Worst Korg synth EVER!

Post by **cornutt** » Thu May 29, 2008 7:26 pm

So I'll start this thread to go with the Roland and Yamaha ones. Let's give Korg some love too.

I haven't been around Korg gear a lot, but my vote goes to the X911 guitar synth. When it came out, I remember thinking, "How, with current technology (was 25 years ago) did they manage to design a guitar synth at that price that doesn't use a special pickup but still tracks well?" Answer: they didn't.

Phollop Willing PA · Post by **Phollop Willing PA** » Thu May 29, 2008 7:48 pm

You mean this one?

Never heard of it before although I think synth museum reviewers rate it fairly high.

I tend to like Korg products a lot although the last batch of new Korg synths seem to be made in China, which makes me wonder whether they are as good as Japanese made. All indications seem to suggest, yes, but seem more plastic somehow.

I can't think of a Korg product that is actually the worse Korg synth ever!, yet.

This is a bit harder than Yamaha or Roland similar threads, which probably gives credit to Korg in itself.

Jexus · Post by **Jexus** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:35 pm

tim gueguen · Post by **tim gueguen** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:42 pm

Actually the true answer to this and all similar questions is the worst synth is one that's broken and won't make a sound. Even the most annoying, cheesy sounding piece of garbage can be used to make music, especially if you find the right context for it.

gfriden · Post by **gfriden** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:41 pm

I seriously have yet to try a Korg I din't like. Curiously, I have never conciously looked for Korgs when I'm buying a synth, but often end up getting one. I just seem to always stumble upon some Korg synth I really like when I am looking for something else. Don't know why. Synthetic kismet? Anyways, I have nothing to offer but praise for the Korgs I've owned or tried out so far...

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:42 pm

Korg ER-1

Tyler2000 · Post by **Tyler2000** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:58 pm

MS-20 for sure

sacredcow · Post by **sacredcow** » Thu May 29, 2008 10:02 pm

The MS-20ic if it even counts

philip · Post by **philip** » Thu May 29, 2008 10:06 pm

Triton for sure

Phollop Willing PA · Post by **Phollop Willing PA** » Thu May 29, 2008 10:06 pm

Jexus wrote:

?

I wish I had tried the 707 when it came out. It reminds me of the Prophecy a bit.

What was your experience with the 707?

gcoudert · Post by **gcoudert** » Thu May 29, 2008 10:14 pm

OK, this is going to be a shock to you all but I owned an M1 keyboard for several years and it never did anything for me. Weak, non resonant filters, recognisable samples no matter what you do to them, insufficient polyphony to name but a few issues.

On a positive note, I loved my Wavestation (and still miss it) and DW8000.

Gilles

gfriden · Post by **gfriden** » Thu May 29, 2008 10:25 pm

JSRockit wrote:Korg ER-1

Why do so many people dislike this unit I wonder? Is there someone here who can say something good about it?

Post by **Solderman** » Thu May 29, 2008 10:44 pm

I never liked the sound of the EA-1, although its interface wasn't bad. I'd say worst is either the 707 or Poly-61. Agreed most of their products are pretty solid, including those 90's workstations with no resonant filters and scratchy high-frequencies, although Roland nearly always beat them for build quality. I once dropped a Korg X5 rompler from two feet off the ground and busted three keys.

OriginalJambo · Post by **OriginalJambo** » Thu May 29, 2008 11:51 pm

Every KORG product I've used so far (Polysix, Mono/Poly, microKORG) has kicked a*s in its own way. And I'm sure many others like the MS and PS range are awesome too.

Another thing you can say about KORG is that they are constantly innovating or at least improving on existing technologies. The OASYS, the RADIAS, the MS-10 soft synth for the Nintendo DS are all examples of this. Also, to date they are the only synth company of the big three that offer software clones of their own hardware products.

KORG s**t gold - they can do no wrong.

nitkov · Post by **nitkov** » Fri May 30, 2008 12:09 am

i think that most of us get frustrated with er-1 when we expect it to be the main drum machine. for me, it shines as an additional spice to the main rhythm, but never leading the groove. it CAN make good bass drum [of only one kind, with not too much kick]. but forget snares... except cheep minimal electro bursts of noise, without snappiness.

a friend of mine makes incredibly good minimal-industrial with 707!

it's hard to choose the worst korg product because i began to understand korg more as a developer of creative toys, not so much of professional equipment. which is a great compliment!