Korg Forums

[jaywx0b]

Just (2 days ago) got the SV188 delivered. Been playing a big beautiful chikering and a KORG concert 5000 or is it 7000 for years. And love the big beautiful piano sounds of these big heavy pianos. So decided to get the SV-1 full up 88 key delux. Of course the guitar center did not have one to try out, and I bought it on faith. How can it be bad since my other KORG sounds so good in to the stereo KC-550s.
But I am thinking of returning it. Unless I can get some sound help.

I must be doing something wrong. Why does this SV sound so distorted especially when I try using the amp modelling. I am using the same amps and am find that the piano sounds ok without the "tube" but using the tube modelling it is so distorted and wierd. I can hardly bear it. I tried setting the main volume all over the place, and amps volumes all over, and the tube drive all over. Nothing seems natural to me. I might say I have 3 real hammond consols and their tube amps into the 4 Leslies I have do not have this horrid sound. Even when I intentionally overdirve for effect the Hammond sound so much better. I read all the good stuff on this reflector and am thinking maybe I am missing some set up or I have a bad keyboard.

I also have a XK-3 for gigs and it has a 12AX7 in it too. and its warmth is something that is nice to hear and work with, and its overdrive function is smooth, unlike what I am hearing in the SV-1.

I hope I have described this in a way that some of you can relate too, and especially the nice fellow at Korg who encouraged me to post to this reflector for help. I really want to post all the great things I expect this board to do for me. But I am haveing a heck of a time trying to get it to sound right.

Best to all, and thanks for taking time to help.
Jay

[jerrythek]

Hi Jay:

regarding the distortion, you really can't just turn up the Drive from the front panel and get a good sound. You HAVE to use the editor we have for the product to control the critical balance between the Drive and the other level controls. For my taste, Drive works best between 1 and about 18 on the Editor, unless you're going for a really "over the top" sound. But without the Editor you'll never shape the sounds in the way you seem to be aiming for.

Watch the new video Rich F. just posted as an intro to all the benefits using the Editor will bring you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o_J4vde1nk

You can download the Editor and the USB MIDI driver from korg.com/sv1

regards,

Jerry

[craigalan]

Yes, Jerry knows best. I also was a little underimpressed...until I dove into the editor. Now, I have nightmares about gigging without my SV-1. Take a little time and dial it in. The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train, but rather Xanadu.

[Narfig]

It's a bit of an issue that I can't use the front dial on stage. It's got way too much gain and the difference in a single number on the panel increases the volume way too much. Even the Leslie amp is crazy (which should have no gain). Sounds like the guitar guys did the amp sim...

My only complaint with the machine is the tube/amp sim. ~sigh~

[craigalan]

That is true, I will say. I often change effects and other settings on the fly, however never touch the amp sim/tube when on stage. Even on my favorites, the amp sim knob rarely goes above 1 or 2. It probably could be a little more subtle overall as the dial gets cranked.

[jaywx0b]

OK, been trying hard to love the SV-1. Downloaded the new op sys 1.1 and got it loaded on the drive. BTW Korg, your instructions are in error the drive appears in the "my computer" pop up not the desktop as stated in the instruction to update the keyboard drive.

Then I got the new 1.1 editor and also downloaded the new Sound Pak.

I have looked for about an hour as to how to load the new sound pak onto the board. The editor pdf doesn't give a hint. And the sound pak pdf file is just a chart of sounds. No help in what to do with it.

Maybe Jerry will clarify the proceedure. And thanks in advance.

Still not happy with the Amp model "tube" sound here, if anyone has a setting that makes this thing sound non-distorted, but high in tube harmonics please dive in.

Another thing I notice is the noise on the Piano sound damper pedal. I have eliminated it and toned it down, good documentation here. but on the uplift I get this digital noise from the board. Anyone notice this and have you been able to get rid of it. It is not the piano sound it is a noise unto itself. And is very distracting in pianissamo passages.
Thanks all
Jay

[craigalan]

Jay,

Been trying to find the piano noise you are talking about, with all the RX noises off. Are you hearing it on the stereo or mono pianos? Or both?

[jaywx0b]

thank you for your reply.

Just try the basic factory supplied pianos on presets 1 and 2 using the Korg damper pedal.

I know they are trying to simulate a grand pedal Lyre damper peddle let off, and thats nice, but for gigging not needed. And so I experimeted with turning it off with the editor and for the down press of the peddle it works. But when you release the pedal you get this wierd digital artifact that is just very annoying. At keast on the one they sold me, which had OS 1.0 installed and I upgraded to 1.1 via download.

Just use the damper pedal and lift it and see if it sounds wierd. Yes I calibrated it too.
What I want to hear is the lift of the damper in normal factory setting. But what I hear is just digital random noise. It is not sampled acoustic lyre peddle lift, It is just some strange artifact digital noise. And I thought I turned it off anyway with the instructions given by Korg.

I hope I am describing it in some detail you can re-creat it.

I played all weekend with this board and am pretty much satisified that it goes back to Korg. Very good try but behind what the C5000 C7000 sounds like what.....20 years ago?

I have both boards plugged into the same Stereo KB amps and the older Korg sounds better. Bigger fuller, piano. Not watery thin stuff like I hear with the SV-1

I am a Korg sound lover, but not for the SV-1, which should sound better then the ancient C5000 I have. To test these my reference is a real accoustic Piano, I have a very excellent baby grand to compare these with!

What the heck am I doing wrong with the SV-1? And why would the factory send it out with such ..... bad settings. They wouldn't so I am guilty, or I have a bad board?

I am not a PC guru, but I know how to load USB drivers, and make things work. The editor is working on my unit but the amp models are just plain bad. I cannot fix them in the editor. It seems Korg wants them to be non-linear and noisey. So be it. My 3 Hammonds (real ones) and the XK-3 sound better in my 4 vintage Leslies, then the SV-1. I dont get it, why does it seem like Korg thinks you have to have noise to be a TUBE amp?

I cannot seem to get the rich full even harmonic beautiful sounds out the SV-1 tube. All I get is noise and overdrive distortion products.

Sorry guys and gals. really wanted to like this board. I am happy to talk to anyone and will talk to Korg when I call to return it this week.

[keyboard komuso]

[jaywx0b]

I tried the same things. But not finding an "easy" to do solution using the editor to try to fix the noise, hiss, digital artifacts from the pedals, and gain issues you bring up, the list goes on, I had to finally give up after a lost weekend working with it. To the credit of Guitar Center they took it all back and are ready to assist me to find the board I need. I won't go into the possible selections, but Korg was my first choice. I hope a new major OS release can be made for the SV-1. I would be the first to re-buy this instrument.
If they want any feedback I would be glad too assist.

[scales]

Please show us yor list of possible keyboards. I'm shopping as well. Will be looking at an SV-1 shortly. The M-50 88 really has my attention for the money. I really don't need a workstation but that synth is very seductive. The combis are so much fun to play. I have enjoyed playing them in the store more than my TEX that I've had for 6 years. Also wanting to look at the Yamaha CP-50.
_________________
scales
-------------------------------------------------------Gear: Korg Triton Extreme 76, Motif XS 8

[jaywx0b]

Scales,
I do not think it would be appropriete to post other companies on the KORG Forum.

But you can hit me off-list if you like and we can go over our likely candidtates. Maybe you have something that I may wish to look at too.

send an email to info@arraysolutions.com

thanks
Jay

[X-Trade]

[jaywx0b]

NORD Stage - good deals on electro II now that the III is out. Waiting to try the III when they come in to the local GC store.

Also had some nice demo playing of Yamaha's. What do you guys think of these new Yamaha stage rigs?

July 5th, just to end this story....after trying all of the boards above and even more, I found the Yamaha 88 key Motiff XS8 sounded very nice and wow, what it can do. I found a used Yamaha Motiff ES8 for $1300 in great condition and have been very hapy with it. Plus you can layer other voices on it in performance mode and control them both with expression pedals. So you can play the piano, and when called for bring in strings, or horns or a thousand other voices, and drums if you like. Yea it doesn't have a tube. But it has "vintage" sounds, organs, many pianos, etc. It is a huge learning curve - still learning it and probably wont master everything it can do. But it is not too hard to find pianos and organs you like and mark them as favorites. Then using the favorites menu you can quickly pull them up and play them. And you can layer other instruments in as well as split the keys to start the instruments at ANY lower and upper split you want. You can have several splits.
It is heavy but about the same as the SV-188.
So you can use it as a stage instrument and you can learn to use it as a full workstation too. At $1300 (used) I call it a best buy. Of course the new XS8 is 3,000+.

[mantrak]

For those looking to Nord Electro 3, I was greatly dissapointed. In comparison to SV-1 it sounds and feels like a toy. I had it for a week and returned it.

My BX-3 from 2003 has better Hammond simulation and also has real drawbars. SV-1 and BX-3 are much heavier to carry around, but it is well worth it.

Nord sounds are very attractive when you listen to them solo. But they don't work with the band, at least not for me. SV-1 is real deal.

The only complaint is Drive knob which works only up to 2. Positions 3 to 10 are unusable. Korg?
_________________
Korg SV1, Nord Electro 5D,
Moog SUB 37, Moog Voyager RM,
Polysix, Juno 106, DSI Prophet 12,
ARP AXXE, Korg ARP Odyssey
Hammond B3 + Leslie 122 + Leslie 142
Rhodes MK1 73, Wurlitzer model 270