Korg Fires Back!

I got to test drive the Korg M3 and the R3 this week, and I have to say they've really done their homework and produced some nice stuff. To begin with, the M3 is so completely unlike a Triton that it probably wouldn't be accurate to see it as a continuation of that series. It's more like a mini Oasys, and has a different feel entirely. Sounds really good; you can tell that the wave ROM is huge and varied just by scrolling through the presets. Didn't get to program it or tweak it much beyond the superficial, but found it very playable. I wish they'd added 16 knobs on the left hand side in addition to those sliders, though. The M3 will probably drive down the price of the Motif XS. Korg was smart in that respect, offering both a module and keyboard version at or below $2500 MSRP.

The real surprise came with the R3. To begin with, the vocoder is a HUGE step up from the microkorg. Much better sounding, and a better microphone to boot. It's 16 band, and you can actually record and replay the formant of your voice as a patch. The keys also feel really good for a 37 -- not cheap feeling at all.

I didn't really like the big preset knob on the left - a throwback from the microkorg. But I do like the 4 lighted parameter knobs with backlit LCD displays for each, and the 2-line display (only 8 char / line though) showing the patch name and other info that you can call up. This is a big step up from the microkorg, in that you can better see what you're doing.

Overall, I see the R3 giving the SH201 a run for its money in the sub-$700 pricepoint. They're different enough from eachother that each has its own appeal. But the R3 is just a nice, fun synth to play, with surprisingly advanced features. The SH still takes top honors for its dedicated knobs, but overall, I'd have a lot more fun spending 4 hours in my favorite easy chair with the R3 in my lap. It's more or less a mini-radias built into a microkorg sized case, for $650. Very interesting.

this reeks of a commercial.

yea kinda, but his (her?) other posts look legit. odd.

That's pretty funny.

No, it wasn't commercial. Although, looking at what I wrote, I can sort of see your point.

I haven't been to music stores as much lately, and just had a really good time demoing the new gear. That's all. I'd been wondering what Korg's answer to Yamaha and Roland would be. Pretty impressive overall.

The place I went to (Musicmakers here in Austin) also had Alesis Fusions in stock, which was a surprise. Played with that a little too. Not a bad little workstation for a grand. They also had a Z1 on consignment, which was tempting.

it is a commercial. number of previous posts is irrelevant, somebody at korg's been posting here from time to time, what's so special about it?

Incidentally, do people actually do that? i.e. post commercial ads on message boards under the guise of conversation?

*searches vainly for Hercules Hooks*

Okay, so if you really like a new piece of gear, then it's automatically a commercial?

How cynical we've become.

*emails Billy Mays' chiropodist*

chiropody |k??r

*throws up in Billy Mays' chiropodist's rhodedendrons*

Come on now. You guys are diffusing the focus of my Korg commercial!!

*arranges vomit chunks NICELY...IN A VASE*

Depends. Vase or "vahzz?"

Okay, so if you really like a new piece of gear, then it's automatically a commercial? How cynical we've become.

first of all, it's the writing style... a lot of positive thing written in magazine ad style, one negative bit thrown in (but really insignificantly negative such as a knob size) to make it look as if it's not coming from Korg (companies never criticize themselves right?)

secondly, the stated "difference" between Triton and Oasys... to me they sound absolutely the same...

you could be genuine, i don't care... i have zero interest in korgs anyway...

Who's got a boil on his semprini, then?

You guys have {censored}ing issues.

Happily, there are tablets for that.

YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION FOR THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS OR SO!!!!!!!!

In that case, you should probably go into another line of work. I'd suggest something that doesn't require critical listening.

What lewey said (not actually spoken) pertained to what was written by the original poster and not the actual sounds of the 2 synths.

I think

Nuff said...

They probably sound alike because they both use the same pitiful 16bit/48khz DAC's. Maybe it is YOU who needs to reevaluate your critical listening skills.

first of all, it's the writing style... a lot of positive thing written in magazine ad style, one negative bit thrown in (but really insignificantly negative such as a knob size) to make it look as if it's not coming from Korg (companies never criticize themselves right?) secondly, the stated "difference" between Triton and Oasys... to me they sound absolutely the same... you could be genuine, i don't care... i have zero interest in korgs anyway...

lol

Didn't know I was going to be graded on "writing style". I like the M3 and R3. Especially the R3. So sue me.

Or rather, tell Korg how much I like it, and maybe they'll send me a check. Until you told me as much, I had no idea I was working for them.

On your second point, I have to say they really don't sound "absolutely the same" as you put it. But to each his own.

Mine are just fine, thanks.

Hint #1: they sound almost *nothing* alike, aside from some things which reflect the general approach of Korg's sound designers. That's probably because they're almost entirely different inside. Including the DACs - which on the OASYS are 24bit/96kHz (although they normally run at 48kHz).

Hint #2: DACs are a very small part of how a synthesizer sounds, at least nowadays. The algorithms (how the oscillators, filters, etc. work) are much more important, and they vary widely between different synths.