@@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!
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! 😊
How do you like the OpSix in comparison to the ModWave? I have a Hydra and Peak. I tried Modwave, but it's very menu-heavy and seems to need samples/wavetables to be loaded to make the most of it. I'm deciding whether an OpSix or ModWave would best suit my other synths and workflow.
@@bustagrinds865 I think the modwave beats the opsix in terms of its incredible breadth of possible sounds. That *is* because of the wavetable concept and the option to load your own files into it (what you absolutely don't need to, the factory wavetables are a good start anyway). The opsix, on the other side, makes FM accessible like never before. And I love FM, so I needed to have both.
@@bustagrinds865 Back to the question which one is better for you, considering what you already have. Still not easy... One could assume the Hydrasynth is wavetable based so the opsix was the better companion. But modwave and Hydra are totally different on their own. And BTW, I'd still love to get the Hydra, too.
@HJPhilippi thanks for the answer. I chose the OpSix due to the more immediate sound design workflow and several demos that I saw showing how harsh, and unique it can get. I attributed a lot of weird sounds to wavetable synthesis... but wavetables are just a shortcut to get a sound that other synths oftentimes made. I hate browsing and menu diving, so the OpSix fit my workflow much better.
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!
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!
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
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
@@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!
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 !
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!
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
@@keepitshortnsweet 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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'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 :)
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...
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.
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!
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.
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!
“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 👌😏
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.
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.
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 :)
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 :)
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.
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.
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...
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.
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...
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
"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
Aaaaah, I've been waiting for this video! Can't wait to see what they did here... EDIT -- Alright, done watching. Yeah, that's pretty impressive; very accessible for folks a bit new to FM. Would have liked to see some slightly more interesting default algorithms, but that's handled quite nicely by the custom algorithm page. I was a bit concerned about menus -- I completely bounced off of the DeepMind because I wasn't a fan of the menu diving necessary, but everything looks fairly straightforward and easy to navigate here. The left hand operator mixer is a great boon on the UI front, as well. Now it all comes down to price and availability! Given that it's entirely digital, I would imagine it has the potential to be very reasonably priced... but for me, any entirely digital synth will be competing with software solutions. Many of the sounds and effects on display here could be assembled with Ableton Live Suite components, so it's mainly the tactile, hardware element that makes the difference here for me -- which I acknowledge may very well be worth it! I'd love to get my hands on a demo of one in a music shop.
I don't see too many things that this can do that dexed can't, but this looks soooo much easier to use, it'd be worth it to me just to stop squinting at the tiny operator value in dexed
@@maxspencerkarinen6463 I totally agree! Question is... would that benefit be worth $800? I feel like there's an argument here for buying an Akai Midimix or APC40 mkII, and midi-mapping it to Dexed or Arturia's DX7 V to get a similarly tactile user interface for a lot less cash. Will it be as smooth as the OPSIX? Certainly not, but you can get 70% of the benefit for a greatly reduced cost, and that's probably appealing to some folks. (Don't mind me; I'm half trying to talk myself out of buying an OPSIX with this comment, hahaha.)
This was a fantastic review (again) and I love the whole idea of the OPSIX but then you demo'd 250 presets and I heard maybe 5 I would actually use. I guess the idea is great but I do not love FM sounds enough. Thanks for your video.
@@Goettelyeah, with that layout it’s all about programming your own sounds. If you just want presets, get dexed and look up other people’s patches or generate new random ones.
@@aceofdub I didn't catch that. I was really hoping to maybe recreate some DX sounds and the absence of after touch is a tad of a dealbreaker to be honest
@@the-synth-artistit’s late for me to say now but the update that added aftertouch MIDI support is great 👍 this thing really shines with a nice controller
@@kaitlyn__L that's really cool I didn't know that! I've never bought one after all, just got used to my Reface DX's limitations. Thank YT for notifying me about this reply lol
FYI - Korg just released a software-only version of opsix (with a discount for people who bought the hardware)
Absolutely buying the Wavestate VST. I’m getting the skinny from you on whether I need this one too 🤣
KOrg also made this 330$ 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!
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! 😊
How do you like the OpSix in comparison to the ModWave? I have a Hydra and Peak. I tried Modwave, but it's very menu-heavy and seems to need samples/wavetables to be loaded to make the most of it. I'm deciding whether an OpSix or ModWave would best suit my other synths and workflow.
@@bustagrinds865 I think the modwave beats the opsix in terms of its incredible breadth of possible sounds. That *is* because of the wavetable concept and the option to load your own files into it (what you absolutely don't need to, the factory wavetables are a good start anyway). The opsix, on the other side, makes FM accessible like never before. And I love FM, so I needed to have both.
@@bustagrinds865 Back to the question which one is better for you, considering what you already have. Still not easy... One could assume the Hydrasynth is wavetable based so the opsix was the better companion. But modwave and Hydra are totally different on their own. And BTW, I'd still love to get the Hydra, too.
@HJPhilippi thanks for the answer. I chose the OpSix due to the more immediate sound design workflow and several demos that I saw showing how harsh, and unique it can get. I attributed a lot of weird sounds to wavetable synthesis... but wavetables are just a shortcut to get a sound that other synths oftentimes made. I hate browsing and menu diving, so the OpSix fit my workflow much better.
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!
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
FM bells, and all of a sudden: TOP GUN.
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!
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
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!
You and the opsix did the best job to give a practical and fun overview on FM. Thanks for your service :)
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
You’re living the dream buddy!! Great job on pursuing what you love and not letting anyone hold you back!!
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 😂
Treatet myself for xmas this year with this synth. What a monster! Sound is simply beautiful.
Love the fact they have done it in the MS2000 colour..!!
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
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!
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 !
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 want one!! It'll look nice next to my Wavestate. I love your videos, sir.
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?
@@keepitshortnsweet 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
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 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.
After all the goodies, this beast has also well programmed presets!
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.
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!!
That was awesome.... best demonstration of FM synthesis I've ever come across. Thanks!
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.
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!
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
Congratulations 🥳 125.000 subscribers! Great video, as always...
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.
I saw you posted on Instagram and I could not miss this!! Great review🔥
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!
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'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 :)
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!
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...
Didn't skimp on the Effects. Even the Rotary Speaker is there.
Nice
Excellent Video once again. Your channel is top notch 🤘
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.
@@owRekssjfjxjxuurrpqpqss 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?
"...of course I wouldn't be talking about this unless I had a way around it." Hahaha Oh Loop...you're the best!
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...
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.
Another great review! Korg's got another winner there...
Amazing review as always. If the presets are representative, then I can't say I'm in love with the sound of this synth.
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!
“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?
@@loopop Love the Opsix, but he is referring to the lack of a good filter knob. It's there with a button press, but it isn't great to use.
Another great review and tutorial loopop I think your unbiased and informative videos are the best on RUclips. Keep up the good work.
As a child of the 80s I just can say WOW - a must have! Waiting for the MK2 in a few weeks...
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.
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 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.
Wonderful explanation & demonstration as usual. Interesting Synth.
Thanks
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 :)
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 :)
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.
Sound is absolutely gorgeous!
Sold! Thanks, loopop!
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.
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.
Another tiny, compact little review. Very nice! :-)
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...
Great review! If I didn't already own a Yamaha Montage, I'd be all over this.
Brilliant demo and overview!!!! You are a master. Thank you!
Korg Pushing Forward again... I like it !!
Finland! Torille. This thing sounds beautiful.
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!
Very nice review, thank you very much Loopop.
This sounds INCREDIBLE....
YES. Great review! This sounds absolutely killer!
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.
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
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.
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...
Beautiful! Come on korg! Desktop version please, I don't have enough space!
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
Very cool review, as usual. 100%
Korg is on a roll.
I'd love a vst of this. Wish Korg would dive more into that world.
Very in depth review as usual
Awesome video as always. Thank you.
This seems to be an amazing synth, well done.
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
Rackmount version Pls, no more space left in the studio for another keyboard.
As usual your reviews are perfect. 👍
Very good review!
Love your review, Loopop!!
But it would have been nice if it was a 5-octave keyboard
Thanks and I agree
Aaaaah, I've been waiting for this video!
Can't wait to see what they did here...
EDIT -- Alright, done watching. Yeah, that's pretty impressive; very accessible for folks a bit new to FM. Would have liked to see some slightly more interesting default algorithms, but that's handled quite nicely by the custom algorithm page.
I was a bit concerned about menus -- I completely bounced off of the DeepMind because I wasn't a fan of the menu diving necessary, but everything looks fairly straightforward and easy to navigate here. The left hand operator mixer is a great boon on the UI front, as well.
Now it all comes down to price and availability! Given that it's entirely digital, I would imagine it has the potential to be very reasonably priced... but for me, any entirely digital synth will be competing with software solutions. Many of the sounds and effects on display here could be assembled with Ableton Live Suite components, so it's mainly the tactile, hardware element that makes the difference here for me -- which I acknowledge may very well be worth it! I'd love to get my hands on a demo of one in a music shop.
I don't see too many things that this can do that dexed can't, but this looks soooo much easier to use, it'd be worth it to me just to stop squinting at the tiny operator value in dexed
@@maxspencerkarinen6463 I totally agree! Question is... would that benefit be worth $800?
I feel like there's an argument here for buying an Akai Midimix or APC40 mkII, and midi-mapping it to Dexed or Arturia's DX7 V to get a similarly tactile user interface for a lot less cash. Will it be as smooth as the OPSIX? Certainly not, but you can get 70% of the benefit for a greatly reduced cost, and that's probably appealing to some folks.
(Don't mind me; I'm half trying to talk myself out of buying an OPSIX with this comment, hahaha.)
The carrier/mod knobs and sliders are the definite highlights here. Easy to see what is going on.
Great review and video! you are really helping me out for sure. I need one of these!
Awesome synth, really excited about this!
Between this and Mega FM 2020 is not just a year of disaster and tragedy but the year of hands-on intuitive FM synthesis
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.
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 ! :)
love it... was wishing for an FM synth in this shape and accessibility for a while... FM seems tameable now :)
It's like they merged the super immediate hands-on control of an Akemie's Castle with a Digitone. Well done Korg.
This was a fantastic review (again) and I love the whole idea of the OPSIX but then you demo'd 250 presets and I heard maybe 5 I would actually use. I guess the idea is great but I do not love FM sounds enough. Thanks for your video.
It'd be a shame to get one and not program your own sounds anyway.
@@Goettelyeah, with that layout it’s all about programming your own sounds. If you just want presets, get dexed and look up other people’s patches or generate new random ones.
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