Launched in 2002, this McCoggle Becoming one of the best-selling synthesizers of all time. But a lot has changed since then. Korg has actually made several attempts to update this early 21st century classic over the past 22 years, but they haven’t quite caught on like the original. The contradictory name is MicroKorg XL, Weike S (speakers added, not much else), and MicroKorg XL+ (Just the modified MicroKorg XL) failed to usurp the OG. But Koger hopes Microcog 2 Will become the true heir to the throne.
The MicroKorg 2 is an improvement over the original in almost every way, and it’s obvious. What’s less clear is whether Korg has a winner on its hands, or whether MicroKorg 2 is a lackluster attempt to cash in on a classic. There are so many great little synths out there these days, I’m not sure this is for everyone.
modern audio
One of the biggest changes from the original MicroKorg is the sound engine. At its core, MicroKorg 2 is a virtual analog synthesizer (it’s digital, but designed to sound analog), just like its predecessor. But the scope of its sound-shaping capabilities is much broader. In addition to standard waveforms such as sine and sawtooth, MicroKorg 2 also features configurable noise sources and access to a library of PCM samples that can be used to add transients at the beginning of a patch, similar to what you would find on classic ’80s Roland synthesis The device is like D-50. The MicroKorg 2 also features three oscillators (instead of the original two) and a continuously morphing multimode filter.
MicroKorg 2 is also a multitimbral synthesizer, with twice the number of sounds compared to its predecessor (eight versus four). This enables the creation of complex layered sounds (e.g., simultaneous arpeggios and pads) or rich, sweeping chords. Add to this an expanded six-slot modulation matrix with more sources and destinations, and a wider selection of effects, and you have an instrument that clearly transcends its namesake.
Photography: Terrence O’Brien
What’s really impressive is that it’s more powerful than the original version and easier to program. While the big knobs and genre-based patch browsing are still there, gone is the sluggish system that forced you to dig up parameters on a giant table when trying to tweak a preset or make a sound from scratch. Far from having a knob for every function on the MicroKorg 2, the 2.8-inch screen and contextual buttons make it easier to find your way around it.
In fact, I’d go so far as to say that building patches on the MicroKorg 2 is actually a lot of fun. This is definitely not something anyone would say about the original.
Navigation is not very good
Type-based patch navigation does feel dated, though. This was still questionable in 2002 and seems downright bizarre now. The way it’s divided – four categories, eight banks, eight projects per bank – feels unnecessarily complicated. Additionally, of the 256 slots, only 64 are reserved for user patches, which is annoying for people who like to customize for live performances. That being said, would it really be a MicroKorg if it didn’t have a giant knob with “hiphop” and “trance” written around it?
Photography: Terrence O’Brien
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