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Privia Pro PX-5S vs Korg Kross 88 any thoughts?


lesleo

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This is probably going to be a bias forum, but I am trying to decide on which of the following keyboards to replace my Yamaha s90ES with:

PX-5S

Korg Kross 88

 

Big dislike about the Casio - no rechargeable battery use - I plan to busk with the keyboard so it really is a consideration.

 

Korg Kross has a great drum sequencer and dedicated spilt and layer buttons and a much better LCD screen.

 

Any thoughts appreciated...

 

thanks in advance 

 

Leon

 

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Did you look at the Duracell Power Pack I linked to on the Facebook page? It will last a lot longer than rechargeables and you can run your Street Cube from it as well. It may be a more expensive outlay initially, but you will save a lot over time. Plus less down time=more money from busking. 

As far as the Kross goes: The action and piano sound can not hold a candle to the PX-5S.   Also, the LCD looks to be about the same size as the PX-5S and isn't color or anything, so I don't know how it is "much better"....  Dedicated split layer is nice, but it pretty easy to do on the PX-5S and save for when you need it. I mean, how often are you going to need to make a split or layer "on the fly" where a few seconds is going to make difference?  At least for me, I have all these set up in advance so I can call them up instantly. 

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Not sure about the battery comment.  Aren't all rechargeable batteries at a little less than their alkaline counterparts?  I would imagine the cautions in using rechargeables in the PX would be the same situation with the Kross.  You wouldn't get the full 1.5v X 6 using rechargeable batteries and that may have some effect.

 

I could be wrong, but from everything that I've read, the Kross doesn't have a synthesizer - in that I mean you can't build your own sounds from scratch.  You can layer stuff in the Kross to create new combinations of sounds, but I don't think there is the same level of tone editing that there is in the PX. 

 

Summing up:

Batteries: Probably run into the same limitations on both machines

Piano Sounds : PX-5s

Full Sequencer: Kross

USB direct recording: PX-5s

Full synthesizer: PX-5s

61 key version: Kross

Audio In direct mixing and recording: Px-5s  Kross?

Real time Faders and Knob Controls : Px-5s 6 faders 4 knobs

Drum Machine : Kross (px-5s phrase recorder not quite the same)

Screen : Kross

Mono Mode : Kross

Midi Controler : Px-5s

Arpeggios: Px-5s   Kross?

 

I think overall they are similar machines but different in a lot of ways.  I think the Px-5s offers more flexibility in terms of synthesis, functioning as a midi controller, and primary function as a stage piano.  The sequencer on the Kross is a huge plus in my opinion; the px-5s has a sequencer of sorts, but it's really more of a tracker (build the sequence from patterns of phrases).

 

If you can get away with the cost, get both! A 61 key Kross for the top rack and the PX-5s below.  If you can only get 1, I think the Px-5s offers the most capability.  You can split the keyboard into 4 zones.  Some of the splits can be overlapped if you want.  The zones can be in different keys, depending on the tones and stage settings.

 

On the px-5s you can build a stage setting that has 14 tones layered.  So you can have some big sounds. 

 

My advice is to think about what you want to do with the keyboard.  If you want to go deep and do some programming, the Px has a lot of options.  If you just want to run from gig to gig and play some presets and never worry about changing stuff, the Kross is probably more what you are looking for.  The Px of course has presets, but its design invites you to change everything and suit it to your needs.

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from a purely "Synth/sequencer" p.o.v. the Kross is definitely the way to go. However if you want a good stage piano, with some synth sound capabilities and are happy to do sequencing/recording work on a PC/laptop then the PX is the way to go. Excellent keybed (the Kross is simply quite awful).

 

I am now starting to suggest to people who ask, that the setup should be a PX on the bottom and pretty much any 49/61 note synth on top. This is a killer combo imo. If you shop carefully you will probs get this setup for about the same money as a Kross 88 (or if more, it will not be THAT much more for a great keys kit)

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The Kross has an option for changing from alkaline to NiMH batteries built in - you must set which one. The Kross has better orchestral - strings etc apparently??? I would buy the casio if it could run on rechargeables - just seems there is no one running it on rechargeables here...maybe I could modify the board so it can use rechargeables....

Chuck said the action on the Kross was good.

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I would buy the casio if it could run on rechargeables - just seems there is no one running it on rechargeables here

 

It's not recommended for the Casio.

 

 

The Kross has better orchestral - strings etc apparently???

 

Depends on what you mean.  As far as string pads, and synth sounding soft strings, I think the Px's are quite good.  For realistic strings, violins, cellos, or full string ensemble patches, tremelo strings, etc.  I find the Px's to be not very good.  The Px excels at atmospheric pads, argeggios, synth washes - at least that has been the focus of many of the patches. 

 

 

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lesleo,

 

You've got to go to a music store if you can and play each keyboard.  If you can do that you'll get a better idea of what you like.  To help with accessing the Px sounds, to change stage settings, use the Bank button next to the numbers on the right, and then press 2 numbers.  The first number is the bank  the second number is the patch within that bank:

 

Ex:

Press Bank

Press 0

Then press any number between 0 and 9.  That is the first 10 stage settings.  You only have to press Bank and the first number once.  To switch to the next bank:

 

Press Bank

Press 1

Then press any number between 0 and 9.

etc.

 

If you cant make it to the music store keep in mind listening to stuff online is subject to your speakers or headphones, how the recording was done, what equipment was used, and the person playing the instrument is.  The last is a big one, you're going to have a different impression of the instrument depending on what's played and how it's played.  No offense meant to the piano man Chuck demos of the px-5s sounds, but those videos are terrible ambassadors for the tones and stage settings. 

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off-hand...

 

PX5S advantages: better piano sound, better piano action (incl. 3rd sensor), better polyphony, assignable knobs/sliders, some semblance of drawbar organ emulation, smaller and lighter

 

Kross advantages: simpler interface, full sequencer, up to 16 zones (vs. 4), better pedal support (expression pedal, half dampering), 384 custom combis (vs. 100 stage settings), and IMO it is stronger in most of its non-piano sounds

 

Contrary to one of the posts above, both of them are fully editable as synths. I give the Kross the edge there because you can also create mono synth sounds.

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