Kronos is BY FAR the MOST POWERFUL keyboard workstation ever. However, it is also hindered by unintuitive software. Like you said several button pushes and extra paging to get to basic functions. For example, press "record" on the Fantom (or even the 25 year old Roland xp-80) and you are AUTOMATICALLY presented with a pop up box with all the functions you may want to set like quanitize. Press record on the Kronos and you get NOTHING but the click. Want to quanitize on input? Gotta hit the drop-down for resolution and set it there.... Want to overdub? Go to the PREFERENCES tab and set it there. It is the antithesis of easy and productive workflow. But the hardware and sounds in the Kronos are AMAZING!
I wonder if Korg displaces the Kronos platform in 2021? If so will they depart from the everything but the kitchen sink design in order to streamline the work flow. Their file system is a beast of headache. Even so it would interesting to see what happens. The possibility of getting my sounds from A Supreme Korg workstation would be tremendous. Even a Kronos Rack would be cool.
@@park171 definitely a Korg Rack would be a first day purchase for me. Korg still has the best organ simulation I have heard in a workstation keyboard.
@@faruzzy I've never heard the Nord in person so I can't speak on that one. But in my opinion the Korg organ is better that Roland Fantom and the Yamahas. The kurzweil is decent also. I've heard many great things about the Nord but I was speaking specifically about workstations but you may be correct. I don't know.
Been watching your Videos Ben, well done and very impartial. Personally, I was ready to pull the trigger on the Fantom, but now..... not so much. I appreciate your honest opinion and clear definitions of what is and is not present in the boards. Thank you. I will keep my Kronos for now for sure and will wait for Roland to step up on the Fantom,
I agree with you that for anyone who wants one workstation only the Kronos is the one to get because it’s the best featured and most flexible workstation regardless of its age. But the interface could be a lot improved. I also have the new Fantom and the interface is much better, but it does not have the feature set and flexibility of the Kronos. People are still waiting for multisampling, audio tracks, a sequencer update etc. So it really needs effort on Roland’s part to bring it up to the level people expect from the name Fantom.
John Da Kronos a beast feature rich. Roland Fantom a beast In intuitive ness. Both son distal ends of the line. Us as users need to find where on the line will best work. Only stickler is where Fantom will keep growing. Now the line has been blurred, until we see more.
@@park171 at least the Fantom can be made better with software updates. The Kronos is DONE. It may receive ONE more minor update if we are lucky, but in my opinion the whole software interface could use an overhaul. That will never happen. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Roland. I have always been a Roland boy since my first workstation (XP-80) so I'm used to the way their machines are set up. Ideally I would like to keep BOTH Kronos and Fantom. Fortunately I believe I will be able to do so.
Hi Ben - Thanks for the videos on the Kronos FX and also the new Fantom. I've been saving up for a new "flagship center-of-my-studio" keyboard, but I'm still in "analysis paralysis" between a Kronos and a new Fantom. I've owned many synths over the years, Kurzweil, Yamaha, Korg, etc. Everything but Nord anyway... I think you've been able to boil it down pretty well in your videos. It will be interesting to see if the latest Fantom updates meet expectations. The new Fantom has a lot to offer and a lot of potential. I wonder when Korg will produce a successor to the Kronos... maybe next year, maybe a Kronos 3. If they modernize the interface and workflow, I'd consider a new Korg, but I might go with a new Fantom and just hope Roland develops it to its full potential. I don't see why they wouldn't do that. Best Regards!
One quick question about the Fantom routing. On the Kronos they give each drum sound it's OWN IFX (up to five tracks) that can then be routed out of individual mono outputs separately so you could record snare, Bass drum, hi that, Tom's, and cymbals simultaneously into a DAW. Does the Fantom allow the individual effects to then be routed independently? Or do they have to go out of the mains or sub outs as a pair.
BigBrotherMotown I’m thinking of all fails you can assign the same kit to several tracks and the pass the prices to individual tracks that are routed through the outputs. More of a work around of course.
@@park171 ABSOLUTELY.... That's the way I used to do it. I would route the same kit to different tracks and only use one sound per track. Unfortunately doing it that way does take away from the drums being played organically but I deal with it because it's important to have each sound separate when it comes time to mix.
Hi. I’ve been watching your videos as trying to decide which workstation to buy. Very interested in the Kronos for its sounds, and wonder if you could tell me if the Kronos has any Yamaha CP70/80 type piano sounds. I know the Montage has these and it’s a sound I love. Many thanks if you can answer that👍
Kronos is BY FAR the MOST POWERFUL keyboard workstation ever. However, it is also hindered by unintuitive software. Like you said several button pushes and extra paging to get to basic functions. For example, press "record" on the Fantom (or even the 25 year old Roland xp-80) and you are AUTOMATICALLY presented with a pop up box with all the functions you may want to set like quanitize. Press record on the Kronos and you get NOTHING but the click. Want to quanitize on input? Gotta hit the drop-down for resolution and set it there.... Want to overdub? Go to the PREFERENCES tab and set it there. It is the antithesis of easy and productive workflow. But the hardware and sounds in the Kronos are AMAZING!
I wonder if Korg displaces the Kronos platform in 2021? If so will they depart from the everything but the kitchen sink design in order to streamline the work flow. Their file system is a beast of headache. Even so it would interesting to see what happens. The possibility of getting my sounds from A Supreme Korg workstation would be tremendous. Even a Kronos Rack would be cool.
@@park171 definitely a Korg Rack would be a first day purchase for me. Korg still has the best organ simulation I have heard in a workstation keyboard.
@@BigBrotherMotown organ better than Nord?
@@faruzzy I've never heard the Nord in person so I can't speak on that one. But in my opinion the Korg organ is better that Roland Fantom and the Yamahas. The kurzweil is decent also. I've heard many great things about the Nord but I was speaking specifically about workstations but you may be correct. I don't know.
@@BigBrotherMotown Thanks! I've checked your channel. Great content! Keep them coming!
That was Epic....enjoyed it 😎✌️
Been watching your Videos Ben, well done and very impartial. Personally, I was ready to pull the trigger on the Fantom, but now..... not so much. I appreciate your honest opinion and clear definitions of what is and is not present in the boards. Thank you. I will keep my Kronos for now for sure and will wait for Roland to step up on the Fantom,
I agree with you that for anyone who wants one workstation only the Kronos is the one to get because it’s the best featured and most flexible workstation regardless of its age.
But the interface could be a lot improved.
I also have the new Fantom and the interface is much better, but it does not have the feature set and flexibility of the Kronos. People are still waiting for multisampling, audio tracks, a sequencer update etc. So it really needs effort on Roland’s part to bring it up to the level people expect from the name Fantom.
John Da Kronos a beast feature rich. Roland Fantom a beast In intuitive ness. Both son distal ends of the line. Us as users need to find where on the line will best work. Only stickler is where Fantom will keep growing. Now the line has been blurred, until we see more.
@@park171 at least the Fantom can be made better with software updates. The Kronos is DONE. It may receive ONE more minor update if we are lucky, but in my opinion the whole software interface could use an overhaul. That will never happen. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Roland. I have always been a Roland boy since my first workstation (XP-80) so I'm used to the way their machines are set up. Ideally I would like to keep BOTH Kronos and Fantom. Fortunately I believe I will be able to do so.
Hi Ben - Thanks for the videos on the Kronos FX and also the new Fantom. I've been saving up for a new "flagship center-of-my-studio" keyboard, but I'm still in "analysis paralysis" between a Kronos and a new Fantom. I've owned many synths over the years, Kurzweil, Yamaha, Korg, etc. Everything but Nord anyway... I think you've been able to boil it down pretty well in your videos. It will be interesting to see if the latest Fantom updates meet expectations. The new Fantom has a lot to offer and a lot of potential. I wonder when Korg will produce a successor to the Kronos... maybe next year, maybe a Kronos 3. If they modernize the interface and workflow, I'd consider a new Korg, but I might go with a new Fantom and just hope Roland develops it to its full potential. I don't see why they wouldn't do that. Best Regards!
One quick question about the Fantom routing. On the Kronos they give each drum sound it's OWN IFX (up to five tracks) that can then be routed out of individual mono outputs separately so you could record snare, Bass drum, hi that, Tom's, and cymbals simultaneously into a DAW. Does the Fantom allow the individual effects to then be routed independently? Or do they have to go out of the mains or sub outs as a pair.
BigBrotherMotown I think is only the main outs for return kits. Unless u can edit a drum kit at the program level. Good question.
BigBrotherMotown I’m thinking of all fails you can assign the same kit to several tracks and the pass the prices to individual tracks that are routed through the outputs. More of a work around of course.
@@park171 ABSOLUTELY.... That's the way I used to do it. I would route the same kit to different tracks and only use one sound per track. Unfortunately doing it that way does take away from the drums being played organically but I deal with it because it's important to have each sound separate when it comes time to mix.
Hi. I’ve been watching your videos as trying to decide which workstation to buy. Very interested in the Kronos for its sounds, and wonder if you could tell me if the Kronos has any Yamaha CP70/80 type piano sounds. I know the Montage has these and it’s a sound I love. Many thanks if you can answer that👍
Not really. The CPs you’d be better off sampling or going with 3rd Party samples. And of course all the Motifs have the CP samples.