All user reviews for the Korg Mono/Poly

The Korg Monopoly is a vintage piece of great that will really give your music that vintage sound. It really wont get more vintage than this. There are a lot of vintage synths that are surfacing lately especially with the rise of electronic music. This is one that I have searched for, and for a long time. I couldn’t find any one who was selling it for a good price. Then I was at a music store and they guy said he could get me one from one of his other stores but I didn’t like the price he through at me. I ended up still paying for it anyways just because I knew that I would love it. This keyboard was way before my time when it was created and it was great to get to mess with it now. Just the overall experience with the Korg Monopoly has really pulled some creativity out of me that I didn't know that I had.


UTILIZATION

Its not hard to use, but you have to keep in mind that with these old vintage machines there really arent presets per say. Its more of just dial up a type of instrument or sound and start turning knobs. The pitch wheel on the Korg Mono Poly is great, I really didn’t expect it to have such a well built pitch wheel. I guess this is the type of stuff Korg put out way back then and it gave them the reputation they have today.


SOUNDS

sounds are awesome

OVERALL OPINION

I love using it, I really didn’t have room for it anymore so its in one of my band members basement so when I go over there to record I have a chance to mess with it. I have really been into purchasing old vintage gear over the last 5 years or so. Vintage gear will rise back to the for front.

4 analog synth with 2 VCO and LFO, keyboard 44 keys rather correct (large button touch but not enjoyable trs) Waveform triangle / sawtooth / carrcarr modular

A package of controllers and pots.

No MIDI! CV CV + Gate + filter S-Trig, arpgiateur (with trig in).

Polyphony of 4 or 4 Mono by stacking the VCO

Everything must envelloppe, an effects section that can give when you get the tame. Powerful filter.

UTILIZATION

There's no simpler, without turning to the simplistic (the effect is quite bar section), you turn the knob and the sound it out: super fun, there's not one person that I saw the 'esssayer that does not tape over it as IMMEDIATE.

The arpgiatteur is super simple and it's a killing vritable

The manual is clear and available everywhere on the net.

SOUNDS

Ahou is my first analog, so I can not be trs goal, but then in unison mode, by stacking the VCO 4 is the large, very heavy.
It was not a agressivit MS20, but is pure analog. The rsonance may enter into self oscillation, has made excellent FX (I have a good imitation of R2D2 with a)

The effects are quite wild for a novice like me and can give tips trs originals.

Is it really worth to recall the power of the arpgiateur?

The memory of agreement is to create cool environments, but I use some trs.

The little less (which is what the 9 of 10) is that in polyphonic mode, you lose a bit of savagery I find the small, even if we assign little effect VCO 2 for 2 ocillos ( we end up with a synth + effects duophonic). That said for chords is nickel, for large groundwater is a short hair. But that's not its primary function.

OVERALL OPINION

A "dtail": this synth is BEAUTIFUL! but as a beautiful analog must be: blue, srigraphie of quality .. We quickly fell in love.

[edit] I prcise that the sides are not solid wood, chipboard but with a sort of faux wood formica top. Finally it is not ugly but I confess that with varnished wood as a moog, has had more face. A little stinginess of korg. But 25 years after his birth, is always on my own. [/ EDIT]

I was looking for an analog synth for beginners, the monophonic taient too typs for me, the synths FM did not have enough grain, I found my happiness with the MONO / POLY. I always spend evenings tinkering sounds for fun and I can not get enough.

I tried (in the store that's right) with two three bx buy the l. I prfre: the pots (I'm not a fan of the zippers ARP), ergonomics, and many of sr what p ***** arpgiateur who unison mode (the 4 VCO on each other), moves the crowd. Besides the chemical have a brother in their studio and there's two of three at home intro that I clearly identified as coming from a MONO / POLY.

A nice little synth strotyp not as an analog can be, but much more versatile.

A monophonic synth with OSC or 4 multitimbral 4 notes only one CSO.
Pitch wheel and assignable LFO, Resonance Frequency and very convenient to control the sound.
No aftertouch or velocity but with the wheels you get the same thing.
1 LFO ENV for a filter, a VCA ENV for
Syncho CSO possible. Ring modulation.
Many waveforms for a sine ramp Vintage classics PMW more square and PW!
A sequencer very effective and practical.
All input CV / Gate to the filter, the outbreak of such seq. No problem with the interfaces Kenton.
No S & h or pink noise.
The pulse width can be controlled by one button, so we rule all the CSOs at the same time ... shame.

UTILIZATION

One button = one function. You get what you want right away.
What more?

Also note that for a vintage synth control is very precise. The sound is very professional, it is far from an ARP2600 example that makes a different sound every time you turn it on.

Moreover it is immediately Tune ignition, no need to wait for it 'hot'.

SOUNDS

It's really what we expect of him. He has an unmistakable vintage sound, but the precise control of synth-type SE-1 and Voyager.

It is a very mastered synth from Korg. His resonant filter is excellent, he went to the lollipop if you put a background and reso synth goes into orbit!

Because of the four CSOs in unison mode can be made very bold brass, or else a single CSO can be sequences of thunder.

Envelopes are super fast, we can make bass fishing with an incredible cutting the filter early.
Of course with a good white noise, and an envelope as fast you can make drums sympa.Les leads are sharp little we do not detune too CSOs.
By not against M & H, why? Shame for fun effects.

As against it sounds quite 'late'. CSOs do not have the warmth and definition of race condition Minimoog, Odyssey, SE1, ATCX ... This puts him right back after them. Why this problem? Namely, the design of Korg has not been on top? Putting all four OSC does not correct the problem. With only one CSO, SE1 one more fishing than Monopoly

But that takes nothing away from these opportunities and ergonomics.

OVERALL OPINION

A very good synth, stable, solid as a Rock, with wood on the side of beautiful and classy.
Sounds very vintage, a good personality but not too much, he's a good synth Boulo without imposing sound too original.
It all sounds vintage without problems, but also can make tablecloths (with a single OSC does things not bad either)
So this is a good quality from the vintage synth for a studio equipped with plugins or virtual analog synth. It adds warmth to a mix that is undeniable. These possibilities and its filter and modulation synchonization gives an interesting grain.

Analog, 4 osc, mono, or 2-way 4voix is ​​not a "real" polyphonic in the sense that each oscillator, or channel, does not have its own filters and envelopes, but the shared use ... this makes the mode a little stiff poly.
everything has been said
ssm 2044 filters, envelopes rapid, white noise blending well with osc (I find that scarce ..), sync, full modulation with 2 LFOs,
and especially the legendary arp who really something .. very well damn ..
pwm very effective
can double the speed of the lfo finding the "sweet spot" between the waveforms of those it

UTILIZATION

Very easy to use, very clear
However, it should be possible due to a philosophy, it's a synth that is not ordinary ...!
it's a beautiful instrument

SOUNDS

The sounds can be produced are simply beautiful
it is a VERY warm synth ... which can be aggressive, trash, its ability to sync gives it a unique sound.
the filter is very good.
it sounds very musical, warm wishes
color, the tone of this synth are very "vintage"
I traded my se1 to acquire it ... I do not regret a moment .. the se1 patatte may be more but it's a cold and a charming side, incomparable with the color that gives a monopoly a mix!
se1 was the cold, predictable, has no more clean power, but never couillu aggressive or dirty with no drift, but that depth ....
short, you'll understand ... I think I like this synth for a wide range of sounds
the arpeggiator is high class and allows a lot of things, it seems nervous, energetic

OVERALL OPINION

I recomand this instrument!
I think it is part of the instrument design is really original

Analog synth out of the 80's to beginners. It is a Polyphonic -4 channels that can be stacked (unison mode) - that can be used in mono ... In the name o ...
Its architecture is a little particulire, in the sense that this possde 4 Osc synth which can rgler volume, waveform and pitch indpendamment. In contrast, 4 Osc. share the same filter and EG and the EG and VCA even its own. There are also two LFOs, an effects section and an arpgiateur.

In dtail, we have:

Section Oscillator
-4 VCO (SSM) indpendamment tunable (VCO 1 except that the agreement gre general).
-4 Waveforms for VCO: triangle, sawtooth down, square whose width can be module (or VCF envelope or LFO is one of two) and whose square RULES the width manually.
-1 Gnrateur white noise which can only Determines the level.
-1 Portamento.

Filter section:
Low-Pass VCF -1 24 dB which can Determines the frq. cutoff and rsonnance. It is easy to self-oscillate.
We found a package named Amount EG intensity, to use the envelope around.
-1 Keyboard tracking (tracking).
-1 Envelope Generator ADSR with the classic.

Amp section:
-1 VCA base with CONTRL classic ADSR envelope.

modulation section:
-2 LFO named MG 1 and MG 2. For MG1, can Determines the frquence and the shape of the LFO with a choice, triangle, ramp up, ramp down and square. Determines MG 2 is its frequencies.
-1 Bend Wheel for which Determines the intensity and the destination: the VCF cutoff, pitch and the famous VCO 1 / slave VCO.
Mod Wheel -1 assigned to a MG and from which we can route it to the same destinations as the Bend Wheel. We can CONTRL the intensity.

Section arpgiateur:
-1 Arpgiateur whose speed is CONTRL either MG 2, or between the ARP Trig IN.
-1 Slecteur amplitude with an octave, two octaves and all the tension of the keyboard.
-1 Direction selector ultra classic: Up, Down and Up and Down.
-1 Selector 3 positions: off, on and latch (hold on arpeggio).

Effects section:
-3 Effects: Osc. Sync., + Sync the same cross-modulation and finally, only the cross mod.
-2 Modulation sources to the effect chosen: either the envelope of the VCF, or an MG.
-2 Mode: single and double for the osc sync: VCO sync either all of a VCO, or paired with a VCO and VCO 2 3 4.

modes of play:
-5 Possibilities: Hold, Chord Memory (mmorisation an agreement for a replay button), Unison (single stacked with Osc.) Unison / Share (stacking Osc. Unless more a note is played simultanment, in which case one or more librent VCO is to play the note or notes) and finally Poly mode (polyphonic mode up to four notes simultaneously with one for each VCO mobilis notes).

UTILIZATION

It is true that the MP4 (abrviation is the Mono / Poly 4 voices) can stepfather Drout on some of its aspects.
It is a machine that wins be used in depth. It would be a shame to trs operating only a single mode with just the filter and envelopes.

It is not necessary to recall the use of a synth for the subtractive synthse base. O The MP4 is strong, it is at the potential of its five game modes but also the fabulous section effect and its potential modulation.

Frankly, two LFO routable, 4X4 waveforms, the cross mod that allows you to do the VCO as LFO 1, the cross-mod + sync together and you have a VCO modulated by the envelope filter modulates the pitch. You want a FM? There's ... Until three porters and a VCO VCO, 1 LFO and an envelope as modulators ... What could be better in this price range?

It is important to remember that the MP4 is also widely provided in connection: CV IN / Out, Trig In / Out, VCO and VCF FM In (TERRIBLE!), Portamento In Arp and Trig ITEM

However: no memory, a keyboard and a little fake TLEs (bottom and rear) that tend twist (beware of transport).

SOUNDS

The sounds that can be drawn from the Mono / Poly are compltement dpendantes matrise of the craft is often the case ... you tell me ...
Well, it is obvious that this is not a monster versatility. However, we get almost everything.

The lack of peru DEFINITIONS must here be an asset. The ability to allow dsaccordage sounds of a certain width. But it sr, it will never be super sharp.

One often reads that the MP4 sounds a bit late from its competitors, it is less fat to use the accepted term. Honntement is not a Mini but applying a bit, we arrive terrible things. For example, has no use wanting anything systmatiquement always stack the VCO 4 volumes with their respective merits: leave a triangle or saw down a pass over the other VCO. Using a VCO as a sub-oscillator (Bend-wheel which CONTRL 1/Slave Osc Osc., Intensity max wheel base and Bend down ...)

OVERALL OPINION

A superb machine, capable of much, not so fragile as they say ...
From all that I had the Korg, I have only kept two: the MS 20 and the Mono / Poly...Et I use most often the MP ...
For all that is electro, techno sounds, FX is a must ... Listen to artists like The Hacker and Arnaud Rebotini and you'll quickly an ide of what the MP is able hands expert ...

Déjà vu

UTILIZATION

Well yes it is simple, a bit of grip, roll after all, is logical and clear. Very stable (mine), the agreement would therefore no problem. I am not reliable synths!

SOUNDS

And there it is very surprising, I have and I had a lot of analos, in which the top three pro 5, JP8,;;; small junos, .. .. Until recently he was "intrigued" by qques demos. Well I broke down and there more than pleasant surprise I discovered a little-known and extraordinarily extraordinary machine! It does pretty much whatever you want with it and is packed with features very original. Some said the low average and a little good I can say that the best grain I have in my bass (not the best attack) far ahead of the pro one example, is not the same filters.

OVERALL OPINION

So in summary I think this synth is bound to see his side EXPLODE, and good for the coup is justified (eg in relation to a juno 60 or else it is much more open usable, it sounds really analog HOT!). You'll understand that it I'm not ready to let go. The fact that he say a priori mono does not diminish its effectiveness. on the other hand, if you are looking for and you're facing one in good condition and at a fair price and it does not smell the scam go ahead anyway because he left very very soon believe in my little experiment and it will not work out. SPECIAL EXCEPTION AND IGNORED