Korg KingKORG

Imagine dialing in the exact snarl of a Minimoog or the screech of an MS-20 right from a sleek 61-key panel—thats the magic this synth delivers with its meticulously modeled classic filters.

At its core sits the XMT modeling engine driving three virtual analog oscillators per timbre, with 32 waveform options from sawtooths and squares to PCM samples like Mellotron choirs and Wurlitzer bells, all stackable in dual-timbre layers or splits for up to 24 voices of polyphonic heft. Knob-per-function editing shines through its intuitive layout, complete with stepless cutoff sweeps, dual ADSRs, dual LFOs syncing to 100Hz with random and S&H waves, and a six-slot virtual patch matrix routing joystick, velocity, or MIDI CC to 41 destinations. A vacuum tube driver adds warm overdrive, while three effect bands—Pre FX like distortion and ring mod, Mod FX such as phaser and rotary, plus Rev/Delay—polish everything, backed by a 16-band vocoder with formant shift and hold via the XLR mic input. Tucked into a lightweight 7kg frame measuring just over a meter wide, it packs CV/Gate out for modular control, an 8-step arpeggiator, and 300 programs including 200 gig-ready presets.

Players love its stage-ready punch and how effortlessly it nails vintage tones alongside fresh hybrids, though some note the fixed eight-step arp feels basic compared to deeper sequencers.