From NJmm973@aol.com Fri Jun 22 22:57:01 2012
Subject:Re: Kronos CX-3 Engine

Craig,
I'm starting to consider a Kronos and have been reading these posts extensively. Is there a decent Saxophone sound? I currently have a Roland V Combo (aka V-760) and I have a killer sax sound on my Ultimate Keys card. It sounds great for classic rock and really growls when I lay into it.

I've been using MainStage but I'm starting to find I'm still missing a few things. Haven't found a good Sax on MS or a plugin that sounds quite the same.

I also need some brass sounds for some 1960 R&B songs. How is the Korg on Sax and Brass?

Thanks,
Gene

-----Original Message-----
From: ccmacdon
To: CloneWheel
Sent: Sat, May 26, 2012 9:12 am
Subject: [CWSG] Re: Kronos CX-3 Engine

Brian,

I would definately think about taking a pair of headphones (that you know and
like) back to the music store and giving another listen to the Kronos. Music
stores are sometimes awful listening environments, and especially in keyboard
departments where the best keyboard is often being played through the worst amp
or the least expensive set of studio monitors. Listening through a set of
reference headphones that you know and like might make all the difference. I do
not hear any korgness (whatever that is), I hear pristine audio, and right from
the start I loved the pianos (and there are lots of different acoustic piano
samples available), although I readily admit that I am an organ player and not
as fussy as many others with respect to my acoustic piano sound (but I know what
I like, and I like the Kronos piano).

The thing about the "perfect all-in-one" is that everyone's taste is different,
what you like in a piano vs myself, or what I like in an organ vs you, might be
very different things. You can certainly do this with VST's, and it's
simply, all you have to do is pick your favourite vst's and load them up.. With
hardware it's a little more difficult, especially with sample based romplers
like the Motif, or Phantom etc.. unless you're prepared to load in your own
samples, which can be tedious and time consuming.

One of the advantages of the Kronos, when compared to the other top
workstations, is the fact that it has these 9 separate synth engines that use
entirely different methods of synthesis... So you're not talking about changing
basic synth parameters, you have 9 very extensive and deep synths.. the AL-1
analog synth, AND you have several physical modelling style synths like the SG-1
piano, and the EP-1 Electric Piano, and the CX3 engine, all of which are
extremely tweakable in ways that are consistent with the nature of the
instrument. The sampler is also great to have for those sounds extra sounds
you want, and the touch display, user interface, and controller capabilities are
all excellent. I am speculating a bit here, but something tells me that all of
these modelling synths with a 1 designation (AL-1, SG-1, EP-1) are all going to
continue to evolve as the engineers continue to develop the Kronos.

Bottom line (my opinion of course) is that there is no better all-in-one
workstation on the market today. It is not perfect by any means, and I am not
sure that out of the box it will satisfy everyone. However, it has the potential
to do so, and from my perspective, if I can get an acoustic piano, hammond
organ, strings, brass, clavinet and electric pianos from one keyboard and have
them all be 9 out of 10s (which I think they are), I am a very happy guy.

Regards,
Craig MacDonald

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Re: Kronos CX-3 Engine
Posted by: "Brian Fuller" fingerz@woh.rr.com rbf45356
Fri May 25, 2012 3:36 pm (PDT)

The "Korgness" I'm referring to is the overtones in the piano sounds. Korgs
pianos always have this sound I can't really describe it better than
that.Same with the brass sounds I heard which to my ears don't sound all
that realistic again that "synthetic" sound.I really need to go to a store
and try one out with headphones maybe that would
change my opinion.??? I do
however agree with Craig the organs are horrible. I felt the same way about
my CX-3 until I modified them.I have been through several Korg pieces
including the M1, O1/W, and currently a Triton rack.And I swear I can get
sounds like the Kronos from the Triton.I just don't hear a big
difference.Believe me I'd love to find an all in one wonder synth that
covered all the bases pianos, organs, synths, strings, brass.Just if it was
to my satisfaction. The only route I think will do it at this point is VST's,
Laptop, and a couple of controllers.

YMMV.

Cheers,

Brian In Ohio

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