Korg's original KingKORG was a landmark virtual analog synth from 2013, and this NEO version distills that legacy into a more compact, modern package without sacrificing the sonic depth that made the original special. It's the kind of synth that bridges the gap between deep sound design and immediate playability, which is exactly what a lot of working musicians need.
The XMT sound engine gives you three oscillators with 138 different types to choose from, ranging from classic analog waveforms to PCM and DWGS sources, plus a microphone input type that feeds into the vocoder. The filter section is genuinely impressive with 18 different types modeled after everything from vintage monosynths to Korg's own MS-20, spread across lowpass, highpass, and bandpass configurations. You get 24-voice polyphony with bitimbral capability, meaning you can layer or split two completely different sounds, each with their own three-oscillator setup. Two envelope generators and two LFOs handle modulation duties, and there's a virtual patching system that lets you route modulation sources around the patch in flexible ways.
The effects architecture is well thought out with three master slots, each offering six distinct types. The PRE FX slot handles grit and character like distortion and amp simulation, MOD FX covers the classic modulation effects like phaser and chorus, and REV/DELAY handles spatial effects. Every effect slot has dedicated knobs on the front panel so you're not buried in menus during performance. The 16-band vocoder is a genuine highlight, complete with formant shifting and individual control over level and pan for each band. It ships with a quality gooseneck microphone, and you can use either the mic input or synth timbre B as the vocoder modulator, opening up some really creative hybrid possibilities.
The keyboard itself is 37 full-size keys with velocity and release velocity sensitivity, and there's an 8-step arpeggiator with multiple modes for generating phrases on the fly. The front panel is organized into logical sections with dedicated controls, three LCD screens for navigation, and a joystick modulation controller.
