Korg Forums

lcmorley · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject: Korg M3 and Radias Expansion

Hi,

Does anybody know if you lose any of the original Radias functionality within the expansion for the M3?

Thanks,

Leon
_________________
Music is the stuff Dreams are made of!!!

Please checkout my music at www.soundcloud.com/lcmorley

My Gear History (from 11 years old until now):
Yamaha PSR-31, Technics KN1000, Technics KN5000, Technics KN7000, Korg PA-80, Korg Triton Classic, Microkorg, Korg Triton Studio, Alesis Ion, Korg Legacy Collection, Korg Triton Extreme, Roland Juno D, Access Virus TI 2, Korg M3, Korg Oasys, Roland TR-8, Korg Kronos 2 88 Platinum.

mikemolloyuk · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:56 pm Post subject:

Not at all. The keyboard in the M3 controlls the Radias as if it were controlled by it's own keyboard.

M

rfoshaug · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:14 pm Post subject:

The EXB-Radias does not have the ability to create its own drum sets.

Also, the EXB-Radias must use the M3's internal effects, while the Radias synth has its own 2 insert effects per timbre.

lcmorley · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:49 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the replies.

I am thinking of getting me an M3. Although, wondering whether to get a 61 with an expansion to save money, or shell out and get an M3 73 and a Radias rack for a bit more.

Any thoughts?
_________________
Music is the stuff Dreams are made of!!!

Please checkout my music at www.soundcloud.com/lcmorley

My Gear History (from 11 years old until now):
Yamaha PSR-31, Technics KN1000, Technics KN5000, Technics KN7000, Korg PA-80, Korg Triton Classic, Microkorg, Korg Triton Studio, Alesis Ion, Korg Legacy Collection, Korg Triton Extreme, Roland Juno D, Access Virus TI 2, Korg M3, Korg Oasys, Roland TR-8, Korg Kronos 2 88 Platinum.

rfoshaug · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:08 pm Post subject:

Well, I have a 73 with EXB-Radias AND a Radias rack (with its own keyboard too). Very Happy

I had the Radias Rack before I got the M3, and found the EXB-Radias' price to be low enough to justify getting it too.

First of all, if I were you I'd go for the 73 anyway (obviously as I was in the same situation and did go for the 73 myself). It has an extra octave, it looks good, and the sideplates to the left and right of the M3 module can be moved/removed so if you need to you can put the module to one side and then both sideplates on the other side and place a module on top of them, whether or not you get the Radias rack or another module in the future. The 61 keybed has those curved sideplates that are fixed in place so they are not as versatile or usable.

As for Radias Rack vs EXB-Radias, it depends, really. The EXB gives you better integration with the M3 (one less pair of audio cables and 2 jacks less used on your mixer) and makes it easy to create Radias sounds that can be controlled with the XY-pad, ribbon etc (although on the Radias Rack you can set 5 different MIDI control change numbers that can control stuff in the Radias using the Virtual Patches, which can for example be set to the same CC numbers as any M3 controller).

However, the rack gives you its own sets of drums (some of the Radias drum kits are very good IMO - and you can use any part of the Radias synthesis to create real analog modelling drums yourself), its own effects (less types but more simultaneous effects than what you get with the EXB inside M3), and of course all those lovely knobs. Creating sounds is faster and more fun and inspiring on the rack because of all those knobs. It also has a quite useful step sequencer and classic arpeggiator. Via MIDI you can always control it using the Karma function on the M3, so with the rack, you get the best of both worlds.

On the other hand, the rack is more expensive, and requires a little bit more knowledge in setting up (however judging from your gear list, you are quite experienced). The tray and hinge mechanisms required to install the Radias Rack in the 73 keybed must be purchased separately (when they become available), but you could of course just place the rack module on the flat sidepanels as a desktop module until the tray and hinge become available.

In theory you can connect both M3-M and Radias Rack to the 73 keybed directly, but that only causes both synths to sound simultaneously when a note is played, regardless of whether you want that or not, so I find that rather useless. So MIDI cables would be the way to go.

On the other hand (or third hand or wherever we are now), I can see from your gear list that you have quite a bit of equipment and software already, so maybe you're not the MIDI-cables-and-internal-M3-sequencer type like me.

If you plan to create a lot of Radias sounds, the rack has a better interface, although again it depends - if you plan to connect the M3 to your computer, you can use the M3 sound editor, which speeds up that process. Personally, I kind of prefer to turn off the computer, turn on my synths and use the hardware as a standalone thing, and I find the Rack to be more fun to program than EXB-Radias.

But there's no doubt that an M3-73 with a Radias Rack alongside would look really cool. Smile

Also, if you get the Rack, there are quite a few sounds (from R3 and MS2000) that are converted to Radias format and available as downloads on this site. Unfortunately, EXB-Radias and Radias Rack are not compatible so sounds from one can't be used directly in the other. But maybe someone will create a converter to copy at least most parameters from one to the other. I mean, if an MS2000 -> Radias converter exists, an EXB-Radias -> Radias-R converter shouldn't be very difficult.

But to EXB-Radias' advantage, if you sequence using a software sequencer, you can use the M3 editing software as a plug-in instrument, and that includes EXB-Radias. The Radias Rack sound editing software, however, is only standalone and can't be integrated with a software sequencer in the same way. I don't know much about this, though, as I only use the M3's internal sequencer (again, I like the option of being able to turn off the computer or move my synths to another place and still play music). But it might be worth checking what options you have for controlling the Radias Rack from a software sequencer.

Also, the Radias Rack offers only analog out, while EXB-Radias uses the M3's digital audio systems as well, enabling you to record the M3 and EXB-Radias completely digitally and noislessly (if that's even a word).

All in all, if you can afford it, I'd definitely go for the 73, and I'd personally also go for the Rack (and maybe add the EXB-Radias at a later time if you decide you want both). If I had to keep only one of my Radiases, I'd keep the Rack and let the EXB go. Luckily, I won't have to make that choice. But as I say, it depends a lot on your way of creating sounds and using your synths and whether computer integration is important etc.

Hope this helps instead of just presenting you with more difficult decisions and choices. Laughing

lcmorley · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:13 am Post subject:

WOW,

Thanks for the reply rfoshaug. I do like it when people spend a bit of time on their posts!

I think I will take your advice and plunge for the M3 73, and may just get the EXB for now, and save for the rack. At least then I will have some synth power whilst I await the rack.

I need to update my list and remove all hardware now because I sold it all to finance a house move. So am now trying to build up again.

Many thanks for your time rfoshaug.

Leon.
_________________
Music is the stuff Dreams are made of!!!

Please checkout my music at www.soundcloud.com/lcmorley

My Gear History (from 11 years old until now):
Yamaha PSR-31, Technics KN1000, Technics KN5000, Technics KN7000, Korg PA-80, Korg Triton Classic, Microkorg, Korg Triton Studio, Alesis Ion, Korg Legacy Collection, Korg Triton Extreme, Roland Juno D, Access Virus TI 2, Korg M3, Korg Oasys, Roland TR-8, Korg Kronos 2 88 Platinum.

lcmorley · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 3:30 pm Post subject:

Hi,

Just been down to the music shop and bought the M3 61 and a Radias expansion.

I will let you know how I get on.

Probably have loads of questions as well!

Cheers,

Leon.
_________________
Music is the stuff Dreams are made of!!!

Please checkout my music at www.soundcloud.com/lcmorley

My Gear History (from 11 years old until now):
Yamaha PSR-31, Technics KN1000, Technics KN5000, Technics KN7000, Korg PA-80, Korg Triton Classic, Microkorg, Korg Triton Studio, Alesis Ion, Korg Legacy Collection, Korg Triton Extreme, Roland Juno D, Access Virus TI 2, Korg M3, Korg Oasys, Roland TR-8, Korg Kronos 2 88 Platinum.

rfoshaug · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 5:17 pm Post subject:

Congratulations! Cool

cfurlin · Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 39

Daz · Retired Joined: 01 Jan 2002 Posts: 10829

The RADIAS-R lets you edit all the parameters of all 4 timbres in a Program. With the EXB-RADIAS you can only edit just a single Timbre in Program mode and have to rely on the very limited Tone Adjust facilities for editing in the multi-timbral modes (Song/Combi) where you will actually be making music. The RADIAS-R is a good choice for those who want to get hands-on and create sounds whilst using their instrument multi-timbrally. The EXB-RADIAS suits the workstation user who is more preset oriented. This is a massive plus for the rack. I love my RADIAS rack, it's more creative/fun than even the Oasys for this reason even if it doesn't quite have all the features/quality. If you like to "synthesize" with your synthesizer, go for the Rack ... Korg's workstations are about as "synthesizer" as their arranger keyboards Smile

Daz.

Daz · Retired Joined: 01 Jan 2002 Posts: 10829

Just to clarify ...