The DK70 is a fully programmable, battery powered portable synthesizer featuring subtractive synthesis using DCO, VCF and VCA technology (similar to Roland's Alpha Juno series). It has a polyphony of 8 voices in normal mode and 4 voices in dual mode. There are 50 memory patches (40 preset, 10 user) but that could be expanded to 100 with additional ROM or RAM cartridges. Editing and creating sounds is a behind the scenes affair - that is, not for real time or live use. With only a handful of press buttons for all data entry, editing is very tedious and boring.

So stick with the presets or pre-program and store your own sounds for later because this synth is otherwise aimed right at the live user - battery powered, lightweight, built-in guitar strap hooks and an optional "Stage Set" Grip with pitch ribbon, modulation depth, program change and octave +/- controls. The 49-note keyboard does not have velocity sensitivity. It also has a chorus effect and a simple two track sequencer which can store up to 200 notes. This cheap synth is great for string sounds, pads, bass and strange noises. Although similarly designed synths like the Roland Alpha Juno and Korg Poly 800 often seem more popular, many users have found the DK70 to have warmer and more 'analog' qualities from its VCF and VCA sections. The DK70 is probably an underrated synth and definitely worth checking out if you ever come across one.

ttuomola

January 23, 2013 @ 5:49 pm

When people compare this to Korg Poly-800, they often overlook the fact that Siel has about a million times better midi spec. The edit parameters are accessible via midi control changes, so it's a piece of cake to, say, record some insane filter twiddling on your midi sequence. I'd imagine you could do wonders with a decent control surface.

JoeXtinct

February 5, 2011 @ 5:06 pm

After listening to a few demos online I definatly want this synth and to top it off I recently read that the "moogslayer" mod can be done on this unit. However, to find one posted up for auction in the US has proven difficult.

Ed Blank

January 2, 2011 @ 2:12 am

Fully concur with positive comments on this underrated synth... the DK70 was our mainstay poly synth in a band I used to play in... the only problem is that the Enter key used to hardly work unless we used a sharp object such as a screw driver or felt pen. Now all functions need to be accessed via a number followed by the pressing of the Enter key so you may imagine the frustration!

tsun

December 21, 2010 @ 7:23 pm

Got one of these a few months ago for cheap after a local shop messed up an ebay sale (some akai sampler part, irrelevant). They couldn't figure out if it worked so I got it for $50 and an apology. One of the best deals I've ever gotten. The real strength of this is in the strings and pads in combination with the Chord Memory function, you can get bright & woolly CM patches for house and techno or moody pads for dnb or whatever. Sample the chord into your hardware sampler of choice and the possibilities are endless.

The block layout is similar to the Poly-800, but the filters don't have that muddy Korg quality to them so the sound of the DK-70 is totally different. Totally slept on polysynth right here.

Rob Parker

February 21, 2009 @ 7:25 am

Kinda reminds me of a Korg Prophecy :)

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