Korg today introduced the SV-1 MRD, a limited edition high-gloss Metallic Red variant on its retro-style stage piano.
The SV-1 offers a comprehensive collection of sounds for the live player; vintage electric pianos, funky clavs, classic and favorite organs, string machines, analog/digital sounds and acoustic pianos.
Available in 73 and 88-note version, the new SV-1 MRD limited edition’s color model is complemented by red panel LEDs to accentuate the tube, rotary encoders and Favorites buttons.
SV-1 also features Korg’s premium RH3 Real Graded Hammer action for a solid, expressive feel.
Pricing and Availability
The Korg SV-1 in Metallic red will be available in April of 2017 for $1,499.99 for the 73-note and $1,699.99 for the 88-note.
I may be wrong, but I’ve seen SV-1’s on used sites for cheap. I’ve also read a handful of reviews that were luke warm on the overall unit. It’s strikes me as rather strange that Korg would do a “reissue” on what I thought was a “eh…” product. Am I wrong? Any users with high marks for it?
The SV-1 is excellent at Rhodes and Wurlitzer sounds, good for acoustic piano sounds, and has usable electro-acoustic, organ, and synth sounds to fill out the library. It is a great performance instrument as long as you don’t expect more from it than it can deliver.
Plenty of people have been hoping for a SV-2 with expanded sound library (more mellotrons would be excellent) and the ability to split/layer. A few of the patches from Korg have splits and layers, but the option is not available for users to build those patches themselves.
It’s a good sign that they are still thinking about the SV-1 by making another special edition, but it is getting pretty long in the tooth.
Not being able to split or layer is for lots of potential buyers the reason not to buy the most sexy stage piano. Besides that, playing this stage piano with its knobs is a true pleasure.
I have one. The keybed is very good (maybe slightly heavy for electronic piano but for acoustic it’s quite good). Samples are also good. Some downsides for me are, tube which is too hard to replace (and first of all, I’m not sure about if it’s useful), amp sim is super noisy on default setting and you have to use editor to tweak, reverb effect is mediocre. It looks good on stage.
The SV-1 was a great instrument when it came out, and it still has some of the best sounding Rhodes samples of any stage piano…but a slight aesthetic update 8 years after it was first released? This makes no sense. Make actual improvements and release the SV-2. People have been begging for it for years.
-Update some of the more cheesy samples (especially the pianos)
-Make it easy to load your own samples (very important)
-Get rid of the stupid tube and give us some more analog effects (update the effects in general)
-Make it easier to tap-tempo and MIDI-sync the delays
-Make it lighter without sacrificing build-quality
-Keep/upgrade the keybed (best part of the SV-1)
-Stop it with the lame colors. Black is fine.
Red color makes it not only better (sound wise), but it also makes it faster to play!
Pure R&D genius from Korg here! What else would we expect anyway?? 🙂
Hopefully this is to rekindle interest for a future software update, which I’d much prefer over a SV-2. I’d be more than happy to sacrifice those “favorites” buttons for eight different sound banks. The effect and modulation options aren’t so deep as to necessitate saving presets in the first place.
Still happy with the unit overall though. Nice space-saving design, great keybed and knobs, very immediate, cool looking, and sounds great to my ears. One of those instruments that does one thing and does it well.
I didn’t buy an SV-1 because I didn’t like the colour!! But now it can really compete with other RED keyboards that have expandable sample libraries, extensive hands-on controls of FX, physically modelled piano string resonance, easily customisable layering & splits, multiple organ models and physical drawbars!! 😀
I use the 73 key version. I like it for Rhodes sounds. I don’t like any digital pianos for acoustic piano very much, but I have used it for acoustic piano sounds on gigs. These sounds are adequate, I suppose. Recently got a used Nord Electro 4D, which is great for organ and clavinet sounds. For an old-fashioned guy like me, there is no one unit that can do it all–I want a light touch for clav and organ and a heavy one for rhodes or wurli sounds…
Got one cuz I no longer need 4000 sounds and 9 sound engines from my Kronos. I don’t mind the limitations. Keybed feels like an instrument instead of a toy. Tried and true model. The only changes I would make would be to have Mellotron Choir (Stock Choir sucks) and ditch the two silly brass synth sounds. Otherwise, great instrument and love the new color!