KORG Krome EX FROM £665
Korg’s Krome synthesiser was launched back in 2012 as the mid-priced option in Korg’s workstation range. For those unfamiliar with the ‘workstation’ concept, these machines will do pretty much anything required in song production bar the vocals (although some even attempt that). You get drums, keys, real instruments, feature-packed synthesisers, effects, multitrack sequencing and the kitchen sink. Korg pretty much invented the modern workstation with its gazillion-selling M1 back in the late 80s.
The Kronos is Korg’s current workstation star, which it describes as ‘the most powerful synthesiser in the world’. When we reviewed it this time last year we found that claim to be not that far from the truth. At the best part of three grand though, it’s probably a stretch for many, so the Krome range, which now starts at around £665 street, could be a fantastic option. What I have on test here is the all-new Krome EX, updated for a NAMM announcement last year, and a workstation that borrows some of the very best bits from Kronos.
SHINY NEW KROME
New features added for Krome EX—aside from the new metallic grey finish—include two new program banks with a large collection of EDM-style sounds, more none-Western instruments, like the kalimba and kokyu, plus cinematic presets, all-new grand upright and electric piano sounds plus emulated vintage amps and cab effects. Before I explore those, though, I should delve a little deeper into what else Krome offers, and there’s a lot of it.
We’ll start with the overall stats, which include 16-part multitimbrality—so you can record 16 different sounds in your song—and a massive sequencer to put that tune together. It features 16 tracks, the options to add preset (710) or user (100) Patterns; a Drum Track
