Korg Forums

jimmy1 · Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 5

Hi - Im considering a purchase of a M3. Ive noticed a few places selling the M3 cheaper than ones mentioned as the xpanded version. Ive found a 61 keys version for £200 less.

My question is: are there any hardware differences?

I understand you can download the xpanded upgrade for any M3 but have been unable to confirm any hardware differences.

Thanks - and sorry if its been asked a million times before and Iv missed it.
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Jimmy>

Synthoid · Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 4:40 pm Post subject: Re: M3 EXPANDED - OR NOT?

jimmy1 · Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 5

thankyou - thats the news I wanted to hear.

M3 here I come Cool

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Jimmy>

jmexio · Junior Member Joined: 11 Apr 2009 Posts: 70

That s not quite true.

I finally got my M3 88 on friday and it has bigger internal memory, so the expansions are not on a USB device that you have to keep plugged in all the time.

As I understand it there are right now some units that are not expanded (with an old OS), some with the expanded sticker and with an added bag with the new manual and a little USB stick included (with an old OS but upgrade materials), and units like mine, with no USB drive and an expanded internal SD card (with the new OS, mine came with 2.02).

Notice however that just a few weeks ago Jerry from Korg denied this sort of newer unit even existed in the US, so if you are here maybe you are out of luck on getting one with bigger internal memory. It all depends on current stock flushing and being replaced, I think.

In any case that is the only difference. My unit does not require a USB stick to load the new pianos/woodwinds/brass, older ones might need one.

Very minor, I think, but I was expecting otherwise and was pleasantly surprised!

Cheers

jimmy1 · Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 5

oh - see this is what I was most interested in: a bigger internal memory as I see Korg sells an optional upgrade that is needed to load all of the extras sound banks (this is what I have read).
So does this extra memory come with the expanded straight out of the box - first answer is no. Second answer is a maybe?
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Jimmy>

Christian Baum · Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 8:11 pm Post subject:

You mustn't mix up the SD card memory (which holds the OS and the sound banks/patches - not the samples!) and the sample RAM.

Sample RAM is needed for loading the new Xpanded Samples (Piano and Brass). Every unit on this planet comes with 64 MB RAM and can be expanded to 256 MB with a special RAM card (gotta buy it extra).

The SD card size should be irrelevant to everyday workflow: The M3 can address one OS and the patches and combis of 14 memory banks each (internal and user memory), containing 128 patches or combis each plus FX settings, Global settings and so on. This data needs hardly any space, so including a larger SD card doesn't really make any difference. It may just be due to the fact that smaller ones are not available any more or are not cheaper than the big ones.

Best regards,

Christian

jmexio · Junior Member Joined: 11 Apr 2009 Posts: 70

Exactly, sample RAM is still 64 mb and the extra 256 must be bought. No extra locations for presets either.

There is a difference, anyway, Christian, albeit a minor one: I don't need an external drive plugged in to load the only expansion that fits into memory at one time, as they all reside in the internal card and are loaded from there. So that means I don't need to carry a thumb drive to play the pianos, for instance. No difference in flow whatsoever, just one less item to carry.

Now, if I wanted to load banks of combis/presets, or more samples, I would still need a USB thingy...

That clarifies anything?

If it doesn't just ignore. Smile

Functionality is identical. Just wanted to post it here as a reference...

Cheers

McHale · Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 8:25 pm Post subject:

http://www.karma-lab.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14607&page=3

jmexio · Junior Member Joined: 11 Apr 2009 Posts: 70

Well, McHale, that is just not true.

You may not believe me, however, and that's also fine.

I read what Jerry said, and that is why I was surprised to learn otherwise. My type of unit is probably not yet available in the US, and Jerry speaks only of the US.

I could take a picture of the M3 loading the piano without a drive, or of the additional *single page* (besides the xpanded manual) that explicitly says, and I quote:

McHale · Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 8:48 pm Post subject:

I re-read that entire thread and edited my post as you posted.

All I know is I *JUST* got my M3 a few days ago and it's the same as all of the rest.

So it looks like I just need to get a 1GB SD card, copy the contents from the other one and move the expansions to it. How did you put the expansion libraries on it?

-Mc
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Current Korg Gear: KRONOS 88 (4GB), M50-73 (PS mod), RADIAS-73, Electribe MX, Triton Pro (MOSS, SCSI, CF, 64MB RAM), SQ-64, DVP-1, MEX-8000, MR-1, KAOSSilator, nanoKey, nanoKontrol, 3x nanoPad 2, 3x DS1H, 7x PS1, FC7 (yes Korg, NOT Yamaha).

r12 · Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 8:51 pm Post subject:

but you still have to load the expansions into ram, don't you ?
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YAMAHA W5 + TRITON proX (exb MOSS / exb PCM01 / exb PCM05 / exb SCSI / 64Mo) + M3-73 No.000187 v2.0 (exb Radias v2.0 / exb M256) + DOEPFER LMK2+
AKAI DPS16 + MINDPRINT Envoice + ART Dual MP + RODE NT1000
BEHRINGER DDX3216 + 4 MACKIE SRM350 + 2 MACKIE SWA1501 (+ PEAVEY KB300 )
...

McHale · Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 8:54 pm Post subject:

at least you don't have to worry about losing/breaking/forgetting the USB stick!

I'll take that tradeoff.
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Current Korg Gear: KRONOS 88 (4GB), M50-73 (PS mod), RADIAS-73, Electribe MX, Triton Pro (MOSS, SCSI, CF, 64MB RAM), SQ-64, DVP-1, MEX-8000, MR-1, KAOSSilator, nanoKey, nanoKontrol, 3x nanoPad 2, 3x DS1H, 7x PS1, FC7 (yes Korg, NOT Yamaha).

jmexio · Junior Member Joined: 11 Apr 2009 Posts: 70

McHale · Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 9:20 pm Post subject:

Technically, if you have 600 MB free, that means your card is using less than 512mb. I believe the M3 comes standard with 512 so ANYONE should technically be able to copy the expansions to the root.

Wonder why they didn't just do this?!

Looks like I have something to do when I get home. When you copied #4 to the root, the other three were already there in the root?

-Mc
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Current Korg Gear: KRONOS 88 (4GB), M50-73 (PS mod), RADIAS-73, Electribe MX, Triton Pro (MOSS, SCSI, CF, 64MB RAM), SQ-64, DVP-1, MEX-8000, MR-1, KAOSSilator, nanoKey, nanoKontrol, 3x nanoPad 2, 3x DS1H, 7x PS1, FC7 (yes Korg, NOT Yamaha).

McHale · Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 9:22 pm Post subject:

This is the key picture in my book.

Time to hack!

-Mc
_________________
Current Korg Gear: KRONOS 88 (4GB), M50-73 (PS mod), RADIAS-73, Electribe MX, Triton Pro (MOSS, SCSI, CF, 64MB RAM), SQ-64, DVP-1, MEX-8000, MR-1, KAOSSilator, nanoKey, nanoKontrol, 3x nanoPad 2, 3x DS1H, 7x PS1, FC7 (yes Korg, NOT Yamaha).