More KORG: Full-Size, Assembly-Free MS-20 Available in April

From Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/2020/01/14/korg-ms-20-FS-synth-full-sized-reissue/

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The Korg MS-20 is an undeniable classic. It's been reborn as an app. As a shrunken-down mini model. As a DIY kit. And then as a DIY kit again, but without the keyboard. Until now though, there hasn't been a ready-to-roll, full-size reissue. But for NAMM 2020 Korg is going all in on the nostalgia with a faithful to a fault rendition of the MS-20 -- right down to the packaging and manual.

This is a 100-percent accurate recreation of the original analog circuitry found in the 1978 classic. The heart and soul is the same monophonic dual oscillator set up, each with a voltage controlled amp, filter and envelope generator. Plus a single LFO. And just for completeness sake, Korg included the ability to choose between the early model or late model style filter (the original versions were a little noisier and more aggressive).

But, there have been some concessions made to modernity. First and foremost you've got both 5-pin MIDI in, as well USB for connecting to modern gear and computers. Plus, the reissue comes in four colors -- green, white, blue and black. Personally, I'm pretty into the green version.

All of this sounds pretty great, so what am I talking about when I say faithful to a fault? Well, just like the original this MS-20 uses larger 1/4-inch cables for patching rather than the more standard 1/8-inch you find on most modern systems (including the MS-20 Mini) and Eurorack.

There's no word on pricing yet, but it's safe to assume it will be at least as much as the MS-20 Mini ($460) if not more when it lands in April of this year.

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Fuck me, that olive one is nice. If I was made of cash, I'd get one in a flash. My mini will do for now. It'd be a no brainer if it was reasonably priced compared to the mini and had 1v/octave tho. 

That blue one is very horny. And full size too, may tip the scale for me. The mini just never seemed right

That green is the sauce. I wish they would've used euro-sized jacks though. Oh, well, this is why I make my own cables.

  On 1/14/2020 at 8:02 PM, ReVoodle said:

Fuck me, that olive one is nice. If I was made of cash, I'd get one in a flash. My mini will do for now. It'd be a no brainer if it was reasonably priced compared to the mini and had 1v/octave tho. 

That color means it is mil-spec. Probably subject to export restrictions from the US.

If only the white one also had white sharp keys. That said though, it's still fkn awesome and I want one.

It's a good time to be into synths..

I wanted to get the MS-20 mini a few years back, but for the price, I think I'm better off investing in a Mother-32 or DFAM.

I ordered the parts for an /MS-20 filter last week, but TBH one of the most interesting things about the MS-20 to me (caveat: the closest I've been to using one was being in a stdio that had a rehoused MS-10 with no keyboard sitting on a shelf one time 12 years ago) is the pitch/envelope follower.