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Korg Mini MS-20
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Antimon



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 12:09 am    Post subject: Korg Mini MS-20 Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

There were some worries that this was a hoax, but since it appeared (albeit briefly) on korg.de, it's looking more real now. A new analog MS-20, the size of the Legacy Controller with mini keys, patch jacks and knobs.

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2013/01/22/the-korg-mini-ms-20-analog-synth-is-for-real/

Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

Seen on 99musik.se.

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dorremifasol



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 4:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Looks pretty cool. Seems to have CV outs for the keyboard, and also MIDI interface. This thing is calling my name!
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GovernorSilver



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

No MIDI Out mentioned in the specs I saw posted to the Korg Germany site, which has since (reportedly) removed the info. Here's what somebody translated from German:

The same engineers that developed the original MS-20 in 1978 have reproduced the circuits true to the original. The physical dimensions of the original are reduced to 86% without changing the look of the timeless classic.

Features

Complete and true to the original reproduction of the original circuits by the engineers responsible for the MS-20
2VCO / 2VCA / 2VCF / 2EG / 1LFO structure
self-oscillating (?) high-pass/low-pass filter with unique distortion
external signal processor (ESP)
extremely flexible patching-system
True to the original reproduction of every aspect of the original even packaging and handbooks
MIDI-IN and USB connectors

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dorremifasol



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

How needs midi out? Smile

surely it will have it on the USB, anyway.

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paugui



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

It seems like that.
Let's hope it can be USB Powered too, that would be really great I think.

I doubt it will sound exactly the same, but for that price, I think it will still be a good bet, and I'm sure it will be a pretty good synth.

Just hope they sell well and Korg reproduces the whole series.
I have been wanting to start a modular system for a while now and if they do that, I'd expand the MS-20 with 2 or 3 MS-50s to get a really nice modular system Smile
Oh... and a SQ-10 and maybe and MS-10 or a second MS-20 Razz

Let's hope they made them sound good Smile
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-minus-



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

can never figure out how to embed youtube vids, but it's here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA-owDEGpac


http://www.korg.com/ms20mini

Smile

EDIT: I think I figured it out!

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GovernorSilver



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Good news, Albert, you can send MIDI from the MS-20 Mini through the USB port.

Only MIDI note number though - no CC or other MIDI...

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anigbrowl



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

At $599 I don't care sunny

That's a killer price, and Korg have IMHO stolen Moog's thunder - although the sub phatty seems quite a decent synth and is reasonably priced, It's more of a keyboardist's instrument than a synthesist's, and just can't match the MS-20's sonic depth. It's a very long time since I've seen such excitement over a synth launch as over this one from Korg.

As for Roland and Yamaha...Roland's most exciting new product is a USB interface (woo...hoo... sleeping ) and Yamaha seems to have lost interest comlpetely, and focused their efforts on acoustic instruments and industrial audio (live PA, broadcast, and suchlike - where their offerings seem fine but not especially interesting). They're large enough to roll on under their own momentum for years to come, but if I were an investor I'd be asking where they're headed.
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GovernorSilver



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Aww, nuts I forgot how to embed vids here. Anyway, Sonic State finally got to it!!!

http://youtu.be/h6lTdHZQJ4k

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GovernorSilver



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

anigbrowl wrote:
At $599 I don't care sunny

That's a killer price, and Korg have IMHO stolen Moog's thunder - although the sub phatty seems quite a decent synth and is reasonably priced, It's more of a keyboardist's instrument than a synthesist's, and just can't match the MS-20's sonic depth. It's a very long time since I've seen such excitement over a synth launch as over this one from Korg.
.


Yeah, the Moog Sub Phatty sounds great in the epic 28 min. vid featuring Amos of Moog, but if I had to choose between the two, it comes down to the one I think I'll have the most fun just patching the hell out of, and making all kinds of noise. Also, the MS-20 Mini's got the external signal processor which attempts to convert audio into control voltage signals, sometimes with hilarious results.

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-minus-



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 12:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I would have liked to see an updated case to the synth. Something along the lines of what Mini and the VW Beetle did. I don't find the MS 20 all that visually attractive. Looks like a WW2 relic. But Korg don't have to go to an effort and re-imagine. These things will sell themselves. It's all about nostalgia.
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dorremifasol



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

After reading the specs in Korg's webpage I can't believe the price, it's just too good to be true.

Pity that it doesn't have a proper 1/4 audio output, that's the only thing I miss on it.

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GovernorSilver



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

-minus- wrote:
But Korg don't have to go to an effort and re-imagine. These things will sell themselves. It's all about nostalgia.


Most of the excitement that I have seen in forums is over the price rather than nostalgia.

Gotta give credit to Korg, though, for recognizing a market opportunity and taking advantage. 300,000 people bought the iMS-20 from the App Store. Sales of Monotrons and Monotribes must have been also very good. Korg must have looked at those figures and thought "Holy moly, we can make a KILLING if we made an MS-20 again"

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dorremifasol



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

To me it's not about nostalgia (never had one), it's about that for 600€ I can get the one of the most complete semi-modular analog synthesizers available. Smile
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ian-s



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

anigbrowl wrote:
although the sub phatty seems quite a decent synth and is reasonably priced, It's more of a keyboardist's instrument than a synthesist's, and just can't match the MS-20's sonic depth.


I would have to disagree. As a one time owner of the original MS20, the fact that it didn't have oscillator sync or pwm really annoyed me. The moog has both those and therefore has a much greater sonic depth. The patch panel's usefulness is limited by the lack of modules in the synth (one of the EG's is almost useless). Couple the MS20 with a MS50 (or other external modular gear) and things get much better. On its own though, your going to exhaust all the interesting patching options in well under an hour.

All that said. The Korg is very well priced and I am a big fan of the Modulation generator and High pass filter.
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I see this thing more as a fun pick-up-and-jam type synth rather than a deep sound design workstation - that's what my G2X is for. Cool
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 5:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Don't get me wrong, Korg in my mind are on the ball. Yes the price is great and will certainly shift a lot of units. I totally understand the reasoning behind releasing this replica. Originals go for quite a bit of money and obviously there is demand. I get why it had to look exactly like the original. It is nostalgia, retro or whatever. Either way I find the original and this rather uninspiring visually. Yeah but its the resonance on that filter maaaan! Laughing

I'd be intersted in seeing where Korg go from here in terms of the analogue thing. If I had the spare cash I'd certainly buy one... and the rest of the recent analogue 'tron' and 'tribe' stuff.
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GovernorSilver



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PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

What I'd like to see next from Korg is a Nord Electro killer - the CX3 organ and EP-1 electric piano engines from Kronos in a standalone keyboard, with drawbars and the whole bit.

I don't really expect a lot of innovation from Korg in the pure synthesis department, although a King Korg X with the MOD-7 engine added to the existing VA engine and more CV I/O would be awesome, imo. What I instead anticipate is more re-releases/repackaing of their analog tech, like the sequencer module for the MS-20, because that's where the money is going to be for them in the near future.

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LektroiD



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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

If only Roland would take a leaf out of Korg's book...
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yes. I imagine Roland would sell loads of 808's if they rereleased them with a few updates. They should have done it years ago.

I still think Roland make a decent product. It's in other areas though. My son bought a Microcube Bass amp a couple of years ago and it sounds great. Runs on batteries too.

Maybe Korg's latest offerings might make others take note.
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elektro80
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 6:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

ian-s wrote:

I would have to disagree. As a one time owner of the original MS20, the fact that it didn't have oscillator sync or pwm really annoyed me. The moog has both those and therefore has a much greater sonic depth. The patch panel's usefulness is limited by the lack of modules in the synth (one of the EG's is almost useless). Couple the MS20 with a MS50 (or other external modular gear) and things get much better. On its own though, your going to exhaust all the interesting patching options in well under an hour.

All that said. The Korg is very well priced and I am a big fan of the Modulation generator and High pass filter.


Agreed! Many good points here.
It is important to recognize the originial MS-20 for what it is, and if this new one is basically the same, then obviously the MS-20 is still the MS-20. I like the MS-20 for what it does, but is NOT a modular synth. One thing I really hate with the new mini MS-20 is the mini keyboard.

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LektroiD



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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

elektro80 wrote:
One thing I really hate with the new mini MS-20 is the mini keyboard.


Does it have a mini keyboard, like the MS20ic (legacy)? From what I've seen on the videos it looks like a full sized keyboard. That would be a deal breaker for me too.

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

From what I've read / seen it has a newly designed keyboard between the mini and regular size.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 3:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I imagine the keys are like the micro-x, which is still a tad small. The Mini 20 is a according to the specs 86% of the original MS 20, and the Legacy controller is 84%. I already have the Legacy controller.

IMO, I find it a real pain to move from full scale keys and to mini keys. I reckon this is yet another YMMV-issue. I'm not used to actually look at what my fingers are dong on the keyboard while playing and adjust accordingly. Adjusting to various types of keyboard action and what have you works great though.. but not with keyboard size. I could always use an external keyboard, but that kinda kills the ergonomics re how I would play the real thing.

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elektro80
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

BTW, the mini MS 20 is probably very nice and the price is excellent.
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