Microkorg XL is ugly

michelet · Post by **michelet** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:11 pm

JohnS wrote:The sound is identical on both (apart from the extra PCM sounds on the XL)

According to what specs report MK and MKXL+ have different synth engines and technology. Thus I can't see how they should sound the same

OpAmp · Post by **OpAmp** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:28 pm

Well yes, you're right, they have different engines.

But they are both in software and the structure is similar (but not exactly the same), also when comparing the parameters you can tweak, a lot of similarities... The basic core architecture is the same.

My bet is that the XL engine is based on the one of the original mK. You don't start to write the complete engine over new from scratch if there are so many similarities. Things are taken over.

Hence JohnS conclusion, they can quite close sound the same, at least if you program a patch on the XL exactly as on the original mK and your program does not rely on differences between both boards. E.g. the XL has 2 filters in a timbre which can be serial, parallel, single or individual, whereas the original has only one filter.

Someone should do a hearing test, especially because the sound editor of the XL comes with a library file which allows you to download the original mK programs to your XL... Does someone have both boards?

Bye.

michelet · Post by **michelet** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:32 pm

OpAmp wrote:Does someone have both boards?

That's me

OpAmp · Post by **OpAmp** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:41 pm

Oh yes. I see now your tag line. You have a lot of equipment.

So, you're the ideal person to judge. Does a one board have something specific why you would prefer it over the other one? I'm interested to know that. Especially in the tonal differences, not like more polyphony or easier access to parameters. Like with analog stuff, moog filter sound versus oberheim and so on.

Ciao

michelet · Post by **michelet** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 5:41 am

OpAmp wrote:Oh yes. I see now your tag line. You have a lot of equipment.

So, you're the ideal person to judge. Does a one board have something specific why you would prefer it over the other one? I'm interested to know that. Especially in the tonal differences, not like more polyphony or easier access to parameters. Like with analog stuff, moog filter sound versus oberheim and so on.

Ciao

Ciao OpAmp
I'm glad the typical Italian salutation became international

I bought XL+ first, then MK. As I stated before I prefer trusting my ears and partly my eyes. Editing patches is a lot easier through software instrad of fumbling with knobs and sub menus. As a semi-seasoned hobbist synthesizer player and programmer (quite close to 50 years old) I prefer assigning main synthesis parameters to knobs for real time editing, while main and deep programming is made at software level.
According to my ears MK sounds more fat and analog like and it's a real pity it has just 4 voice poliphony. Perhaps its modulation matrix is a little easier to understand and operate, although my preferred interface is always through a video, not its panel. This allows me having the same programming approach both for MK and MKXL+
I can't say whether I prefer MKXL+ or MK, both have their pluses and minuses and my goal is making them sound different, not similar.
By the way, when I need to go deeper and deeper Radias is the next one.

JohnS · Post by **JohnS** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 8:22 am

OpAmp wrote:Well yes, you're right, they have different engines.

But they are both in software and the structure is similar (but not exactly the same), also when comparing the parameters you can tweak, a lot of similarities... The basic core architecture is the same.

As far as I can tell (from reading the manuals) the only difference is in the filter. The XL can enable an extra filter. Every other parameter is the same.

I don't own them both so I can't say how much difference that makes in practice.

michelet · Post by **michelet** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 9:54 am

JohnS wrote:I don't own them both so I can't say how much difference that makes in practice.

Thus your observations are like hot air

JohnS · Post by **JohnS** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 4:18 pm

michelet wrote:
JohnS wrote:I don't own them both so I can't say how much difference that makes in practice.
Thus your observations are like hot air

It's not going to be radically different though. It's not like they added more oscillators or weird new waveforms or anything like that.

VladiKuz · Post by **VladiKuz** » Thu Dec 10, 2015 11:24 am

Remember the important difference that may be relevant to someone: original microKORG (OMK) "uses only one MIDI channel to transmit and receive. You cannot use two MIDI channels to play the two timbres independently."
MKXL has two timbre, that may be controlled by two MIDI channels (in programs with MULTI mode). It may be very useful with other equipment (sequencers, synths - i am used this mode already). It's only one big bad thing: both timbre used the same master effects...