Vintage Synth Explorer

Korg • Z1

Could this be Korg's masterpiece? The Z1 is like a polyphonic Prophecy! It does all the analog sounds and more. This is a great analog modeling synth with 12-voice polyphony, thirteen waveforms, four LFOs, two resonant filters, two effects units and more. The ability to create unique sounds is endless. The factory patches could use some help, but overall the sound is very nice! It has a fully polyphonic arpeggiator that blows all others away. It has five preset arpeggio patterns and fifteen user patterns. Unfortunately there is no on-board sequencer. There is incredible real-time control available with knobs to control the two resonant filters, and a touch controlled 'XY' pad for tweaking patches in real-time. The Z1 is used by KMFDM, Gary Numan, LTJ Bukem and Orbital.

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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.

 

vladya

Posted 81 days ago

This is one of the best Korgs ever, but it has very bad buttons and poor interface (no dial wheel) and poor, very fragile plastic parts. Having said that, Korg are crazy to drop MOSS. The best synthesis by Korg to date.

Sam

Posted 82 days ago

Someone asked for a software editor - Midi Quest 10 XL (squest.com) supports the Z1, among numerous other hardware synths and modules.

Shawn

Posted 113 days ago

A great synth with an amazing palette of sounds. It is difficult to program but with some time and patience the rewards are well worth it. This synth easily lends itself to any style of music. I use it primarily for soundtracks and ambient music. A sweet addition to any studio.

Sotiris

Posted 118 days ago

A really great synth. A programmer's dream! When it came out i didn't buy it, but when i saw a used one for sale i grabed it (for 650 euros, with voice expansion and memory card). Can't stop playing it! The keyboard feel is very pleasant and the arppegiator is tons of fun. And if you know about synthesis, well ... you 're in sound heaven. I 'd love to have a software editor for it, maybe someone knows about one?

Barry

Posted 235 days ago

Yeah, this is one of the greatest synths ever created. But it is for people who know how to program ONLY. My first real synth was a Korg Prophecy, which is the monophonic little brother of the Z1, and it took me more than four years before I really knew how to work that thing. Now that I know more about synthesis I wish I still had it (it was stolen)!

FX CAN be tempo-synced so I don't know what the joker below me is talking about. He, like most others who have used either the Proph or Z1, probably doesn't know how to use it properly...But if you DO know how to get around a COMPLEX synth, get this bad boy!

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