GEAR
[ KORG KRONOS LS REVIEW | Tom Brooks ]
JUST THE FACTS:
problem
What it is:
• Sampler,
• The LS is a Kronos2, with a new ‘Light-
Touch’ keyboard (details below)
• It is 14 pounds lighter than the 88 key
Kronos2 with RH3 weighted action
now, but Korg wins the battle here. Let’s face
Sequencer,
Audio
Recorder,
extensive connectivity
it, nobody has time to navigate through menus
or crawl through manuals just to make simple
• 2,560 Sounds, 1,792 Combinations, 264 edits! The Kronos TouchView screen offers the
Drum Kits, 11 PCM Expansion Libraries, all easiest, most intuitive user interface out there;
included a window into the powerful feature set within.
What it isn’t:
Plus, hands down, the best, most flexible
• The LS is not a stripped-down Kronos [‘Light
Touch’ does not = “Kronos Lite”]
THE NEW ‘LIGHT-TOUCH’ KEYBOARD ACTION
’SetList’ mode of any keyboard available today.
This is a Genius move by Korg. Think about it…
• It isn’t a departure; under the hood it is a
complete Kronos2
If you’re like me, when you’re playing a grand A COMPLETE KRONOS2 - BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
piano part in concert you want to have a great • Great new operating system with valuable
piano action at your fingertips, of course. But
There have been several excellent reviews realistically, I’m playing grand probably 15%-
published on the Kronos2, so I’ll focus this 20% of the night max; the rest of the time I’m
article on what’s new in the LS, but here are playing string / brass phrases, fast synth lines,
the quick bullet point headlines on the Kronos2: quick repeating B-3 parts, etc. I’m sure you’ve
• Nine distinct top quality synth engines, each found that on a high-energy gig, glissing and
with its own unique sounds: SGX-2, EP-1, bouncing fast organ parts over weighted keys
CX-3, HD-1, Polysix, MS-20 and more
refinements and updates
• World-Class sounds, now easily searchable
by name and category
• New “Quick Layer / Split” function is really
useful
• Easiest editing of any synth on the market
can leave your fingers bruised and bloody… TO BE FAIR…
• Brilliant grand piano sounds: The ‘Berlin That’s where this new ‘Light Touch’ action is Even though Korg’s new ‘Light-Touch’ action is
Grand’, a 9GB sample that is as good as any perfect. It is a semi-weighted velocity sensitive a perfect solution for me, a few of my Keyboard
piano sample anywhere keyboard that is ideal for playing B-3 and pals don’t care for it; some feel like it’s too light
technology: fast flying synth and orchestral parts. Plus, if or doesn’t offer enough resistance. Obviously,
Generated Effects take what you play and you’re like most players today, you have more this is a subjective call, so take the LS for a test
responds than 1 keyboard in your rig anyway for playing drive and check it out for yourself.
multiple parts at once…so do what I do; have There are a lot of disclaimers in the front of
• 8” inch TouchView display, Ribbon Controller, 1 keyboard in your rider with a top quality the manual regarding the LCD screen and
Korg Vector Joystick, Instinctive real-time weighted piano action primarily dedicated to the internal drive - I have had no problems
control playing grand parts, and then spec the LS whatsoever, but it seems like Korg is hedging
‘Light Touch’ action as a 2nd or 3rd keyboard their bets as though these components are a
for playing B-3 / orchestral samples / synth bit delicate. I pamper my gear like crazy, but
lines / etc. I would say just use common sense: Don’t
• KARMA,
Korg’s
with
unique
creative
appeggiator-like
phrases to enhance your performance
• 16 studio quality simultaneous FX + 16 layer
combination sounds
• Ultra high polyphony, solid state flash
memory, super-fast streaming, unlooped
cycle the power while your disc is loading and
BEST TOUCHSCREEN OF ANY SYNTH don’t abuse the Touchscreen (duh!). From
• Sustain notes while switching sounds - no All the flagship synths have a touchscreen my own experience, we get our Kronos from
28 August 2017
samples
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