Russ Davey
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Korg Krome 61 Keyboard Review

23/1/2013

78 Comments

 
Korg Krome 61 Review
A few weeks ago I took delivery of my new Korg Krome 61 Keyboard. I was a little apprehensive before ordering as a couple of years ago I had ordered a Korg TR61 and the keys had very sharp edges. The thought of losing a finger half way through a glissando meant after a little soul searching I decided to return it!  When the Krome arrived I was happy to find that whilst its not perfect the build quality was much better than the terrible TR!

Until now I had been using an old Korg N5 which was starting to struggle after 12 years of gigging around Kent and London. The pitch bend wheel had been knocked a few times which meant I had to carefully tune it up before each booking like a guitarist tunes a guitar! The aftertouch had also stopped working and the buttons all needed a hard press each time they were used which was problematic when I needed to change a sound quickly half way through a song. So this was a much needed upgrade!

My Criteria

There were a few things I had on my criteria whilst researching.  Firstly, it needed to be a similar size and weight to the N5 (under 10kg) as I didn't want to be lugging around a huge keyboard to gigs along with my saxophones and PA system. Secondly, the piano, electric piano, strings and organ sounds had to be good.  Lastly, the keybed and build quality had to be of a reasonable quality, feel nice to play and hold up to many more years on the road.

Korg Krome Build Quality

Korg Krome and Korg N5 side by sideKorg N5 (left) and Krome (right)
My first impressions were very positive.  The quality looked good, with nicer polymer plastics used and an aluminium fascia surrounding the top panel.  The joystick (replacing the pitch bend wheel for real time modulation and pitch bend adjustments) felt nice and solid and is coated in a rubber feel plastic, which makes it feel more comfortable to use. Some might say it has a plain design but I quite like this understated look.  I also have to mention the weight. At 7kg its fantastic for transporting to and from gigs and carrying up flights of stairs, especially if like me you have several instruments to transport and a PA system!

Unfortunately, the power button is not very solid. It feels slightly loose and moves about up and down, left and right by a millimetre or so in each direction. It has no "click" to indicate you have pushed it on or off which feels a bit disconcerting. I checked with Korg that this was normal and they said yes.  My old N5 had a larger button that stayed in when the power was on, and stayed out when it was off - you know, like most power buttons!  

The Krome uses an external power supply with a small DC power socket.  It would be much nicer to have a standard IEC lead input but I guess they have to cut costs somewhere. The power brick is small and light, but the power socket where the adaptor plugs into the keyboard feels a little fragile and wobbles about in the socket. I imagine I will have to be very careful with it longer term as it feels much less sturdy than the one on my N5.  

It always confuses me when manufacturers design and build a new product so well using nice quality materials and then they use a very flimsy power connector.  I had the same problem with a Soundcraft Spirit FX8 mixing desk. The whole unit was made out of 1.5mm steel, it was built like a tank, but the power socket was very flimsy plastic! I'd love to meet the people in charge of making these decisions and ask them what they were thinking. I'd wager that they're not gigging musicians using the equipment day in and day out!

Krome Connections

On the back there's two stereo L/R unbalanced jack outputs, along with jacks inputs for damper, switch and pedal plus midi in/out connectors. There's also an SD card slot to import and save song data to and a B-type USB port so you can use the Krome editor to edit sounds on your computer, or use the Krome as a controller.
Korg Krome Connections

TouchView Screen

The large seven inch TouchView screen dominates the front panel.  It seems to be resistive rather than capacitive but its still very responsive and easy to use, plus it has a generous 800 x 480 pixel resolution, so its easy on the eyes. Its very intuitive and everything seems to be in the right place.  The default brightness setting was too high for me, especially for evening gigs so I turned it down from 10 to 3 and found that to be just right.  You have to save this in Global settings for it to remember after you have turned it off,  otherwise it reverts back to the default setting.

Krome Sounds

The sounds are light years ahead of my old N5.  The N5's sounds totalled 12Mb, and the Krome has 4Gb (so 4096Mb)! Of course ROM isn't the only factor in creating beautiful sounds, but having that amount of freedom does mean that the Krome is able to have piano samples that are not looped, and can be sampled at 8 different velocities for each note.  On my N5 the samples were looped, and one sample might cover up to 5 or 6 notes, the Krome has a sample for each note. 2.8Gb of the ROM is dedicated to the piano sounds, and you can hear some of this depth in the intro of the demo below:

The Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer patches also sound great, and the same can be said for the strings and organ sounds. Each sound has a drum track, and this can be changed to different patterns and adjusted via the tempo knob on the right. Essentially this is like a built in drum machine, although there's no option for fills or ending as you might find on an arranger keyboard.  Its a nice feature and I'm sure it will come in useful in live situations when we play songs acoustically without backing tracks. There is also an arpeggiator for each sound which would also be useful, especially for people who want to do sequencing.


Feel, Responsiveness & Playability

Korg Krome Keybed
The Krome is available in 61, 73, and 88 key versions, all without aftertouch.  The 88 version has a different keybed to the 61 & 73, so I can't comment on that.  On the 61 key version the keys have metal underneath each one to give them some weight, so it seems quite promising, but they are acoustically quite noisy and a little creaky as they are pressed. 

They do have some slightly sharp edges on the near side (although this is nowhere near as bad as on the horrible TR keybed).  My N5 has much nicer keys, which are smooth and rounded. Plus they're quiet and feel more natural and responsive to play. The omission of aftertouch is missed too, since it is useful for adding modulation on organ and strings sounds without taking your left hand off the keyboard.

The keybed is not a deal breaker for me, as the other features make this a great keyboard for the price, but I wish Korg would offer a keyboard with all the features of the Krome and retain its light weight whilst adding a high quality keybed with aftertouch. You might say, at this price point (£799) it is to be expected, but I still think its something that is surely very important to the majority of musicians especially as this is marketed as a professional keyboard.

Midi Files & Sequencing on the Krome

Within any patch you can press record and the system will ask you if you want to automatically set up the current sounds for recording in the sequencer.  This is a really handy feature as it allows you to move all your combination data, program data and effects into the sequencer quickly without having to manually enter it.  For me that's where the ease of use ended unfortunately.  Although the sequencer on the Korg is ahead of those found in similar workstations, I still found it quite clunky and hard to get to grips with.  This isn't a fault with the Krome as such; its more a limitation of trying to work with a 7" screen in a world where we have been spoilt by using computers with mouse, keyboard and 20"-27" screens for sequencing.  If you've ever tried to edit a video on an iPad you'll know what I mean, its just not very easy to achieve!

Back when I first started learning to play the keyboard the Krome's sequencer would have been amazing. However, in 2013 it does seem to be a painfully slow experience. For example, changing a sound for a track on a midi file on a normal computer would involve a couple of mouse clicks. With the Krome you need to go to that track, go to Edit Track, then the Event Edit page, select the events you want to view and untick everything except "Program Changes" and then just as you find the event that you need to change you have to remember which patch you want to change it to as its done using the program number not the name! Nine times out of ten I would forget the number of the patch and have to come out and start all over again.  You need to do this for each track of course so it gets old fast. Perhaps its just me, but I found it to be quite tedious and slow when you are used to working with modern computer based sequencer programs.  That said, I didn't buy the keyboard for the sequencing, I bought it to play live, so its not really an issue for me. 

Conclusion

I'm looking forward to using the Krome at upcoming gigs and not having to punch the buttons quite so hard as I have been getting used to with my ageing N5! The sounds are ultimately what make this keyboard a really impressive choice, so it will be good to see how I can best use them in the songs I play.  A nice added bonus is that Korg are also offering a full 3 year warranty on all Krome models, so that's great news, especially if the power button/socket turns out to be an issue longer term.  Although I have never had to test Korg's customer service, so how useful this will be remains to be seen.

I would like to thank Tom Osborne at Absolute Music for his help. Absolute Music are based in Bournemouth in the UK which is some way from me in Kent, but I have always had great service from them and nothing ever seems too much trouble. I'm hoping they open a shop nearby in Kent one day!


78 Comments
Carol
3/3/2013 04:39:50 am

Thanks for the review. Everything you said was right on.
The flimsy on off switch is a concern as well as the amount of time it takes to boot up.
I used it the other night for a gig and it showed an error. I didn't have time to read it because I had to start and knew it would be a bt before the keyboard was up. I assumed it would still workes and it did come back up I'm still in the deciding stage. I'm using it primarily for giging so the size and weight is great so far. I plan on using the splits for bass piano and sax/trumpet/recorder work and will add drums but I still have ot figure it all out.
I'm new to this. How would you rate the ease of learning and doin it?
I played around with a Yamah MM6 and was able to create the sound I wanted but it only split in the middle. From what I see I think I can have many sounds on differnt sections of the keyboard.
Let me know what you think!

Reply
Russ
17/3/2013 07:35:13 am

Hi Carol,

Yes the boot up times are a bit annoying, but it doesn't bother me too much personally. Yes you can place the split wherever you want - you have to press Page and then you can set the split point (or they may call it zones I can't remember!) Its very flexible in that regard - just a shame about the power socket! :)

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milan
24/8/2014 03:01:39 am

hi russ.is this keyboard perfect for stage performance?

rob
17/3/2013 07:18:16 am

I am thinking about buying the krome to add to my solid korg n364 which is in great shape after 16yrs. my main concern now is the power connection and power button. If they hold up this sounds like it will be a great board for me. I split and layer a lot in comb mode on my n364 but only have 8 prog per comb but you have 16 prog per comb with krome combined with the levels of key volicity i cant wait..... saving up nowwwwww !!!!!

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Russ
17/3/2013 07:34:49 am

Hi Rob,

Sounds like it will be perfect for you. I wouldn't worry too much about the power socket and button - they're okay, its just they are notably less sturdy than my old N5 and don't feel like they've been made to last years. You'll just have to baby them a bit if you're gigging a lot.

Its a shame they chose to cut costs on the keybed and the power socket/button because otherwise its really a great keyboard.

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rob
31/7/2013 08:22:31 am

I am doing the same thing. The n364 is really the greatest but mine died 2 wks ago motherboard went out cant find one so the Krome is my nent move or M-50

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Russ
31/7/2013 08:45:26 am

Hi Rob, good idea. I'd strongly advise getting the Krome over the M50 if you can afford it though, the sounds are superb. The power socket isn't causing me any problems so far and I've been gigging quite a bit with it since I wrote this review.

nick chan
3/4/2013 01:43:20 pm

i still prefer the strings in 01/W. I've owned Motif XS, N5, Kurzweil PC3, Karma. large ROM is just one factor. Krome stil have mid-range DA converters, hence the price. Too bad about the keybed. It's like playing air-keyboard. That's one huge turn off for me, unfortunately, because I do love the interface and sounds and am looking for light keyboard. Nord manages to do it but at way higher price. Incredibly nice keys at around 6-7kgs.

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Russ
3/4/2013 07:45:21 pm

Its true that Nord does manage to do it - but my concern with their boards is the lack of other sounds. I do use the lead guitar sound at gigs (much to the amazement of people in the audience who think its a real lead guitarist!) So the Nord's few sounds just aren't really enough for me personally. But I do like everything else about them.

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ABWE link
16/4/2013 01:31:10 pm

Hey..Is there any problem with the Audio file which you have shared above? Because I tried play the Audio but it doesn't seem to be working.

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Russ
16/4/2013 06:35:06 pm

Hi ABWE, the clip is working for me, it should work on all platforms as its an HTML 5 widget from Soundcloud. You can hear all the sounds here on their page: https://soundcloud.com/korg/sets/korg20120824

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nick
1/9/2013 01:55:50 pm

have ya downloaded the free M1 library for krome ?

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Russ
5/9/2013 10:57:47 pm

Hi Nick,

Yes its quite retro!

Best of M1
http://www.korg.com/uploads/Download/USA_Krome_Best_of_M1.zip

Best of Triton
http://www.korg.com/uploads/Download/USA_Krome_Best_of_TRITON.zip

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Wes
7/10/2013 12:05:44 pm

Darn Russ I am almost sold on the Krome. But that power adapter thingy is bothering me. Been there, done that, and ended up paying premiums for the adapter. When you gotta set up and take down fast or others are helping out, power chords take a lot of abuse.

I read another review about the lack of a save work reminder. Considering its pop up features. One could easily forget to save before hitting another menu. Any concerns regarding that?

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Russ
7/10/2013 06:42:32 pm

Hi Wes,

Well, yes the adapter will cost a lot to replace, but personally I'm more concerned about the socket as the power cord wobbles a bit inside, feels like it could get broken by an over enthusiastic roadie very quickly. I tend to baby it and be really careful, but I usually set up alone so its not too big a problem for me, if I was in a hurry or in a bigger band I'd be more concerned.

On the other question, I don't tend to do a lot of work on the sequencer or programs, I use it more as a live board, so it isn't a problem for me but I can see how it would be annoying.

One thing I would say is - since my original post I've grown to love the keyboard a lot. The sounds are really nice esp the piano and EPs. The big touchscreen is also light years of Yamaha/Roland offerings which still look very 1995 with their two lined LCDs!

In a nutshell, I don't regret my purchase.

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jayesh shah
28/12/2013 09:24:02 am

I HAVE TWO KEYBOARDS .. ONE KORG-TR & SECOND IS KORG-KROME .. HOW CAN I USE TR`s TONE IN KROME...PLEASE GUIDE..

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Russ
10/2/2014 06:24:15 pm

Hi Jayesh,

I'm pretty sure you can't use the TR sound banks on the Krome unfortunately. You could link the two keyboards up via midi cables, but there wouldn't be a lot of point in doing that. Korg do sometimes release legacy sounds via this page: http://www.korg.com/krome under the "Soundware" section, so keep an eye on that. Russ

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BENCY
4/2/2014 03:26:47 pm

Dear Mr.Russ , I have a TR and planning to buy a KROME. I have got a PCG with INDIAN tones / instruments. Am I able to load this TR - PCG in the new KROME.

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Russ
4/2/2014 07:26:46 pm

Hi Bency,

Unfortunately I don't think its possible. Personally I would like to load some N5/N1 sounds into the Krome as I miss the Monster Wah sound I used to use.

You can install the original "M1 for Krome" and "Best of Triton" Sound Collections direct from the Krome page. They load into the F bank so do back up any user created sounds before installing. Click on the Soundware tab here: http://www.korg.com/uk/products/synthesizers/krome

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Francis
5/2/2014 06:03:21 am

Hi Russ,
thanks for a good, "real world" review. :-)
I've read many reviews of the Krome and watched lots of Utube, and I'm still not sure if you can access the Drum Track sounds independently, as thay only seem to play when you play the keyboard. So my q. is, can you access the drum patterns w/o playing the keyboard? Is this a dozy question? Does the Pope sit in the woods? :-)
Oh, and what about the synth sounds? I notice nearly 4gb are used on the piano, but it is a synth, after all! I can't find many previews of those sounds. Any views on the paddy, synthy, technoey sounds it surely must contain?

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Russ
5/2/2014 06:14:25 am

Hi Francis,

I know you can customise the drum track easily, patterns, timing and sounds etc. However, I don't know about starting it without playing any notes, but I do know you would only have to press one note lightly to get it started and then it would just keep going (might not be ideal).

The synth sounds I have tried are all good, although I don't tend to use those much (I tend to stick to the pianos, eps, strings and organ sounds). So I'm probably not the best person to ask, lots of clips on YouTube though so you can hear the sort of sounds it creates. Sorry my answer isn't more helpful, I will have a look at the drum track next time I'm at a gig and let you know.

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Enri
10/2/2014 06:17:13 pm

Hi Francis,

Where you edit your drum tracks, you have the option to start drums on key press or automatically when you press the drum button on the keyboard.

Hope this helped, I have a krog m50, although tommorrow my krome arrives. :D

Cheers!

Peter Vallon link
12/2/2014 06:06:52 am

Hello,
I am looking for an effect like a steel guitar in my Korg workstation Krome.
Do you know if there is such an effect in the keyboard?
Regards
Peter

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Russ
12/2/2014 06:12:32 am

Hi Peter,

There are lots of guitar sounds, including 12 string, nylon and steel guitars. Have you not found any that you like in the guitar sound section? Or do you mean an effect rather than a patch?

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JOSH
18/2/2014 07:07:47 pm

Hi Russ...thanks for the review. its quite insightful. please, i need a light help and insight. i have a M-50 66 korg that suddenly went "blank". once i put it on, this message appears on the screen and stays there...data abort r13=0x10001b94 r14=0x100245cc r15=0x10001b94. i have not been able to use it for a while now. do you by any means know what this code means? thanks

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Russ
18/2/2014 07:16:07 pm

Hi Josh,

Oh that's hard luck, it may be a display problem, although it could be something with the capacitors. Definitely worth asking Korg, or taking to a Korg service centre. Just so you know, I did a quick search and found this forum post: http://www.karma-lab.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19857

Not sure if that's any help.

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Janus Wilde
26/3/2014 11:39:41 am

Russ.

Quite kind of you to write this artlcle and be so helpful to all who have enquiries. I just bought this keyboard a few weeks ago here in NYC and its awesome.

Thanks again

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Russ link
27/3/2014 03:27:28 am

Thanks for your comment Janus. I'm glad you like the keyboard, I'm enjoying using it as it really suits my needs.

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Janus Wilde
19/4/2014 11:12:45 pm

Russ, may I ask, which sounds (program numbers) on the Korg Krome are meant to be Fender Rhodes imitations? Id like to try them out. Thanks in advance.

Russ
20/4/2014 12:58:35 am

Hi Janus,

I just use the ones at the start of the first bank, there's lots of EPs after that. They sound great :)

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Steve
31/3/2014 09:49:19 am

Hi Russ

Is there an easy way to program sounds in order for a gig on the KROME 61? Read lots of reviews and watched demos and nobody seems to explain clearly if this is or isn't possible and how to do it.

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Russ link
31/3/2014 10:02:04 am

Hi Steve,

Yes, you can set up several sounds in a list. But Programs and Combis do need to be kept separate. In Program mode you can use F bank to store sounds in order. And in Combi mode you use D bank for those.

So for programs, I go to the sound I want in my list, and then I save it in F bank. Then I do the same for the combis I want and save those to D bank in Combi mode.

For example F000 Krome Piano, 001 Electric Piano, 002 Organ, 003 Strings etc. For combis I go to combi mode, then store them in order under D bank.

Hope that makes sense!

Reply
Vincenzo link
10/5/2014 08:24:47 pm

Hi Russ, thanks for your time. Do you know some other sites like korg heaven, where found sounds for our Krome?
i'm very grateful for your help and for your review free from prejudice, as often happens in instruments reviews.
I agree with you, a better keybed and this Krome would be the best.

Hardik
6/5/2014 09:47:29 pm

Hi,

i am from India and want to know that Korg Krome is Usuful for the Orchatra Player or only for the Live Programme?

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Russ
27/8/2014 03:35:21 am

Hi Hardik,

You can use it for both, but its a workstation rather than a arranger keyboard if that's what you mean?

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Mike
26/6/2014 02:09:19 am

Hey Russ,
First of all - thanks for the great review. I've long been a Roland fan and I do a lot of sequencing for song demos. To me, the Roland sequencer is a snap to use and the best on the market. That said, My old XP-80 finally died and I made the jump to a Yamaha MOX6. All in all it's a good board but, IMHO, does lack the "luster" of the Roland instrument.
That said, I love the DAW versatility of the MOX6.
I'm really thinking of adding a Krome to my setup to replace my old Ensoniq KT-88. (Which is like carrying a bag of concrete around - but it still works!!)
I've always liked Korg instruments, but have just never took the plunge.
Thanks for your thoughts on the Korg Krome!! Just wish it had USB Flash data storage and not the SD card.

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Russ
26/6/2014 02:15:59 am

Hi Mike,

Yeah its a shame about no USB, glad you liked the review. Sounds like you've been able to try out a fair few boards. I was very interested in the MOX6 actually. Now if Roland/Yamaha/Korg offered aftertouch on one of their smaller & lighter models I'd be sold. But for some reason they don't think we want it... strange!

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Mike
28/6/2014 01:25:36 am

Russ,
You are so right on about the aftertouch feature. You'd think someone would offer that on an instrument for around $1K. It's one of the features on my old XP-80 that I used often - and was programmable!!

Maybe you and I should be on the board of one of these companies and drive them in the right direction!! LOL

BTW - listened to "Missing Person" - very, VERY nice my man!
Lots of talent there!!

Blessings,
Mike

Ruben Paul
13/7/2014 06:57:09 pm

Sir,
is Krome Suitable for Live Staze Programmes?
is it having banking system?
and Is it Having Accompaniment?

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Russ
13/7/2014 07:03:39 pm

Hi Ruben Paul,

Yes its suitable for live stage performance (I use it all the time). Yes you can bank the sounds in the order you want to use them.

Accompaniment wise, its not really aimed at that as its a synth workstation rather than an arranger keyboard. It does have a drum track for each sound though and an arpreggiator. If you're not sure what the difference is see this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGANVTsDKH4

Thanks, Russ

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Aniket
5/8/2014 09:28:02 am

Hi Russ,

I have a Karma and I'm not satisfied with it (The key's). I've decided to replace it but still confused. Please suggest me if this one would work.
My preference is good quality sound (especially piano, strings, organ) and the key touch (not like Karma). I look forward to use it for recording tracks, may be on board.

Please suggest.

Thanks,
Aniket

Reply
Russ link
5/8/2014 05:24:25 pm

Hi Aniket,

Thanks for your comment. I've never used a Karma, so can't compare, but the keys are acceptable to me. They are nowhere near as nice as say a Triton Extreme, or even my old N5 which has much nicer keys. However, they are much better than the old Triton TR which has very sharp, cheap and nasty keys.

The best option would be to go and try it first - nothing beats feeling the keys yourself when making a judgement. Or order online from somewhere than accepts returns easily.

Hope this helps, Russ

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Aniket
7/8/2014 12:47:44 am

Hi Russ,

Your help is much appreciated.
Trying will be a best option.

I have one last question in regards to recording with Krome.
How is it in terms of recording onboard? Karma is a good keyboard but its very complicated and the display also sets your brain on fire.

I've read about the display Krome has and loved although I was just reading and I believe the experience using it will be speechless.

Just want to know about the recording stuff with Krome.

Thanks,
Aniket

Russ
7/8/2014 01:08:59 am

Hi Aniket, thanks - have a read of the section in my review above "Midi Files & Sequencing on the Krome". I don't find it great, but I'm used to Logic for recording, so its all a bit fiddly to me to do it onboard.

Aniket
7/8/2014 01:42:11 am

Thanks Russ.

Your review and comments helped me a lot to come to this decision that I finally should buy Krome.

This is because of the sound it has and obviously the portability to carry it when you have gig outside the town. Carrying karma is hectic for me every time I have a gig.

Thank you one again for your help.

Regards,
Aniket

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Anthony
27/8/2014 02:57:38 am

Russ, I ordered the Korg Krome 61. My primary purpose was to have the same bass sound I get out of the Triton Extreme sampler. It hasn't arrived yet but can you tell me if I'll be able to play an actual bass sound on the keys?

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Russ
27/8/2014 03:37:58 am

Thanks for your comment and email. Yes you can split the keyboard of course (bass at the bottom and another sound at the top). I think the bass sounds are great, especially the ones that are preconfigured on the split combinations. However, it is subjective I guess, so you may have to play with it to find the setting you like.

Also, I would say, the Triton sounds can be loaded onto the Krome, you can download them for free here:

Best of M1
http://www.korg.com/uploads/Download/USA_Krome_Best_of_M1.zip

Best of Triton
http://www.korg.com/uploads/Download/USA_Krome_Best_of_TRITON.zip

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Mallick
1/9/2014 04:05:25 pm

dear friends i have korg n364 but i want indian itstruments tone
anybody help me

thanks
Mallick

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Russ
13/9/2014 10:14:00 am

Hello Mallick,

I don't know much about the n364, but the Krome does have quite a lot of variety, I'm sure there would be quite a few Indian sounds if you got one ;)

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Susan
21/10/2014 04:16:15 am

I just got the Krome(88) and need it gig ready in 2 days so no time to get into the whole manual. Looking for a fast explanation on how to "slipt" the board to utilize 2 sounds.

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Ramkumar Venkat
12/11/2014 02:06:58 pm

Hi Russ,

Loved your in-depth review. How does the sounds of the Krome compare to the Kross, which is an advanced combination of the X50 and the Microstation? I absolutely do not need the sequencing and touch-screen feautres as I'd prefer doing all that on a computer. I just need great, rich sounds with the ability to stack favorite sounds in the order of my set-list...along with portability and reliability.
Should I spend that extra little bit and go for the Krome or stick to my original choice, the Kross?

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Russ
12/11/2014 06:27:54 pm

Hi Ramkumar,

Thanks for your comment - sadly I don't have any experience of the Kross. But I can say that the Krome does have some lovely sounds - especially the pianos and eps.

Russ

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Yashi Vikram
19/12/2014 04:51:12 pm

Hi. There is no transpose function on the top of Krome 73. How do I do that?

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DC 10
2/1/2015 03:58:31 am

Honestly, I have had my Krome for about 6 months have not used it like a I should, but very recently I am using it a lot - I have a Yammy XS6 which is pretty amazing and both Yam Motif Racks (original and ES) , Fantom XR, and XV along with an A-90 controller - Anyway, The Krome is pretty amazing keyboard for the money - I had an M50, and the M50 does not compare to the Krome IMHO - I am writing a few songs on the Krome now - One of these I would love to have someone like Adele sing - The sound is a stock combi that is both simple to use and simply amazing - I cannot wait to unearth a bit more goodies in this keyboard - The piano sounds better for some reason played from a good controller keyboard like th A-90 - However, the Motif ES and XS have the best sound I have heard by far - For me it' what the Krome brings to my little recording studio (which btw is too good for me - so says the wife). I probably would like to buy a Krome 88 someday - Too bad they didn't make this in a rack - I also have 2 Korg TR racks (which are great too). So, like I mentioned earlier, I cannot wait till I can really explore this thing and see what it can do - I think the Kronos is cool, but I don't need a lot of the stuff it does, cause I already have that - The Krome seems to be diamond in the rough....

Reply
Russ
2/1/2015 04:05:19 am

Hi DC10

Good points, I think the piano, EPs and large screen set the Krome apart a bit from the Yamaha and Fantoms, but if you're into other sounds any of those boards will be great. Trouble is with the Kronos is the weight - who want's to lug around that monster to gigs? Unless you're super successful and have roadies ;)

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Dave
17/2/2015 02:02:59 am

Hi Russ,
What is your "long term" opinion of the krome keyboard?

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Russ
17/2/2015 02:20:57 am

Hi Dave,

I still really like it, the sounds (esp EPs and piano, strings and organs) are great. Its very user friendly with the large screen. But my original criticisms still stand: it should be available with a nicer keybed with afterouch, it should also have a more sturdy power input as the current one is fragile. One thing I didn't mention in the review, but have noticed after gigging late nights, is that the numeric keypad/buttons could really be improved if they were back lit. Its very hard to see what button you're pressing in the dark. At this price point I can see why these things are not addressed, but I'd have happily paid another £200 for a nicer keybed. I know some will say "get a Kronos" but I can't be messing around carrying a 23kg beast to gigs. Its not 1995 any more ;)

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dave
17/2/2015 06:52:58 am

Thanks Russ.
Are the keys noisy?

Russ
17/2/2015 07:00:04 am

Hi Dave, the keys are not terrible - they're just not very premium feeling. My N5 had nicer keys. I wish the Krome had a keybed like the Fatar keybed on the old Triton Extreme. They aren't that noisy, they're just very average, reminds me of the Yamaha PSR keybeds - all very basic.

Michael
18/4/2015 04:05:07 am

Can I program solos only? Ie. program a difficult solo and save it. Then have it play for 8 measures while I'm playing chords?

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Russ
18/4/2015 05:20:23 am

Hi Michael, pretty sure you can probably do that, you'd have to experiment with the sequencer - I'm not an expert on that.

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Henry link
19/5/2015 10:08:35 am

Thanks for a really helpful player's eye view. I play in a classic rock band and rely on my Hammond XK1, but I have a Korg TR61 for everything else - mainly piano, strings, pads and some lead synth. It's getting a bit long in the tooth and I fancy a Krome 73 as a direct replacement... Glad to know you can order sounds in a performance list.

Reply
Russ
27/7/2015 04:28:21 am

Hi Henry,

Thanks for your comment. Yes I much prefer the Krome to the TR61 (keys are a lot nicer, and the screen too). Hope it goes well!

Russ

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Johnson
27/7/2015 04:09:38 am

Hi Russian,
Nice review I tell you. I was told of the Krome today and in the search to know more about it, I came across your review.
Is the Krome having a transpose function?

Reply
Russ
27/7/2015 04:27:34 am

Hi Johnson,

Glad you like the review. Yes transposing is under the Global button setting. You do have to save it so it can be a bit fiddly - but its there! Good luck. Russ

Reply
Cold
19/9/2015 10:15:16 pm

Hi Russ,

Nice review. I've been thinking of picking up the Krome for the past couple of months, and just seem to be going back and forth on my decision.

Just one question that people don't really address in their reviews: is it possible to transpose individual split zones? I know that you can have a maximum of 8(?) splits at once, with 16(??) noets layered together, but can you transpose those individual splits?

Thanks

Reply
Russ
20/9/2015 02:48:41 am

Hi Cold,

Just had a look and I can't see a way to do that - although you may have better luck if you study the manual (I don't tend to split much). Manual is here: http://i.korg.com/uploads/Support/USA_KROME_OpG_E(4).pdf

Reply
sach
12/10/2015 04:51:58 am

Hi..
I m hveing a korg n364 n i want to know that can i upload the sounds (PCG) of krome into my n364. If yes where can i get the download the PCG of indian tones of krome... plz help... thank u!!!

Reply
Russ
12/10/2015 09:29:35 am

Hi Sach,

Sorry I have no idea about the n364, but hopefully the manual should have some info on exporting sounds?

Russ

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dev pradhan
28/10/2015 01:40:22 am

hi russ this is dev from india is thre any banking system on korg krone fo live performance

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Russ
28/10/2015 01:59:45 am

Hi Dev,

You can save your own patches in order in one of the custom banks yes, although there's no quick access buttons like you have on Roland keyboards, or the Kronos.


Russ

Reply
paul marz
14/8/2016 04:52:24 pm

I recently purchased a Krome 88. I felt it was time to exchange my Korg Trinity Pro along with my Kurzweil PC2. Good riddance to the complicated PC 2.

The Korg Krome, is far more complicated than what I had before and I can only surmise, that when it comes to practical usage,
that the engineering geniuses are in la, la land. You know; Just like other electronics. Way too over done for anyone.
Be that as it is: awakening the keyboard takes at least 45 seconds.
Imagine being on stage when your power is suddenly cut off.
Sorry folks. we'll take a brief intermission.

Reply
Russ
18/8/2016 12:34:34 pm

Hello Paul,

I quite agree, the people who design these keyboards clearly never gig with them! The boot is very annoying in a live situation, as is the issue with the incredibly flimsy power connector. Still, the piano sound is really nice and has lots of things to love about the keyboard.

Reply
bibin
6/12/2016 10:50:02 pm

can we change the octave on the korg krome??
just bought a new krome its my first korg
I just found out how to change the transpose

Reply
rick devereux
13/4/2017 04:17:35 am

wow, would just like to say thanks, just bought the krome after years using the n5, havent recieved it yet but was trying to get real info on live usage, you seem to have answered all my questions already, top man.

Reply
KorgTritonFemme link
5/4/2018 02:56:00 am

The key bed is hinged so that there is no action when pressing on the surfaces closest to the board. So to get full sound, one would have to play using the mid to near surface of the key ned. For those with large hands, or piano key action preferences, the Korg Krome 61 or 73 key will not be the same. I am coming from a Korg Triton and sold it many years ago. Now I got the Krome (as a gift) and it is like a downgrade in so many ways, especially the keybed. I love the fact that it is only 16 lbs, so that is the trade off. I am not to enthusiastic with the fact that the power button and power cord is chinsy. On so many levels, the Krome feels like a cheap plastic toy. Hopefully one day, I can get a Kronos or vintage Triton. I actually wanted to record external audio into my workstation, which I don't see Krome allowing me to do. Kronos is probably best, anyone here have any replies to my comment? Please feel welcome to share your thoughts.

Reply
KorgeTritonfemme
5/4/2018 03:00:06 am

to those who are asking if the keys are noisy: yes- they creak, crack, thump, plop and are basically an entire acoustic instrument in themselves.
Some video reviews depict players fingers getting stuck in between the white keys. Do you all think it is worth the lightweight? I am debating if simply carrying an extra 10 lbs for a better keyboard is worth it or to simply learn to be content with the 61 Krome keybed,

Reply
John
5/9/2018 11:25:09 pm

Could you explain, Whether I can convert Triton LE or TR PCG to Krome PCG?

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