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A few videos with information trickling in. I haven't done my own digging but it looks like retailers and reviewers will have hardware in their hands within the next week or so.
The first reaction seems like a mixed bag. Some grateful to see the Kronos come back from the dead. Some infer the feature set and are disappointed the new Kronos doesn't appear to be revolutionary enough.
I have no information, but I think the negative reaction needs to be tempered by a more complete rundown of what the new Kronos can do. If not at launch, sometime within its lifetime.
Kronos so far has had such longevity because the platform is software friendly. There is a lot that can be done with more or less off-the-shelf hardware. Expanding various pieces in speedbunp updates is possible due to internal modularity like SSD or any other pluggable components. Kronos's previous architecture (and probably current) leans heavily on the main CPU. Therefore, the system is CPU bound which limits how many of anything can run simultaneously. Effects, engines, etc. Addressing this bottleneck can take what was old and make it new again. There may be some welcome subtle evolutionary improvements above the foundation.
I'm interested to follow where they are taking Kronos in the weeks to come.
Current Yamaha Synthesizers: Montage Classic 7, Motif XF6, S90XS, MO6, EX5R
Posted : 17/01/2025 6:13 am
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A different spin: "runs 60% faster" by the skeptics is seen as as "great, the screen is more responsive and the turn on time is greatly reduced vs the previous Kronos but still longer than most other flagships". However, to me this means that the new CPU and related components within Kronos 3 can run 60% more functionality at the same speed as the previous gen. A speed that at least measured by the latency between pressing a key and hearing a sound was deemed fine for making music. Even for keyboardists like Herbie Hancock. And like other things Yamaha is doing, the groundwork is being laid for future functionality. Right now it may not be very exciting that something could happen (and, there's some chance the potential won't ever be realized for one reason or another) but I think it's premature to write off the whole thing as a "nothing burger".
Kronos as essentially a software VST with hardware attaches running on generic PC hardware internally is CPU bound. They have a CPU utilization meter since this informs you when you need to back off of effect counts or patch complexity when you hit that CPU wall. Different from Yamaha's approach where the limits are primarily defined by what custom ASICs afford you so you always get a known maximum number of effects at once (all can turn on) etc. The CPU on Yamaha synths does much less and improving only the Yamaha CPU would only improve very little and would't allow to improve baked in hard limits. Kronos is different. Improving the CPU lets them do more in their tone and effects engines. Time will tell if they have the software development resources to take advantage of this and deliver "real" advancements.
Current Yamaha Synthesizers: Montage Classic 7, Motif XF6, S90XS, MO6, EX5R
Posted : 30/01/2025 3:46 pm
