Korg Kronos Titanium Review

We rated the Korg Kronos Titanium a 10/10. The Korg Kronos Titanium is the same instrument as the regular Korg Kronos, except with a new look. The 9 sound engines on the Kronos are extremely high-quality, especially the organ sounds. Another nice feature about this rebranded instrument is that you can choose the number of keys you’d like on your instrument (from 61-88). The available onboard music production that this instrument has is truly next level. But now, it looks more modern than ever!

Korg Kronos Titanium Overview

 In this Korg Kronos Titanium review, we will compare the similarities and differences between the other Kronos’s, and Titanium model. First things first…What makes the Korg Kronos Titanium so different than the rest? 

  The Korg Kronos Titanium is a limited-edition keyboard in the Kronos family, which first came out in 2017. The new limited-edition Korg Kronos Titanium 2 was released in 2020. At first glance, it’s a really beautiful instrument (both iterations of the Titanium are). According to Amazon.com, the (2020) Titanium model features the following:

“KRONOS restores the magic, the thrill, and the promise that only a visionary new instrument can provide. And KRONOS delivers on that promise. Every resource and technology of service to the modern musician has been refined, perfected, and integrated into a single instrument, and is available on demand.

Multiple state-of-the-art sound generation techniques represent the pinnacle of software realization. Onboard effects open the door to processing any internal or external audio source with dazzling results.”

The Titanium 2 comes with an exclusive Italian Grand piano, which sounds absolutely lovely. This sound sample was one of the instrument’s biggest selling points, apart from its limited release. Let’s see what else this beaut has to offer us! 

Features 

Studio Onboard

Studio Onboard is a complete music workstation that is inside of the instrument. With Onboard, you can access 16 MIDI tracks and 16 audio tracks. No more running a cable over to your DAW and plugging it in. No more hassling with drivers. Just record on Onboard, and send it to yourself through cloud storage! 

And, like the other Kronos’s we have recently reviewed, you can run up to 16 simultaneous effects on the Titanium, too. 

Sequencing and Sampling

According to the Korg site, the sampling on this instrument was done without looping. Every note was (chromatically) sampled. This alone speaks to the effort that was put into the instrument. It is high-quality, through and through. An electronic instrument is only as good as its samples, so we are starting off really strong here. 

Mechanical noises and damper sounds have also been digitally reproduced in this instrument’s piano sound engine. Speaking of sound engines, let’s check out some more info on voices and sampling. 

The Berlin Grand 

Musicians are loving Korg’s Berlin Grand sound- And it is included in this model! But this isn’t the only rave-worthy instrument sample on board the Titanium. This model has a ton of expansion libraries. Let’s check them out! 

Kronos Sound Libary Expansions

The Titanium has the following build-in Expansion PCM Libraries:

• EXs1 – ROM Expansion
• EXs2 – Concert Grand Piano
• EXs3 – Brass & Woodwinds
• EXs4 – Vintage Keyboards
• EXs5 – ROM Expansion 2
• EXs6 – SGX-1 German D Piano
• EXs7 – SGX-1 Japanese C Piano
• EXs8 – Rock Ambience Drums
• EXs9 – Jazz Ambience Drums
• EXs17 – SGX-2 Berlin D Piano
• EXs18 – KORG EXs Collections

As I mentioned, of the sounds in this expansion pack, the Berlin D piano is among Korg musicians’ favorite voices, and I’m thrilled to see it included in this model. You can listen to this gorgeous, delicate piano voice here.

9 Sound Engines

The 9 Korg sound engines that are found in the other Kronos’s are also found in the Titanium: 

• SGX-2: Premium Piano (Acoustic Piano)
• EP-1: MDS Electric Piano (Electric Piano)
• HD-1: High Definition Synthesizer (PCM)
• AL-1: Analog Synthesizer (Analog Modeling)
• CX-3: Tonewheel Organ (Tonewheel Organ Modeling)
• STR-1: Plucked Strings (Physical Modeling)
• MOD-7: Waveshaping VPM Synthesizer (VPM Synthesis)
• MS-20EX: Component Modeling Technology (Analog Modeling)
• PolysixEX: Component Modeling Technology (CMT Analog Modeling)

All of these sound engines are super easy to adjust- And there are a lot of options here. 

Real Weighted Hammer Action 3 (RH3)

The real weighted hammer action 3 is the best piano action Korg has on the market. It is extremely authentic when put up against the touch of an acoustic grand. Half-releases work really when you’re playing repeated notes. There aren’t a ton of keyboards out there that do this well- But the Titanium takes the cake in this category. In addition to the Berlin, this model has the exclusive Italian piano soundbank.

Quick Split and Layering 

The newest software update includes quick split and quick layering. These functions make the process of recording music on a Kronos a lot faster and easier than before. I’m really glad to see that the 3.1.0 update applies to all Kronos’s!

You can see a Korg rep demoing these features here.

A Beautiful New Touch Screen

Another aspect that has stayed consistent between the newer Kronos’s is the 7+ inch Touchview touch screen. While some musicians say it is a little ‘extra’, I think that the larger screen makes the instrument feel easier to navigate and more luxurious. 

A Unique Look

The Krog Kronos Titanium has a classy black front and wood sides. It also has a mesh grille in the back, which was new to the Kronos as of this model. 

Three Versions: 61 key, 71 key, 88 key

This limited-edition keyboard comes in three key packages, so you can decide which size is right for you and your gigs. 

KARMA

Karma is a music generation engine. According to Korg, it is a technology that creates a musical phrase for you, based on the notes you play on the keyboard.  It’s similar to an arpeggiator, but it isn’t exactly an arpeggiator…You’ll have to try it out to see what I mean! 

Inside of Karma, there are 1,000 user patterns. Many of the settings inside Karma, such as Sync and Zone, can be specified. 

185 Effects 

With insert effects ranging from lush choruses to trippy phasers, you won’t be getting bored any time soon. Some of the flangers make the instrument sound out-of-this-world. It doesn’t even sound like a piano anymore! For those of you who are experimental musicians, you will love this feature.

Velocity and Aftertouch

The last big complaint I read about was the Korg Kronos LS was that it didn’t have Aftertouch. The Korg Kronos Titanium has RH3 weight, velocity, and Aftertouch. In this category, it really is all you can ask for! 

Edit Patches, Easy Location with Find Function

This Kronos makes it easy to create or edit patches, or use ones that were made and loaded into the instrument. The Find Function allows you to do a quick search, and find what you need. 

Set List Mode 

Set list mode is a new favorite feature among Korg users. This feature allows you to name a slot, and save it separately. 

Korg Kronos Titanium Specifications

• Weight: 66.03 Pounds 
• Dimension: 63.1 x 19.3 x 11.3 inches
• Kronos System Version: 3.0 

Who Is It Suitable For?

The Korg Kronos Titanium is suitable for professional musicians, serious hobbyists, and instrument collectors. While all of the bells and whistles can be a lot to handle, if you are a Korg fanatic, this workstation is for you. While it is pretty pricey, the Korg Kronos Titanium price is quite reasonable for all it has to offer. 

Korg Kronos Titanium In Action 

You can learn more about it in this Sweetwater demo video here.

Here were my thoughts after hearing the demo: 

• This instrument is versatile and resonant
• It sounds convincingly like a grand piano
• It has an amazing and almost dizzying amount of features 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• This instrument has all 9 sound engines, just like the Korg Kronos 2 and the Korg LS, which we reviewed last week 
• It has tons of voices, kits, and beats
• Onboard is a great tool that makes life a lot easier for an arranger because your music workstation is now literally at your fingertips 
• This instrument allows you to design your own patches, or load pre-made ones
• The Titanium has a new look. The instrument is limited edition, which can be seen as either a pro or a con…If you find one, you are lucky! 
• It has gold plate on the jacks, which improves the sound and connection 
• The mesh screen at the back improves the instrument’s cooling. In older Korg models, the fans could be quick loud, but this model is very quiet 
• It has 185 effects to choose from
• Overall, the best features of the LS and Kronos 2 are inside this model as well

Cons

• Because this instrument is limited edition, it is quite hard to come by. It is not available at Sweetwater anymore 
• It is pricey
• There are no external speakers- Be prepared to invest in some
• Like the Krono’s, there are a ton of features in this instrument. This is a great thing…But it takes a lot of time to feel comfortable with a keyboard with such massive capabilities. Get ready to take the time to get to know it, or, consider something a little more simple 
• This instrument requires a USB to MIDI driver for Windows computers if you decide to record on your laptop’s DAW. Many workstations have gone driverless, but this one hasn’t. While it isn’t a dealbreaker for a person who is used to older tech, it is a little surprising to me that this doesn’t have driverless technology. 
• The Titanium is heavy when we compare it to the LS

Quick View 

Korg Titanium Alternatives

• First one – Korg Nautilis $2,799.99
• Korg Kronos (2) $3,899.99
• This Korg Kronos LS
• This one Korg PA 588

The Korg Nautilis is significantly more economical than the Kronos. For about 1 grand less, you can still get a full-sized workstation keyboard. It also has the 9 sound engines that you will find in all of the Kronos’s. So why is it more economical? What are we missing out on here, that you would get in the Titanium? 

• The Nautilis has a smaller screen 
• The Nautilis has arpeggiators instead of KARMA
• There is no joystick, and are fewer on-board knobs and buttons overall

The Korg Kronos 2 and the Korg Kronos LS are the most similar workstations when we compare them against the Titanium. The main difference here is that the Korg 2 and the LS are not limited edition, and don’t have the new look. The differences between the LS and Korg 2 are relatively negligible, apart from the significant difference in weight (The Korg Kronos LS’s selling point is that it is much lighter than the 2, so it’s easier for musicians to gig with). 

The Korg PA 588 is another great workstation to consider. It has more accompaniment features than most of the Kronos’s. If this is a feature that you highly value, consider the 588 instead of the Titanium.

Lastly, if you are looking for a workstation that is outside of the Korg brandname, consider the Nord 3. 

Korg Kronos Titanium Conclusion

In conclusion, the Korg Kronos Titanium is a beautiful instrument for those who are looking to collect a limited edition model. If you can’t find a Korg Kronos Titanium, consider another member of the Korg Kronos family instead- They’re all very similar instruments, despite a handful of specs…But that doesn’t make any of them any less impressive!

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our Korg Kronos LS and Korg Kronos 2 reviews! Until next time! 

Music Quote of the week: 

If you’re a guitarist, you should not be intimidated by using your instrument as a synthesizer, but you shouldn’t feel that you have to own one, either.

— Andy Summers

10Expert Score

We rated the Korg Kronos Titanium a 10/10. The Korg Kronos Titanium is the same instrument as the regular Korg Kronos, except with a new look. The 9 sound engines on the Kronos are extremely high-quality, especially the organ sounds. Another nice feature about this rebranded instrument is that you can choose the number of keys you’d like on your instrument (from 61-88). The available onboard music production that this instrument has is truly next level. But now, it looks more modern than ever!

PROS

• This instrument has all 9 sound engines, just like the Korg Kronos 2 and the Korg LS, which we reviewed last week
• It has tons of voices, kits, and beats
• Onboard is a great tool that makes life a lot easier for an arranger because your music workstation is now literally at your fingertips
• This instrument allows you to design your own patches, or load pre-made ones
• The Titanium has a new look. The instrument is limited edition, which can be seen as either a pro or a con…If you find one, you are lucky!
• It has gold plate on the jacks, which improves the sound and connection
• The mesh screen at the back improves the instrument’s cooling. In older Korg models, the fans could be quick loud, but this model is very quiet
• It has 185 effects to choose from
• Overall, the best features of the LS and Kronos 2 are inside this model as well

CONS

• Because this instrument is limited edition, it is quite hard to come by. It is not available at Sweetwater anymore
• It is pricey
• There are no external speakers- Be prepared to invest in some
• Like the Krono’s, there are a ton of features in this instrument. This is a great thing…But it takes a lot of time to feel comfortable with a keyboard with such massive capabilities. Get ready to take the time to get to know it, or, consider something a little more simple
• This instrument requires a USB to MIDI driver for Windows computers if you decide to record on your laptop’s DAW. Many workstations have gone driverless, but this one hasn’t. While it isn’t a dealbreaker for a person who is used to older tech, it is a little surprising to me that this doesn’t have driverless technology.
• The Titanium is heavy when we compare it to the LS