Korg OPSIX Review - Sonic LAB

The Korg OPSIX has generated a lot of interest as FM synths often do. We want to see if they've made it any easier to understand this generally impenetrable synthesis method. And this is the aim of the OPSIX - bringing the creation and editing of FM sounds into a more understandable and tweakable package.

#soniclab #opsix #review

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00:00 Overview
07:15 Sounds demo 1
14:45 Synth engines
16:38 Filter
18:20 Envelopes and LFOS
20:25 More sounds
23:20 FX
28:05 Bass patch
30:35: DX7 patches
33:48 Sequencer
35:35 More Sounds
39:50 Summary
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[FrankyGun]

Outstanding presentation! If I wouldn’t already own an Opsix, I would definitely have pulled the trigger after hearing that initial patch you created from the Koto original. What a brutal patch, man! You could create a whole sound design demo all around that single patch. Kudos to magic synth wizard Nick from Thailand 🇹🇭

[meeamee]

Been watching a bunch of opsix videos this past week and this review is stellar! thank you 🙏

[nickpritchard]

Excellent vid. Great synth. My next purchase..Big thanks for this one..

[trannusaran]

40:25

Wish other preset makers did this! "Incomplete" sounds that demonstrate a capability of a synth as jumping off point are SOOO much more helpful than a bunch of pretty sounds you have to do the forensics on to figure out why they sound nice.

Idk if that's just me, but I always feel more stifled by meticulously crafted presets than a base patch; what Korg did here is even better!

[nathantalsma]

Wow I love how fm synths can have hard digital aggressive leads and then lush pads and choir sounds that don't sound digital at all

[AfterNothingsEnd]

Great video! Thanks! Just picked mine up. Korg has a sale for $329 US right now.

[Individual_two]

If this was offered in a module version I would buy it in a heartbeat. I love FM and this offers plenty of on-panel control that the DX7 designers could have only dreamed about in the Big '80's. As is, this is a solid effort by Korg.

[kiko]

Love me an FM synth with hands on fm controls on the front panel, plus the operator/carrier LEDs are very clever. Only complaint I can see is the small screen. But if I didn't have a montage I'd definitely scoop one of these up! Thanks for the review nick and company and happy holidays.

[COMA]

Great demo, great FM synth. Happy OPsiXmas!

[sheenodj]

Everything Nick demos I want to buy 🤣🤣

[JaredCarterDrums]

God, such an impressive synth. Korg just gets better and better at their craft.

[gamma_noize]

I have my OpSix for around three weeks now and i'm blown away!
I'm kinda sad, that you didn't mention the User Algorithm (Algo 41).
You mentioned, that FM is unfamiliar to you, so i'd imagine demoing the user algo would be kinda hard for you.
But if you really want to go nuts with FM synthesis, the user algorithm is, where the fun really begins, as you can freely route the operators to each other! In combination with the different operator modes, the possibilities are nearly endless.

[hakonsoreide]

Nice video and demonstration of the Opsix' capabilities. I had high hopes for this; I love the interface, but it's got that cold, harsh wavetable sound that reminds me of the Cobalt/Argon/Hydrasynth. It's grating to my ears for some reason, and no amount of reverb seems to soften the edge enough for me. Once I heard sound samples of this, at least that meant it was easy for me to go for the Digitone which sounds so much more smooth and creamy if you want it to, and even when you make it harsh, it sounds like analogue FM rather than digital. I don't know what exactly Elektron does differently to Korg, but it works for me.

Anyway, I love how much attention Korg and the wavetable synths are getting as it heralds even more variation in synths, and we're definitely getting into the post-analogue revival phase where unashamedly digital synths show us how much more creative versatility there is to be had rather than repeating the same 50-year-old user interface paradigm. More FM synths, and, hopefully, more physical modelling too, now that affordable computing power is finally catching up with what is needed for innovation in that area as well.

[Onelychild]

Excellent review. I love the various sounds. Keep up the good work.

[rgx]

wow that sounds ethereally amazing, imo
first time in _forever_ i want to buy a new synth

[rscottclark]

Put it out as a key-less module, and I'm sold.

[burprobrox]

Why do people who are uninterested constantly tell everyone how uninterested they are? ... anyway, nice demo, as always, Nick!

[SyncdAlien]

Interesting. 👍 Shimmer upon shimmer upon shimmer. 😍 I'll bet Korg could adopt that as a tagline in their sales brochures and move a lot of units based on that alone! 👽 My favorite part of the review, perversely, was at 2:32 where it really looked like Nick was giving those FM algorithms the finger. And given previous generations' attitude toward the difficulty of FM synthesis programming, who can blame him? 😂😂😂 Cheers. 👽

[qflight]

Thanks - this has been super informative and really helped me decide. I think this will be my next gear purchase.

[Garflips]

Super review as always. Just a note - you mentioned the modulation sequencing was introduced with the Minilogue but I believe the Radius had it as my "vintage" Korg R3 has it - called motion sequencing. I own the Yamaha FS1R along with several other Yamaha FM so I find the Opsix very intriguing but I sure wish there was a bit less menu diving. I would have rather the key bed space was used instead for more knobs and faders - plus a breath control input. I missed not hearing any of the classic brass patches which can be super responsive under breath. Cheers!