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Korg MS20 Module kit - built!


tedmanzie
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That's what I thought, but now I've built it I think it's actually a bigger box than it would need if it was shipped as a finished unit.

I guess a professional korg employee could put one of these together in an hour or two, and then the units could be tested and approved before shipping, so it seems like more of a 'concept' than a cost thing?

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[quote name='tedmanzie' timestamp='1424181355' post='2693520']
That's what I thought, but now I've built it I think it's actually a bigger box than it would need if it was shipped as a finished unit.

I guess a professional korg employee could put one of these together in an hour or two, and then the units could be tested and approved before shipping, so it seems like more of a 'concept' than a cost thing?
[/quote]

Ah… I didn't realise that it was without the keyboard. In that case it doesn't make very much sense at all.

What are the extra row of sockets below the external input module for?

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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1424194213' post='2693704']
What are the extra row of sockets below the external input module for?
[/quote]

they are 3 groups of 1 x mini jack & 3x1/4 inch jack signal splitters/duplicators: send a cv signal from the SQ-1 sequencer (which is included) into the mini jack socket then send that signal out of the 1/4 inch jacks to where you want it to go. i think you can also put a 1/4 inch jack into one of the sockets and send that signal out from the other two sockets. haven't tried it yet so not 100% sure.

Edited by tedmanzie
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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1424210491' post='2693958']
There were tied sockets like that on the MS50 expander module (but without the mini-jack).

Is the SQ1 Oct/volt or Herz/Volt for the CV control?
[/quote]

you can select various voltages using the front panel, specs say this : 1V, 2V, 5V (Oct) 8V (Hz/V)

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Does it sound like it should?

IME, no two ever sound quite alike (when tested in A-B situations) anyways but they certainly have a common theme if you catch my drift..

In the past I hooked two '20s together using the CV / Gate in and it was epic! I always found Duncans example to be a little angrier than mine, his oscillators almost seemed more distorted / grittier somehow. The little '10 was great and I loved the PWM but being single osc, it never sounded as big as my 20 and with the odd exception, if I could do it on the 10, it was replicable on the big one. Even with with just one osc, the 20 was always warmer and bigger by comparison. I'm sorry for all the non-descript and wooly expressions during these thoughts but there's certain 'thing' about these synths and those that have spent anytime around them, I hope will get it.

I tried a new one in Academy of sound and found it very good. The filter and tuning controls had a little more resolution than my original which was a little spooky but short of its physically reduced size, I'd be hard pressed (in isolation at least) to identify which was which..

Hope you're happy with you're kit, it really does look very cool.. B)

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I've never owned an MS20 so I can't compare. This has a few extra features which weren't on the original - oscillator sync (very nice!), and also a button to switch between the original filter, and the later filter.

It seems very expensive (£900 inc vat and you also get the SQ1 sequencer) considering they were selling the MS20 kit (with full size keys) for about £750. I got carried away when I saw a demo on youtube! .. I always wanted another analog mono synth since I sold my SH1 several years ago.

Certainly sounds like a great monosynth to me. I've only brushed the surface of what it can do as I've never had a modular before so I don't know what all the patch leads can be made to do yet. I'll work my way through the manual soon...

You're right though - looks very cool!

Edited by tedmanzie
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[quote name='tedmanzie' timestamp='1424355438' post='2695480']
I've never owned an MS20 so I can't compare. This has a few extra features which weren't on the original - oscillator sync (very nice!), and also a button to switch between the original filter, and the later filter.

It seems very expensive (£900 inc vat and you also get the SQ1 sequencer) considering they were selling the MS20 kit (with full size keys) for about £750. I got carried away when I saw a demo on youtube! .. I always wanted another analog mono synth since I sold my SH1 several years ago.

Certainly sounds like a great monosynth to me. I've only brushed the surface of what it can do as I've never had a modular before so I don't know what all the patch leads can be made to do yet. I'll work my way through the manual soon...

You're right though - looks very cool!
[/quote]

Good to see oscillator sync in there. that was a much missed feature for me back in the 80s. Have they improved access to the signal path from the original? That was my biggest disappointment, that there was limited possibilities to use the audio generated as a control voltage like a fully modular synth. It wasn't until I managed to get hold of an MS50 to go with it that I was able to unleash all the sonic possibilities

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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1424713803' post='2699512']
Good to see oscillator sync in there. that was a much missed feature for me back in the 80s. Have they improved access to the signal path from the original? That was my biggest disappointment, that there was limited possibilities to use the audio generated as a control voltage like a fully modular synth. It wasn't until I managed to get hold of an MS50 to go with it that I was able to unleash all the sonic possibilities
[/quote]

Oscillator sync is great. Not sure what you mean by the signal path, I have never owned or played an MS20 before so I'm not sure. I seem to remember something is new on the patchbay bit but can't remember what :(

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[quote name='tedmanzie' timestamp='1424715145' post='2699537']
Oscillator sync is great. Not sure what you mean by the signal path, I have never owned or played an MS20 before so I'm not sure. I seem to remember something is new on the patchbay bit but can't remember what :(
[/quote]

One of the great things about a true modular synth is that you can connect any output to any input and listen to the results. That means being able to do things like use audio output of a module as a control voltage for another. The classic example of this is cross mod (using the audio signal of OSC1 to modulate the pitch of OSC2 or vice-versa) which appears to have been implemented to a degree on the new version as the FM switch. What is less good is that the only place the audio signal appears is at the final output which limits your options considerably. Looking at the patch bay also I can no longer see a separate keyboard input for OSC2 which would have been even more useful now that cross mod is actually available.

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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1424782952' post='2700374']
One of the great things about a true modular synth is that you can connect any output to any input and listen to the results. That means being able to do things like use audio output of a module as a control voltage for another. The classic example of this is cross mod (using the audio signal of OSC1 to modulate the pitch of OSC2 or vice-versa) which appears to have been implemented to a degree on the new version as the FM switch. What is less good is that the only place the audio signal appears is at the final output which limits your options considerably. Looking at the patch bay also I can no longer see a separate keyboard input for OSC2 which would have been even more useful now that cross mod is actually available.
[/quote]

Interesting, thanks, I need to get stuck into this thing!

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