Vintage Synth Explorer

Korg • X3

The nineties update to the legendary M1. Launched in 1993, it expanded on what made the M1 such a great machine and featured a range of solid, entirely usable sounds. The Strings and Basses are exceptionally good, although truly analog sounding sweeps and pads are not what this machine was about. The X3 (and subsequent X-series models that came after it) was designed as a middle-weight workstation, with the warmer and more powerful 01/W series taking the reins as Korg's premiere ROMpler workstation of the early nineties.

The X3 is based around 6 MB of 16-bit multi-samples, with basses, guitars, strings, drums, pads and much more. You can even add more PCM sounds to the synth, but additional PCM cards are expensive and/or hard to find.

Detailed editing and a flexible sequencer make this machine more than capable of running a MIDI rig if you are averse to PC based sequencing. If you can live without large touch sensitive screens or resonant filters, then you will find the X3 packs more punch than you may imagine. A rewarding synth to own, even 10 years down the line. What it lacks in instant hands-on tweak-ability and cutting edge sounds, it makes up for in the ultimately usable range of sounds. It has been used by Vangelis.

VISITOR COMMENTS (23)

Comments page 5 of 5

Click here to add a comment

Your Name:

Email Address:

Image verification:

Message:

Posting Rules: Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

 

Pug

Posted Yesterday

This had the typical Korg sound started by the korg M1. It was a very good price and really well made as virtually all korg products are.

Good synth sound and editting enough to have a go at. But with LCD screen very slow!
I think this would be a bargain second hand as it has the trade mark korg sound.

Harmony Vibes

Posted 61 days ago

I've owned my X3 for 15 years, and truly appreciate all the hard work it has done, including production of an entire CD in it's sequencer! I have developed some new program banks to extend it's use, and have employed it as a midi keyboard. It just had the 'prog' button replaced this year, but otherwise has run perfectly. The strings are very phat and silky for ambient compositions, and the 80s keys still cut through a mix; likewise, the basses can be made to burp and smoke underneath a track. I shall be using my X3 to drive some rack synths in it's next life.

Oldskool

Posted 62 days ago

I made a ton of music on this synth. A personal favorite of mine. The analog sounds on this board are second to none. Pianos are alright, guitars are very realistic, basses as fat as can be. Sequencer is good, too. Only have 2 effects to use, but learned to work with what it had. Will never part with mine. Have a M50, is tons more powerful, but it still lacks that "oomph" that the X3 has, sonically.

Tebbes

Posted 94 days ago

I used to own this synth. Got it when it just came out, and my first reaction back then was: WOW!! But now when hearing the sounds, I have to admit it sounds totally outdated!
Some of the real "synthesizer" sounds are still pretty cool, but most of the sounds are total whack nowadays.
Also it's a synth that doesn't excell in anything, except maybe the sequencer.
All in all I'm glad to be rid of it!

Projectwoofer

Posted 207 days ago

I bought the X5 (it's like the X3 but without the sequencer) back in the 90s to compliment my E-mu Proteus at a time that no software instruments were in existence! Classic rompler with sounds that continue the M1 tradition...best used with an external analog filter...I keep it mainly for live purposes!

<54321>