Comments for:

Sonic LAB: Korg MicroSampler Reviewed
  25-Sep-09

Excellent review! Seems like a very fun sampling tool.

25-Sep-09 10:13 AM

Thanks for the review! I hope full featured hardware samplers come back. Like an updated S-760! :)

25-Sep-09 06:03 PM

I´ve got this machine for a couple of days. This is a very good and precise review !!! I miss portamento and other (simple) performance related tricks...whishing it would be like a mini ASR10 :-) -but is is fun and will do its job on stage.

Thank you !

26-Sep-09 05:27 AM

Great review Nick as always, it looks like a good sampler for the money. What do you think about the converters? Do they color the sound as my Korg Electribe ESX-1 does(not necessarily a bad thing) or are faithful to the original sound? One thing I don't like, and I need it badly on my ESX-1 is the fact that it does not have a full ADSR, does the MicroSampler has at least an attack stage on the envelope? I see only decay and release...

thanks,

Victor

26-Sep-09 07:37 AM

This seems like a bit of a "My first sampler" toy. For £449 you can get a decent entry level laptop. I'm not seeing this being used for any real work.

28-Sep-09 03:35 AM

Victor, I wasnt aware of sound coloration. If its a problem, just drop the samples in via USB for the sonically important ones?

28-Sep-09 04:50 AM

most useless piece of junk. did not watch review though.

28-Sep-09 10:20 AM

Very nice review. I'm thinking of getting one now. A small question: is there a way to sample a loop and trigger it directly without any gap? If yes it may well replace my KP3 or my digitech jamman as a looper. As you said at the end of the video, it's mainly a live sampling tool, ...

Thank you for this review.

28-Sep-09 03:16 PM

Great review, Nick. Confirmed that it is not the droid I am looking for, but I can see how it could be very useful for some. I like the unit's style, but I worry that any accidental spill could be made worse by the recessed knobs and buttons.

28-Sep-09 03:44 PM

Well, this seems like what I have been waiting for - a way of sampling multiple synth sounds over a key range! Alriite. Using an sp 404 for phrases and this for riffs - well I'm pretty sold. Pity they didn't put a smartcard storage or something but ...

28-Sep-09 06:23 PM

Hey, I know the moon is made of cheese. I just know, okay?

28-Sep-09 07:43 PM

Excellent review - Nick is a true expert. But I still don't like the Microsampler. It looks very easy to use - although in reality it's actually fiddly and frustrating.

I can understand why Korg didn't call it the Koasspad 4, give it an XY interface and make manipulation it's primary feature above capture, but I think they should've done.

My needs are very specific and I'm probably not the Microsampler's target market. I'd love a compact hardware device like this to use instead an expensively reliable laptop containing expensive software, plus expensive audio interface to use for non-linear backing in live instrument-based performances. This generation of the Microsampler wants me to think it's perfect for the job. Maybe it is. Maybe we've all become spoiled and don't know a good thing when we see it? Maybe Korg should take more notice of what people actually need?

I look forward to the Microsampler XL with baited but cynical breathe.

29-Sep-09 08:28 AM

As for the ADSR thing Victor, i'm really sad to report that it only have release and Decay on the enveloppe.... I really tought that it had a full ADSR... I missed the attack soooo much, was planning to do some rich soundcapes out of organic loops, but if my loops cannot have a fade-in, it destroys my plan....

05-Oct-09 05:42 PM

yeah, very funny indeed Trisfx

06-Oct-09 09:20 PM

I'm not going to buy it.It's just a toy.

08-Oct-09 03:36 PM

That BPM matching stuff is clever. Looks like they've sort of made it idiot-proof. Give me an old sampler anyday though.

09-Oct-09 10:09 AM

found this video on you tube, very interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKZpQYxja7Q

14-Oct-09 07:36 PM

I tested it today in a shop and was very disappointed.This is the worst cheap toy on the planet.All knobs are so cheesy and weak and can break very easy.the output sounds a little weak an thin.I didn't buy it because my old Akai S2000 seems to be a very good workhorse for my studio.

27-Oct-09 03:03 PM

Sorry Nick B but yous aid nothing about the quality of the Buttons. They are horrible cheap crap rubber ! The price doesn't justify such a trash.

17-Nov-09 07:22 AM

Horrible cheap rubber? I guess I didnt say that, but I didnt thnk they were unreasonably low quality

17-Nov-09 08:13 AM

Victor_Bin - what sound "color" do you think the ESX has? ( regarding input or output )

The ES-1 definitely did have it's own sound

Have tried MS-1 a couple times in the store... quite different than electribe (which are my favorite!) but I think it'll be really fun for live performance.

www.youtube.com/vjfranz

12-Dec-09 08:32 AM

Thank you very much for this great review. I already own a microsampler, but i frequently watch this review - it is better than the manual.

20-Aug-10 03:51 AM

I am disappointed with it. Its interface is not user-friendly, recording is picky and editing samples is a frustrating mess. It has very limited sample size too. I am looking for a real phrase & riff sampler and this isn't it.

29-Sep-11 09:46 PM

I have had the MS for a year and it collects dust perfectly.Very difficult to integrate into live band app.and manual is worthless.Wrong choice for my app.

23-Sep-12 05:31 PM