Description

The KROME-88 EX Synth Workstation gives you access to a vast, modern, and effective sound library, controlled by a smooth and responsive 88-weighted key keyboard, and processed by an advanced DSP with over 190 stereo effects. Its advanced sound synthesis capabilities are complemented by creative and interactive features such as the sequencer, polyphonic arpeggiator, and Drum Tracks, combined with a simple and intuitive user interface that fosters inventiveness and inspiration.

Video in Italian highlighting the main features of KROME-88 EX

KROME-88 EX: New Features

To better satisfy every musician and artist working in the current music scene, the KROME Workstation has undergone an important restyling, updating its internal sound database to achieve an even wider tonal variety. On the KROME-88 EX, in addition to standard resources, numerous new Programs and PCM data have been introduced, fully exploiting its high-level technical specifications, with a significant upgrade also on the aesthetic side of the cabinet and general look.

KROME-88 EX: New Sounds

KORG takes on the challenge posed to any instrument manufacturer by the ever-evolving current music scene. For the creation of 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, designed specifically for dance. These are joined by ethnic sounds such as Steel Pan, Kalimba, and Kokyu, or "cinematic" sounds, ready for soundtracks or commercials. In short, KROME-88 EX now has an updated timbre database capable of immediately providing every artist with the best conditions for composing, arranging, or simply playing.

The Core Sounds

The absolute priority for KORG Sound Designers was to create sounds for widespread and immediate use. KROME-88 EX features timbres designed to last, such as acoustic and electric pianos, which are fundamental in any workstation, as are the equally indispensable drum kits.

KROME-88 EX Acoustic Piano Sounds

Acoustic piano sounds are essential for most keyboard instruments. KROME-88 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 has also been included, which is very common and frequently used in Pop music. For these sounds, a clear and defined tonal character was chosen, following the success of the "German D Grand" present on the original KROME, thus further expanding the possibilities of this important tonal family.

KROME-88 EX Electric Pianos

KROME-88 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 is greater than all the memory available in commonly sampling-based synthesizers. Furthermore, for the optimal rendering of these timbres, the typical effects used on these instruments, as well as the simulation of their Vintage amplifiers, or speaker systems, have been implemented with KORG's refined physical modeling technology: REMS. These are fundamental elements for these sounds which have now become classics, thus offering the user an immersive and complete tonal experience.

The KROME-88 EX Keybed

The KROME 88 utilizes an 88-key NH (Natural Weighted Hammer Action) weighted keybed, which reproduces the variation in hammer weights across the lower and upper registers of the keyboard, thus ensuring accurate control of every dynamic nuance, especially for acoustic or electric piano sounds; ideal for all musicians who do not want to compromise on a piano touch even in a workstation.

KROME-88 EX Drum Sounds

Drum Kits play a fundamental role in a workstation. KROME-88 EX offers 48 preset kits, created using a wide collection of over 2,500 percussive Samples. One of the most important kits is: "Jazz Ambience Drums," which utilizes the extensive PCM memory of KROME-88 EX to take 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 close to the performer's head or cymbals, and the ambiance, recorded by a distant microphone to capture room resonance, it is possible to create a full and dynamic drum timbre with the desired balance and character.

Drum Tracks & Groove

The Drum Track function plays highly realistic percussive Grooves; these were created by real drummers and percussionists, using the internal sounds of KROME-88 EX, and can be used as an effective rhythmic guide for playing, studying, or integrating 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

In Combination or Sequencer mode, two arpeggiators can operate simultaneously. In addition to standard arpeggio patterns, these devices can generate guitar or bass riffs, drum patterns; or they can be used as modulation sources, to add refined movement effects on pads, synths, and sound effects. Each pattern can be freely edited or new, original, and customized ones can be created.

The KROME-88 EX Sound Database

In addition to acoustic and electric pianos and percussion, KROME-88 EX boasts a wide variety of timbres of all kinds. You can choose from 896 Programs and 512 internal Combinations; each of these sound resources has been meticulously crafted by the best Sound Designers to provide immediate high-quality musical support and thus meet every musical need, from accompaniment parts to the most inspired solos; you can, of course, modify, create, and save your own personal sounds.

KROME-88 EX Creative Functions

KROME-88 EX features a powerful 16-track MIDI Sequencer, 128 Songs, over 200,000 Full Editing events (Piano Roll) supported by a series of useful tools to stimulate the 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 the RPPR (Realtime Pattern/Play Recording).

KROME-88 EX Design and Manufacturing

KROME-88 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 look even on the most crowded stage.

The Touch View™ Display

The large 800 x 480 pixel Touch View color display of KROME-88 EX shows numerous parameters simultaneously, ensuring high operating 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 Connection and SD Card

KROME-88 EX can be easily connected to a computer via the integrated USB port, allowing interaction with the most popular DAW environments. For data storage, the workstation has an SD Card slot (optional) for easily storing or transferring personal data.

KROME-88 EX TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Keyboard

KROME-88 EX NH* keyboard (Natural Weighted Hammer Action). Velocity-sensitive, No After Touch - Standard A0 - C8 (Transpose range: [A-1...C7]-[A1...C9])

* The NH keyboard reproduces the actual response of an acoustic piano keyboard with a heavier touch in the lower register and a lighter touch in the upper register.

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)

Program

• 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 intervention 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

Combination

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


• Master Keyboard Functions - KROME-88 EX can be used as a Master Keyboard for controlling 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-track + 1 Master Track


• Number of Songs - 128 Songs


• Resolution - Quarter note =1/480


• Tempo - 40.00 - 300.00 (Resolution: 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 for up to 99 steps; a Cue List can be reconverted 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 - 7'' TFT LCD color graphic Touch View, 800 x 480 pixel resolution LCD with brightness control


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


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


• Bank Selection - BANK Switch - [A], [B], [C], [D], [E], [F] buttons (in Combination mode, buttons [A], [B], [C], [D] 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-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 - Power Adapter (DC12V 3.5A), Power On/Off Button


• Dimensions (W x D x H) - 1,448 mm × 383 mm × 131 mm / 57.01 x 15.08 x 5.16 inches


• Weight - 14.7 Kg / 32.41 lbs.


• Consumption - 13 W (KROME EX-61 / KROME EX-88 / KROME EX-88)

Included Accessories

AC Adapter, Quick Start Guide, Accessory Disc (KROME Operation Guide PDF, Parameter Guide PDF, Video Manual)

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


• Switch Pedals -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 USB port (Intel USB Host Controller recommended)

macOS

OS: Mac OS X 10.5 or later

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