The new “KORG Legacy Collection – ANALOG EDITION 2007” was announced January 18th. The popular “MS-20” and “Polysix” from the KORG Legacy Collection are now joined by the “Mono/Poly.” According to the company, these are “classic Korg analog synthesizers newly reborn as software instruments in a powerful production package.”

Perhaps the most exciting upgrade for the product is the “enhancement” of the Legacy Cell system, which can now combine the MS-20, Polysix and NEW Mono/Poly in a “mixed instrument” — this can provide new instrument sounds that are truly unique. I personally owned a Mono/Poly “back in the day” and it was a really nice sounding keyboard. I ended up replacing it with the Sequential Prophet 600 the week that instrument was introduced, but always missed the “character” of Korg’s analog gear.

The Mono/Poly is from the time way back before Korg took over the world with the M-1 workstation which was more sample waveform based than analog, and almost everything Korg has built since then has been a bit derivitave of the M-1 (note, I currently own a Korg Triton Extreme 88 in addition to the Legacy Collection and when you mix the two it’s like audio heaven).

The new version of the Legacy Collection – Analog Edition, now includes the following virtual recreations of classic analog-era synths and effects:
* Mono/Poly [New!]
* Polysix v1.2
* MS-20 v1.2
* Legacy Cell v1.2
* MS-20FX v1.2
* MDE-X v1.2

The separate edition (digital) has the M-1 and Wavestation. Frankly, owning both versions of the Legacy Collections would give you a sonic arsenal that truly represents the “soul” of most of the ’80s era keyboards that many of us owned and played (I’m still waiting on the virtual DW8000 and Poly800, because I loved the ADHSR envelopes that could be applied separately to each oscillator).

About the Mono/Poly Software Synthesizer
The classic Mono/Poly provided four oscillators, a resonant filter, dual EGs and Modulation Generators, plus 4-way Synchro and Cross Modulation capability for creating aggressive and signature tonal effects. It also featured the same arpeggiator and Chord memory functions as its sibling, the Polysix.

Along with being a complete reproduction of the original Mono/Poly, this new software version extends the Mono/Poly in significant ways. It features an amazing 128-voice polyphony with up to 16-voice unison, 2 integrated multi-effects providing 19 effects and a powerful eight-way virtual patching matrix. The virtual patch functionality lets you use 159 different modulation sources to modulate 35 different destinations, giving you an awesome capability for creating complex and diverse sounds.

You can hear some exceptional audio demos, and find more information on the Mono/Poly instrument here:
http://www.korg.com/us/products/software/korg_collection/

A Demo License for The Analog Edition 2007 is Available
For the first time you can now demo the analog sounds of the Korg classic Analog Collection, and try the new “Mono/Poly” as well as all the instruments/effects in the product. This trial version can be used for 10 days without any limitation of the functions. (Note: A Syncrosoft compatible USB key is required to use the trial version.)

You can get the demo license here:
http://www.korg.com/us/products/software/korg_collection/

Upgrade Path for Existing Owners
Various update/upgrade paths are available for existing Analog Collection owners, including those of us with the original MS20 min-controller and Wavestation 1.0 with challenge/response authorization. Frankly, the switch to using the Syncrosoft compatible USB key is a welcome change, as having to completely uninstall and reinstall, then get new authorization for every update was a bit painful since many of us don’t use our music studio PCs as an Internet-connected system. Special upgrade pricing will only be available through March 31, 2007. Log-in to the www.KorgUser.net site with your existing membership to purchase the upgrade.

Amazing Sound
If you’ve been thinking of buying one of the many virtual analog keyboards out there like the Nord Lead 3 or Access Virus, that try to recreate the classic sound of analog synths such as the Mono/Poly, you should definitely look at the latest version of the Legacy Collection – Analog Edition, since with this package and an affordable keyboard controller, you can get astoundingly close to the “real thing” for a fraction of the cost of any of the “virtual analog” keyboards out there.

If you own Cakewalk Sonar, and have fallen in love with the Triangle virtual instrument, you’ll find these Korg virtual analog synths to be similar in finding amazing “sweet spots” that don’t sound anything like digital sample based keyboards or overly effected workstation patches.

Since Korg is making some of these modules available for their Oasys flagship product, it would be interesting to see a Korg anniversary Legacy Collection Keyboard (full size this time) that used the HD engine from the Oasys that is also in the M-3, but only had the software and FX modules from the Legacy Collection. Add a touch screen that could change to show the same control layout from the software and a bunch of assignable knobs, and you’d have a killer product (I would buy one).

But, in the meantime, I’m very pleased with the software version, and this latest upgrade really nails it. Bravo Korg!

KORG Legacy Collection – ANALOG EDITION 2007 will retail for 249.00 USD (list price in the U.S.).

[tags]Korg Legacy Collection, Monopoly virtual instrument, Korg news, music gear, Christopher Simmons, MuseWire[/tags]