Korg krome ex or Kross 2 or Roland fa 06 in 2021?

[sufiwashere]

Hi,
I'm in a very confusing situation with these choices. What should I buy in 2021 (as a long term investment)
among these keyboards Korg krome ex or Kross 2 or Roland fa 06? or would you recommend me other models.

I would mostly play with a metal band and do some studio works to produce soundtracks for videos.

Thanks in advance everyone!!

 

[happyrat1]

Just to add to the confusion, consider the Kurzwel PC4. Not much more expensive and plays rings around the models you mentioned.

Gary

 

[Biggles]

Korg Krome Ex, received a lot of adverse comments on its keyboard and that it was only a small improvement over the previous model.

Korg Kross 2, came onto market in 2017 and has not been upgraded effectively since then. I had one, it is a very good keyboard but I disliked the twenty page deep menu per sound, so creating Combi’s (Korg speak for layered sounds can require a lot of button pushing). The lcd screen is small and of 90’s quality. Sound cuts off when changing Program or Combi during a performance.

Roland FA 06, has negative comments on the lack of quality in the keybed, I have played the FA 07 for about six hours and it is a very capable keyboard. Downside is its 9 years old in terms of design and sample content.

If you can give them all a try but do look at the manufacturers tutorial videos of each rather than third party reviews before you try and certainly before you buy.

 

[sufiwashere]

Just to add to the confusion, consider the Kurzwel PC4. Not much more expensive and plays rings around the models you mentioned.

Gary

Thanks!

 

[sufiwashere]

Korg Krome Ex, received a lot of adverse comments on its keyboard and that it was only a small improvement over the previous model.

Korg Kross 2, came onto market in 2017 and has not been upgraded effectively since then. I had one, it is a very good keyboard but I disliked the twenty page deep menu per sound, so creating Combi’s (Korg speak for layered sounds can require a lot of button pushing). The lcd screen is small and of 90’s quality. Sound cuts off when changing Program or Combi during a performance.

Roland FA 06, has negative comments on the lack of quality in the keybed, I have played the FA 07 for about six hours and it is a very capable keyboard. Downside is its 9 years old in terms of design and sample content.

If you can give them all a try but do look at the manufacturers tutorial videos of each rather than third party reviews before you try and certainly before you buy.

Thanks for the detail reply!! Would you recommend anything in this price range?

 

[MusicwithHarry]

Hi,
I'm in a very confusing situation with these choices. What should I buy in 2021 (as a long term investment)
among these keyboards Korg krome ex or Kross 2 or Roland fa 06? or would you recommend me other models.

I would mostly play with a metal band and do some studio works to produce soundtracks for videos.

Thanks in advance everyone!!

I guess it really matters what feels and sounds good to you.

The Krome EX has the great piano sounds (although I did not like them much) and EP sounds (which are great). It lacks some of the features that the Kross 2 has, but the Krome does have the piano-roll sequencer AND the touch screen. The keybed on the 88-key is pretty much the same as the Kross 88 keybed. I believe they are identical.

The Kross 2 is a formidable instrument and has come a long way since the Kross 1 (which I have 4 of). I find them very useful and versatile. You also have the ability to record audio on the Kross units, and it has sample pads. The sounds are good, but since there is only around 150Mb of samples, it is much less than the Krome in that regard. What Korg have done with the EDS-i in the Kross is quite good though.

Some people talk about the keybeds on the Kross, but I guess they do not bother me much. I have two of the Kross 1-88 and two of the Kross 1-61. Both are fine for me and I do like the weighted action, even though it is not really close to a real grand piano action.

Some also do not like the LCD screen on the Kross, but there is an editor, both standalone (for PC) and a plugin (for your DAW) and it makes the Kross MUCH easier to program. Korg have also released some soundpacks for the Kross, but I believe that the newest iteration of the Kross 2 has them installed already.

Maybe they could have done more with adding more sounds, but there are soundpacks all over the Interwebs that emulate different sounds that other bands used.

My last foray into Roland synths was the XP60 and I believe that the Juno DS and FA series are pretty good, although they are much different than products before and are much different than anything Korg has.

With regard to Kurzweil, I really like them too and the PC4 could be a great option. My experience with Kurzweil is a bit negative right now because I have the SP1 and the runaround I got from Kurzy on it left me dismayed, at best. With that said, the SP1 is a digital piano and I have got it to where it will be the main controller in my live rig and I LOVE the action on it. Maybe their more costly offerings are better positioned than the SP1 is.

With regard to the type of music you are playing, I see a lot of people using Korg products for Symphonic Metal, Progressive Metal, and so on. Bands like Nightwish, Stratovarius, and many others seem to use Korg for their orchestral sounds. Jordan Rudess from Dream theater has been a long-time user of Korg products, but I remember him using Kurzweil products back in the day as well...

I would takea listen to them, watch the videos, and get a feel for what zings you. From that point, go play some of them and see which really speak to you then. That really is the only way to decide on which one you really want.

I wish you luck, sir

Grace,
Harry

 

[sufiwashere]

I guess it really matters what feels and sounds good to you.

The Krome EX has the great piano sounds (although I did not like them much) and EP sounds (which are great). It lacks some of the features that the Kross 2 has, but the Krome does have the piano-roll sequencer AND the touch screen. The keybed on the 88-key is pretty much the same as the Kross 88 keybed. I believe they are identical.

The Kross 2 is a formidable instrument and has come a long way since the Kross 1 (which I have 4 of). I find them very useful and versatile. You also have the ability to record audio on the Kross units, and it has sample pads. The sounds are good, but since there is only around 150Mb of samples, it is much less than the Krome in that regard. What Korg have done with the EDS-i in the Kross is quite good though.

Some people talk about the keybeds on the Kross, but I guess they do not bother me much. I have two of the Kross 1-88 and two of the Kross 1-61. Both are fine for me and I do like the weighted action, even though it is not really close to a real grand piano action.

Some also do not like the LCD screen on the Kross, but there is an editor, both standalone (for PC) and a plugin (for your DAW) and it makes the Kross MUCH easier to program. Korg have also released some soundpacks for the Kross, but I believe that the newest iteration of the Kross 2 has them installed already.

Maybe they could have done more with adding more sounds, but there are soundpacks all over the Interwebs that emulate different sounds that other bands used.

My last foray into Roland synths was the XP60 and I believe that the Juno DS and FA series are pretty good, although they are much different than products before and are much different than anything Korg has.

With regard to Kurzweil, I really like them too and the PC4 could be a great option. My experience with Kurzweil is a bit negative right now because I have the SP1 and the runaround I got from Kurzy on it left me dismayed, at best. With that said, the SP1 is a digital piano and I have got it to where it will be the main controller in my live rig and I LOVE the action on it. Maybe their more costly offerings are better positioned than the SP1 is.

With regard to the type of music you are playing, I see a lot of people using Korg products for Symphonic Metal, Progressive Metal, and so on. Bands like Nightwish, Stratovarius, and many others seem to use Korg for their orchestral sounds. Jordan Rudess from Dream theater has been a long-time user of Korg products, but I remember him using Kurzweil products back in the day as well...

I would takea listen to them, watch the videos, and get a feel for what zings you. From that point, go play some of them and see which really speak to you then. That really is the only way to decide on which one you really want.

I wish you luck, sir

Grace,
Harry

Thank you so much! Do you thing it will be wise to buy a korg kross 2 in 2021?

 

[MusicwithHarry]

Thank you so much! Do you thing it will be wise to buy a korg kross 2 in 2021?

I guess it depends on how truly you define 'long term investment'.

For example, I have many pieces of gear from Ensoniq (has not been in business for 20+ years) and those pieces are around 30 years old. I have some Alesis pieces that are 20+ years old as well and I find them useful. I also have a Korg X5DR from the Mid-90's and it too still gets a lot of use in my studio. Nothing else sounds like them, in my opinion

I buy for the long-haul myself, including the M50 and Kross 1 units.

I believe that there is enough in the Kross 2 to get you many years of use. I would also say the same about the others. In time, they will all sound outdated of you use only the stock programs. The ability to program these synths is important too, because I think that you would find so many sound variations to keep you busy, and have fresh sounds for the life of the instrument.

If price is a deciding factor, then the Kross or the Roland Juno DS are worthy of further consideration. Between those two, I would be biased, but I really think that the Kross 2 is a good instrument. Depending on whether you get the 61-key or the 88-key model, it will also be a factor. To pay $1,299 USD for an 88-key weighted unit like the Kross 2 is really great, especially considering all of the features that it has.

Grace,
Harry

 

[sufiwashere]

I guess it depends on how truly you define 'long term investment'.

For example, I have many pieces of gear from Ensoniq (has not been in business for 20+ years) and those pieces are around 30 years old. I have some Alesis pieces that are 20+ years old as well and I find them useful. I also have a Korg X5DR from the Mid-90's and it too still gets a lot of use in my studio. Nothing else sounds like them, in my opinion

I buy for the long-haul myself, including the M50 and Kross 1 units.

I believe that there is enough in the Kross 2 to get you many years of use. I would also say the same about the others. In time, they will all sound outdated of you use only the stock programs. The ability to program these synths is important too, because I think that you would find so many sound variations to keep you busy, and have fresh sounds for the life of the instrument.

If price is a deciding factor, then the Kross or the Roland Juno DS are worthy of further consideration. Between those two, I would be biased, but I really think that the Kross 2 is a good instrument. Depending on whether you get the 61-key or the 88-key model, it will also be a factor. To pay $1,299 USD for an 88-key weighted unit like the Kross 2 is really great, especially considering all of the features that it has.

Grace,
Harry

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply.
I'll look for korg kross 2 88 if It's available in my country

 

[happyrat1]

Just to add my $0.02 worth, I bought my Kurzweil PC3K8 about 7 or 8 years ago and I still plan on being buried with it

The PC4 costs half as much and it has 10 times the capability.

Kurzweil SP-1? (Did you mean SP-4?) It's simply sold as a stage piano with only a bank or two of patches and is mainly intended for use as a basic band instrument that sell for less than a third of the price of the PC4 and about 4 or 5 times less than the PC3K did about 5 times less than the current flagship model the Forte.

There's a lot of speculation as to whether or not the upcoming K2700 is going to be a Forte Replacement or a companion at the top of the line.

And I must contend with the statement that Kurzweil support is problematical. The community as well as support staff have a small but core following of fanatical Kurzweil owners. They support their boards decades longer than any of the big three.

And Harry >>> Don't forget we're in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and Kurzweil is a small but determined company whose resources must be sorely strapped right now because of the past year's absence of touring musicians.

Trust me. If you're looking for something that will endure for more than a decade or two, they are well built, well engineered, cutting edge products without the crappy touchscreens that fail quickly on lots of modern gear.

They've had two huge commercial flops in the past three decades. One was with the PC3x dropping out key weights from faulty glue 30 years ago and again 5 years ago with the release of the PC3LE and the "Blinking Lights Of Death" syndrome.

Every other commercial product they've made endured long service and support lifetimes and people are still playing them live today.

With the early K series they dominated the musical theatre market and to their credit, patches created for those antiques are still playable on some models to this day. 30 year backward format compatibility!! Ray Kurzweil was and is a genius and even though he no longer works with the company his initial design has outlived all the competition.

Gary

 

[MusicwithHarry]

Just to add my $0.02 worth, I bought my Kurzweil PC3K8 about 7 or 8 years ago and I still plan on being buried with it

The PC4 costs half as much and it has 10 times the capability.

Kurzweil SP-1? (Did you mean SP-4?) It's simply sold as a stage piano with only a bank or two of patches and is mainly intended for use as a basic band instrument that sell for less than a third of the price of the PC4 and about 4 or 5 times less than the PC3K did about 5 times less than the current flagship model the Forte.

There's a lot of speculation as to whether or not the upcoming K2700 is going to be a Forte Replacement or a companion at the top of the line.

And I must contend with the statement that Kurzweil support is problematical. The community as well as support staff have a small but core following of fanatical Kurzweil owners. They support their boards decades longer than any of the big three.

And Harry >>> Don't forget we're in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and Kurzweil is a small but determined company whose resources must be sorely strapped right now because of the past year's absence of touring musicians.

Trust me. If you're looking for something that will endure for more than a decade or two, they are well built, well engineered, cutting edge products without the crappy touchscreens that fail quickly on lots of modern gear.

They've had two huge commercial flops in the past three decades. One was with the PC3x dropping out key weights from faulty glue 30 years ago and again 5 years ago with the release of the PC3LE and the "Blinking Lights Of Death" syndrome.

Every other commercial product they've made endured long service and support lifetimes and people are still playing them live today.

With the early K series they dominated the musical theatre market and to their credit, patches created for those antiques are still playable on some models to this day. 30 year backward format compatibility!! Ray Kurzweil was and is a genius and even though he no longer works with the company his initial design has outlived all the competition.

Gary

Gary,
I did mean the SP1. It is marketed as a digital piano and is supposed to the entry-level DP in their lineup. I know that it is different than the 'professional' synth lines, but it had some features that the others did not have so easily available on the front panel.

I love Kurzweil. I used to have a K2000 fully loaded and have lots of time playing the older models back in the day. I am rather instrigued by the upcoming K2700 as well.

I also understand about the pandemic ruining supply lines around the globe I was waiting for the Behringer VC340 for months before canceling the order and going with the Waldorf Streichfett instead.

One issue I do have with Kurzy is the inclusion of some of the 'home' or 'prosumer' models that are actually Medeli products with Kurzy badging. I know that other brands do the same thing, but I thought that Kurzweil would never do that, especially considering their heritage and their innovation. I would STILL love to have a MIDIBoard take up permanent residence in my studio

Please do not mistake my dismay with the SP1 and Kurzweil's response as one that is hating on Kurzweil. I think that they've got great tech in their lineup and some fantastic options.

Grace,
Harry

 

[happyrat1]

Medeli has come up very quickly and intelligently in recent years. My Hydrasynth was designed and branded by Ashun Sound Machines which was created by and wholly owned by Medeli. They headhunted top engineers from the UK and Europe and gave them the singular task of designing and producing the hydrasynth.

They also have released an arranger that sells for a third the price of the PSR900 or PA-1000 that equals and even surpasses them.

Small but dedicated companies try harder to earn their rep.

The PC4-8 uses a Medeli keybed now and I'm not sure what they use in the PC4-7. It's unpopular with many old time Kurzweil owners who prefer the Fatar TP-40L action and so with the K2700 they have gone back to that one. Then again the Medeli action is the only one that could weigh in at 28 lbs. My PC3K8 weighs in at 54 lbs. Just over 80 lbs with a TSA Gator Case.

I'd say if you can adjust to the lighter action it's worth it in weight savings alone.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

One thing I'd suggest to the original poster to help his decision is to download the manuals for all the models listed and see for himself which manuals are written in Klingon and which ones read like comic books.

The quality of the manuals makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE in just how usable any given workstation can be.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

BTW, I also own a Juno DS88 and would like to point out that the only thing that makes it less than an ideal workstation is that the pattern sequencer does not output MIDI to a DAW. The 1400 sounds built in are pretty damned good to excellent. It ca also load samples and has a good selection of arprggiators. All other MIDI functions are working nominally. The keyboard has a slightly deeper, heavier, slower touch than my Kurzweil. There are 3 selectable velocity curves to adjust. Overall weight is much lower than my Kurz. It weighs in at a total of 34 lbs.

It's also a hell of a lot simpler to operate than my Kurz.

But as a starter workstation below $1100 USD it's almost ideal for someone beginning an obsession with keyboards.

Lord knows, I started out with a lot worse.

Over the years, after playing dozens of different boards, you learn to adapt your touch pretty easily within a couple of days with a new board.

Gary

 

[Biggles]

Thanks for the detail reply!! Would you recommend anything in this price range?

I can suggest a couple to add to what has already been.

There is also a Yamaha MODX that you can add to your mix for consideration. It does have the samples of much more expensive models whereas with the others they are cut down versions.

Upping the budget at there is a Korg Nautilus which unlike all the others quoted is a brand new model, it is basically a cut down Kronos.

One thing I did find restricting about the Korg Kross 2 that I had is true of them all that you are considering and that is 61 keys can be very restricting if you want a Combi set up with more than two splits on the keybed. Hence a 76 or 88 could be a more versatile option in the long term, that in turn limits choice.

Do check on the availability and of technical support in your Country and by technical support I mean if you need a keyboard repair does the manufacturer have that level of local infrastructure.

 

[anotherscott]

I have played the FA 07 for about six hours and it is a very capable keyboard. Downside is its 9 years old in terms of design and sample content.

...and most of the sample content is much older than that! The vast majority of it's non-synth sounds are from the XV-5080, which is over 20 years old. The SRX-based axial expansions include some that are newer, but are still old. Though a lot of them still sound quite nice, of course. PIcking up from Gary's post, the Juno DS actually has a slightly newer sampled sound set than the FA. Where the FA sonically excels over the DS is in its synth sounds, and "SuperNatural Acoustic" tones which are piano, EPs, clav, organ, basses, acoustic guitar, and ensemble strings (though whether they are actually always better than their pre-SN equivalents can also be subjective).

Getting back to the OP, though, I really don't know what to suggest, because I don't actually know what sounds are most important for heavy metal... and soundtracks for videos can mean pretty much anything at all! The thing about doing soundtrack work, though, is that since you do it at home rather than on stage, you easily have access to the world of VST sounds, so maybe the sound selection in the board isn't so important for that, since you can always find a way to get whatever you may be missing. Well, assuming you have a computer. I'm told that lots of the "next generation" don't even have/use computers anymore... just smartphones and maybe iPads. iPads in particular are still good for music work, but still won't give you all you can get in the world of VSTs.

Speaking more generally, within the class of boards we're talking about, my own personal preference in order of ascending price would be Juno DS, MODX, PC4 (though moving up that chain is never without compromises... while you get more capabilities overall as you move up that chain, you'll also always lose some things the lesser board had, and there are ways I prefer the MODX to the PC4, and even ways I prefer the Juno DS to the MODX). I agree with Biggles about the flexibility of a bigger-than-61 board unless you have tight space/weight/budget constraints. So I would choose the 76 key versions of any of these over the 61 (and Kurzweil doesn't even make a 61 version of the PC4).

But none of that is a dis on Kross/Krome, which have a lot to recommend them as well. WIthout knowing the sounds or functions you most care about, it's perfectly possible that you could prefer one of those. For example, I don't care at all about sequencers. But if I did, the Krome and even the Kross are more capable than the Juno DS or MODX.