Korg MicroKorg XL PLUS Analog Modeling Synthesizer and Vocoder Keyboard

With fat virtual-analog synth sounds, vintage keyboard voices, Kaoss effects, and a vocoder, the compact MicroKorg XL PLUS is a tiny synth with huge power.

Add synth textures, vintage keyboard sounds, and vocoding excitement to your music project with the microKORG XL PLUS synthesizer -- the big brother to Korg's massively popular microKORG. How do you improve on a smash-hit super-portable synth? For starters, the XL PLUS boasts a more intuitive user interface, more versatile PCM sounds for vintage keyboard instruments, an upgraded microphone for the vocoder, and a USB port. Korg packs all this into a dare-we-call-it-cute 22-inch-wide, under-5-pound package, complete with an improved 37-key Natural Touch mini-keyboard. Fortifed with Korg's powerful Radias sound engine, this compact synth delivers a huge helping of rich analog sounds, including Korg's SGproX stage piano, M1 keyboard, and VOX organ.

Learn more about the Korg MicroKorg XL PLUS with this video:


Easy to Use, Even for Synth Noobs

With analog-style knobs and the welcome addition of a backlit LCD screen, the microKORG XL PLUS begs to be played right out of the box. Korg has laid out its 128 editable preset sounds so even beginners can find what they need fast. Turn the Program Genre dial to one of eight "genres" (try '70s Vintage!) and turn the Program Category dial to a type of instrument (poly synth, bass, lead, strings, and so on). You can now use the Bank Select lever to toggle between sounds in your selected category. No scrolling through menus or punching in numbers - just grab user-friendly knobs and switches to quickly access any of the staple sounds, and read more use the four right-hand knobs to tweak your tone. Get even more mileage out of the microKORG XL PLUS presets by applying a dedicated two-band EQ and any two effects borrowed from Korg's Kaoss line, from EQ, compression, and delay to pitch and phase-modulation -- 17 effects in all.

Build and Edit Sounds on the Synth...

If building your own sounds from scratch is more your speed, the microKORG XL PLUS lets you get your hands dirty in Full Edit Mode, while the addition of a backlit LCD screen help you see what you're doing. Two oscillators offer PCM-sampled pianos, organs, brass and more, along with the usual analog-modeling suspects like sawtooth and square waves. Shape your sound with two smooth filters, modulate it with two LFOs and three envelopes, and add distortion with the drive/waveshaping processor. Got a sound you like? Turn on the microKORG XL's arpeggiator and apply one of six arpeggio types -- you can adjust duration, spacing, and on/off status for each of eight steps in the pattern, and even synchronize the frequency of your LFO, or your delay effect, to the arpeggiator's tempo. Korg's Virtual Patch mode lets you assign control parameters to sound parameters -- like assigning the mod wheel to control filter cutoffs.

...Or Edit Sounds on Your Computer

If this all sounds like a lot to squint at on such a small keyboard, Korg has you covered with the USB port on the XL PLUS. Connect it to your Mac or PC running Korg's free software editor, back up the factory sounds, and dig deep into your own creations from the comfort of your computer screen. Or simply use the software to rearrange sounds within the banks, so your favorite presets are always just a knob-click away.

Fun with Vocoding

Delight your audience with the microKORG XL PLUS's built-in 16-band vocoder. Just play a chord and talk into the mic to modulate your sound with one of the most dynamic filters on the planet: the human voice. Korg has included a sturdy metal gooseneck microphone that plugs straight into the standard XLR jack in the center top panel, so you can start vocoding right out of the box. Format Shift allows you to adjust each of the 16 frequency bands separately, to warp your voice beyond recognition. This must be what Korg was thinking when they gave the name "XL PLUS" to such a tiny synth: it's two tons of fun.

Features:

- Multi Modeling Technology sound engine, derived from the Korg Radias/R3 synths
- Even more vintage sounds than the first microKORG XL
- Easy-to-use presets
- 8-voice polyphony (twice that of the original microKORG)
- Dual effects processors from the Korg Kaoss, with 17 effects to choose from
- Improved Natural Touch mini-keys increases playability in a small footprint
- Full-size Pitch and Mod wheels
- 8-step arpeggiator with 6 built-in patterns
- Backlit LCD adds visual feedback
- 5-pin MIDI In and MIDI Out
- USB port for MIDI I/O and computer connection
- Free sound-editing software for easy sound building and preset tweaking
- 16-band vocoder with built-in XLR Gooseneck microphone and windscreen
- Extreme portability
- Vintage look

Power Supply: DC9V (Included) or 6 AA batteries (Not Included)

The original microKORG synth made waves with massive analog-modeling sound in a tiny footprint. Now, get analog re-creations plus pianos, electric pianos, strings and more -- along with Kaoss-derived effects -- in the updated microKORG XL PLUS.
WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.p65Warnings.ca.gov.
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INTERFACE and KEYBED:
- Display: Custom backlit LCD
- Keyboard: 37-note Natural Touch action
- Switches: 7; Bank (2 position), Octave Up and Down (toggle), timbre select (2 position), Arp On/Off, Vocoder On/Off, Write, Exit/Shift
- Knobs: 7; Volume, tempo, program select (genre and category), real-time assign, edit menu selector
- Wheels: Pitch and Modulation

PROGRAMS:
- Polyphony 8 voices (up to 4 when the vocoder is selected)- Program: 128- Number of timbres Maximum 2 (when using Layer, Split, or Multi)- Synth 2 oscillator + noise generator
- Oscillator 1
- Waveform SAW, PULSE, TRIANGLE, SINE, FORMANT,
- NOISE, PCM/DWGS, AUDIO IN
- Modulation WAVEFORM, CROSS, UNISON, VPM
- Oscillator 2
- Waveform SAW, PULSE, TRIANGLE, SINE
- Modulation RING, SYNC, RING+SYNC
- Wave shaping
- WS type DRIVE , DECIMATOR, HARDCLIP, OCT SAW,
- MULTI TRI, MULTI SIN, SUB OSC SAW, SUB- OSC SQU, SUB OSC TRI, SUB OSC SIN, LEVEL
- BOOST
- Multi-mode filters
- Filter 1
-24 dB/oct LPF: -12 dB/oct LPF, HPF, BPF, Thru
- Filter 2 LPF, HPF, BPF
- Vocoder 16-band vocoder, adjustable level and pan for each band, Format Shift function, Formant Hold function
- Keyboard 37-note (mini keyboard, velocity sensitive, no aftertouch)
- Effects Timbre: 2-band EQ
- Master: master effects (17 effect algorithms)
- Arpeggiator UP, DOWN, ALT1/2, Random, Trigger (6 types),
- Step Arpeggiator function
- Programs 128 programs (banks A/B x 8 genres x 8 categories)

CONNECTIONS:
- Input- AUDIO IN [LINE] jack, AUDIO IN [MIC] jack (with AUDIO IN [MIC/XLR] switch)
- AUDIO IN [LINE] jack
- Maximum input level+19 dBu
- Input source impedance: 8 ohms
- Connector: 1/4" phone jack (unbalanced)
- AUDIO IN [MIC] jack:
- Maximum input level-11 dBu- Input source impedance
- 7 k-ohms

- Connector XLR (balanced):
- Output
- L/MONO, R jacks
- Maximum output level +6 dBu @ 10 k-ohm load
- Output source impedance: 1 k-ohm
- Connectors 1/4" phone jacks (unbalanced)

- HEADPHONE jack:
- Maximum output level 36 + 36 dBu @ 33 ohms load
- Output source impedance: 10 ohms
- Connector 1/4" stereo phone jack
- MIDI IN, OUT: USB connector B type

MISC:
- Dimensions: (W x D x H) 21.89 x 9.09 x 2.87"
- Weight: 4.41 lbs.
- Power supply DC9V
- Six AA batteries (Approximate lifespan is 4 hours with alkaline batteries)
- Included items: XLR Gooseneck Microphone with windscreen, Power Adapter
Dimensions and Weight in Packaging
Base Item
Shipping Weight: 7 lbs
Shipping Dimensions: 25 x 14 x 5 in
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): MICROXLPLUS

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 631-390-6800
Web: https://www.korgusa.com/support

Korg MicroKorg XL PLUS

The Korg MicroKorg XL + starts with the same powerful MMT synthesis and 8-voice polyphony as the original MicroKorg XL and adds PCM dedicated to sought-after vintage keyboards instruments. The sixteen band vocoder offers unique Formant Shift and Formant Hold functions, and includes a gooseneck mic. Download the free editor software. Multi Modeling Synthesis (MMT); dual KAOSS derived effects processors; 16-band vocoder hot-rodded with Formant Hold and Formant Shift functions - MicroKorg XL + has it all. MicroKorg XL+ comes equipped with the piano sound from Korg's classic stage piano, the SGproX as well as its hard-edged grand-type electric piano.

Meet The Micro!

For years, the microKORG has been the world's top-selling music synthesizer. Now, the microKORG XL is ready to join the Korg line-up. Based on the same winning combination of a small footprint, mini-keys, battery-powered portability and huge Korg sound, the microKORG XL is ready to expand your musical vocabulary. The fun factor is huge, too. A gooseneck microphone is included for instant synthesizer vocoder excitement, right out of the box!

Neo-Vintage Music Synth Power

The microKORG XL music synthesizer carries a proud pedigree. The MMT (Multi Modeling Technology) sound engine is descended from the RADIAS/R3 synthesizers, while the dual effects processors come down from the famous KAOSS line. The microKORG XL also offers remarkable playability. For example, the black key/white key proportions have been adjusted for easier chording and the key response has been improved for rapid-fire soloing. And the old -school square front keys? Well, they look wicked cool! Together with a sound-bending vocoder and six-pattern arpeggiation, microKORG XL packs a powerful sonic punch.

From Vintage Synths to Modern Creations

The eight-voice MMT synth engine in the microKORG XL music synthesizer offers traditional analog waveforms plus a total of seven algorithms, including formant waveforms, noise, and PCM/DWGS waves for those vintage keyboards and strings. Cross-modulation, unison stacking, and VPM (Variable Phase Modulation) let you create sounds that would be impossible for a conventional PCM synthesizer to generate. Sync and ring modulation also make it easy to create complex and powerful sounds. Two multi-mode filters, a drive/waveshaping circuit for distinctively distorted sounds, and EG and LFO for creating time-varying tonal change, all provide plenty of parameters for serious synthesis. Virtual Patching brings it all together.

Effects Derived from the Korg Kaoss Series

Seventeen up-to-the-minute effects deliver everything from a traditional chorus all the way to grain shifting. In addition, delay effects can be synchronized to a MIDI clock for "beat-sensitive" situations. You can even process external sounds! The microKORG XL's amazing vocoder adds vocal characteristics to any sound, creating everything from pseudo choirs and talking instruments to vintage Sci-Fi robots. Our unique Formant Hold allows you to freeze the vocal input for continuous vocoder effects. You can also use the Formant Shift function to adjust the level and pan of each of the sixteen bands, greatly altering the tonal character. The distinctive retro-styling of the microKorg XL music synthesizer allows for quick selection of any of the 128 on-board, editable programs. For the diehard synthesists and sound designers, the three performance edit knobs provide for fast and effective editing...You're also free to select and assign your favorite parameters! Download the free Editing software and manage sounds on your computer!

Features:

- MIDI and USB connections
- Operates on battery power or an adapter for musicians on the go!
- Two grab-and-go knobs provide instant access to 128 editable programs
- Easy-to-read display makes editing a snap.
- Even more vintage sounds, including the KORG SGproX piano, M1 and VOX organs and Tape instruments
- 16-band vocoder with XLR gooseneck mic
- Unique Formant Hold and Formant Shift features
- Program genre selector that reflects the current musical scene
- A powerful Kaoss effects engine generates killer effects

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars. (2 ratings)
Submitted March 24, 2015 by Edward J in North Richland Hills, TX

"AWESOME SYNTH !"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I have played piano and multiple other instruments including several Guitars purchased from zZounds. This synth isn't quite what I expected. MUCH MORE !After only a limited time I have created some awesome sounds. I am an entry levelsynth person. But this seems to have a lot of professional potential. It looks and sounds great.
Features
Great sound re-production.
Ease of Use
A couple of tweeks and it is easy to use.
Quality
Seems to be very well constructed.
Value
Even though I am new to a synth. This is a great value even for the pro.
Manufacturer Support
We shall see.
The Wow Factor
Rather plain but still looks good.

Musical Background:

Been Playing over 40 years.

Musical Style:

Rock, Blues. Jazz, Country.
5 of 6 people (83%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
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