DW-8000

Take Korg's first digitally controlled analog synth hybrid (DW-6000) two steps higher and you get the more popular DW-8000. Sound is digitally generated from the DWGS (Digital Waveform Generator System) and has been doubled from 8 sampled digital waveforms to 16 simple analog to complex digital waveforms. The DW-8000 has 8 voice polyphony in two modes, or one monophonic mode with all eight voices stacked. The analog VCF resonant filter and VCA both have independent ADBSSR envelopes. Parameters can be altered in real time via a single programmable slider. There are 64 presets that can be reprogrammed by the user.

EX-8000

In comparison to the DW-6000, the DW-8000 expanded to 8 notes polyphony, 16 sampled waveforms, a velocity sensitive keyboard with programmable aftertouch, auto-bend, a simple arpeggiator and a digital delay unit. The Digital Delay was an astonishing goody for the time, offering up to 512ms delay, phasing, flanging, chorusing and other time effects. Both the Arpeggiator, Auto-Bend and Digital Delay make this synth an inspiring and great sounding machine to use for great 303 basslines, techno and house bass and synth sounds and more! The EX-8000 (pictured above) is a rackmount version of the DW-8000. Several 3rd-party developers offered expansion boards for the DW-8000 providing up to 1024 presets, layered sounds, keyboard splits and Sample+Hold for the LFO. Though later overshadowed by the M1, the DW-8000 has been used by Divine Masquerade, Juno Reactor, Depeche Mode, Dream Theater, Joe Zawinul, and Keith Emerson.

Ted B

August 27, 2012 @ 9:21 am

I acquired a DW-8000 out of curiosity recently, having never played one before. Its sixteen 8-bit PCM waveforms and analog filters give a combination of digital grit and analog warmth characteristic of its era, and provide a basis for some raw, powerful sounds. Programming is easy to grasp, but can be a little tedious at times. Its effects are quite decent. The modulation routings are somewhat limited, but it's a capable machine in capable hands. All things considered, it was a good value in 1985, and remains so in 2012.

Don Solaris

August 22, 2012 @ 10:27 am

Korg DW-6000 is better by far than DW8000 regarding the "analogish" circuits. I agree it is a more 80's synth than DW-8000. DW-8000 belongs to the later era, let's say the "early digital era".

Poly 800 is a true 2 oscillators DCO Analog.

Don

alim

August 21, 2012 @ 9:25 pm

~don > get a clue! Poly 800 is trash, and DW-6000 is the sub version of this synth! Stop trying to bring prices down on ebay, we all know you are lusting for an 8000 :P

Don Airey

August 21, 2012 @ 1:20 pm

forgive me but the DW-8000 is not the absolute 80's Korg synth
DW-6000 and Poly 800 are far better for this era

Poly 800 is real 2x DCO Analog Synth
DW-6000 is rare but has far better waveforms, which have been stolen from a lot other big synthesizer companies, search for this fact

Stangee

July 24, 2012 @ 2:19 pm

I owned one many ears ago. The sounds were kind of great, but after 1-2 hours in operation, it would detune by half a note or so. Messing around with the fine tune would eventually fix the problem, but in a live situation that was easier said than done...

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