Korg EXB-MOSS

1.51

6

Dont expect this replace a z1 - it doesnt at all and wont .The z1 is a unique machine with unique character absed on its outputs and build.This is a pale clone.

reliable

Dont buy it if you want the genuine z1 sound which is awesome or if you intend on selling the z1 and getting a triton or karma and this card - the z1 is unsellable if you have any sense....

easy to use if you understand synthesis

Same or similiar to the z1 - bu- lacks a few features

Well lets be frank - i own the z1 and had a karma next to it with this card installed in the karma - there a million miles away.Anyone
who knows the z1 and has used will know its got an organic and dynamic sound and a mind of its own which i'm afraid this card doesnt.I was quite shocked at how different they sound - this sounds boxed in compared to the z1 but thast probably down to the outputs on the karma.Dont expect this replace a z1 - it doesnt at all and wont .The z1 is a unique machine with unique character absed on its outputs and build.This is a pale clone.

reliable

?

Buy it if you fancy a novel addon to the karma and a very cool synthesis engine.Dont buy it if you want the genuine z1 sound which is awesome or if you intend on selling the z1 and getting a triton or karma and this card - the z1 is unsellable if you have any sense....

This EXB board is very intense and complex, but if you have previous experience with subtractive synthesis, you will recognize the basics. The capabilities of MOSS are endless--I was really impressed. Many of the factory presets are a bit lame though, so I suggest downloading the newer ones Korg.com has to offer (as well as a few other sites). This will show you what the MOSS can really do!
Editing patches takes time, as there are SO many parameters you can tweak. The MOSS is much more complex to program than the basic Triton synth engine, but the results can be incredible. I've only had the MOSS for a couple of weeks and have already created some fantastic emulations of Moog, Jupiter and Oberheim synths. As for the manual, well, it doesn't give as much detail and insight as I would have hoped for. Some aspects of MOSS are barely covered, but this opens the door for your imagination.

The only area Korg dropped the ball with MOSS is its limited polophony. I've gotten used to the 6 notes available, which can really be cut down when you use MOSS's various unison modes. But, after hearing the fantastic sounds this unit delivers, you accept this limitation. MOSS uses the Triton's insert and master effects.....nothing new to learn there. The number of waveforms and oscillator types you can use, combine and modulate will keep you busy for months. If you are a tweaker like I am, you'll discover how quickly time passes when you play and modify MOSS patches. I never expected results like this.

You get more than just synth sounds with the MOSS board. It also offers organ, EP, plucked and bowed string, as well as brass and reed instrument modelling. When I first listened to the factory patches from the different instrument models, I wasn't excited, but some of the newer patches I've downloaded from Korg.com and Irishacts.com convinced me that the MOSS can excel in this area as well. Some of the MOSS organs and EP's are better than what the Triton itself has to offer--better bass with the organ sounds especially, and some of the Hammond emulations are exceptional.

But--the synth sounds are where you will find the highest reward. I've been spending so much time with the MOSS sounds in my Triton--I have hardly played any of the Triton's own programs or combinations in the last couple of weeks. By the way, you can combine MOSS sounds with the Triton's sounds in combinations and sequences for some added "spice."

I've been impressed with Korg's quality for many years. Never had a problem.

I have contacted Korg customer service several time with basic questions, but like I said....no major problems.

If it were lost or stolen.....yes, I'd replace it. This is such a great piece of gear at a great price. (Don't pay retail for it....call around and get a better price, or get a used one.) I had auditioned the Alesis ION and liked that, but the thought of adding more keyboards to the studio wasn't appealing. Having the MOSS with all it has to offer right in the Triton....that's an asset. I find myself getting lost with new sounds and new song ideas.
I waited a long time to purchase it, but it was worth waiting for. The MOSS is a gem.

The Korg EXB-MOSS is an optional expasion board for TRITON series synthesizers. As far as installation is concerned, this is probably the easiest thing you'll do in getting started to use this board. Using the board is not terribly complicated, although the manual at times seems to be incomplete and not necessarily the most "user friendly". It took me a minute to figure out how to toggle into program mode using the menu/page button on my triton rack, something that is relatively simple and essential for editing parameter settings, but not outlined in the manual.

Once in program mode, editing is fairly self explanatory. The EXB-MOSS is a tone genarator and youre able to modify and edit 128 MOSS programs/combi's in bank F of your TRITON synth. From here you can go as deep as you like modify the tone programs by editing the multiple oscillators, filters, effects and LFO units.

Six-voice polyphony but dont let that concern or discourage you. You can make some tough-ass sound with this bitch. From teeth shattering bass to insane lead sounds, youd be hard pressed to find another synth on the market that can create sounds that are even remotely worthy.

This expansion board is a MUST for D&B heads. If youre addicted to speeded breaks like I am and happened to watch the Metalheadz documentary, Talkin Headz, then you had a chance to hear MOSS in action during the Ed Rush and Optical segment where he modulated that string sound on the Z1. Just sick shit. Yes, it sounds that good.

There is a total of 13 oscillator types for OSC1 and 9 for OSC2. These includes physical models that simulate instruments like a drawbar organ, a vintage electric piano, woodwind instruments such as flute, brass instruments such as a trumpet or trombone, and plucked string instruments like guitar or bass.

Its an expansion so youre not likely to ever have a problem. I know Ive never had any issues with the EXB-MOSS. My experience with Korg equipment as it stands is that they make reliable solid products.

Ive only had to call Korg customer service a few times for general questions regarding product support. In my opinion they were helpful and responsive.

Solid. After owning it, I cant imagine not using my Triton without it. Do yourself a favor, if youre looking for extra sounds or saving to buy an expansion rom for your TRITON, skip the rom, save a little more and pick this expansion board instead. You can pick them up sometimes for under $300 on ebay and unbelievably worth every penny. So dope you'll want to slap yourself.

The presets are a mixed bag from the Z1 factory preloads plus a few additional patches. I also own a Z1 with 18 voice polyphony. Editing patches through the Triton's touchscreen is way easier than in the Z1!!!! The manual is better than any offering from Roland(!). But to be honest ive never really consulted it so I can't comment about how bad or good it is. The presets sound great but they are 'tame' in general. The MOSS synthesis system is very very powerful (much more powerful than many of today's hot VA synths as a matter of fact!). This board should be edited and programmed to get some more wild sounds. The acoustic sounds have something about that that just screams "play me!". I love the blue guitar and dirty sax patches as well as the dirty strat patch. The EP's are great but of course the MOSS boards 6 note polyphony limit makes these sounds less satisfying to play and I use the actual Z1 for these.

The board is only 6 note polyphonic which I find a big limitation. To be honest Korg should have given us the same polyphony as the Z1 (12 notes). The fx are from the Triton. Unlike the Trinity's Prophecy MOSS board which also contained its own fx, this board relies strictly on the Triton's insert and master fx.

This is a very fantastic sounding expansion board! You can get an enormous amount of timbral variation from this board thats for sure!!!! It covers everything from screaming lead and bass to very warm pads and nice acoustic sounds. The acoustic instruments wont fool any serious listener but correct use of real time controls like the ribbon controller and knobs brings these sounds to life. There are hundreds of parameters and very powerful modulation routings. Some have commented that the filters don't sound that great but they are fine for me!!!! Well the Triton's origional filters are just shit compared to the ones in the MOSS board!!!!

Not a problem! Its an expansion board afterall!!!!!!!

Music Link is Korgs representative in Australia. They are always very professional and a pleasure to deal with when I have any enquiries.

I believe that a Triton or Karma is not complete without this board being installed! It adds a complete new synth and I believe that Korg should have fitted these boards as standard and not made them a quite expensive option! I own a project studio www.miditek.com.au and the Triton is the main synth I use even though I have access to many other sound sources as well. I wish that Korg did not abandon their MOSS sythesis system. Why they did is beyond me. The Z1 is just one mother of a synthesizer and they could have been leader of the pack as far as virtual analogue and physical modelling synthesis go had they have persisted in this area. Instead they went downmarket and concentrated on products like the way less flexible MS series and the electribes- well I suppose they have to cater for a market which generates profit for them and the Z1 and MOSS boards were expensive when they were released. I really wish that the fx routing scheme was not so spastic within the MOSS board!!!! You can only use a specific fx on all the MOSS patches when used multi-timbrally and that stinks! It should also have at least 12 notes of polyphony like the standard Z1 and Novation Nova's etc. I sincerely hope that Korg do not abandon the more 'higher end' area of synthesis development that they worked on with the MOSS board and the Z1. They would do themselves a great disservice if they did. For anyone with a Triton or Karma, I highly recommend getting this board!

If you get a MOSS then you are integrating it into your Triton/Karma, so it's as difficult ( or easy ! ) as they are. In fact it's not realy easy to push a button five times then rotate the dialer a little just to switch from SAW to PULSE !!! But everything is clear and you have no problem finding your way ( if you know what an analogue modeler is ! ), it's just too much work.
As always the manual sucks, there are a lot of parameters ( specialy for none analogue models like strings or brass... ) that you have no idea what they do and have to find out by trial and error.

Polyphony is 6 which might be limiting specialy with unison ( upto six voices ! )but again conidering that you are using a Triton/Karma along with MOSS, you can chose from their pads and drums and put MOSS polyphony aside for your BASS and LEAD ( & ARP-SEQ ).The good thong is you can assign diffrent polyphony to different channels so not only it doeas work multi-timbral but you don't have to worry about polyphony on your channels ( like if your lead eats your bass's polyphony ! )
on the other hand all the sounds from your MOSS are on the same BUS, that is all your MOSS channels will have the same effects ( insert and master ) as the first one.
You have 4 EGs and 4 LFOs and a AMP-EG that you can assign to anything you like, there are two mixers and each one outputs to a different filter and each filter can be set reagaedless of the other one. on each filter there are low pass, high pass, band pass, band reject and dual band pass, so you have everything you need to creat sounds that never existed before.
memory is only 128 ( the whole bank f on karma )and no more !so you can not have A LOT OF sounds together , you have to keep loading different sounds just to check how good they sound :(.

This is the reason you might want to get a MOSS. Analogue models are real good,their DENSITY blows you away :D anything from moog modular & Taurus type bass to mini moog leads, prophet type sounds... it does all real good. Among other physical models, the elec piano and brass stand out, string models don't sound realistic unless for surreal sounds(ie guitars that don't sound like a guitar ! ). brass model is one of the bests, just tweak the pich bend a little and it screams like a real trumpet. wood wind model is OK. Anyway I think your main interest would be the analogue model, so it takes 10 for that NOT for all models.

Well it's just a board, there are no mechanical work in there so if no ODD thing ( like a lightning that shocks your home's voltage ! )happens youcan be sure it works fine, the rest is just about the reliability of your keyboard.

I got this second hand ( ebay ) and never dealt with korg on that.

I have always been using alot of VST analogue modelers in my works but they are not easy. when MOSS is installed you have it as a native sound engine, so it eases your pain a lot, you can EASILY use it alongsides your Karma ( yeah , I have a Karma not a Triton ! :) ) sounds and effects AND the same sequncer ( this one means goodbye to all the painfull Cubase settings and worrying about your CPU/memory load ).
If it were stolen my Karma would be stolen too ! so I would think about a NORD LEAD( for analogue sounds not Karma sounds !!! ). but believe me for the price you pay this board does a lot and deos them damn good.
I compared it to arturia moog modullar, steinberg model-E, prophet 53 and reaktor's junatik. other than being kind of difficult and not straight forward to edit, it sounds better than all of them.( that's no surprise, it's a hardware, the difference is like that between Graphics Software rendering and 3D Hardware rendering ). i say this because alot of people use these softwares for their works, MOSS is about the same price but works better.