At Superbooth 2019, Korg today introduced the volca nubass vacuum tube synthesizer.
The volca nubass is a bassline synthesizer, implemented with Korg’s NuTube, an updated vacuum tube design. The NuTube technology is implemented into the oscillator, sub oscillator and drive circuits; creating ‘incredibly warm tones and rich distortions’ that only a tube can provide.
Video Demo:
nubass also calls upon NuTube to create classic stompbox-style analog overdrives. The tone knob controls either the distortion of the sound or its crispness.
The new synth also features a 16-step sequencer that offers motion sequencing of the knobs, transpose, accent, slide and randomize.
“By using a true vacuum tube for both sound generation and processing, nubass’ approach to synthesis is unlike anything out there, as are the sounds and patterns it will help users to realize,” explains Korg Director of Music Technology Brands James Sajeva.
Audio Demos:
Pricing and Availability
The new volca nubass is expected to be available in August 2019, at a price of $199.99. See the Korg site for more info.
Remember. In a Vacuum no one can hear you scream…..
” The NutTube technology ”
Ahhhh….the analog warmth of the NutTube.
Like a Nut in a Tube
Is this a reference to Harry Kim in Star Trek Voyager?
The first posting of the story had a typo in it.
But then again Harry Kim was also mostly a typo…..
dont think its a typo. just a subtle thing to buzz the product.
Garrett Wang, the actor who played Harry Kim, talks about the most ridiculous line he ever said on the show was when the Captain asked him if the ship made it through something, and he said “like a snake through a tube.”
it’ll be right at home next to an Assblaster
wow, Korgs take on a TB303 clone!
TB303 is transistor based but ok
So is this. The tube is for FATNESS!
A Volca String/Vocoder with a nutube, that would be worthy of a tube effect and a new korg product.
i love it. too many fun toys coming out, me want them all.
no fun at all imho. where´s the kronos successor, for god´s sake?
Better than a 303! R.I.P. Roland 303
No, sounds muffled compared to a 303.
Nope it sounds great even through Youtube!
i would pay big dolla for an 8 voice nanotube drum machine with a tube for each voice!
Metasonix-ish?
This thing sounds well hot. Love it. £200 though is kinda high but still sounds like a 303 and that sub – very nice!! :O
Might have to get this thing
would have been epic if there was a in-built delay on it too
sounds like monotribe on steroids?
No, that would be the Korg Nu:Tekt.
https://youtu.be/Is5e-Du9ggs
Agreed!!!
Sounds like a Volca Bass.
Exactly. I can’t tell any difference.
Yeah, everything I heard I can do on my Volca Bass. This stinks of gimmick!
I’ve got a Volca Bass and this does sound different. It has more funk and squelch and plus it has the sub osc which is a welcome addition. Not sure if I’d want to spend £200 on it though as superficially its sound palette seems a little limited. I really need to hear some more demos. 🙂
the bass has 3 tunable oscillators so the sub is kind of irrelevant, the tube does change the squelch character though, with the od makes it more 303ish
although the separate od is not tube-driven, as far as I can see, which is a little odd
Ah yes, the Korg Nub Ass
Does it make fart sounds?
I like it.
is this the end of the volca line? it seems like when they run out of ideas they put tubes in things like they did with the electribes
I’m still waiting for the Volca Chiptune and the Volca dual Kaoss FX processor.
i have been asking for a chiptune since they launched the volca line, i would also like to see a better iteration of the sample that loads from an sd card and a vocoder
Those are great ideas!! 🙂
Off the top of my head I can think of a bunch of ideas – volca sequencer (for building songs), volca studio (a 4 or 8-track recorder), volca fx (digital multi-fx plus motion seq), volca sampler (not just a sample player). Volcoder. Volca theremin. Volca chip (chiptune, as someone else suggested). That’s without spending ANY time thinking about other classic gear that could get the volca treatment.
volca cucumber, volca superfund site, superstorm volca
No patch points!!
Still sounds like YouTube
Don’t let that big beautiful nutTube distract from the addition of one critical feature holding the volca bass back from anything close to 303 liquid acid bliss:
Accent – with an amount knob, even!
Where is the Volca Cassette, dagnabit?!?!?! 😉
All Volcas have some fatal flaw. For the Volca Bass it was the lack of TB features. For the Volca Beats it was including the Claves and Agogo but excluding rim tap and cowbell, so stupid! Now they finally include some TB features but put a ridiculous tube in there. I admit that I may be the only one who hates it but . . . another fatal flaw.
anyone moding these into eurorack? not sure why they don’t tweak a little form to make it fit in the case. best of both worlds less power plugs