Korg Krome 61 Keyboard 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
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.

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
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!

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 did not have time to read it because I had to start and knew it would be a bit before the keyboard was up. I assumed it would still work, and it did come back up. I am still in the deciding stage. I am using it primarily for gigging, so the size and weight are 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 to figure it all out.

I am new to this. How would you rate the ease of learning and doing it? I played around with a Yamaha 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 different sections of the keyboard. Let me know what you think.

Russ 17/3/2013 07:35:13 am
Hi Carol,
Yes, the boot up times are a bit annoying, but it does not 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 cannot remember). It is very flexible in that regard. Just a shame about the power socket.

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 16 years. 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 velocity, I cannot wait... saving up now.

Russ 17/3/2013 07:34:49 am
Hi Rob,
Sounds like it will be perfect for you. I would not worry too much about the power socket and button. They are okay. It is just they are notably less sturdy than my old N5 and do not feel like they have been made to last years. You will just have to baby them a bit if you are gigging a lot.

It is a shame they chose to cut costs on the keybed and the power socket button because otherwise, it is really a great keyboard.

Rob 31/7/2013 08:22:31 am
I am doing the same thing. The N364 is really the greatest, but mine died 2 weeks ago. The motherboard went out; cannot find one, so the Krome is my next move or M50.

Russ 31/7/2013 08:45:26 am
Hi Rob, good idea. I would strongly advise getting the Krome over the M50 if you can afford it, though. The sounds are superb. The power socket is not causing me any problems so far, and I have 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 have owned Motif XS, N5, Kurzweil PC3, Karma. Large ROM is just one factor. Krome still has mid-range DA converters, hence the price. Too bad about the keybed. It is like playing air keyboard. That is one huge turnoff for me, unfortunately, because I do love the interface and sounds and am looking for a light keyboard. Nord manages to do it but at a way higher price. Incredibly nice keys at around 6 to 7kgs.

Russ 3/4/2013 07:45:21 pm
It is 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 it is a real lead guitarist). So the Nord's few sounds just are not really enough for me personally. But I do like everything else about them.

ABWElink 16/4/2013 01:31:10 pm
Hey, is there any problem with the audio file which you have shared above? Because I tried playing the audio, but it does not seem to be working.

Russ 16/4/2013 06:35:06 pm
Hi ABWE, the clip is working for me. It should work on all platforms as it is an HTML 5 widget from Soundcloud. You can hear all the sounds here on their page: https://soundcloud.com/korg/sets/korg20120824

Nick 1/9/2013 01:55:50 pm
Have you downloaded the free M1 library for Krome?

Russ 5/9/2013 10:57:47 pm
Hi Nick,
Yes, it is 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

Wes 7/10/2013 12:05:44 pm
Darn Russ, I am almost sold on the Krome. But that power adapter thing is bothering me. Been there, done that, and ended up paying premiums for the adapter. When you have to set up and take down fast, or others are helping out, power cords 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?

Russ 7/10/2013 06:42:32 pm
Hi Wes,
Well, yes, the adapter will cost a lot to replace, but personally, I am more concerned about the socket as the power cord wobbles a bit inside. It feels like it could get broken by an overenthusiastic roadie very quickly. I tend to baby it and be really careful, but I usually set up alone, so it is not too big a problem for me. If I were in a hurry or in a bigger band, I would be more concerned.

On the other question, I do not tend to do a lot of work on the sequencer or programs. I use it more as a live board, so it is not a problem for me, but I can see how it would be annoying. One thing I would say is that since my original post, I have grown to love the keyboard a lot. The sounds are really nice, especially the piano and EPs. The big touchscreen is also light years ahead of Yamaha and Roland offerings, which still look very 1995 with their two-lined LCDs. In a nutshell, I do not regret my purchase.

Jayesh Shah 28/12/2013 09:24:02 am
I have two keyboards. One is a Korg TR and the second is a Korg Krome. How can I use TR’s tone in Krome? Please guide.

Russ 10/2/2014 06:24:15 pm
Hi Jayesh,
I am pretty sure you cannot use the TR sound banks on the Krome, unfortunately. You could link the two keyboards up via MIDI cables, but there would not be much point in doing that. Korg does sometimes release legacy sounds via this page: http://www.korg.com/krome under the "Soundware" section, so keep an eye on that. Thanks, Russ

Bency 4/2/2014 03:26:47 pm
Dear Mr Russ, I have a TR and am planning to buy a Krome. I have got a PCG with Indian tones and instruments. Am I able to load this TR PCG in the new Krome?

Russ 4/2/2014 07:26:46 pm
Hi Bency,
Unfortunately, I do not think it is possible. Personally, I would like to load some N5 and 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

Francis 5/2/2014 06:03:21 am
Hi Russ,
Thanks for a good "real world" review. I have read many reviews of the Krome and watched lots of YouTube videos, and I am still not sure if you can access the Drum Track sounds independently, as they only seem to play when you play the keyboard. So my question is, can you access the drum patterns without playing the keyboard? Oh, and what about the synth sounds? I notice nearly 4GB are used on the piano, but it is a synth, after all. I cannot find many previews of those sounds. Any views on the paddy, synthy, technoey sounds it surely must contain?

Russ 5/2/2014 06:14:25 am
Hi Francis,
I know you can customise the drum track easily, including patterns, timing, and sounds, etc. However, I do not 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 do not tend to use those much. I tend to stick to the pianos, EPs, strings, and organ sounds. So I am probably not the best person to ask, but there are lots of clips on YouTube where you can hear the sort of sounds it creates. Sorry my answer is not more helpful. I will have a look at the drum track next time I am at a gig and let you know.

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 Korg M50, although tomorrow my Krome arrives. Cheers.

Peter Vallon 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

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?

JOSH 18/2/2014 07:07:47 pm
Hi Russ, thanks for the review. It is quite insightful. Please, I need a little help and insight. I have a M50 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.

Russ 18/2/2014 07:16:07 pm
Hi Josh,
Oh, that is hard luck. It may be a display problem, although it could be something with the capacitors. Definitely worth asking Korg or taking it 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 is any help.

Janus Wilde 26/3/2014 11:39:41 am
Russ, quite kind of you to write this article and be so helpful to all who have enquiries. I just bought this keyboard a few weeks ago here in NYC, and it is awesome. Thanks again.

Russ 27/3/2014 03:27:28 am
Thanks for your comment, Janus. I am glad you like the keyboard. I am enjoying using it as it really suits my needs.

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? I would 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 are lots of EPs after that. They sound great.

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? I have read lots of reviews and watched demos, and nobody seems to explain clearly if this is or is not possible and how to do it.

Russ 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 the F bank to store sounds in order. And in Combi mode, you use the D bank for those. 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.

Vincenzo 10/5/2014 08:24:47 pm
Hi Russ, thanks for your time. Do you know some other sites like Korg Heaven, where I can find sounds for our Krome? I am very grateful for your help and for your review free from prejudice, as often happens in instrument 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 if the Korg Krome is useful for an orchestra player or only for live programmes?

Russ 27/8/2014 03:35:21 am
Hi Hardik,
You can use it for both, but it is a workstation rather than an arranger keyboard if that is what you mean.

Mike 26/6/2014 02:09:19 am
Hey Russ,
First of all, thanks for the great review. I have 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 is a good board, but in my opinion, it does lack the "luster" of the Roland instrument. That said, I love the DAW versatility of the MOX6. I am 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 have always liked Korg instruments but have just never taken the plunge. Thanks for your thoughts on the Korg Krome. Just wish it had USB flash data storage and not the SD card.

Russ 26/6/2014 02:15:59 am
Hi Mike,
Yes, it is a shame about no USB. Glad you liked the review. Sounds like you have been able to try out a fair few boards. I was very interested in the MOX6, actually. Now, if Roland, Yamaha, or Korg offered aftertouch on one of their smaller and lighter models, I would be sold. But for some reason, they do not think we want it... strange.

Mike 28/6/2014 01:25:36 am
Russ, you are so right about the aftertouch feature. You would think someone would offer that on an instrument for around £1,000. It is one of the features on my old XP-80 that I used often - and it was programmable. Maybe you and I should be on the board of one of these companies and drive them in the right direction. By the way, I 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 the Krome suitable for live stage programmes? Does it have a banking system? And does it have accompaniment?

Russ 13/7/2014 07:03:39 pm
Hi Ruben Paul,
Yes, it is 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, it is not really aimed at that as it is a synth workstation rather than an arranger keyboard. It does have a drum track for each sound, though, and an arpeggiator. If you are not sure what the difference is, see this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGANVTsDKH4 Thanks, Russ

Aniket 5/8/2014 09:28:02 am
Hi Russ, I have a Karma, and I am not satisfied with it (the keys). I have decided to replace it but am still confused. Please suggest 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 using it for recording tracks, maybe onboard. Please suggest. Thanks, Aniket

Russ 5/8/2014 05:24:25 pm
Hi Aniket,
Thanks for your comment. I have never used a Karma, so I cannot 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 judgment. Or order online from somewhere that accepts returns easily. Hope this helps, Russ

Aniket 7/8/2014 12:47:44 am
Hi Russ,
Your help is much appreciated. Trying it will be the best option. I have one last question in regards to recording with the Krome. How is it in terms of recording onboard? Karma is a good keyboard, but it is very complicated, and the display also sets your brain on fire. I have read about the display Krome has and loved it, 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
her Romeo normally Hi Aniket,
Thanks—have a read of the section in my review above: "MIDI Files and Sequencing on the Krome." I do not find it great, but I am used to Logic for recording, so it is all a bit fiddly to do it onboard.

Aniket 7/8/2014 01:42:11 am
Thanks, Russ. Anything stars here kindly it had in their negotiating Your review and comments helped me a lot to come to this decision that I finally should buy Krome. The This is because of the sound it has and obviously the portability to carry it when you have a gig outside the town. Carrying Karma is hectic for me every time I have a gig. Thank you once again for your help. Regards, Aniket

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 has not arrived yet, but can you tell me if I will be able to play an actual bass sound on the keys?

Russ 27/8/2014 03:37:58 am
Thanks for your comment. 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

Mallick 1/9/2014 04:05:25 pm
Dear friends, I have a Korg N364, but I want Indian instrument tones.
Can anybody help me?

Thanks,
Mallick

Russ 13/9/2014 10:14:00 am
Hello Mallick,

I do not know much about the N364, but the Krome does have quite a lot of variety. I am sure there would be quite a few Indian sounds if you got one.

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 split the board to utilise 2 sounds.

Russ 27/8/2014 03:35:21 am
Hi Susan,

To split the Krome, you go to Combi mode, select a sound, and then press the menu button. In the menu, select "Split." You will be able to assign different sounds to different zones of the keyboard. It is a very straightforward process once you get into Combi mode.

Ramkumar Venkat 12/11/2014 02:06:58 pm
Hi Russ,

Loved your in-depth review. How do 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 touchscreen features as I prefer doing all that on a computer. I just need great, rich sounds with the ability to stack favourite 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?

Russ 12/11/2014 06:27:54 pm
Hi Ramkumar,

Thanks for your comment. Sadly, I do not have any experience with the Kross. But I can say that the Krome does have some lovely sounds, especially the pianos and EPs.

Russ

Yashi Vikram 19/12/2014 04:51:12 pm
Hi. There is no transpose function on the top of the Krome 73. How do I do that?

DC 10 2/1/2015 03:58:31 am
Honestly, I have had my Krome for about 6 months and have not used it like I should, but very recently I am using it a lot. I have a Yamaha XS6, which is pretty amazing, and both Yamaha Motif Racks (original and ES), Fantom XR, and XV, along with an A-90 controller. Anyway, the Krome is a pretty amazing keyboard for the money.

I had an M50, and the M50 does not compare to the Krome in my opinion. 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 more goodies in this keyboard.

The piano sounds better for some reason when played from a good controller keyboard like the A-90. However, the Motif ES and XS have the best sound I have heard by far. For me, it is what the Krome brings to my little recording studio (which, by the way, is too good for me—so says the wife).

I probably would like to buy a Krome 88 someday. Too bad they did not make this in a rack. I also have 2 Korg TR racks (which are great too). So, like I mentioned earlier, I cannot wait until I can really explore this thing and see what it can do. I think the Kronos is cool, but I do not need a lot of the stuff it does because I already have that. The Krome seems to be a diamond in the rough.

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 are into other sounds, any of those boards will be great. The trouble with the Kronos is the weight. Who wants to lug around that monster to gigs unless you are super successful and have roadies?

Dave 17/2/2015 02:02:59 am
Hi Russ, what is your long-term opinion of the Krome keyboard?

Russ 17/2/2015 02:20:57 am
Hi Dave,
I still really like it. The sounds (especially EPs and piano, strings, and organs) are great. It is very user-friendly with the large screen. But my original criticisms still stand. It should be available with a nicer keybed with aftertouch. It should also have a more sturdy power input as the current one is fragile. One thing I did not mention in the review, but have noticed after gigging late nights, is that the numeric keypad buttons could really be improved if they were backlit. It is very hard to see what button you are pressing in the dark. At this price point, I can see why these things are not addressed, but I would have happily paid another £200 for a nicer keybed. I know some will say "get a Kronos," but I cannot be messing around carrying a 23kg beast to gigs. It is not 1995 anymore.

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 are 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 are not that noisy, they are just very average. It reminds me of the Yamaha PSR keybeds - very basic.

Michael 18/4/2015 04:05:07 am
Can I program solos only? For example, can I program a difficult solo, save it, and then have it play for 8 measures while I am playing chords?

Russ 18/4/2015 05:20:23 am
Hi Michael,
Pretty sure you can do that. You would have to experiment with the sequencer—I am not an expert on that feature.

Henry 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 is 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.

Russ 27/7/2015 04:28:21 am
Hi Henry,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I much prefer the Krome to the TR61. The keys are a lot nicer, and the screen is much better too. Hope it goes well. Russ

Johnson 27/7/2015 04:09:38 am
Hi Russ,
Nice review, I tell you. I was told about the Krome today and, in the search to know more about it, I came across your review. Does the Krome have a transpose function?

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 it is there. Good luck, Russ

Cold 19/9/2015 10:15:16 pm
Hi Russ,
Nice review. I have been thinking of picking up the Krome for the past couple of months, and I just seem to be going back and forth on my decision. Just one question that people do not 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 notes layered together, but can you transpose those individual splits? Thanks.

Russ 20/9/2015 02:48:41 am
Hi Cold, I just had a look, and I cannot see a way to do that—although you may have better luck if you study the manual (I do not tend to split much). Here is the manual: http://i.korg.com/uploads/Support/USA_KROME_OpG_E(4).pdf

Sach 12/10/2015 04:51:58 am
Hi, I have a Korg N364, and I want to know if I can upload the sounds (PCG) of Krome into my N364. If yes, where can I download the PCG of Indian tones of Krome? Please help. Thank you.

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

Dev Pradhan 28/10/2015 01:40:22 am
Hi Russ,
This is Dev from India. Is there any banking system on the Korg Krome for live performance?

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 are no quick-access buttons like you have on Roland keyboards or the Kronos. Russ

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 PC2. The Korg Krome is far more complicated than what I had before, and I can only surmise that when it comes to practical usage, the engineering geniuses are in la-la land—just like other electronics. Way too overdone 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 will take a brief intermission.

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 time 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 the keyboard has lots of things to love about it. Let me know if I should continue.

Bibin 6/12/2016 10:50:02 pm
Can we change the octave on the Korg Krome? I just bought a new Krome, and it is my first Korg. I just found out how to change the transpose.

Rick Devereux 13/4/2017 04:17:35 am
Wow, would just like to say thanks. I just bought the Krome after years of using the N5. I have not received it yet but was trying to get real info on live usage. You seem to have answered all my questions already. Top man.

KorgTritonFemme 5/4/2018 02:56:00 am
The keybed is hinged so that there is no action when pressing on the surfaces closest to the board. To get the full sound, one would have to play using the mid-to-near surface of the keybed. For those with large hands or piano key action preferences, the Korg Krome 61 or 73 keys will not be the same. I am coming from a Korg Triton and sold it many years ago.

Now I have the Krome (as a gift), and it feels 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 too enthusiastic about the fact that the power button and power cord are flimsy. On so many levels, the Krome feels like a cheap plastic toy. Hopefully, one day I can get a Kronos or vintage Triton. I wanted to record external audio into my workstation, which I do not see the Krome allowing me to do. Kronos is probably best. Anyone here have any replies to my comment? Please feel welcome to share your thoughts.

KorgTritonFemme 5/4/2018 03:00:06 am
To those who are asking if the keys are noisy: yes—they creak, crack, thump, and plop and are basically an entire acoustic instrument in themselves. Some video reviews depict players' fingers getting stuck between the white keys. Do you all think it is worth the lightweight? I am debating whether simply carrying an extra 10 lbs for a better keyboard is worth it or if I should learn to be content with the Krome 61 keybed.

John 5/9/2018 11:25:09 pm
Could you explain whether I can convert Triton LE or TR PCG to Krome PCG?

Russ 5/9/2018 11:30:22 pm
Hi John,
Unfortunately, I do not think it is possible to directly convert Triton LE or TR PCG to Krome PCG. The Krome does have some legacy sound packs, like the "Best of Triton" collection, that you can load. You might want to check those out as an alternative.