@@powermix24 I was thinking to get the Sonicware XFM, knowing that the OPSIX was over my budget ($750), then I got email today from REVERB that this synth is $330! Jumped on it right away and I got it! It's all gone when I saw your comment, for those who are reading this :( I was watching this video again today to get familiar with it, because LOOPOP is the best!
i just bought one of these. i am very excited! i worked with fm for decades (i've even gone sailing with jc). this instrument is one i've always wanted in terms of being able to control mod osc volume in real time. so cool!
Great work Korg! This is such a power packed synth. Definitely worth getting one. And as always, thank you loopop, for the detailed and extremely well presented review.
Excellent review and insight as always. Especially the cutoff knob hack! I’m actually pretty blown away by how this sounds and the price point is damn good for so much FM power/playability
@@spridgejuice if I didn’t have Premium, I would NEVER use RUclips again!! I’ve seen the results on friends RUclips accounts that don’t have Premium, and I would go mad or find the CEO of Google and beat him senseless for the amount of ads! If they ever raise the price, I’d stop using RUclips altogether!
Would make a groovy companion for my Wavestate, but TBH the Wavestate is so deep, it will keep me entertained/challenged/pleased for a long time. But then again, those sounds you played at the end were pretty awesome, and unique. Thanks for the great demo's
@@MD_is_me Many of the patches remind me of presets or sounds I've made on the TX7 (dx7 module) and FM7/8. The former obviously didn't have the effects or filter the OPSix has though. It's a shame Korg didn't make the filter analogue. Nevertheless it sounds great and I'm very tempted to buy.
Okay, here I am, buying a (2nd hand) opsix 3 years after Loopop’s review. Or more accurately, after watching this review a dozen times. Good things need their time. As an addition to my beloved modwave monster, this little FM beast just rocks. Simply incredible, how much sound for the bucks you get here! 😊
You have given me a new perspective on synthesizers. At the end of the day, they are just tools with pros and cons. Look past big names, hypes, and expensive cases to find out what you really want/need!
FM is just so cool. Never understood what was so hard to learn about frequency mod, but I'm not complaining about more FM beasts with modern convenience. Also while it's pretty common these days, glad they included more than just sine variants for the op. Good call korg. Great demo as always
IMO it was never any harder to learn than digital additive, or analogue modular subtractive. The limited programming interface offered by the likes of the DX7 and CZ-101 seems to have turned off some of the older generation of synth geeks to the possibilities, and gave rise to the "third party programmer" with their thousands of (sometimes bland) presets at your fingertips. This certainly has a friendlier physical interface if the sound is what you're looking for.
amazing. that's what every FM synth ever released should be. had to wait till 2020 to finally turn it into reality!! ufff.. thanks Korg !! .. and thanks @loopop for another great review !
Sure it's cool and the interface is one of the best I've ever seen on a hardware FM synth, but nobody is talking about the most important thing here: the panel is pretty.
In person it's even better. I don't like LEDs in general, but Korg did a great job there. All colours match everything -- including the chameleon green. It's a mix of retro-modern that went really well. Kudos Korg!
What a cheap hunk of plastic? No way!! The digitone keys look is so funky and cool I'm so glad they took that gamble. It will definitely become a cult classic.. It's not for the mass market like this!
I like how they took interface from elektron and improved it with direct control over certain crucial parameters. Make it desktop and multi-timbral - would be a no-brainer.
@@JoeBWall The Kodamo Essence is by far the coolest and most powerful FM synth, especially when coupled with a few extra knobs or sliders over MIDI for more tactile hands-on control. I'm not the biggest fan of touch screen interfaces, even though it seems really easy to use.
I tried this synth a few days ago and I was amazed by the ergonomics, the usability ... a real pleasure of intelligence ... also, note, it is very light - 2, 9 kg - which is appreciable when traveling! Thank you for this video, have a nice day
When I need to make a buying decision, I check out loopop. With all the OPSixes hitting the market due to the recent blowout pricing, this video was incredibly useful once again. Going to be checking out this as soon as my keyboard rolls in.
the fake hard sync is actually true soft sync, and you can use a square to FM other oscs to achive the same effect. It works like a forward backward playing direction! when the square modulator is positive the carrier plays normally. and when it is negative the carrier plays backwards.
I've been with my Opsix for about half a year (your review was one of the ones I watched), and just coming back to this video and skipping around I stumbled upon your trick of using a mute filter carrier as a filter to an audible "modulator". And with my experience with the synth now I understand not only how it works, but why it is a neat trick to pull off :)
Okay, you convinced me to buy one (it wasn't hard). I downloaded and skimmed the manual. This thing will read DX7 patches, which is pretty cool. The manual says it does not have a perfect one-to-one map from the DX7 so the patches might not sound the same. To me that sounds like an amusing thing to try just to what what happens!
I still feel that FM either sounds all the same or it takes way too much effort to achieve something different but still usable. I have watched reviews of ModX and the opsix but I still didn't hear anything interesting apart from the usual bells and EPs. I'm pretty happy with my Nord wave2 that has some tiny fm section that covers those basic fm sounds. A whole synth just for that still doesn't really seem worth it. Wavetable and subtractive synth seem much more flexible and practical.
Loopop. Korg has made me fall in love with FM. They've achieved the impossible. I used to think FM was difficult, and I had no use for it. I hated it. I still hate the DX7 (the 80's, man....) Korg has, for me, turned it into a sound designer's dream. I use VPM MOD7 on the Nautilus, and whilst it is a little more tricky to control compared to Kronos (lacks sliders to vary the levels of each VPM) it has all the features that OPsix, with a decent visual representation of how the VPMs and filters link up. Great stuff!
Due to the recent sale on Opsix, I’ve got to come and see you Loopop. I can’t stress it enough, you’re videos are invaluable and you are an essential part of my understanding of all of my hardware. I greatly appreciate your work. Thank you.
2 months later, and almost 3 weeks of programming in (over 70 patches, with 50 I consider good quality), this has become my favorite synth to program. Korg truly did make FM understandable and accessible, and this synth continues to inspire my latest visions of sound design. And this all started with your great review. Truly look forward to your future review of the upcoming Korg Modwave, if that's in the works :)
OMG I'm hooked on this thing. The only FM synthesis I have ever done is with DAWs, and all the hardware synths I own are Subtractive/semi-modular synths. So...this just might become my first hardware FM synth.... if I find a couple of K somewhere... Though in my situation with how little time I have left I might just empty out my savings account. FM synthesis - the last thing he ever got to try...
Great video as usual. A cool refreshing new synth on the market. I really like the FM operator mixer section. This is a feature that is pretty unique for the FM market and seems very hands on. Cool stuff.
Sounds better than a digitone to me, more grunge and heft to be had. Filter modulation was particularly gnarly, like it. However, overbridge is such a workflow-enhancer...
From an educational point this review was top-notch. I watch on an old MacBook pro and output the audio optically to a BluNote II stream using its DAC to a 50-watt Rega amp to JBL Arena 130 speakers on the desktop. Why all this? The BluNote has a subwoof out to a PolkAudio subwoofer under the table. Wooooo when you hit some of those sub-base notes the room moves. You won't hear what's down there with computer speakers :)
I instantly fell in love with the Opsix the moment I turned it on and played it at the store. I wanted to love the Modwave just as much but I didn't. I still like it though, it's super cool.
Because of the Wavestate form factor, I have a feeling they most likely won't do a desktop version. Digitone might be the best desktop FM machine option we'll have for a bit.
Great video and a smart synth. Very usefull to understand "in practice" FM principles. Going back to my MODX FM engine (8 operators) it will be stellar to progress.
When comparing the different FM synths, it becomes clear what a good job Korg did with the user interface! Regarding the basic pure FM functionalities it is much alike their Volca FM, which is a total pain in the butt to edit patches on. Then I saw some videos of the Liven XFM which eliminates almost all menu diving, but is still limited to a very rudimentary LCD screen and many shift-button functions. When you see the opsix then, you're almost blown away how well an interface can be structured and designed. When watching the video one can really imagine that working with the opsix is a very intuitive sound exploration experience, whereas on the other synths it rather resembles a complex programming assignment.
You can actually set the operator knobs to cutoff frequency knobs. So the filter knob con isn’t as much of an issue. You can basically recreate architectures of other synthesizers using the user algorithms and place filters in the signal path you wish.
I'm looking to make a buying decision about the opsix mkII, and this was a great resource, *despite* getting Heart and Souled in the sequencer rundown. special shoutouts to the demo of all the presets, including castlevania quotes
There's one more thing missing which only the earliest DX7s had: a glitch option! Brian Eno loved the early DX7 because it had an interesting glitch which sounded strangely _unstable_ & gave certain patches an interesting _randomness_ which no other synth could achieve. Later models of the DX7 "fixed" the glitch & Eno pointed out that at a stroke Yahama had removed one of it's most _interesting_ features! It's a shame that companies like Korg & Novation call in the likes of Aphex Twin to help them develop their synths ( _as they should_ ) but to my knowledge *never* Brian Eno who is the person the companies need to listen to more than anyone in my opinion.
"KORG Opsix SE and SE Platinum - With a premium all-metal design, 61-keys, and aftertouch, it unlocks a new world of sonic capabilities" :D ruclips.net/video/PAjAfP6fDZE/видео.html
What I hated about the DX 7 was the limited on-board sounds, plus the difficulty in designing sounds. It forced owners to purchase new sounds made by professional sound designers; (remember Bo Tomlin?) Thus, the DX was killed when multi-sample synths hit the market, eventually culminating in synths with sampled acoustic, analog and digital waveforms (as in the Roland D70). This was more sound combining than sound design, so out came analog modeling synths with standard analog waveforms plus digital wave tables with full sound design capabilities (as in the Waldorf Q). I wish the DX 7 had had the format of the Korg Opsix. Yamaha missed an opportunity. Korg did it again! Great presentation Loopop!
"more sound combining than sound design" No, sir, those romplers, when editable, have EGs, filters, LFOs, and more just like analogue and analogue modeling synths. Their digital oscillators took samples instead of voltages (VCOs) or algorithims (VA), but among their arsenals of samples were also basic, single-cycle sawtooths, squares, etc., as basic sawtooth basses and square leads and what not are best done with good ol' simple sawtooths, squares, etc. This continues into the modern day with the common performance romplers like the ever popular Juno-DS and MODX. Most people cared much more for presets than sound design back then, so presets were the synth sellers, not user-friendliness in sound design, thus skimpy front panel controls and excessive menu-diving.
@@Jason75913 I was referring to the way most uses of the D70 simply combined up to 4 tones to make a multi-layered or split patch. The commercially available sound cards for the D70 consisted mainly of that. I personally took a deep dive into the tone editing parameters to create entirely new tones--many using the analog and digital waveform samples. Being romplers rather than oscillators they could not be synced and there was no pulse width modulation, but there was a sampled Jupiter 8 PWM string waveform that was very convincing. There were also some sounds that passed for oscillator sync electric guitar fairly well. Of course, after that, analog modeled digital oscillators were a great leap forward (as in the Roland JP8000 and beyond).
@@aceofdub I didn't catch that. I was really hoping to maybe recreate some DX sounds and the absence of after touch is a tad of a dealbreaker to be honest
@@the-synth-artistit’s late for me to say now but the update that added aftertouch MIDI support is great 👍 this thing really shines with a nice controller
@@kaitlyn__L that's really cool I didn't know that! I've never bought one after all, just got used to my Reface DX's limitations. Thank YT for notifying me about this reply lol
The programming interface of this synth is very similar to the Sytrus plugin of FL Studio. FM synthesis is a lot less complicated when using a proper interface. It looks like a lot of people still suffer from PTSD decades after having tried to modify a DX7 patch.
This sounds pretty great for a reasonably priced digital synthesizer. I don't really understand why, if you bothered to make this crazy instrument, you wouldn't give it a 5-octave AT/MPE keybed. This machine is one of those instances where the sound engineers got a lot right, but the final form has been compromised by a lack of confidence in the product. It really does sound pretty amazing, but the type of person who will really take advantage of an instrument like this probably requires, at the very least, a 5-octave keyboard in order to make it consistently usable. The teaser model had this very feature, but here we see a 3-octave, 32-voice digital synthesizer in 2020... It does sound great, but fuck...... Would it have actually hurt sales any if this were priced at $999 and came with a proper keybed?
Same with the Wavestate. I'm hoping that they're waiting to see how sales do, and then releasing full-size version with aftertouch and more connectivity further down the line - or maybe even desktop versions. I'd buy a desktop Wavestate or Opsix!
I think it's mainly a cost issue - along with the fact so many will control this with another keyboard. Quality +2 octave keyboard with aftertouch costs a lot more which = fewer sales. This is the environment big companies find themselves in = make it perfect and sell fewer or more affordable and it sells like popcorn.
I choose kurzweil...In VAST, you can combine 32 FM Layers in one program, totally 192 OPs...or do FM with DSP, so you can get a modular FM with 64 OPs, even use sample as mod and so on...
So much useful info here, thank you - we can always rely on loopop to do a thorough job :D There were several things covered here that I didn't know about, for example the per-voice LFO sync option (good), the fine tune in ratio mode, and the undo for when you accidentally select a preset (nice one, Korg!). I love the waveform selections and the operator modes - they make this a very desriable synth with a reasonable price tag. It's only three octaves, but actually I'm OK with that, as I'd see this as a synth to carry about with me when travelling, so I can work on sound design. I'm increasingly likely to buy this now...
“The best approach I’ve seen yet to make FM synthesis as malleable as a filter cutoff knob is to substractive synthesis” 👈 nicest way to put a compliment while pointing to a flaw 👌😏
FYI - Korg just released a software-only version of opsix (with a discount for people who bought the hardware)
Absolutely buying the Wavestate VST. I’m getting the skinny from you on whether I need this one too 🤣
KOrg also made this 330$ for a limited time which is a S T E A L... still a few left on reverb as of this post.
@@powermix24 Yep just picked one up. Looks like they discontinued it too so I wonder what used prices will look like in the coming months.
@@powermix24 I was thinking to get the Sonicware XFM, knowing that the OPSIX was over my budget ($750), then I got email today from REVERB that this synth is $330!
Jumped on it right away and I got it!
It's all gone when I saw your comment, for those who are reading this :(
I was watching this video again today to get familiar with it, because LOOPOP is the best!
@@dvuemedia Yes for 330 it is a steal deal!
KORG'S operator layout of this synth is pure Genius, because it finally lays out FM in such a way, as to make it actually Understandable!!
It's basically sytrus in hardware form.
I'm only 15 minutes in and I am seeing the best FM synth interface I've ever seen. Who would have thought it would be Korg that would pull it off.
check out MegaFM this synth has a knob per function layout!
i just bought one of these. i am very excited! i worked with fm for decades (i've even gone sailing with jc). this instrument is one i've always wanted in terms of being able to control mod osc volume in real time. so cool!
Korg still killing it and for me really leading the industry with their releases. Great review as always. Cheers and stay safe! 😁
I see a 1983 synth with knobs extra waves and more adsr's and lfo's
@@uvoikimovundutrauerblume3302 that's what people have been clamouring for.
@@Heathcliff_hensel exactly!
They are refining each synthesis type and putting it into sexy package. Very focused. I like that.
Really? I had a triton and thought it sucked
Loopop is one of the few video makers that I watch on Normal speed, not 1.5x or 2x.
Good job explaining FM and everything else!
FM has always been somewhat of a mystery to me, this is a GREAT product demo... I learned so much about frequency mod! Thank you for posting!!!
here, even if you understand nothing or quite, it is easy to modulate & explore
Great work Korg! This is such a power packed synth. Definitely worth getting one. And as always, thank you loopop, for the detailed and extremely well presented review.
Love the fact they have done it in the MS2000 colour..!!
Excellent review and insight as always. Especially the cutoff knob hack! I’m actually pretty blown away by how this sounds and the price point is damn good for so much FM power/playability
You and the opsix did the best job to give a practical and fun overview on FM. Thanks for your service :)
Holy.. The TX81z is my fave synth, I love FM, it's so cool to see FM suddenly getting all kinds of love and new stuff.
I so loved my TX81Z. I never used it as my main synth, but as an addition to my D50 etc it was superb
It was a giant paper weight 😂
FM bells, and all of a sudden: TOP GUN.
That was awesome.... best demonstration of FM synthesis I've ever come across. Thanks!
I didn’t skip the ad, it was forced with no option to skip 😊 and great video as always 🤘🏻
youtube is basically forcing people to buy premium or go mad - eg that paypal advert is deeply offensive aurally
@@spridgejuice if I didn’t have Premium, I would NEVER use RUclips again!! I’ve seen the results on friends RUclips accounts that don’t have Premium, and I would go mad or find the CEO of Google and beat him senseless for the amount of ads! If they ever raise the price, I’d stop using RUclips altogether!
Would make a groovy companion for my Wavestate, but TBH the Wavestate is so deep, it will keep me entertained/challenged/pleased for a long time.
But then again, those sounds you played at the end were pretty awesome, and unique.
Thanks for the great demo's
Not unique if you've spent any time with Yamaha's FM synth range but I agree that it still generates awesome tones.
@@John_Stone_ What Yamaha would compare to this?
@@MD_is_me Many of the patches remind me of presets or sounds I've made on the TX7 (dx7 module) and FM7/8.
The former obviously didn't have the effects or filter the OPSix has though. It's a shame Korg didn't make the filter analogue. Nevertheless it sounds great and I'm very tempted to buy.
dx7 famous for the six op bass sounds for the best of reasons. 6 op synth? sign me up KORG
Your reviews rock! This is the most compelling layout and workflow on an FM synth i've seen. A rackmount version would be awesome.
Great news!!
You’re living the dream buddy!! Great job on pursuing what you love and not letting anyone hold you back!!
Okay, here I am, buying a (2nd hand) opsix 3 years after Loopop’s review. Or more accurately, after watching this review a dozen times. Good things need their time. As an addition to my beloved modwave monster, this little FM beast just rocks. Simply incredible, how much sound for the bucks you get here! 😊
Treatet myself for xmas this year with this synth. What a monster! Sound is simply beautiful.
Congratulations 🥳 125.000 subscribers! Great video, as always...
😤The one time I wish companies would actually send me something 😭 This is so cool looking.
Just ask, you never know :)
Do you need us to @Korg about it?
This man must get more love from the manufacturers. And especially Korg, who got an S tier from him (decision I fully agree with)
You don’t do that, remember?😉
@sbmphr Very interesting that Wavestate = Raspberry Pi. That means RPi has more software than is opened to public.
Didn't skimp on the Effects. Even the Rotary Speaker is there.
Nice
You have given me a new perspective on synthesizers. At the end of the day, they are just tools with pros and cons. Look past big names, hypes, and expensive cases to find out what you really want/need!
Thanks very much and that's great to hear!
FM is just so cool. Never understood what was so hard to learn about frequency mod, but I'm not complaining about more FM beasts with modern convenience.
Also while it's pretty common these days, glad they included more than just sine variants for the op. Good call korg.
Great demo as always
IMO it was never any harder to learn than digital additive, or analogue modular subtractive. The limited programming interface offered by the likes of the DX7 and CZ-101 seems to have turned off some of the older generation of synth geeks to the possibilities, and gave rise to the "third party programmer" with their thousands of (sometimes bland) presets at your fingertips. This certainly has a friendlier physical interface if the sound is what you're looking for.
Agreed! Interface is the key. No membrane switches
amazing. that's what every FM synth ever released should be. had to wait till 2020 to finally turn it into reality!! ufff.. thanks Korg !!
.. and thanks @loopop for another great review !
Sure it's cool and the interface is one of the best I've ever seen on a hardware FM synth, but nobody is talking about the most important thing here: the panel is pretty.
I agree. Its gonna look great next to my gold monologue
In person it's even better. I don't like LEDs in general, but Korg did a great job there. All colours match everything -- including the chameleon green. It's a mix of retro-modern that went really well. Kudos Korg!
The lights of the sequencer/favorites are way too bright. Distracting. The operator lights should be brighter, comparatively.
@@hermask815 maybe I'm remembering wrong but I thought there was a firmware update for that
@@hermask815 actually maybe I'm thinking of the behringer 2600. They both have bright LEDs...
This what the Digitone keys should have looked like but KORG nailed it with the usability !
Also glad this synth fell into loopop's hands too early😆
What a cheap hunk of plastic? No way!! The digitone keys look is so funky and cool I'm so glad they took that gamble. It will definitely become a cult classic.. It's not for the mass market like this!
I saw you posted on Instagram and I could not miss this!! Great review🔥
I like how they took interface from elektron and improved it with direct control over certain crucial parameters. Make it desktop and multi-timbral - would be a no-brainer.
For desktop, multitimbral (and 300 voices), we have the Kodamo Essence.
@@JoeBWall The Kodamo Essence is by far the coolest and most powerful FM synth, especially when coupled with a few extra knobs or sliders over MIDI for more tactile hands-on control. I'm not the biggest fan of touch screen interfaces, even though it seems really easy to use.
Wish they’d take the sequencer too because their synth sequencers are generally garbage.
@@Kdkjdjewerdnxa they did kind of. But it's very stripped back compared to elektron. It's definitely an elektron style seq though
It is almost nothing like the elektron sequencer. Have you actually used the sequencer on the opsix and an elektron sequencer?
I tried this synth a few days ago and I was amazed by the ergonomics, the usability ... a real pleasure of intelligence ... also, note, it is very light - 2, 9 kg - which is appreciable when traveling! Thank you for this video, have a nice day
When I need to make a buying decision, I check out loopop. With all the OPSixes hitting the market due to the recent blowout pricing, this video was incredibly useful once again. Going to be checking out this as soon as my keyboard rolls in.
Two reviews in one week - we must be blessed. Korg can't be stopped! Next on the release list - Kronos 3 and SQ-64, looking forward to both reviews.
the fake hard sync is actually true soft sync, and you can use a square to FM other oscs to achive the same effect.
It works like a forward backward playing direction!
when the square modulator is positive the carrier plays normally. and when it is negative the carrier plays backwards.
This is a great video! I have now just figured out from it, how to use the Mod7 on my Kronos. A great class in FM. Great little synth. Thank you.
I want one!! It'll look nice next to my Wavestate. I love your videos, sir.
I've been with my Opsix for about half a year (your review was one of the ones I watched), and just coming back to this video and skipping around I stumbled upon your trick of using a mute filter carrier as a filter to an audible "modulator". And with my experience with the synth now I understand not only how it works, but why it is a neat trick to pull off :)
Okay, you convinced me to buy one (it wasn't hard). I downloaded and skimmed the manual. This thing will read DX7 patches, which is pretty cool. The manual says it does not have a perfect one-to-one map from the DX7 so the patches might not sound the same. To me that sounds like an amusing thing to try just to what what happens!
Another great review! Korg's got another winner there...
I'm not a fan of FM synthesis, but this has changed my mind a bit!. Great video as always!
FM is capable of so much more than tinkly stuff or 80s pop. I've got some really phat patches on my TX7.
I still feel that FM either sounds all the same or it takes way too much effort to achieve something different but still usable. I have watched reviews of ModX and the opsix but I still didn't hear anything interesting apart from the usual bells and EPs.
I'm pretty happy with my Nord wave2 that has some tiny fm section that covers those basic fm sounds. A whole synth just for that still doesn't really seem worth it. Wavetable and subtractive synth seem much more flexible and practical.
Wonderful explanation & demonstration as usual. Interesting Synth.
Thanks
Loopop. Korg has made me fall in love with FM. They've achieved the impossible. I used to think FM was difficult, and I had no use for it. I hated it. I still hate the DX7 (the 80's, man....)
Korg has, for me, turned it into a sound designer's dream. I use VPM MOD7 on the Nautilus, and whilst it is a little more tricky to control compared to Kronos (lacks sliders to vary the levels of each VPM) it has all the features that OPsix, with a decent visual representation of how the VPMs and filters link up. Great stuff!
After all the goodies, this beast has also well programmed presets!
I recently got the Kodamo EssenceFM, which is mind blowing, but this looks interesting too. Great video as always!
Same here! I love the EssenceFM. I don't think that either one can really be called "better" than the other, but they're both very interesting synths.
Due to the recent sale on Opsix, I’ve got to come and see you Loopop.
I can’t stress it enough, you’re videos are invaluable and you are an essential part of my understanding of all of my hardware. I greatly appreciate your work. Thank you.
My pleasure - thanks for taking the time to write!
My next synth! I've been waiting for this! Awesome Review. Thank you!
2 months later, and almost 3 weeks of programming in (over 70 patches, with 50 I consider good quality), this has become my favorite synth to program. Korg truly did make FM understandable and accessible, and this synth continues to inspire my latest visions of sound design. And this all started with your great review. Truly look forward to your future review of the upcoming Korg Modwave, if that's in the works :)
OMG I'm hooked on this thing. The only FM synthesis I have ever done is with DAWs, and all the hardware synths I own are Subtractive/semi-modular synths. So...this just might become my first hardware FM synth.... if I find a couple of K somewhere... Though in my situation with how little time I have left I might just empty out my savings account. FM synthesis - the last thing he ever got to try...
Another great review and tutorial loopop I think your unbiased and informative videos are the best on RUclips. Keep up the good work.
Great video as usual.
A cool refreshing new synth on the market. I really like the FM operator mixer section. This is a feature that is pretty unique for the FM market and seems very hands on. Cool stuff.
Sounds better than a digitone to me, more grunge and heft to be had. Filter modulation was particularly gnarly, like it. However, overbridge is such a workflow-enhancer...
From an educational point this review was top-notch. I watch on an old MacBook pro and output the audio optically to a BluNote II stream using its DAC to a 50-watt Rega amp to JBL Arena 130 speakers on the desktop. Why all this? The BluNote has a subwoof out to a PolkAudio subwoofer under the table. Wooooo when you hit some of those sub-base notes the room moves. You won't hear what's down there with computer speakers :)
I instantly fell in love with the Opsix the moment I turned it on and played it at the store. I wanted to love the Modwave just as much but I didn't. I still like it though, it's super cool.
I really hope they make a desktop version 😍
or rack version
Because of the Wavestate form factor, I have a feeling they most likely won't do a desktop version. Digitone might be the best desktop FM machine option we'll have for a bit.
@@lordundhimself1310 don’t forget the DX200!
@@emrah1986 nah I had a dx200 this thing is much nicer.
@@Heathcliff_hensel I was referring to the Digitone, not the Opsix.
Another tiny, compact little review. Very nice! :-)
Great video and a smart synth. Very usefull to understand "in practice" FM principles. Going back to my MODX FM engine (8 operators) it will be stellar to progress.
When comparing the different FM synths, it becomes clear what a good job Korg did with the user interface! Regarding the basic pure FM functionalities it is much alike their Volca FM, which is a total pain in the butt to edit patches on. Then I saw some videos of the Liven XFM which eliminates almost all menu diving, but is still limited to a very rudimentary LCD screen and many shift-button functions. When you see the opsix then, you're almost blown away how well an interface can be structured and designed. When watching the video one can really imagine that working with the opsix is a very intuitive sound exploration experience, whereas on the other synths it rather resembles a complex programming assignment.
Amazing review as always. If the presets are representative, then I can't say I'm in love with the sound of this synth.
You can actually set the operator knobs to cutoff frequency knobs. So the filter knob con isn’t as much of an issue. You can basically recreate architectures of other synthesizers using the user algorithms and place filters in the signal path you wish.
I'm looking to make a buying decision about the opsix mkII, and this was a great resource, *despite* getting Heart and Souled in the sequencer rundown.
special shoutouts to the demo of all the presets, including castlevania quotes
Brilliant demo and overview!!!! You are a master. Thank you!
After the horror show that was the resistive touch screen on the Korg Nautilus, this is really exciting. A truly hands on FM synth. Well done Korg!
48:18 pads are siiiiiiick
Sound is absolutely gorgeous!
Yamaha sat on 6 operator FM for decades and never added knobs & sliders or effects. So glad that this is way more than another Reface.
There's Yammie's FM-X engine in their MODX keyboards and Montage flagship.
Excellent Video once again. Your channel is top notch 🤘
Great review! If I didn't already own a Yamaha Montage, I'd be all over this.
Very nice review, thank you very much Loopop.
"...of course I wouldn't be talking about this unless I had a way around it." Hahaha Oh Loop...you're the best!
Sold! Thanks, loopop!
i’ve been holding out on buying a volca fm, so glad i waited. i will def be getting this as my fm synth
I'm going to hold out a little longer to see if a rack/desktop version is released.
YES. Great review! This sounds absolutely killer!
Great video Z. This is a fantastic FM synth. I would like to see a bigger keyboard though for sure.
I let the ads play by the way. :)
Thanks! it's ok to skip them if they're not interesting - I do!
There's one more thing missing which only the earliest DX7s had: a glitch option! Brian Eno loved the early DX7 because it had an interesting glitch which sounded strangely _unstable_ & gave certain patches an interesting _randomness_ which no other synth could achieve. Later models of the DX7 "fixed" the glitch & Eno pointed out that at a stroke Yahama had removed one of it's most _interesting_ features! It's a shame that companies like Korg & Novation call in the likes of Aphex Twin to help them develop their synths ( _as they should_ ) but to my knowledge *never* Brian Eno who is the person the companies need to listen to more than anyone in my opinion.
why are their so many italics in this post? like i dont disagree, the italics just seem random XD
@@Nalinalinali He's an emphatic guy. Let him be.
Does the Korg has Pitch-Envelopes? Like the later DX had?
Totally agree. The Aphex/Novation us just a gimmick. An Eno-collaborated synth would be something to get properly excited about.
Randomness? I've never heard of such a DX7 feature. Do you have a link to any of what you're suggesting?
As a child of the 80s I just can say WOW - a must have! Waiting for the MK2 in a few weeks...
After the DX7, this looks like a breeze. Bet you a 61 key version will come out if this is a hit.
Love the interface big time.
If this came out in a 61-key variant with a Fatar keybed or similar, I'd buy this in an instant. Either that or a desktop version.
"KORG Opsix SE and SE Platinum - With a premium all-metal design, 61-keys, and aftertouch, it unlocks a new world of sonic capabilities" :D ruclips.net/video/PAjAfP6fDZE/видео.html
This aged nicely..😅
lol yeah both came out ! @@granderlavail6836
Beautiful! Come on korg! Desktop version please, I don't have enough space!
What I hated about the DX 7 was the limited on-board sounds, plus the difficulty in designing sounds. It forced owners to purchase new sounds made by professional sound designers; (remember Bo Tomlin?) Thus, the DX was killed when multi-sample synths hit the market, eventually culminating in synths with sampled acoustic, analog and digital waveforms (as in the Roland D70). This was more sound combining than sound design, so out came analog modeling synths with standard analog waveforms plus digital wave tables with full sound design capabilities (as in the Waldorf Q). I wish the DX 7 had had the format of the Korg Opsix. Yamaha missed an opportunity. Korg did it again! Great presentation Loopop!
"more sound combining than sound design"
No, sir, those romplers, when editable, have EGs, filters, LFOs, and more just like analogue and analogue modeling synths. Their digital oscillators took samples instead of voltages (VCOs) or algorithims (VA), but among their arsenals of samples were also basic, single-cycle sawtooths, squares, etc., as basic sawtooth basses and square leads and what not are best done with good ol' simple sawtooths, squares, etc. This continues into the modern day with the common performance romplers like the ever popular Juno-DS and MODX.
Most people cared much more for presets than sound design back then, so presets were the synth sellers, not user-friendliness in sound design, thus skimpy front panel controls and excessive menu-diving.
@@Jason75913 I was referring to the way most uses of the D70 simply combined up to 4 tones to make a multi-layered or split patch. The commercially available sound cards for the D70 consisted mainly of that. I personally took a deep dive into the tone editing parameters to create entirely new tones--many using the analog and digital waveform samples. Being romplers rather than oscillators they could not be synced and there was no pulse width modulation, but there was a sampled Jupiter 8 PWM string waveform that was very convincing. There were also some sounds that passed for oscillator sync electric guitar fairly well. Of course, after that, analog modeled digital oscillators were a great leap forward (as in the Roland JP8000 and beyond).
I've wanted a mini DX all this time. The DX Reface cannot do the power of the original DX7 but this is that, but so much more
@@aceofdub I didn't catch that. I was really hoping to maybe recreate some DX sounds and the absence of after touch is a tad of a dealbreaker to be honest
@@the-synth-artistit’s late for me to say now but the update that added aftertouch MIDI support is great 👍 this thing really shines with a nice controller
@@kaitlyn__L that's really cool I didn't know that! I've never bought one after all, just got used to my Reface DX's limitations. Thank YT for notifying me about this reply lol
I so want one of these sat next to my Minilogue XD.
haha i was thinking the same thing!
Them paired would be so dooope!
@@ruffiankick IKR!!!
In love with 2 of these. Question: changing the Volume of the keyboard? How, Where? And changing Tempo to a desired BPM?
Very cool review, as usual. 100%
Lovely review. I think in the right hands this could be a powerhouse.
another great video Ziv, note to a safe self: "That channel presents unreal synth, so you can't buy them, they don't exist" :D
Very good review!
0:46 loopop! Lookout! The Undertaker!
Reminded me of topgun.
Loopop will not be making any more gear videos due to injuries sustained from being thrown off the top of Hell In A Cell through the announcers table
@@t00lshack Aaah right. Right before the theme kicks in.
The 2.0 update makes the hardware crash the WHOLE time. So far this happened when changing voices and using motion.
Awesome video as always. Thank you.
The programming interface of this synth is very similar to the Sytrus plugin of FL Studio. FM synthesis is a lot less complicated when using a proper interface. It looks like a lot of people still suffer from PTSD decades after having tried to modify a DX7 patch.
Yes, or ZERO from Blamsoft for Reason.
Modify? More like destruction lol. The best thing about my FS1R was you could randomize patches with Sounddiver.
Korg Pushing Forward again... I like it !!
Great review and video! you are really helping me out for sure. I need one of these!
This sounds pretty great for a reasonably priced digital synthesizer. I don't really understand why, if you bothered to make this crazy instrument, you wouldn't give it a 5-octave AT/MPE keybed. This machine is one of those instances where the sound engineers got a lot right, but the final form has been compromised by a lack of confidence in the product. It really does sound pretty amazing, but the type of person who will really take advantage of an instrument like this probably requires, at the very least, a 5-octave keyboard in order to make it consistently usable. The teaser model had this very feature, but here we see a 3-octave, 32-voice digital synthesizer in 2020... It does sound great, but fuck...... Would it have actually hurt sales any if this were priced at $999 and came with a proper keybed?
couldn't agree more... i was really hyped when i saw the NAMM 2020 opsix, but this, is not what i have been waiting for.
Same with the Wavestate. I'm hoping that they're waiting to see how sales do, and then releasing full-size version with aftertouch and more connectivity further down the line - or maybe even desktop versions. I'd buy a desktop Wavestate or Opsix!
I think it's mainly a cost issue - along with the fact so many will control this with another keyboard. Quality +2 octave keyboard with aftertouch costs a lot more which = fewer sales. This is the environment big companies find themselves in = make it perfect and sell fewer or more affordable and it sells like popcorn.
Seconding this. Completely unusable for live playing. Only good if you use a sequencer
Exactly, the only thing missing is two octaves.
Rackmount version Pls, no more space left in the studio for another keyboard.
As usual your reviews are perfect. 👍
Finland! Torille. This thing sounds beautiful.
I choose kurzweil...In VAST, you can combine 32 FM Layers in one program, totally 192 OPs...or do FM with DSP, so you can get a modular FM with 64 OPs, even use sample as mod and so on...
So much useful info here, thank you - we can always rely on loopop to do a thorough job :D There were several things covered here that I didn't know about, for example the per-voice LFO sync option (good), the fine tune in ratio mode, and the undo for when you accidentally select a preset (nice one, Korg!). I love the waveform selections and the operator modes - they make this a very desriable synth with a reasonable price tag. It's only three octaves, but actually I'm OK with that, as I'd see this as a synth to carry about with me when travelling, so I can work on sound design. I'm increasingly likely to buy this now...
“The best approach I’ve seen yet to make FM synthesis as malleable as a filter cutoff knob is to substractive synthesis” 👈 nicest way to put a compliment while pointing to a flaw 👌😏
I think I missed your point - what flaw?
You are a music academy ..and that too the one which does things right ! thank you for putting the work in making these wonderful instructional s ! :)
Between this and Mega FM 2020 is not just a year of disaster and tragedy but the year of hands-on intuitive FM synthesis
This seems to be an amazing synth, well done.
I want one, but with a decent keyboard or no keyboard. For programming sounds it looks as easy as this style gets in hardware.