SOUND ON SOUND

[Arpangel]

Well, I’ve finally found one, now I don’t know, should I buy it or not? My enthusiasm seems to have taken a knock.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Not.

[The Elf]

It's a miserable little synth, lacking charm and flexibility. I'd say not.

[Arpangel]

OK, no doubt there then :D
I like them though, the single oscillator has PWM, plus, it holds very nostalgic memories, so that plays a part too.

[MOF]

I had one but honestly I’m only thinking of getting the Korg Software Collection, with its MS20, when it’s on offer, and even then I’ll have to do a lot of justifying to myself because I’ve got so many great soft synths now. I did like its PWM facility.

[Arpangel]

I had one but honestly I’m only thinking of getting the Korg Software Collection, with its MS20, when it’s on offer, and even then I’ll have to do a lot of justifying to myself because I’ve got so many great soft synths now. I did like its PWM facility.

The MS10 has great bass, it just sounds really aggressive, and the whole sound is very different to an MS20.

[Hugh Robjohns]

That's unexpected given that they share apparently identical circuitry throughout, with the exception of a very small alteration in the MS10 to allow for external pulse-width modulation to the single oscillator.

http://www.synthfool.com/docs/Korg/MS_series/KorgMS10-ServiceManual.pdf

https://www.synfo.nl/servicemanuals/Korg/MS-20_SERVICE_MANUAL.pdf

[Tomás Mulcahy]

It's a great soft synth. I had it next to a mark 2 MS20 for a while, and I was satisfied I could get the same settings. Granted I did not do anything really OTT like pitch tracking or overdriving an input.

But it definitely nails the bass, and it's polyphonic! The UI works great set to "full" on a 4K screen :clap: .

[Arpangel]

That's unexpected given that they share apparently identical circuitry throughout, with the exception of a very small alteration in the MS10 to allow for external pulse-width modulation to the single oscillator.

http://www.synthfool.com/docs/Korg/MS_series/KorgMS10-ServiceManual.pdf

https://www.synfo.nl/servicemanuals/Korg/MS-20_SERVICE_MANUAL.pdf

I don’t think the filter is exactly the same, the sound is like the difference between a Moog and an ARP, the 10 is leaner, tighter, sharper.

[nathanscribe]

The LPF on the 10 and 20 are identical, except on the 20 the VCOs go through the HPF first.

Apart from that, it depends on the version of the MS20, the early ones had the "Korg 35" filter and later ones had the OTA filter. AFAIK all MS10s had the 35.

[Tomás Mulcahy]

The LPF on the 10 and 20 are identical, except on the 20 the VCOs go through the HPF first.

Apart from that, it depends on the version of the MS20, the early ones had the "Korg 35" filter and later ones had the OTA filter. AFAIK all MS10s had the 35.

Yes. And there isn't really a huge difference between the two filters. IIRC they overload in a slightly different way, but I don't think the bass is affected at all.

[N i g e l]

based on the MS20m :

The early filter is "lower quality", noiser but it is aggressive and screams. The later filter is "higher quality" but more tame

There are a few you tube comparisons out there ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WafNf7k0Xac

[Tomás Mulcahy]

based on the MS20m :

The early filter is "lower quality", noiser but it is aggressive and screams. The later filter is "higher quality" but more tame

There are a few you tube comparisons out there ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WafNf7k0Xac

Cool! Thanks :)

[Hugh Robjohns]

I don’t think the filter is exactly the same...

Different filters were used in different generations of the MS range but -- as evidenced in those service manuals -- both the 10 and 20 started out with the same '35' filter.

I suspect you are half-remembering comparing an early MS10 with a later MS20 (which used a different 'OTA' filter design...

Fortunately, all of the current re-issue MS20s have the ability to select either the 35 or OTA filter type, so a current MS20 can sound identical to an early MS10 from that point of view.

And if PWM is your thing, the desktop MS20M version even has the same Pulse-width Modulation input socket which was included on the original MS10 but frustratingly omitted from the MS20.

[Arpangel]

I don’t think the filter is exactly the same...

Different filters were used in different generations of the MS range but -- as evidenced in those service manuals -- both the 10 and 20 started out with the same '35' filter.

I suspect you are half-remembering comparing an early MS10 with a later MS20 (which used a different 'OTA' filter design...

Fortunately, all of the current re-issue MS20s have the ability to select either the 35 or OTA filter type, so a current MS20 can sound identical to an early MS10 from that point of view.

And if PWM is your thing, the desktop MS20M version even has the same Pulse-width Modulation input socket which was included on the original MS10 but frustratingly omitted from the MS20.

OK, so a reissue may be more practical, and better value for money, but the MS10 looks really cool.
I think I’ll investigate the 20 reissue though.