Korg MicroKorg XL+ Keyboard Synthesizer

Korg Microkorg XL+

Details have leaked out on the Korg MicroKorg XL+ – a refresh of the company’s synthesizer + vocoder, originally introduced in 2008.

Analog modeled synthesizer sounds that are characteristic of the microKORG have been added to the microKORG XL+. In addition, the microKORG XL+ comes equipped with the piano sound from Korg’s classic stage piano, the SGproX, as well as its hard-edged grand-type electric piano.

This compact package also includes sounds from the M1 and the VOX organ, vintage tape-type string and flute machines, as well as other sounds from keyboard history. Each of these 128 programs are ‘genuinely usable’ sounds, giving the microKORG XL+ plenty of variety to serve as your main keyboard or a secondary keyboard in your rig.

Here are the details on the Korg MicroKorg XL+…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC8zYcL5BAw

Features:

  • Even more vintage sounds, including the KORG SGproX piano, the M1 and the VOX organs
  • New program genre selector that fits today’s needs
  • New yet nostalgic – black panel “new vintage” design
  • Featuring MMT – the distillation of Korg’s analog modeling technology
  • Vocoder feature with included gooseneck microphone
  • The powerful effect engine you expect from Korg
  • Korg’s proprietary natural touch mini-keyboard, designed with an emphasis on playability
  • Battery powered operation is supported for increased portability
  • More Vintage Sounds than Ever

Program genre selector

The microKORG XL featured a sound selector that lets you choose your sound using two large dials: “music genre” and “instrument category.” The new microKORG XL+ offers an additional selection of these “music genres” to fit today’s fast-moving music scene. Now you can select a program that matches your song more intuitively than ever. For even more convenience, you can also leave one of the dials fixed and only use the other dial to make program changes during a song (music genre fixed), or use the dial to select vocoder variations (instrument category fixed).

New Yet Nostalgic – “New Vintage” Design

The microKORG XL+ projects a style that’s reminiscent of vintage electric pianos, featuring a futuristic yet retro design with a stylish black panel. High-quality parts such as metal levers, dials that move with an audible click, and knobs with a sturdy operating feel are some of the ways that the microKORG XL+ enhances your experience editing synthesizer sounds.

MMT the distillation of Korg’s analog modeling technology

The microKORG XL+’s sound engine uses MMT (Multiple Modeling Technology), borrowing from Korg’s well proven wealth of analog modeling technology. The MMT sound engine has been featured on numerous products, and provides two oscillators that generate huge powerful sounds. Oscillator 1 (OSC1) gives you a total of seven types of oscillator algorithm to choose from, including formant waveforms such as human voice, and PCM/DWGS waveforms for vintage keyboard and strings. It also lets you use techniques that cannot be imitated on typical PCM synthesizers, such as cross modulation, unison, and VPM (Variable Phase Modulation). By taking advantage of modulation (sync or ring) with oscillator 2 (OSC2), it’s easy to create complex and powerful sounds.

Vocoder Function with Included Gooseneck Microphone

The microKORG XL+ can function as a powerful vocoder that lets you connect a mic and use its audio input to shape the tonal character of the oscillator’s sound to create “talking” effects. The vocoder consists of a 16-band filter bank that can simulate the vocoder sounds of the past and also shift the filter frequencies (Format Shift function) or adjust the level and pan of each band to dramatically change the sonic character. Using the Vocoder is an easy way to add sounds that can be found in today’s popular electronic music. Since a gooseneck microphone is included, you can immediately start using thevocoder in your songs.

Powerful Effect Engine

Two master effects utilize the effect engine from Korg’s Kaoss Pad series, giving you a total of 17 powerful effect types including delay and echo effects as well as dramatic effects such as ring modulator and grain shifter. In addition, effects such as delay can be synchronized to MIDI clock for a wide range of possibilities in live performance.

Natural Touch Mini-keyboard

The new Natural Touch mini-keyboard offers a better playing feel than before. The proportion of the keys has been adjusted to make chords easier to play, and the touch has been refined for greater ease when playing rapid phrases.

Battery-powered for Convenient Portability

The microKORG XL+ can take advantage of the included AC adaptor or it can run on six AA alkaline batteries. Checking in at a mere 22 inches long and 4.4 lbs. in weight (main unit only; not including batteries or mic), the microKORG XL+ is a convenient size to take with you, opening up new performance possibilities on the go.

Expanded Sonic Possibilities via USB

By using a USB cable to connect the microKORG XL+ to your computer and using the sound editor software, you can edit all of the parameters easily from your computer. In addition to this software, you can also download preset program data from the microKORG and the MS2000/MS2000B free of charge to gain access to an even larger number of programs.

The MicroKorg XL+ is expected to be available in October, for £407.99 RRP (£339.99 RRP ex VAT).

via korg, musicradar

31 thoughts on “Korg MicroKorg XL+ Keyboard Synthesizer”

  4. Meh. Looks like they’re taking Nintendo’s strategy of doing rinky dink little updates to their top selling product in an attempt to kill the used marked. How many different version of the DS has Nintendo released? Must be a half dozen at least. The problem is…Nintendo isn’t doing so well these days and recently lost money for the first time. I mean it’s ok to update it I guess but if this is the “big news” then that’s pretty wack.

    1. …like every one else…

      Theres no shortage of PSP models, or yearly iPhones, that are not even all that compatible(some games work, but stutter, lag and crash all the time…in fact even in 4S. iPad 3 is the same, and in couple of months we get iPad 4, before one can make even one original big AAA game). DSs and PSPs are at least the same generation and last at least 5 years, and they still get big, high quality content.

      Theres a dozen of ps3 and XBox 360 models.

      Nintendo does great. While the console generation change means slump in console sales, it sells a lot of games and makes really nice money for a game console manufacturer/game developer, and there are plenty of reasons(and not all of them are Nintendos fault if you take a quick look into the game industry lobbyers doings), why it made slight loss, like every one elsefor (every one else the loss making is no news though).

      This horse still runs; couple of carrots, and it can run one more pretty good race.

      Theres no need for yearly generational “leap” for a musical instrument. MS2000 is “only” 12 years old. It was in production for ca. 5 years. Then the Radias came, and soon it starts to be the time to see a new synth engine from Korg.

      Wheres Yamahas synths? Theres none even in Motif now that Yamaha took even the expansion ports away.

    2. What a random rant!!!

      Nintendo is its own markets leader, and in very promising spot to continue its business after investments into new generation.

      Just as well the Korg doesn’t need to, and shouldn’t either, release new synthesizers every year; you don’t need to buy a new version of any other musical instruments, like, say, a piano either, so they very well use this synthesis engine and improve it in each iteration to lure more consumers who don’t yet have MicroKorg, while slowly cooking up the next mother product, the successor to the Radias.

    3. How many? 3!!!

      And the first was released in 2004!!! And it still plays the newest games in 2012(3DS is new generation). What about Apple? New $700 iPhone/iPad every year, and usually every other year, at the latest, your iPhone/iPad will become obsolete as a game device.

      Nintendo is doing fine and so is Korg. Investments in new competing platforms, social, mobile, soft synths you name it, are just creating hugely depressing Low-pressure area over old paradigms in media, but thats partially artificial fad building it self for a while, when they are finding their rightful own place between these solid foundations.

  6. ditch the modeling and have real analog with a bunch of knobs and midi and no menus
    in a microkorg shell.
    this can’t be the announcement.

  9. It’s pleasing to the eye but apart from that there’s no difference between this and the original xl, or am I missing something?

    Give us a proper analogue synth with knobs! Make it and I’ll buy it!!!

      2. Another issue with aging: having back hair so lush, you can sculpt a Moog logo into it. Setting aside my revulsion for dubstep, the XL+ is a good advancement on the original. I’d never play these delicate little buggers by hand, but with the SG piano and (seemingly) portions of the old Triton-esque card set included, its a great candidate as a module with a courtesy keyboard. Plug an Impulse or other controller into it and it has real potential.

    1. I doubt you could get an even halfway decent reverb in a synth at this price point. That’s harder to manage than the realm of choruses and delays. I’d rather use my superior DAW reverbs than have a crappy one onboard. NO points off for this minor lack, because people would bitch if it retailed at $50 more for providing that. Over half of the users will most likely run it through Live or a small mixer with an effects insert anyway. Let’s not bitch because its not a Solaris.

  17. I have a micro korg, and it’s great don’t get me wrong, but this “new” product will be eaten alive by the mini nova.

  18. Now that we know Korg’s ‘announcement’…What REAL piece of hardware will be released by Elektron? Will it’s ad involve another video of a man being tortured? I know waiting for summer to end to have synths safely shipped to me is(When I ordered a MOPHO 2 months ago it showed up half-baked).

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