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The reintroduction of the Kronos line benefits significant Kronos investors; however, the product's trajectory warrants further analysis. The discontinuation of the flagship Kronos line, its replacement by Nautilus (excluding AT functionality), subsequent add-on AT kits for Nautilus, and the eventual return of a smaller-scale Kronos iteration present a complex product evolution. A true successor to the original Kronos line may still be under development, and the underperformance of Nautilus sales may indicate significant customer resistance among existing Kronos users. Nevertheless, the interim return of the Kronos line prior to a complete product overhaul is a positive development.
"While the hallmark features of KRONOS remain unchanged, its fourth-generation design introduces subtle yet striking updates. The powder-coated metal body offers exceptional durability and a premium tactile feel, while the refined black wood side panels add a sophisticated edge. These enhancements ensure KRONOS not only performs impeccably but also commands attention from any audience."
The UK website has a description that hints on changes, like faster boot time:
"KRONOS defined the modern music workstation. Now it’s back, and better than ever. Combining unrivalled power, speed, and versatility, the new KRONOS features a reengineered architecture with 60% faster startup, an enhanced TouchView® interface, and a sleek, premium design. With nine powerful sound engines, over 300 available premium sound libraries, and 256 brand-new programs, KRONOS delivers unmatched sonic possibilities. Advanced sequencing, customisable Set Lists, and seamless backward compatibility make KRONOS the ultimate tool for elevating stage and studio performances."
Yes we better wait before we rush to results
(It might well be the new SSD is really an NVME and the Mini-ITX board inside has a faster CPU!)
I am surprised they did not include a few more bells and whistles, especially as a NAMM release, considering the time since the release of Kronos in its various forms.
I still think a genuine Kronos replacement is quite possibly under development and perhaps delayed; hence, we are seeing this re-release of Kronos almost as damage control, where Nautilus cannot quite fill Kronos's shoes in what must still be an important segment of the Korg market.
Fleer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 2:08 pm
It’s still saying “ The internal SSD offers a generous 62*GB capacity” in the specs…
+1
I updated the rumored specs on my site. There might be a typo somewhere's! I noticed that Korg have not issued an official press release yet. Those things are reviewed and reviewed, and should be definitive.
pjd wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 7:21 pm
In the meantime, HOLD!
There should be an icon for that -- pj
There is, it just was active
Saul
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Fleer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 2:08 pm
It’s still saying “ The internal SSD offers a generous 62*GB capacity” in the specs…
My 2014 Kronos "only" has a 58GB SSD, and in ten years I still have not filled it. I still have 2GB left and a whole load of PCG backups I could remove if I needed to. And I know I could fit a larger SSD if I wanted to.
For me it looks like a 100% compatible replacement, including Karma with a few extra sound libraries and possibly improved boot performance (but see my previous comments on that).
So it is good to know that if I need to replace my 2014 Kronos X61 (if it became unreliable or failed) there is now something on the market again.
But on paper I see no need to upgrade whilst my Kronos X61 is working fine. It's a shame they did not add a new sound engine or two like Waveatate or Modwave, but maybe that is down the line.
When I looked at the upgrade from the Montage to the Montage M, there was something compelling - the AN-X engine - that got me to trade and upgrade.
In conclusion, for me there is nothing (yet) that would make me want to trade and upgrade my old Kronos to a new one.
But Kudos to Korg for reintroducing it, and I have to say they proved me wrong, as I did not think they would bring out a replacement. Even more Kudos for not chucking Karma away - and that and the control surfaces as they were creates clear blue water between the Nautilus and the Kronos
Powder coated black (w/black side wood panels - that make it look very old and dated)
Same OS/UI basically - just a faster load time
Same display - just a little more responsive
A larger SSD
I assume that the Kronos 2025 uses different "PC components" than the Kronos 2014. The new PC components should be at least as powerful as the old ones, and likely more powerful. I guess the specs have not yet been finalized because the firmware is still in development. I expect that we will some changes to the specs in about 3 months, for example increased polyphony.
On the other hand, I do not expect much beyond that, similarly to how there were no major changes between Kronos 2011 and Kronos X, and between Kronos X and Kronos 2014. Korg can do that because the Kronos still compares well against the Roland Fantom EX and Yamaha Montage M. In the past year, I have seen more Kronos keyboards on stage than Yamah Montages and Roland Fantoms.
mx49 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2025 6:05 pm
On the other hand, I do not expect much beyond that, similarly to how there were no major changes between Kronos 2011 and Kronos X, and between Kronos X and Kronos 2014. Korg can do that because the Kronos still compares well against the Roland Fantom EX and Yamaha Montage M. In the past year, I have seen more Kronos keyboards on stage than Yamah Montages and Roland Fantoms.
Really?
You think the "new" Kronos compares well against the new Montage M...?
pologuy wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2025 6:09 pm
You think the "new" Kronos compares well against the new Montage M...?
It depends on the scenario. There are certain use cases that are better supported by the Kronos, and there are others that are better supported by the Montage M. For the scenarios that are supported by both, if a live keyboard player does not sound great on one, then they will not sound great on the other. I will probably add more information later.
Let me share the following video for the moment. It has been a while since I have watched it, and I do not remember what the person said. I doubt that I would agree with everything. However, I think it shows that the situation is not as simple as one was released in 2011 and the other in 2023.
Over at KorgForums someone posted: “ The product specialist of the Italian representative, states that is fanless, zero noise.” If that’s true, I’m in.
