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Korg MS-20 Mini review

Antiquated switchboard or retro-tastic music maker? This is Stuff, what do you think?

Rating 5 of 5
Price: $500.00
Tony Horgan

Overview

Analogue synths of the 70s and early 80s are fascinating things, not just for the incredible sounds they can create, but also because of the way their circuits can be rewired with knobs, cables and switches to make evermore bamboozling noises. The original MS-20 was just such a beast, and fetches four figures on eBay, but now Korg has remade its classic in a slightly more compact form at a far more affordable price.

Hear the Korg MS-20 Mini on Soundcloud

Analogue bubblebath

MIDI and USB

Why remake a classic? Well, adding MIDI and USB ports is a good enough reason for us. You couldn’t control the original directly from a computer, but the Mini can be hooked up to a laptop or added to a bigger set-up with a MIDI cable, and that’s really the only update it needed.

Korg MS20 Mini summary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ctEXkYamRy8

If the sight of those patch cables hasn’t scared you off, chances are you’ll love the MS-20 Mini just as much as we do. Check out the video above and treat your ears to a sample of the Mini’s electro-magic.

Stuff Says…

Score: 5/5

: 0/5

Profile image of Tony Horgan Tony Horgan Senior Reviewer

About

27 years as a professional consumer technology journalist has yet to take its toll on the Peter Pan of Product Testing. From Wizball to Windows 8, Tony has been there at every step, telling it like it is. The former editor of CU Amiga Magazine, part-time music producer, DJ and app developer is in his element when he's pushing gadgets beyond their known limits, subverting the rulebook and plugging things into things they've never been plugged into before. Tony's motto is: "Never dispose of a cable; just put it in a box with all the others because you'll probably need it one day."