Am I crazy? Korg iM1 better than most of today's synths...

[ben1000]

So... Maybe I'm crazy, or maybe I'm just a child of the 80s... But I have a few synths... Roland, Yamaha, etc...

I also have the $14 Korg iM1 for my iPad, and I feel like, just based on sounds (I play live.. Not sequencing or anything) I end up liking the Korg sounds better than just about anything I can find on my current modern Synths...

So much so that I'm actually considering buying a used Korg M1 to play live (as the iPad with controller scares me a bit for live playing...

Anyone else feel this way? Is there a current Korg synth that sounds as good as the M1 does?

Thanks! Love to hear your thoughts...

Best,

Ben

[xp50player]

A few thoughts. The M1 keyboard is only 16 note polyphonic, so cut that in half for dual osc programs, let alone combis. You won't have all the PCM cards and T series sounds that the iM1 version has available. The M1 is kind of a low point for realtime control too, mostly a blank black slab. No filter resonance either, boo! I guess they thought we were over analog-type sounds at that point. I like the M1,the style of it, the keybed,very nostalgic for it, but not a great bread-and-butter live synth in today's world.

[angie303]

I really love the iM1, so i think you are not crazy. Sounds have a lot of character and are highly playable. Good times we are living in

[Reuben]

This is the dilemma facing hardware manufacturers these days. I have a Korg Pa3x, my son has a Kawai Mp7 and I also have a collection of free soundfonts many of which sound better than both these expensive instruments simply by connecting an iPhone to a $50 keyboard from Aldi.

[Akos Janca]

This is the dilemma facing hardware manufacturers these days. I have a Korg Pa3x, my son has a Kawai Mp7 and I also have a collection of free soundfonts many of which sound better than both these expensive instruments simply by connecting an iPhone to a $50 keyboard from Aldi.

Interesting point - but I think you are concentrating on sound only. Please compare the two configurations from other aspects as well to see the whole picture.

I mean the price of the iPhone should also be considered, at least once but probably more than that, because they are replaced every year, so become obsolete soon.

A 50$ keybed is very different from the professional ones in Pa3X or MP7.

The concept of a hardware instrument makes it easier to use and to gig with (I mean functionality like multi-timbrality, arranging, sequencing, and also integration, tactile controls, roadworthiness etc.).

If you want to connect the iPhone to other devices you need at least a mixer or rather an external sound card for better sound quality. This is built-in in a hardware instrument.

So, I think it's not such a big dilemma because both configurations are usable and have their customers with different needs.

I am saying this with hardware instruments and as an iPad user who is enjoying many great music apps for example from Korg.

Let me add that I see your tremendous amount of work on your website. Your generous offering of free soundfonts is a great help for the community of musicians, composers, studio session players. Very cool.

[Reuben]

No disagreement here at all. I'm mainly interested in sounds but I use both the Korg pa3x and iPad/iPhone apps. For sound alone I think some of the soundfonts have the edge (I have tried all the usual piano apps including Module with Ivory Expansion, iGrand etc and they all dissapoint so ended up making my own) but I also love the other features of the hardware instruments particularly the mic effects and the style/midi player of the Korg.
Looked at the demo you did of the Kronos - nice playing and a little bit a gear envy now.
Cheers,
John

[aslakki]

I agree, M1 is still one of the best. I use Krome and iM1 together via midi in live performance because there (iM1) is so many good presets.