Description

KROME-73 EX Synth Workstation keyboard with 73 semi-weighted keys, advanced sound engine with a large 120-voice PCM library and extensive synthesis possibilities. Over 1,500 Programs, more than 700 Combinations: up to 16 assignable Split/Layer Programs, 80 DrumKits. 193 Stereo effects: 5 insert FX, 2 Master FX, 1 Total FX. Interactive functions: Polyphonic Arpeggiator, DrumTrack with a vast Pattern library, 16-Track MIDI Sequencer, 128 Songs, over 200,000 events, Full Editing. The user interface is based on a 7’’ TFT LCD color Touch graphic display, integrated with physical controls.

Italian video showcasing the main features of KROME-73 EX

KROME-73 EX: The new features

To better satisfy every musician and artist operating in today's music scene, the KROME Workstation has undergone a significant restyling, updating its internal sound database and thus achieving an even wider timbral variety; on KROME-73 EX, in addition to the standard resources, numerous new Programs and PCM data have been introduced that fully exploit its high-level technical specifications; with a significant upgrade also in terms of aesthetics in the cabinet and overall look.

KROME-73 EX: The new sounds

KORG embraces the challenge posed to any instrument manufacturer by the ever-evolving current music scene. In creating the new sounds, KORG Sound Designers focused primarily on EDM (Electronic Dance Music), one of the most popular and widespread genres in the world, creating and adding many timbres particularly suited to this style: polyphonic synths rich in ambient effects, incisive and dynamic leads, effective and penetrating drum kits, specifically designed for dance music. In addition to these, ethnic sounds such as Steel Pan, Kalimba, and Kokyu, or "cinematic" sounds, ready for soundtracks or commercials, have been added. In short, KROME-73 EX now has an updated timbral database capable of immediately providing every artist with the best conditions for composing, arranging, or simply playing.

The best basic sounds

The absolute priority for KORG Sound Designers was to create sounds for widespread and immediate use. KROME-73 EX features timbres designed to last, such as acoustic and electric pianos, essential in any Workstation, as well as equally indispensable Drum Kits.

The acoustic piano sounds of KROME-73 EX

Acoustic piano sounds are fundamental for most keyboard instruments. KROME-73 EX features new grand piano timbres, created under the supervision of Seigen Ono, a true authority in DSD recording and mastering. In addition, an upright piano, widely used and frequently found in Pop music, has also been included. For these sounds, a clear and defined timbral character was chosen, following the success of the "German D Grand" found on the original KROME, further expanding the possibilities of this important timbral family.

The electric pianos of KROME-73 EX

KROME-73 EX features three types of electric pianos. To ensure maximum realism and expressiveness, 8 different velocity levels were used, with intensive use of PCM memory; in fact, the amount of memory used for just one of these sounds exceeds all the memory available in commonly sampling-based synthesizers. Furthermore, for optimal rendering of these timbres, the typical effects used on these instruments, as well as the simulation of their Vintage amplifiers or speaker systems, fundamental elements for these now classic sounds, have been implemented with KORG's refined physical modeling technology: REMS, thus offering the user an immersive and complete timbral experience.

The drum sounds of KROME-73 EX

Drum Kits play a fundamental role in a workstation. KROME-73 EX offers 48 presets, created using an extensive collection of over 2,500 percussive Samples. One of the most important Kits is: "Jazz Ambience Drums", which utilizes the vast PCM memory of KROME-73 EX to elevate this type of sound to a higher level of dynamics and realism. By adjusting the mix balance between the direct sound, obtained with a microphone placed near the performer's head or cymbals, and the ambiance, recorded by a distant microphone to capture the room's resonance, it is possible to create a full and dynamic drum sound with the desired balance and character.

Drum Tracks & Groove

The Drum Track function plays realistic percussive Grooves; these were created by real drummers and percussionists, using the internal sounds of KROME-73 EX, and can be used as an effective rhythmic guide for playing, studying or integrated into productions. Over 600 ready-made Patterns are available, acquired from the KRONOS library, and many more can be created using the internal Sequencer.

Dual polyphonic arpeggiator

Two arpeggiators can operate simultaneously in Combination or Sequencer mode. In addition to normal arpeggio patterns, these devices can generate guitar or bass riffs, drum patterns; or they can be used as modulation sources to add refined motion effects to Pads, Synths, and sound effects. Each Pattern can be freely modified or new, original and personalized ones can be created.

The KROME-73 EX sound database

In addition to acoustic and electric pianos and percussion, KROME-73 EX has a wide variety of timbres of all kinds. It is possible to choose between 896 Programs and 512 internal Combinations; each of these sound resources has been carefully created by the best Sound Designers to provide immediate, high-quality musical support and thus satisfy every musical need, from accompaniment parts to the most inspired solos; it is of course possible to modify, create and save your own personal sounds.

The creative functions of KROME-73 EX

KROME-73 EX features a powerful 16-track MIDI Sequencer, 128 Songs, over 200,000 events, and Full Editing (Piano Roll) supported by a series of useful Tools to stimulate creative spirit, such as the Auto Song Setup function, which allows immediate recording of any performance by simply pressing the REC button. Or the Template Songs that automatically assign sounds and effects to tracks based on a specific musical genre, and also the Cue Lists for quickly creating complete arrangements, or RPPR (Realtime Pattern/Play Recording).

Design and construction of KROME-73 EX

KROME-73 EX features an elegant design with a curved profile and a dark colored cabinet. The upper control panel is made with two aluminum panels of different designs. The result is an immediately recognizable, unmistakable appearance even on the most crowded stage.

The Touch View™ Display

The large 800 x 480 pixel color Touch View 7'' TFT LCD Display of KROME-73 EX simultaneously displays numerous parameters, ensuring high operational speed: to select sounds or modify parameters, simply touch the screen, while the Finger-drag function acts directly on the virtual sliders and knobs present on the screen itself. Many other functions utilize this operating mode, such as the Sequencer's Piano Roll Editor, the stopwatch, and the numeric keypad used for data entry.

USB and SD Card connection

KROME-73 EX can be easily connected to a computer via the integrated USB port, allowing interaction with popular DAW environments. For data storage, the workstation has a Slot for an SD Card (optional) on which to easily store or transfer personal data.

KROME-73 EX TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Keyboard

KROME-73 EX Semi-weighted with Velocity, No After Touch - Standard C1 - C7 (Transpose range: [C0...C6]-[C2...C8])

Sound Synthesis - EDS-X (Enhanced Definition Synthesis - eXpanded)

Sounds

Maximum Polyphony

• 120 voices (120 Oscillators) / Single Mode
  
  60 voices (120 Oscillators) / Double Mode
  
  * Maximum polyphony also depends on oscillator settings such as Stereo Multi Samples mode and Velocity Crossfading.

PCM Memory

• 4 GB (when converted to 48 kHz, 16-bit linear PCM format)


• 728 Multi Samples (including 44 Stereo Multi-Samples)


• 2,502 Drum Samples (including 574 Stereo Drum Samples)

Programs

• Oscillator: OSC1 (Single); OSC1 + 2 (Double): Stereo Multi Samples are supported with 8 Velocity Zones per oscillator with Switching, Crossfades and Layers


• Filters: 4 types of Filter Routing (single, serial, parallel, 24 dB). 2 Multi-Mode filters per oscillator (low pass, high pass, band pass, band reject)


• Driver: non linear & low boost Driver for each voice


• EQ: 3 bands with selectable mid-range frequency control for each Timbre/Track


• Modulations: For each oscillator, 2 envelope generators (Filter & Amp), 2 LFOs, 2 Key Tracking Generators (Filter & Amp), 2 AMS mixers, Pitch EG, Common LFO, 2 Common Key Tracking Generators

Combinations

• Number of Timbres: 16 - For each Timbre: Keyboard & Velocity Split / Layer / Crossfades - Modifications to Program settings via the Tone Adjust function


• Master Keyboard Functions - KROME-73 EX can be used as a Master Keyboard to control external MIDI devices


• Drum Kit - Stereo and mono Drum Samples. 8 Velocity Zones Switch (Crossfades and Layers)

Number of Combinations / Programs / Drum Kits

• User Combination: 768 Combinations (512 Preload)


• User Program: 1536 Programs (896 Preload)


• User Drum Kit: 80 Drum Kits (48 Preload)


• Preset Program: 256 GM2 Programs + 9 GM2 Drums Programs

Effects

• Insert Effects - 5 Insert Effects (Stereo In/Out)


• Master Effects -2 Master Effects (Stereo In/Out)


• Total Effects - 1 Total Effect (Stereo In/Out)


• Timbre / Track EQ - 3-band EQ available for each timbre assigned to a track


• Effect Types: 193 Usable as: Insert, Master, Total.
  
  Note: Double-Size effects cannot be used as Total Effect.


• Modulations - Dynamic Modulation, 2 Common LFO


• Effect Control Bus - Stereo Side Chain (Limiter, Gate, Vocoder, etc.)


• Effect Preset - 32 Presets for each effect

Polyphonic Arpeggiator

• Program Mode - 1 unit


• Combination Mode, Sequencer - 2 units available.


• Number of patterns - 5 Preset Arpeggio Patterns, 1,088 User Arpeggio Patterns (960 Preload)

Drum Track

• Preset Patterns - 710 Patterns (shared with Sequencer mode Preset Patterns)


• User Patterns - 1,000 patterns (Patterns created in Sequencer mode can be converted to Drum Track User Patterns).


• Other -“Trigger Mode / Sync / Zone” configurable

Sequencer

• Tracks - 16-tracks + 1 Master Track


• Number of Songs - 128 Songs


• Resolution - quarter notes =1/480


• Tempo - 40.00 - 300.00 (Resolution of: 1/100 BPM)


• Maximum memory capacity - 210,000 MIDI events


• Template Songs - 16 Preset / 16 User Template Songs


• Cue List Function -20 Cue Lists


• Songs can be arranged consecutively or repeated up to 99 steps, a Cue List can be converted back into a Song.


• Pattern / RPPR (Realtime Pattern Play and Recording)


• 710 Preset / 100 User Patterns (Per Song). 1 Pattern Set per Song


• Format - KORG (KROME), SMF (Standard Midi File) 0 and 1


• Media -Media: Load, Save, Utility, Data Filer function (saves and loads MIDI System Exclusive data)

Controls

• Controls - Joystick, SW [1], SW [2]


• Realtime Controls - [SELECT] button: REALTIME CONTROL (TONE, USER), ARP 4 Knobs; REALTIME CONTROL: Real-time Modulation, Arpeggio control


• Drum Track - [DRUM TRACK] Switch On/Off


• Arpeggiator - [ARP] button: On/Off

User Interface

• Display - Graphic Touch view 7’’ TFT color LCD, 800 x 480 pixel LCD resolution with brightness control


• Mode Buttons - [COMBI], [PROG], [SEQ], [GLOBAL], [MEDIA]


• VALUE Controls - [VALUE] Dial, [INC], [DEC] Buttons, 10-key numeric keypad ([0] - [9], [-], [.], [ENTER], [COMPARE])


• Bank Selection - BANK Switch - [A], [B], [C], [D], [E], [F] buttons (in Combination mode, [A], [B], [C], [D] buttons available)


• SEQUENCER Buttons - [PAUSE], [REW], [FF], [LOCATE], [REC], [START / STOP]


• TEMPO - [TEMPO] knob, [TAP] switch button


• Other - [PAGE] Buttons, [WRITE] button, [EXIT] button, [VOLUME] knob, Contrast knob

Outputs

AUDIO OUTPUT, L-/strong>MONO, R

• Audio outputs: AUDIO OUTPUT (L / MONO, R): 6.3 mm (Mono) jack, unbalanced.


• Output impedance: 1.1 [kΩ] (L/ Mono terminal: in case of monophonic output = 550[Ω]).


• Maximum level: +16.0 [dBu], load impedance: more than 10 [kΩ].

Headphone output

• 3.5 mm Stereo Jack connector (Mini)


• Output impedance: 33 [Ω].


• Maximum level: 60 + 60 [mW] (in case of 33[Ω] load)

Control inputs

• DAMPER pedal (Half Damper function supported)


• ASSIGNABLE SWITCH (assignable footswitch)


• ASSIGNABLE PEDAL (assignable pedal)

Other

• MIDI - IN, OUT


• USB - USB-MIDI Interface (TYPE B) x 1

SD Card Slot Max

• SD Card Slot Max: 2 GB / SD Memory Card


• Max: 32 GB/ SDHC Memory Card


• (SDXC Memory Card not supported)

Primary specifications

• Power Supply - AC Adapter (DC12V 3.5A), POWER On/Off button


• Dimensions (W x D x H) - 1,191 mm × 313 mm × 93 mm / 46.89 x 12.32 x 3.66 inches


• Weight - 8.2 Kg / 18.08 lbs.


• Power Consumption - 13 W

Included Accessories

AC Adapter, Quick Start Guide

Optional Accessories (sold separately)

• Stands - Standard-S-ABK


• Cases - SC-KINGKORG/KROME


• Expression/Volume Pedal - XVP-20


• Foot controller - EXP-2


• Damper Pedal - DS-1H


• Footswitch -PS-1, PS-3

System requirements for computers with the “KORG USB-MIDI driver"

Windows

OS: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Professional SP3, Windows Vista SP2 (all editions including 64-bit), Windows 7 (all editions including 64-bit)

Computer: With a USB port (Intel USB Host Controller recommended)

macOS

OS: Mac OS X 10.5 or later

Computer: Intel Mac with a USB port supporting Mac OS X 10.5 or later