Korg Opsix Review
I’ve had the opportunity to borrow an Opsix for the past couple weeks, this is a synth I was first very skeptical of. I’ve been wanting a control laden hardware FM synth for years, owning both a DX200 and Reface DX at one point or another. My first impressions from audio and video demos online were not very great, but as these went on sale and more videos started popping up, I would see some that changed my mind. Having actually explored one now, I can say I was pleasantly surprised, there’s a lot to explore here and a lot of interesting details.
BUILD: Even at first glance I had the impression that this wave of Korg keyboards had an Elektron influence
from the display to the encoders, to the menu layout, you can tell there was inspiration. And it really does come across in use, menus are easy to navigate, mapping modulation is similar, page changing functions nearly the same. The only REAL difference is the sequencer, it is NOT an Elektron sequencer, it CAN do parameter motion, but it is far more tedious and does not behave like P-Locks*. For the most part however, I did find the programming fairly intuitive
The body is plastic, it’s sorta like a large scale Volca, I’d actually love to see products that fit somewhere between this line and Volcas,
perhaps focussed on sequencing and w/o keys. The keys are light, but feel nice, not squishy. the encoders are pretty cheap,
I forget how old Elektrons feel, but these are definitely flimsier than the encoders on anything after the Octatrack.
The sliders feel great and actually function as an intuitive and fun performance control. The knobs feel nice as well, but I feel like they should be detented encoders just like the program dial, this would make more sense given their function of selecting operator harmonics/ operator mode. I like the buttons for menu navigation, they have a pleasant feel and look cool too. This instrument does not feel like it will take abuse though, it is a programmers synth, sit w/ it in your bedroom and design sounds.
*P-Locks: Short for “Parameter Locks” is a sequencer function created by Elektron. This function allows you to hold any step on a sequencer, and adjust parameters for just that step
it is an incredibly useful sequencing tool, and I would love to see it everywhere.
ENGINE: Opsix is DEEP, between 6 operators, each with their own envelope, several OSC modes, different algorithms, envelopes, LFOs, mod matrix, filter, FX, and sequencer, there’s a LOT to explore here. I’m sure with some creative exploration you can really invent some new approaches to sound design. Do not treat this like JUST a subtractive synth, or fm synth, be sure to explore amplitude modulation, filter modulation, physical modeling (comb filters), and other FX routings, there is a plethora of possibilities here.
The operators are full of potential, not only do they each have their own amplitude envelope, they also have several modes
FM is a classic ofcourse, but having AM and comb filters built into OSC modes make for some powerful physical modeling possibilities. You can also use many of the FX as oscillators and even use operators as filters, if you’ve ever played with keytracked filters, you’ll enjoy being able to stack various resonances against each other.
One of my favorite tricks I discovered from Massive X is even possible here, use a comb filter as an oscillator, then feed it into a sine wave as FM modulation, it doesn’t sound quite as cool as it does in MX, but it’s still very useful. Even just ignoring the depth and strength of FM, you can layer combs, filters, AM and other FX to create all sorts of new sounds.
Like I said, this thing is deep.
Opsix has many algorithms that cover various uses, but does have the possibility to due full customizable FM routings. The UI here isn’t very intuitive, and sorta tucked behind some miscellaneous settings menus, but the option is there if you need it
The mod matrix is also a shift menu away, not as hidden as the algorithm editor. Not the worst UI here, but a fair bit tedious. Having things grouped in categories really helps. Almost everything is freely routable, including effects. You get 12 slots, so there’s a whole lot of modular potential at your disposal. You can even modulate arpeggiator controls, but unfortunately none of the sequencer stuff is modable (besides swing).
SEQUENCER: Speaking of modulation, I want to touch on motion recording; motion recording has been an aspect of Korg products for as long as I’ve been using them (my first synth was an EMX). Simply turn on record mode and adjust a control. This is the easiest way to sequence parameters, you can go in and manually edit each step, including wether or not it slides or jumps values. You can record 6 lanes of motion total, not much, but enough to get a patch moving in interesting ways. It’d be nice if P-locks were a thing here like they are on some other Korg products. The sequencer can hold 6 notes per step and accepts step input recording which is nice, you get a few different play modes including random, so there’s a bit of chaotic fun available here. Any length up to 16 is available for odd meters, and you can offset any of the 6 notes per step, allowing you to create 32nd or 64th notes or anything in between.
EFFECTS: I was surprised by some of the effects, you’ve got all your basic stuff of course, but you also get some cool stuff like grain shifter, guitar amp, and shimmer, which all allow you to take Opsix patches in some unique creative directions. There is also an EQ, exciter, and enhancer, which can all be a godsend on digital HW synthesizers. Granted it takes up a whole FX slot, but can allow you to carve out the tonal balance of your presets in ways that aren’t nearly as easy using FM.
I do have a few small complaints about the FX section though, for one, any tempo synced effect takes 2 slots in the menu, I feel like there could be a more compact way to organize them to make navigation easier. Also as far as UI, if you ever scroll through the FX options, it will reset your FX settings, even if you click “no” to exit the selection menu. Given the FX select control is in the same encoder block as all the FX controls, this happens more than you’d expect. Lastly, there’s no gain staging prior or between FX, yes you can adjust your operator volumes, but this can be a tricky balance when you have complex algorithms going on. The FX clip fairly easy, and so does the Opsix’s outputs, this leads to a rather hollow/ thin sound over all, with usually either boomy basses and or top end noise, and things in the middle struggling to keep up. Not the end of the world obviously, just adjust your master volume til the clipping goes away, and crank things up on your mixer input. A nicer set of output preamps would be preferred.
PERFORMANCE: One aspect I really enjoyed about Opsix was how “playable” it was. I’m not a huge keyboard person, so I’m not talking about how the keys or mod wheels feel. But instead, the operator sliders and sequencer had some nice functions. For one the sliders can almost feel like an instrument on their own, depending how you have your algorithm set up you can use them to fade in different tones or effects in a very natural way, they just have a nice juicy resistance, and plenty of range to travel. With light touches they move smoothly without skipping and the resistance smoothly ramps up as you apply a little force, something I’ll discuss more in another article about UI and control feel.
Next the sequencer has a couple neat tricks, if you hold down shift and press any step, it will jump to that step and continue playing from there. Timing is required, but this can be a fun way to “beat juggle” any sequences you create. Additionally, when in the sequencer menu, if you press any step it will play whichever notes are on that step, and hold them as you hold the step. All motion sequencing and timing offset is ignored, but this can be a fun way to play with a collection of chords and come up with new ideas w/o having to be a skilled keyboardist.
To sum it all up, I think this is a sound designer’s synth, my favorite aspect is just how deep and creative you can get between all the different operator modes and routing, the FX are an additional bonus and the modulation is a warm welcome. I hope korg continues to make digital synths similar to this one, perhaps something smaller, and more groovebox/ experimental sound design oriented, rather than another keyboard. Given how surprising the Opsix was, I’d be excited to test out and give the Modwave and Wavestate a run as well.