Korg unveils the long-awaited microKorg 2

Korg has unveiled the microKorg 2, a successor to the iconic synth of the same name.

microKorg was one of the first portable, affordable synths, and as such became an entry-point into synthesisers for bands, artists, producers and songwriters. The microKorg 2 builds on the legacy by retaining some of the original form factor and updating the features for the needs of the modern producer. 

At first glance, the most obvious update is the 2.8-inch colour screen that displays more information about your current patch, as well as what parameters the five control knobs are assigned to. It’s also where you can adjust settings like tuning, change unison voices and polyphony and utility settings like MIDI I/O. It also features an oscilloscope and animations depending on your chosen preset. 

Inside, the microKorg 2 is based on Virtual Analogue architecture, meaning that while it’s a fully digital synth, it aims to mimic the sound and function of analogue classics. It’s got up to eight voices of polyphony, which can also be layered across multiple patches so you can play two sounds simultaneously. There are 512 total presets that are accessed via the same genre selection knob as the original, with categories like House/Disco, HipHop/RnB and Ambient/Electronica. 

There are three FX categories – reverb, delay, modulation - and a built-in EQ to shape your sound further. And of course, the classic goose-neck microphone is back, as is the built-in vocoder. Two new features are the pitch-shifter and harmoniser for creating vocal layers and a loop recorder to jam out ideas on the fly. 

Round back there’s stereo line out, MIDI I/O, USB-C, aux in and two mic inputs.

The microKorg 2 is due for release in June this year. There’s no price point as of yet. Find out more on the Korg website.