Korg Kross 2 vs Roland Juno DS: The Final Battle.

[happyrat1]

The Roland sounds slightly better to me.

The pianos sound more resonant.

The organs sound meatier.

The strings sound fuller.

All in all they're a pretty close match but I'm still thinking I made the right decision.

Gary

 

[CowboyNQ]

Thanks for sharing Gary, I love videos like this.

I will say this: Whatever one's preference, both keyboards represent incredible bang for buck. Can't go wrong IMO.

 

[Biggles]

Probably as you predicted as a Korg Kross 2 owner I am responding to the comparison.

The thing is they are very close and yes the Roland does have better instrument sounds, in particular Pianos, which does have a better range of sounds and tones.

The thing is the Kross 2 organ sounds on my own Kross 2 are inferior to the organ sounds that are on my Korg PA, with my PA I also have a drawbar organ with Leslie effect and this is truely awesome.

If we look at the Roland range there is not the depth of quality models with just the DS, FA, EA and BK models, and these are quite old. The top of the range FA 08 here is £1200.

With Korg there are 5 PA models, and the Krome, Kronos, Kronos LS and Kross 2 and the top of the range is the Kronos at £3000.

So it is hardly surprizing that a £600 Kross 2 is not going to have the same instrument sounds as a Kronos, conversely the cost difference between the DS and FA models is not very much but the EA is vastly inferior to the Korg PA1000 and 4X.

If you remember I agonised over which to buy, the DS and Kross 2 and I only went for the Korg primarily as it was brand new and much lighter in weight. My own hands on comparison of both keyboards in the PMT store in Manchester had the Roland sounding slightly better but for ease of creating and editing sound Combinations being better on the Kross 2.

The Kross 2 is not the only Korg where Piano sounds have been the subject of adverse comments, the PA1000 piano sounds have been commented upon in this forum by Doug and another guy posted similar on the Korg Forum.

Like any keyboard if anyone is considering either, research, watching video tutorials and then getting your own hands on trials if possible are the best way to compare and choose.

 

[happyrat1]

Cowboy >>> thanks man...

Biggles >>> Top of the line from Roland these days is the RD-2000

That's the one that should be compared to the Kronos and Nords and Forte and Montage....

Mind you while they may not all be classified as "workstations" that label has become pretty obsolete these days. Manufacturers are focusing more on performance synths and stage pianos these days without the built in sequencers that qualify as "workstations." It makes sense to me since pretty much anything can be connected to a laptop or an ipad these days.

Based on sound quality and variety alone I think these are pretty fair comparisons.

BTW, here's a direct comparison of the FA08 and the DS88. There's honestly not all that much difference in sounds to justify the difference in prices.

And BTW, almost everyone does shitty organ emulations on synths which is why I have the B4000+ Clonewheel emulator module hooked up to my Juno.

Gary

 

[Rayblewit]

I want to retire and play more music. My customers keep dishing work at me.
How do I pull the pin? How do I find time to shop for a new KB?

2019 (I will be 67 in Jan) maybe the time I try our some new models.
I am reading all of the reviews and opinions from you blokes. You are teasing me to be honest. Making me jealous too.

Ambition 1. Give up work.
Ambition 2. Update my old PSR S650

Ray

 

[happyrat1]

#1 : Nobody's last words on their death bed was "I wish I'd spent more time at work..."

#2 : Screw the kids' inheritances. By 2040 the planet will be under water anyway...

Gary

 

[Biggles]

I was of the impression that the RD2000 is more a Stage Piano than a Workstation and with only two sound engines I would think that it falls way below a Korg Kronos in performance capabilities.

The RD2000 is £2000 in the UK whereas a Nord Stage 3 is £2350 and a Korg Kronos X is £2800 so maybe one day.

My big gripe about the Kross 2 is the break that occurs when changing Program or Combi and if it was not for the fact that I transport the keyboard I would swap it.

 

[Biggles]

I want to retire and play more music. My customers keep dishing work at me.
How do I pull the pin? How do I find time to shop for a new KB?

2019 (I will be 67 in Jan) maybe the time I try our some new models.
I am reading all of the reviews and opinions from you blokes. You are teasing me to be honest. Making me jealous too.

Ambition 1. Give up work.
Ambition 2. Update my old PSR S650

Ray

Go part time.

I did that for many years, then worked like mad all hours available for the last six months before I retired in 2014

I used the extra cash I made in the last six months working to buy a few goodies to set me up in my retirement.

I can thoroughly recommend retirement, work is four letter word.

 

[happyrat1]

My Kurzweil PC3K8 doesn't suffer from that bug. It holds a note for its normal duration even after switching programs.

The Juno DS doesn't cut out either but whatever key you're holding immediately switches over and plays the new voice selected.

Not exactly perfect but better than dead silence I guess.

Gary

 

[Mighty Motif Max]

I like the Kross 2 better than the Roland mainly for the soft pads which you can use as a favorites list, the keys (I hate the short stubby Juno/FA-06 keys), and the mod wheel and pitch bend over a joystick. Sequencer is nice too. Juno DS piano is nice though. Both boards have some bizarre limitations.

 

[anotherscott]

The Juno DS doesn't cut out either but whatever key you're holding immediately switches over and plays the new voice selected.

Not exactly perfect but better than dead silence I guess.

I think what you're hearing is the switch to the new effect, not the new voice. It can be more or less noticeable depending on what effects are in use on the different sounds.

 

[happyrat1]

I'll be testing that out tomorrow morning when it won't wake up my neighbours.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

@anotherscott >>>You were correct. It maintains the old voice when you switch programs but the FX changes as soon as you switch. I tried switching from an organ to a piano program and the note that sustained was definitely the organ.

Gary

 

[carl aylward]

The Roland sounds slightly better to me.

The pianos sound more resonant.

The organs sound meatier.

The strings sound fuller.

All in all they're a pretty close match but I'm still thinking I made the right decision.

Gary

i dont care myself which sounds better as i have both so i can pick and choose which one i prefer at any perticuarler time, when evere the mood takes me.

 

[Jeremykeys]

I don't know about either but I've always been of the mind that if you can afford it and it makes you happy, then just go for it! I'm now going to add the disclaimer that it also must be easy to work with. I had a Yamaha DX7 many years ago a programming it was (insert bad word here). I did manage to finally almost wrap my head around no it's architecture but by no means was I an expert. Several yeRs ago my wife let me buy a Korg Kronos. As far as I have seen, nothing else comes close but that because it can do just so much. It has 9 sound engines in it so you are almost unlimited when it comes to creating sounds. It's a sampler. It has pretty much all of the best Korg synths in it plus the Yamaha DX7.

The thing is, it's not perfect. But it is awesome. There is as steep a learning curve as you want. I'm a lazy one so I haven't dug very deeply into it. But! And like my behind, it's a big but! I'm going to repeat myself and say that you should onl.y buy what you can afford and what makes you happy! Sound is subjective. One persons great sound is another's poop. But who doesn't laugh at the sound of, never mind.
Pardon my senility!
Keyboards are a funny thing. And that, my friends is all there is too it.

 

[Doug Lanier]

The difference in DS88 vs FA08 is vast, but only if you are using your keyboard to record, create backing tracks, sequence, sample, etc., i.e. things you would need a real “Workstation” for.
The DS88 is more suited as a performance keyboard... Half as many sounds, 8 track sequencer, but way cheaper.
The good news is you CAN create “performances” on the DS88 with up to 16 parts/splits/layers, which is very handy for live performance. (I usually create a different patch for almost every song, with exactly what I need for that song.)
And if you use backing tracks, you can alway create them on something else, and play the .WAV file on the DS88. For $1000 it’s a pretty good deal, though I’d rather have the FA-08 or FA07.

 

[anotherscott]

The DS and FA can each do things the other cannot. Overall, the FA is more capable, but the DS also has a number of advantages over the FA (i.e. ability to load custom samples as instruments that can be played from the keyboard, ability to put more than one insert effect on a single tone, patch remain when switching between performances, better controls for independently switching the sound/volume/octave of the sounds on either side of a split on the fly)... for my purposes as a performance board (not a workstation), the DS was better than the FA.

 

[paulmapp8306]

@happyrat1

How is the b4000+ ? I've been thinking about one. The rd2000 and fa07 i have both lack something in the organ department (fa lacks meat and drawers, rd lacks editing depth). I can't go for a nord as I'd loose the synth and orchestral side of things.

Contemplating a b4000+ or yam reface yc for organ duties, then down the line replacing the fa07 with a profit x for synth an orchestral sounds (though the fa is fine for now)

 

[anotherscott]

If you just wanted better sound, sending the organ out the FA's SUB OUT and into a Neo Ventilator would sound better than the B4000+ but that doesn't get you the drawbars.

I don't know much of the RD2000, what editing are you missing? Other than that, you find its organ sounds better than the FA, and good enough for your purposes? I would expect action to be an issue, though I suppose you can also drive it from your FA's keys...

 

[paulmapp8306]

I am driving the RDs engine from the FAs keys. I get the drawbars on the RD - so Its OK.

Regards the editing - The RD has the same SN sound as the FA - but the FA sounds a little light - I think its the actual audio outs not quite as good quality. Editing wise, the RD doesnt have the ability to edit the percussion amount, time or recharge time. It doesnt allow editing of the click level or leakage levels. These are why the percussive nature of the RD isnt as nice as the FAs - and you cant change it to suit. Everything else is available. Im hoping these will be made available in a firmware update (I have requested it) - as the actual engine is the same as the FAs, so should be available in theory.

with regards the neo - Ive considered it - but dont like the idea of separate outs. I send one stereo pair to the desk, and use the second outs direct to my stage monitor (in mono). My FAs sound is routed through the RD so I have complete control of the relative mix volumes. Using the neo on the outs would mean strings or pads (for instance) would go through the neo as well as the organs (I do have times when I use both).

I guess I could get creative. Use the main outs to feed the monitor (If Im not going through the FOH - small gigs) or take a monitor feed from the desk (If I do). I could then feed a Noe from the RDs second pair of outs - feed that into the FAs audio input. That would work like an effects loop - organ though neo, into FA, which feeds the RD, which then goes out the mains. A bit convoluted, and doesnt get the editing I really want (though may well improve the rotary).

In an ideal world, Id like the Nord organ module from the 6d or stage 3 - in a pure module box. That would be perfect, but its not something Nord do (or are likely to).