gotcha. I was just curious. I have no particular interest in this synth. it seems interesting though. and I think it’s cool that they’re trying to do more and more with VA’s, with new levels of computing power and modeling. things they can’t even do with analog. and of all companies, I give Korg a pass more than most. at least they’ve made analog recently, including new designs and reviving old designs (some of them quite risky/borderline insane). plus they’ve done FM and wave sequencing… they’re trying to do interesting things more than most, I feel. certainly more than Roland. I can see the “cash grab” argument there; that they’re basically just finding new ways to re-package old sounds, but they’re all digital (other than the 500 series modular).
Its worse with Cameras believe me.
Mine shipped and should in hand in a few days! I thought I was going to have to wait until December.
I’m trying to find/understand in the manual if I’m able to control each layer from a different midi channel. I think you can. If so, this might replace the SH-4d for me.
There’s a part in the manual where it references assigning a midi channel to each layer on page 12 under Use Global Midi Channel. I was looking to confirm that too.
That’s what I was looking at. Don’t have the synth in hand yet so I’m not able to try it.
Here’s a demo with some custom presets. This synth has some impressive features and in my opinion is certainly underrated if it’s only considered for analog modeling.
Seriously considering swapping my Minifreak for this!
I like my Minifreak, just find the filter very dull and uninspiring.
I was seriously considering hardware Modwave (after painful process of choosing between it and the WaveState) and thanks again Jexus for selection of sounds I really like. But the problem with MW - there is a bit too much going on, I don’t use much such synthesis or sequencing types and not doing modern ultra-modulated psytrance or futurepop. If a module version appears, definitely grabbing it (alas no place for a new keyboard)
I’m in the same boat. Although Minifreak does have some really interesting oscillator types. And the digital filters in Osc2 are pretty good.
Anyway, I would rather have a module version of Multi/Poly, so will wait for that.
What’s wrong with virtual analog? It’s an approach, not a finished technology, and an approach that can give the user lots of different textures without being prohibitively expensive.
I don’t see how VA can be seen as inherently bad at any time point after 2004 or so, and it would be a mistake to assume it’s all the same sort of thing. Just like “real analog” isn’t all the same thing.
Hell, hasn’t Elektron given us precisely that (read: more VA) with the Wavetone engine in the DN2?
personally, I got past the digital vs analog debate years ago, and I thought most people had. the question is just if it sounds good and you can do interesting shit with it. which certainly seems to be the case here. I also think there will always be a use-case for VA. you can get much more capability for your dollar and it’s less temperamental for gigging than real analog, and it’s more durable for gigging than a laptop + controller.
now, can we talk about the included gig bag? because it’s pretty sweet!
I am curious about the bag, too - I had one of Korg’s Sequenz bags for the modwave/wavestate/opsix and the zipper failed in a weekend 
VA makes sense with my brain. Probably because I learned synthesis in analog (Juno 60) and then the VA (microKorg and Ion) world. FM, granular, waveshaping, etc all kinda break my brain. I had the ModWave and was really hoping I would get, but this seems to blend the best of both worlds for me.
This is funny. The bag thing at the end.
hey that bag is awesome!
and @cutlery I hope it lasts longer than that (for those that get it; I don’t plan to). I still have my MicroKorg bag going strong from 20 years ago, and I gigged it a ton. always a nice extra to have with a synth like this.
I’m curious to hear what people think when they get their hands on this synth. I really liked the potential and sound of the Modwave but found it really menu divey in practice to make sounds from scratch, this looks like it possibly has a very similar set up.
Ok, wow. Only been a few minutes but right out of the box this thing sounds better than the Modwave/Wavestate/Opsix. Easy to dial in drift and the modeled component differences seem to matter.
Minifreak is better for hybrid setup because of plugin integration, but Multi/Poly with it’s 4 part multitimbrality is better for hardware setup. I prefer a few more flexible engines in Korg to many relatively limited ones in MF. Both seems pretty hands-on, MF probably takes the cake for it’s sequencer (stellar version also for looks), but Korg for it’s sound. It is quite bulky compared to MF, even if not that much larger, so I’d also prefer it as module.
Can you say more about that?
I’ve owned the other three (MW/WS/OP6) and found the core sound … underwhelming… although I admired Korg for trying to do ambitious synthesis. But they always sounded kinda harsh and thin to me, although I still like the Opsix and have heard other people do great things with the Wavestate.
What’s different about the core sound of the Multi/Poly? I’m imagining drift and component differences make the sound thicken and “smear” more?
Curious to hear your take.