I think everyone here already got the bit where you despise M50 for no apparent reason, thank you.
So, concering the recording bit?
Buy it, or not..?
Moderators: Sharp, X-Trade, Pepperpotty, karmathanever
KORG Trinity V3-MOSS, N364, M50 -- http://viridian.pl
Thanks 
I found this though: http://cjedaudio.wordpress.com/2008/09/ ... pressions/
In fact Korg removed all M3 features but the essential from the M50 : no sampling, no extension slots (EXB-RADIAS extension for the M3, that brings Multi Modeling Technology, and also three EX-USB-PCM samples libraries, that add 256Mb of samples in the sampler memory extension), only one audio output (many and optical on the M3 - that also adds a Firewire connector) - however the M50 sound can be retrieved digitally by using it as an external instrument plugin.
Thoughts on that?
Other then that I spent over an hour in the store checking the gear today (however in a tragical bent-over-M3 position) and I must say (again, even though the earphones seemed crappy) the sounds were stunning.
I found this though: http://cjedaudio.wordpress.com/2008/09/ ... pressions/
In fact Korg removed all M3 features but the essential from the M50 : no sampling, no extension slots (EXB-RADIAS extension for the M3, that brings Multi Modeling Technology, and also three EX-USB-PCM samples libraries, that add 256Mb of samples in the sampler memory extension), only one audio output (many and optical on the M3 - that also adds a Firewire connector) - however the M50 sound can be retrieved digitally by using it as an external instrument plugin.
Thoughts on that?
Other then that I spent over an hour in the store checking the gear today (however in a tragical bent-over-M3 position) and I must say (again, even though the earphones seemed crappy) the sounds were stunning.
KORG Trinity V3-MOSS, N364, M50 -- http://viridian.pl
My favorite quote from this review:
http://www.keyboardmag.com/article/korg ... c-08/90833
Just as an FYI, I do NOT use sampling, though I have the Radias in my M3, I could easily do without it, and the 3 add-ons are nice to have because more free sounds are always nice, but just HOW many piano patches do you need? Do you really need 50? The additional samples don't give you much you won't already have that you can't live without.
The M50 was designed to be a gigging keyboard while the M3 has more studio friendly features.
-Mc
p.s. I would go 88 or 73 keys. The 73 key version felt a LOT better than the 61 key version for some reason. I could be imagining it but I don't think so...
http://www.keyboardmag.com/article/korg ... c-08/90833
And it doesn't have just one audio output, it has two (L and R) but it lacks the individual outs 1-4 that the M3 has. My Triton also has them and I've yet to this day used 'em. I also know I never will either.it’s almost unfair to call this an “entry-level” workstation — “It’s more like they squeezed everything I liked about the full-blown Triton Extreme into more contemporary, sweeter-sounding hardware”
Just as an FYI, I do NOT use sampling, though I have the Radias in my M3, I could easily do without it, and the 3 add-ons are nice to have because more free sounds are always nice, but just HOW many piano patches do you need? Do you really need 50? The additional samples don't give you much you won't already have that you can't live without.
The M50 was designed to be a gigging keyboard while the M3 has more studio friendly features.
-Mc
p.s. I would go 88 or 73 keys. The 73 key version felt a LOT better than the 61 key version for some reason. I could be imagining it but I don't think so...
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).
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John Hendry
- Senior Member
- Posts: 422
- Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 1:13 am
- Location: America
"I *HAD* an M50 and currently *HAVE* an M3. They absolutely used cheaper DA converters on the M50."
Hummm, they are said to be the same by some company folks. Wonder what dacs Korg used...you would think some tech would have noted the dacs used by now. When I compared them KARMA was in the way to AB them sound for sound and I liked the dual apeg setup but thought they were close if not the same. M50 was tweaked and sounded better than factory so final output quality was/is user controlled but better dacs are just that. Wonder if your M50 had as much time on it as your M3. I have seen dacs that needed to break in, a possible psycho acoustic effect but 6 WSA1s showed they sounded better with time and demo model with a scratch was picked over new ones in the box from listening to 3 of them. My M50 "seems" to have mellowed but changed amps and wires so hard to tell but generally there is an adjustment period with new electronics in the mind or not and probably both to some degree as with WSA1s and old Kinergetics cd player where just turning it off for a while would put it back needing a few days back on to really come back to where it was sonically.
As far as dacs go the OASYS was best sounding board ever....hope Korgs keeps in that direction dispite economy.
Someone needs to find out what dacs were used...costs money to design new ones to save money and last time I looked there was a limited number of them made Korg was using so should be able to find out.
John^^
Hummm, they are said to be the same by some company folks. Wonder what dacs Korg used...you would think some tech would have noted the dacs used by now. When I compared them KARMA was in the way to AB them sound for sound and I liked the dual apeg setup but thought they were close if not the same. M50 was tweaked and sounded better than factory so final output quality was/is user controlled but better dacs are just that. Wonder if your M50 had as much time on it as your M3. I have seen dacs that needed to break in, a possible psycho acoustic effect but 6 WSA1s showed they sounded better with time and demo model with a scratch was picked over new ones in the box from listening to 3 of them. My M50 "seems" to have mellowed but changed amps and wires so hard to tell but generally there is an adjustment period with new electronics in the mind or not and probably both to some degree as with WSA1s and old Kinergetics cd player where just turning it off for a while would put it back needing a few days back on to really come back to where it was sonically.
As far as dacs go the OASYS was best sounding board ever....hope Korgs keeps in that direction dispite economy.
Someone needs to find out what dacs were used...costs money to design new ones to save money and last time I looked there was a limited number of them made Korg was using so should be able to find out.
John^^
Think Peace...
Well, yeah.. but I'm asking about digital output here, as in recording audio via USB data transfer. ;]
KORG Trinity V3-MOSS, N364, M50 -- http://viridian.pl
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John Hendry
- Senior Member
- Posts: 422
- Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 1:13 am
- Location: America
Sound of M50 dacs same as M3's
I tried to find what dacs are used on M50 and M3 and all reports by experienced synth reporters say they sound the same. However there is a big step up in the sound quality of OASYS so "much like" is not "like" as in as good as OASYS IMO.
http://www.performing-musician.com/pm/d ... 50.htm#top
Conclusions
The M50-88 is a fine instrument. Thanks to the RH3 keybed, it's extremely playable and it sounds, for all intents and purposes, identical to the M3, and therefore much like the OASYS itself. That's no mean accolade. It's also the cheapest way to plug 16 channels of the sound of the OASYS or M3 into a computer-based studio.
So, will I be buying one? I'm afraid not. Aftertouch is too important to me on a primary keyboard, and make no mistake, the M50-88 is a primary keyboard.
http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/keys ... 406/review
The synth engine on board is Korg's EDS (Extended Definition Synthesis). This is borrowed from the M3 and it's impossible to tell if you're listening to an M3 or an M50 when you rack up both side by side.
John^^
http://www.performing-musician.com/pm/d ... 50.htm#top
Conclusions
The M50-88 is a fine instrument. Thanks to the RH3 keybed, it's extremely playable and it sounds, for all intents and purposes, identical to the M3, and therefore much like the OASYS itself. That's no mean accolade. It's also the cheapest way to plug 16 channels of the sound of the OASYS or M3 into a computer-based studio.
So, will I be buying one? I'm afraid not. Aftertouch is too important to me on a primary keyboard, and make no mistake, the M50-88 is a primary keyboard.
http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/keys ... 406/review
The synth engine on board is Korg's EDS (Extended Definition Synthesis). This is borrowed from the M3 and it's impossible to tell if you're listening to an M3 or an M50 when you rack up both side by side.
John^^
Think Peace...
No it cannot. No Korg keyboard products support this feature (audio over USB) that you probably saw on a Line6 Pod or similar. The closest would be the M3 which can stream digital audio across Firewire with the appropriate expansion board. The M50 has no digital I/O options period ... analog only.Tiayviel wrote:Last question.. can I record audio via the USB?
Daz.
Just a quick update on the DA converter issue:
They *are* the same and sound-wise, the M3 and the M50 sound identical on identical patches. The M50 I tested must have had a short in the 2nd output jack (R) which tells the synth to separate the audio to L and R and not mono. My M3 has this problem and is being replaced as we speak.
But my M50 and my M3 sound identical through quality headphones.
Man I hate Korg for putting out new gear so often. I went from wanting a spare synth to leave at our rehearsal space to buying 2 new synths (an additional for home and a 2nd to gig with) and I *STILL* don't have my "practice space" keyboard yet!
-Mc
They *are* the same and sound-wise, the M3 and the M50 sound identical on identical patches. The M50 I tested must have had a short in the 2nd output jack (R) which tells the synth to separate the audio to L and R and not mono. My M3 has this problem and is being replaced as we speak.
But my M50 and my M3 sound identical through quality headphones.
Man I hate Korg for putting out new gear so often. I went from wanting a spare synth to leave at our rehearsal space to buying 2 new synths (an additional for home and a 2nd to gig with) and I *STILL* don't have my "practice space" keyboard yet!
-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).