Congrats!  

 

Congrats on the Kronos 73.  I got a few videos for those too.  I love mine🥰🥰🥰

Kronos is King!!!

To clarify… I bought the 61 (upgraded to 3G RAM & extra SSD) a couple of tears ago used, and sold it last week for more than I paid for it, recouping my investment in extra libraries😎
 

The 73 is virtually new. The seller bought one of the last production models. I was originally thinking of getting a primo weighted controller for the 61, but the price difference would’ve been similar to just getting the 73. Best of both worlds!
 

I’ll definitely check out your channel 👍
 

 

[Farfisakid]

It seems for the most part that people’s opinion on the Nautilus is dependent on wether they are coming from a Kronos owners perspective.

 

For my needs, (classic rock cover band as top board over a Yamaha CP 4) the price in Canada for a Korg Kronos 61 packed with Aftertouch, Karma, Sliders ... was always beyond what I could justify. When the Nautilus 61 came out with the sounds of the Kronos at a significantly reduced amount ($1500 Cdn.+ less) I was ecstatic. I have had it in use for almost a year now and am very happy with it and would definitely recommend it.  To each their own Little Bones 🙂

 

 

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

21 hours ago, Dave Ferris said:

 

Exact same here. I played the 88 in the GC and thought...well not for me.

 

I'm a Yamaha fan but a similar cross brand comparison -- why I would buy a Montage while they still are in production.

@dalpozlead @Dave Ferris

 

the keybed in the Nautilus is the same as the Kronos....so what problems do y'all have with the key action? (Or did you not like the Kronos keybed either?)

 

and the build quality is one of the selling points .... Especially as a step down version and the price point.  Comparison boards from Roland and Yamaha pale in comparison in that area .... All plastic.  

[Chris Towns]

Hi,

As an owner of a Nautilus 88 I cannot believe what Members have posted about the overall  build quality and keyboard action. The Nautilus 88 is built like a tank with metal construction and wooden side panels every bit as good as a Korg Kronos 2. The key action is RH3, which has been used on the majority of better quality Korg digital pianos, and also on the Kronos 2 88 note and 73 note. For me, it's a really high quality keyboard (probably the best quality of any keyboard I have previously owned, including the Roland RD2000) and for the life of me cannot understand how anybody could come to the conclusion that it's got build quality issues. If the Nautilus 88 has build quality and keyboard issues, then the Kronos 2 also has build quality and keyboard issues.

I am a Member of several Keyboard Forums and have noticed a lot of negative reaction to the Korg Nautilus which is fine. there obviously are issues, e.g. no aftertouch, no Karma, and these could be a deal breaker for a lot of Forum Members. That said, it's amazing how many negative posts come from Kronos owners. The Nautilus is NOT a Kronos replacement, but I'm sure that in time a Kronos replacement will be released. I simply was unable to afford to buy a Kronos 2 (88), but with the great deals being offered here in the U.K. I was able to get a refurbished Nautilus 88 at a bargain price. At the moment on Ebay U.K. there is a pristine condition home use only Nautilus 61 for $1,000. 

Finally, could any Forum Members that have issues with both the build quality and keyboard action please  reply to this Post.

Chris 

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

@Chris Towns great to see you are happy.  Yeah I can't believe it either... You are correct in what you said. 

 

I wouldn't personally consider no Karma and no aftertouch as "issues" but more so just differences between the boards.  Things they had to leave off in order to get the price point vs feature set to a certain place. 

[AnotherScott]

I really like the idea of Nautilus as a slightly scaled down Kronos at a lower price. But it would have been nice to continue to have the Kronos available for those who want the aftertouch, KARMA, and full control surface; and there should have been an update to bring the new sounds of the Nautilus to the Kronos (and maybe, to the extent that it makes sense, some of the interface enhancements). Maybe they still intend to bring out a higher end workstation that is a more complete and enhanced Kronos replacement, but at least for now, they don't have something that can fully go head-to-head against the Montage/Fantom/K2700 if you care about control surface and aftertouch.

[dalpozlead]

19 hours ago, Chris Towns said:

Hi,

As an owner of a Nautilus 88 I cannot believe what Members have posted about the overall  build quality and keyboard action. The Nautilus 88 is built like a tank with metal construction and wooden side panels every bit as good as a Korg Kronos 2. The key action is RH3, which has been used on the majority of better quality Korg digital pianos, and also on the Kronos 2 88 note and 73 note. For me, it's a really high quality keyboard (probably the best quality of any keyboard I have previously owned, including the Roland RD2000) and for the life of me cannot understand how anybody could come to the conclusion that it's got build quality issues. If the Nautilus 88 has build quality and keyboard issues, then the Kronos 2 also has build quality and keyboard issues.

I am a Member of several Keyboard Forums and have noticed a lot of negative reaction to the Korg Nautilus which is fine. there obviously are issues, e.g. no aftertouch, no Karma, and these could be a deal breaker for a lot of Forum Members. That said, it's amazing how many negative posts come from Kronos owners. The Nautilus is NOT a Kronos replacement, but I'm sure that in time a Kronos replacement will be released. I simply was unable to afford to buy a Kronos 2 (88), but with the great deals being offered here in the U.K. I was able to get a refurbished Nautilus 88 at a bargain price. At the moment on Ebay U.K. there is a pristine condition home use only Nautilus 61 for $1,000. 

Finally, could any Forum Members that have issues with both the build quality and keyboard action please  reply to this Post.

Chris 

good point... I think this is valid for the 88 key version... for the 61/73 the reality is much more "plastic/cheap"...

[Farfisakid]

Action preference is a very subjective thing. I personally am not a fan of Korgs piano actions but find the synth action of Nautilus enjoyable to play and not cheap or plasticy in anyway. The build quality feels very robust and so far has stood up very well. The Mod x is something that I would describe as cheap and plasticy feeling ...

[allan_evett]

6 hours ago, Farfisakid said:

Action preference is a very subjective thing. I personally am not a fan of Korgs piano actions but find the synth action of Nautilus enjoyable to play and not cheap or plasticy in anyway. The build quality feels very robust and so far has stood up very well. The Mod x is something that I would describe as cheap and plasticy feeling ...

I agree.  Compared to other 61-key synth actions, the Nautilus is well-built and feels fine under my hands.  No aftertouch and some front panel immediate controls are lacking, but the per Program and Combi knob/push button assignability is extensive.  Sliders are typically one Page tap away, and if immediate slider control is preferred the NanoKontrol 2 can cover that. I understand the 'It's not a Kronos' points, but only the legit ones based on studied comparison - where an effort has been made to understand what exactly the Nautilus can do.  

[Adam Burgess]

I have a new LCD driver board coming from the UK (got lost on the first attempt) for an old Kronos put together from all the Kronoseses I've fixed up in the past for people.
It seems to all be fine apart from a few faders and knobs missing, touchscreen works, just can't see anything! Oh, and all I have is an 88 keybed chassis, not a 73 which this one is 😝

Sounds like everything works! I will probs persevere and make a rack at some point! I did do a few designs during the 'no-gig time!'

This will be my 4th Kronos. I'm sure there's a massive reason that I just need one somewhere in my rig! 

But… having said that - if it ends up having more issues than I have time for, I may have to get a 61 Nautilus! (convincing myself, 'cause it's in bold)
Put the Kronos finally to rest.

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

On 10/12/2022 at 12:56 PM, AnotherScott said:

I really like the idea of Nautilus as a slightly scaled down Kronos at a lower price. But it would have been nice to continue to have the Kronos available for those who want the aftertouch, KARMA, and full control surface; and there should have been an update to bring the new sounds of the Nautilus to the Kronos (and maybe, to the extent that it makes sense, some of the interface enhancements). Maybe they still intend to bring out a higher end workstation that is a more complete and enhanced Kronos replacement, but at least for now, they don't have something that can fully go head-to-head against the Montage/Fantom/K2700 if you care about control surface and aftertouch.

Definitely have to consider the fact that Kronos came out over a decade ago.... Montage and Fantom are MUCH MUCH newer... And to be honest Kronos STILL beasts them in terms of sonic potential and maybe even onboard control.  Fantom is the only of the 3 that can sit at the table with Kronos though...overall.

 

Kronos had to end at some point.  But yes hopefully something else comes later on for us to use and enjoy! 

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

45 minutes ago, Adam Burgess said:

I have a new LCD driver board coming from the UK (got lost on the first attempt) for an old Kronos put together from all the Kronoseses I've fixed up in the past for people.
It seems to all be fine apart from a few faders and knobs missing, touchscreen works, just can't see anything! Oh, and all I have is an 88 keybed chassis, not a 73 which this one is 😝

Sounds like everything works! I will probs persevere and make a rack at some point! I did do a few designs during the 'no-gig time!'

This will be my 4th Kronos. I'm sure there's a massive reason that I just need one somewhere in my rig! 

But… having said that - if it ends up having more issues than I have time for, I may have to get a 61 Nautilus! (convincing myself, 'cause it's in bold)
Put the Kronos finally to rest.

If you did a Kronos rack, I'd love to try one and help promote it.  Lol.  I know a ton of people that would be dying to have one. 😂😂😂

[ProfD]

I considered a Korg Kronos in the past and played it quite a bit to familiarize myself with its features. 

 

I've also played the Korg Nautilus enough to know that *I* would not miss the Kronos features it lacks. Same sound to my ears. YMMV.😎