Elektron-Users

steevyhead wrote:
Do i need the UW???
You do need it.

Check out the other topics about that. Long story short: the UW addition really takes the MD way higher.


Back to your MS20mini: the only thing preventing me from ordering one (exepted being reasonable haha) is the size (they say it doesn' matter though). The minijacks, well, I can live with them. But I'm a keyboard player and those not-so-minikeys... I don't know. So the question is: are you primarily a keyboard player? And -if so- what do those keys feel like under fingers?

Well it sounds like a MS20 and that is noisy and distorted and anything else than clean and what you know from any other modern analog. I did a side by side comparison of the old and new model and I must say it is not really that much less noisier. But there should be no hiss, rather like pink noise when the low pass gets closed. But only when opening the VCA.

The thing is, the MS20 is not famous because it is such a precise pleasant sounding synthesizer tool. It is the complete opposite of a Moog except for its liveliness and organic sound and sometimes unpredictable behaviour that mostly turns out to be surprisingly musical.

stiiiiiiive wrote:
steevyhead wrote:
Do i need the UW???
You do need it.

Check out the other topics about that. Long story short: the UW addition really takes the MD way higher.


Back to your MS20mini: the only thing preventing me from ordering one (exepted being reasonable haha) is the size (they say it doesn' matter though). The minijacks, well, I can live with them. But I'm a keyboard player and those not-so-minikeys... I don't know. So the question is: are you primarily a keyboard player? And -if so- what do those keys feel like under fingers?


MS20 is not quite mini key size - it sits somewhere in-between standard keys and Korg mini-keys. It isn't velocity sensitive, has zero after touch but it's playable enough - besides which it can be triggered via midi in from a keyboard with a better action if you own one.

snowcrash wrote:
Well it sounds like a MS20 and that is noisy and distorted and anything else than clean and what you know from any other modern analog. I did a side by side comparison of the old and new model and I must say it is not really that much less noisier. But there should be no hiss, rather like pink noise when the low pass gets closed. But only when opening the VCA.


I would agree that the sound is almost like LP filter pink noise and is only a real issue when the VCA is cranked wide, that said the hissy raspy quality is part of the synths tonal character truth be told. it wouldn't really sound like an MS20 without it. It is definitely quieter than on a real MS20 (so there's been some effort on Korg's behalf to reduce the noise floor of the original) but it isn't a deal breaker in my book.

vern wrote:
QUESTION: Does it have background hiss/noise when a key is pressed(most noticeable on bass/sub bass sounds)?

I have seen a couple youtube videos of bass patches, but they don't sound very good to me because of background hiss whenever key is pressed...This reminds me of how noisy the monotrons are, which is why i got rid of them....

they sound very good to me, very raspy and throaty which i think that subtle noise when the filter opens is partially responsible for, if you take LP down to maybe 90-92% its pretty gritty and noiseless... they are NOWHERE near monotron level. Monotron is bad, monotron delay is worse... never used/had a duo. but monotribe, and now ms20 mini are useable tools to me personally. Ive never had the satisfaction to see let alone play an original, but from what i know it was a beast that needed to be tamed. While there are minijacks, and shaky knobs this is the world we live in now. Things are not made like they used to be, from a pair of pants to instruments.... they are putting this on the shelf at 599, and giving us, well me, an experience that is 10000000 times better than the alternative software + ms20 midi controller legacy thing crap.

stiiiiiiive wrote:
steevyhead wrote:
Do i need the UW???
You do need it.

Check out the other topics about that. Long story short: the UW addition really takes the MD way higher.


Back to your MS20mini: the only thing preventing me from ordering one (exepted being reasonable haha) is the size (they say it doesn' matter though). The minijacks, well, I can live with them. But I'm a keyboard player and those not-so-minikeys... I don't know. So the question is: are you primarily a keyboard player? And -if so- what do those keys feel like under fingers?

Haha point taken. ive been told UW mk 2 no substitutions, ill just take that as more reassurance. Ill tell you flat out. The keys are utilitarian at best. Like others said there is no velocity, no aftertouch, they are about 70% as springy as a good synth action, but they work, and they can be triggered by midi and usb, so if you got a master midi keyboard youre all set. I am a guitar player, i play keys .... im self taught and can hold my own, but im probably not the one to ask. They are quite playable, but to me my novation SL mk2 and ultranova have the best synth action ive personally played if that tells you anything, my minibrute keys i felt were too big, and micro korg is unplayable, while they could be a TINY bit bigger, they are not micro korg, they are pretty much like everything about this synth 86% or whatever it is. My buddy is a player, a serious player, he came over and while he doesnt know ANYTHING about synthesis, i set up a patch and he SHREDDED the shit out of this thing.
Hope i was a little help. If youre on the fence.... jump it.

Thans guys. I guess I'll try to find one to try here on the fence, then decide if I give it a chance

stiiiiiiive wrote:
Thans guys. I guess I'll try to find one to try here on the fence, then decide if I give it a chance


Stiiiiiiive - keep in mind that the MS20 really comes alive with a touch of fx processing, nothing much more than a quality delay and/or reverb will really make this thing sing in a wonderful way and it brigs out a wonderful character to the filter in doing so.

This is in a pretty raw state still - it's a work in progress but it uses the MS20Mini, Nord Modular Sub Phatty (processed through the A4), 1 A4 part (with neighbour track processing and the Novation Nova - all percussion is MD and Octatrack ( the composition is sequenced on the Octatrack too ).
The MS20 certainly has a raw and dirty vibe in some respects but it works well in context IMHO.
Might give you some idea of how it sounds even in a pretty rough mix.

https://soundcloud.com/venndiagram/wip-gelatine-part-2-fleshing

Thanks mate
I have some cool delay/reverb units so it can be good only. Even have some CV'd controllable stompboxes

I'll listen to your track when I'm at home tonight.