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Korg’s monster synth from the ‘70s is back in the form of the MS20 Mini...
ASK any serious fetishist their Top 10
list of synthesisers they would love
to own and all but the most awkward
will list the Korg MS20 in a very high
position. However, owning one of
these classics is a costly endeavour,
assuming one can be found at all.
But now thanks largely to the rising
popularity of hardware synthesisers
within the production community it
is possible to own a brand-new MS20
Mini, which is a faithful recreation of
the Korg MS20, for a fraction of the
cost of the original.
When creating the MS20 Mini,
Korg have clearly tried to stay as
close to the original design as they
possibly can, both athletically and
at the electronic component level.
However, this is not a truly faithful
reproduction of the original: the size
is smaller and given the age of the
original MS20, not all of the original
components are available, so modern
replacements have been substituted.
But make no mistake — the sound and
character of the MS20 is unmistakably
there.
hard to come by in the studio.
While soft synths have put a huge
dent in the market for hardware
synths, the tables seem to be turning
with more and more producers
seeking out hardware to use in the
studio rather than being tied to a
mouse. Products like Arturia’s Spark
and MiniBrute have gained massive
popularity and paved the way for
more manufacturers to release old
skool synthesisers in hardware
formats that manage to stay true to
the original sound and character, but
are available for a much more sensible
price. Owners of the original MS20
have nothing to fear however, as it
is unlikely the MS20 Mini will have a
RETRO LOOK
big impact on the price of the highly
One of the coolest things about the
original MS20 was the upright control collectable original synthesisers. But
this younger sibling will de?nitely
panel, complete with knobs and
bring the MS20 work?ow and sound
patch cables snaking around giving
it the look of a missile launch control to many more producers and that can
only be a good thing.
system from a ‘60s sci-? ?lm. The
MS20 Mini retains this cool retro look
The MS20 Mini is a fantastic
and having complete control over
synthesis via knobs and patch cables synthesiser that sounds amazing, is
is always a joy. Hardware synthesisers very versatile and stays faithful to
the original MS20 sound and ethos.
force producers into a different
The smaller size and modern touches
The reduced size is actually an
work?ow pattern and the result
like standard MIDI and USB MIDI
advantage, especially when taking
is often very different than when
connectors add to the desirability
this beast on the road, and the
working with software synths. The
and will ensure the popularity of this
modern manufacturing process along unique control surface of the MS20
with the rather excellent build quality Mini inspires the sort of creativity and impressive synthesiser. The build
will ensure the MS20 Mini will be
experimentation which can often be quality is excellent and the new
TAKE YOUR OWN NEEDLES
If you are playing vinyl then it
makes sense to take your own
cartridges and needles with
you to gigs to ensure a ?awless
performance, especially when
using DVS software.
HYPE
around for many years to come.
The sound of the MS20 Mini is
extremely close to the original MS20
synthesiser, with the same chunky
VCOs that can produce heavy basses
and cutting leads. The low-pass and
high-pass ?lters are fantastic and
can be overdriven as well as made to
self-oscillate, and completely re?ect
the glory of the original MS20’s
?ltering. The range of sounds that the
MS20 Mini can produce is impressive
and means that this is a very versatile
synth that will be in constant use for
everything from leads to kicks and
basslines.
KEEP A SPARE
Headphone cables and their
connectors have a horrible
habit of breaking at the worst
possible moment, so carrying a
spare set in your DJ bag makes
a lot of sense.
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT
Electronic equipment isn’t
cheap and can take a battering
on the road so make sure to
buy proper luggage and cases
to ensure your kit has a long
life and keeps looking good.
The same oscillators, ?lters
and character as the
original MS20 but with the
advantage of MIDI and USB
connections, housed in a
more portable and
lightweight package.
GRIPE
None — the MS20 Mini is
too cool not to love.
A faithful reproduction of
the sound and character
of the original MS20 synth
in a smaller package —
and a much cheaper price
tag.
PRICE
£499
CONTACT
korg.com
design manages to capture the spirit
of the 1970s original without feeling
dated. Given the versatility of the
MS20 Mini it is hard to imagine any
studio that would not bene?t from
having one on hand, it really is that
good.
KEEP UP-TO-DATE
Making sure your computer’s
operating system, software
and ?rmware for your various
devices is up-to-date will
ensure stability as well as
getting rid of annoying bugs.
IPS
T
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