Korg M1

A little bit fiddly to get started with the small LCD screen, but
once you know what your doing and what does what, it's a breeze.

A lot of features and even more when once you find them.

The Multi Sounds are great.
The M1 is capable of producing some great sounds with a little tweaking here and there.

Some keys started to stick after a couple of years hard hitting.
But I did buy mine 2nd user, so I can't really complain.

Never had and I don't think I'll need it

Don't ignore this synth, you will regret it.
The unique red glowing buttons and large, sleak, black panel make's this synth look a true pro-synth.

This is one of those synths that you keep. I'm still amazed, after all this time, of what can be gotten out of this synth. Programs and Combinations are pretty straight forward. You can even make quick edits from the front panel without digging around in the Edit menu.

A lot of people don't know just what this synth is capable of, like for instance you can play General Midi files thru it. For all the files needed for this, head to The Korg M/T Series Super Site at...

http://korg.terrashare.com

The factory patches don't due justice to this synth. It's only after aquiring new sounds that'll you'll really appreciate what this synth can due. If you need the factory files though, they can be found at...

http://korg.terrashare.com

Rock Solid. The only problems you'll have is the internal battery will eventually die out, and some of the switches will go bad. The battery only costs a few bucks, and the switches only ran me a dollar.

Korg no longer supports this synth, but many service centers still do as this synth was very popular. In it's day though, Korg did provide free ROM upgrades, even paying for a service center to install it.

Defintely a keeper. I would repurchase it, as they are pretty cheap used and there are a ton of patches out there for this synth due to it's popularity. It deserves it's "classic" rating.

Pretty easy to move around,once you get the hang of it and considering the ancient technology. I am not sure when these boards came out, but I bought mine in 1987 brand new. I see that the price really came down after a couple of years! >:( Oh well, that's the way technology works.

Top of the line board in it's day. The 8 track sequencer, effects, midi, and combo sounds all make this a great board for it's age. Compared to my new Triton Pro, it is a dinosaur, however! :)

I love the sounds on the M1. Many are still unmatched today. I saw a review that one guy didn't like it's drum sounds. I like them! I love them! I think they are powerful, tight and expresive. I might even like them better than the sounds on the Triton. The SAX is awesome and I like program 47 - Pipe Organ.

What is it, 13 or 14 years old. I had to replace the battery once. It still goes strong. Not one little problem, even after my kid poured V8 juice all down in the keys back in 1991. :)

NADA, ZIP, ZILCH! I am very disappointed in Korg for their support on this board. How can you make a product as awesome as the M1 and then turn your back on it. I mean, sure, move on to bigger and better, but help your customers maintain their old products!! It makes me scared of how long it will be before they ditch the Triton!

Overall, spectacular machine. I am not sure at what price you could buy one today, but if I lost it, I probably wouldn't replace it. It is a great box, but the technology is just so much better now. Light years appart. It is severely limited by the fact that it came out prior to general midi and it's data transfers are cumbersome and lack signifcant memory capabilities. Many years of faithful service. :)

The factory presets are rather bad, unless you are using the string and piano sounds, but I prefer to tweak my own sounds! If you save your original keyboard set-up, you can get in there and start screwing around with the presets to come up with some pretty good sounds!

The effects are fairly good for a ten year old keyboard, and they are fairly easy to use. Lately, I've been using it as a master keyboard, triggering my E-mu sampler and Roland Super-JX with the built in sequencer! When you mix it's sounds in with the other boards, they fit really well! ...O-yeah, by the way...I have RARELY gotten good drum patches from the korg! I always use outboard drums, mainly Alesis drum machines and modules, or sampled drums on the E-mu! I only wish it had a bigger memory capacity in the sequencer!

Very good techno/dance sounds...IF you tweak the crap out of existing presets, or edit your own presets from squarewave, etc.! Great acoustic piano, strings, and some good horns! I LOVE the sax sounds on this board!

I bought my M1 new, when it first came out, for around $1500.00 (I think!) I haven't had any problems, other than battery replacement!

NON-EXISTANT!!! If you want support for this board, search the net! If you go to the Korg site: http://www.korg.com , and type "Korg M1" into the product search box...they come back with the message "Product not found!"

I would definitely buy another M1, if anything ever happened to mine! I can't imagine life without it!

I just want to say that I bought my M1 in around 1990. I think I paid about $1400.
I have to say that I still love it warts and all because I made more money with this keyboard than any other piece of equipment that I have ever owned!
I still hear the piano sound being used in commercials today!
I think its strengths are the saxophone, horn, acoustic guitar and pad sounds. The organ sounds are weak. The electric piano sounds are pretty lame, in my opinion. (Buy an 01W for those)
The piano sounds do not stand up to critical listening tests, but in a live situation they rock!
I have edited many patches and combi's for live performance. Most of my tweaks involved reducing the long reverb times and cutting the bass EQ.
This keyboard sits well in the mix!

Keyboard action is classic synth. (Pounding the plastic!) It is more reliable than my 01WFD which is four years younger and has some sticky keys.

This keyboard is still a money maker. Its sounds have transcended "flavor of the month" status.

This was my main ax for about four years. I still use it in my rig along with an 01WFD.
I have never ever had a problem with this keyboard. I always use a medium duty case when I take it out of the house.

If I had to replace it, I would buy the M1Rex, or if I couldn't find one of those, I would buy another M1 in a heartbeat. I believe they sell for about $500 used these days.
My main ax has been an 01WFD for the last 5 years or so, but the M1 horn sounds are punchier, and the piano sound is more identifiable. The keyboard action is also better.

I don't use the sequencer, so it's not a problem for me. The general layout is good. It's not too dificult to operate directly form the front panel, but some aspects are a bit annoying (4 drums patches definable only in the global mode, etc).

Generaly speaking I find it rather easy, but it's age shows a lot here.

Not much features here: limite expansion thru the ROM cards. Polyphony is rather low. There's 2 pairs of stereo outputs. I use it for what it is: a sound source to make M1 like sounds, so I don't expect more from it.

Let me surprise you: it's sound GREAT! I have lot's of synths (not just oldies: P2000, JV, K2000, Wavestation, etc), and I can assure you that the M1Rex sounds is thruly great.

DON'T expect it to do TB-303 emulations, TR-909 grooves or Nord Lead styles solos. It's a M1, so buy it for that: M1 type sounds. M1 sounds have a character which only a M1 can do.
It has a classic sound and it's still a valuable piece of equipement.

Do you expect a Prophet-5 to do convincing piano? Do you expect a Jupiter-8 to make a great acoustic guitar emulation? Of course not. So why expect the M1 to make other things than M1-like sounds (pianos, pads, dreamy-pads, voice-like-pads, ...). See my point?
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They are rather reliable. Mine has a broken button, but everything else is ok.

The M1 isn't up to today's standard, but if you happen to like it's sounds (like me), then there's nothing like it. And it can be bought for peanuts nowadays.

I consider the M1Rex to be the best buy in the M1 line: it's rack (why bother with the keyboard, get a descent controller instead) and the EX gives you very good additional samples.
Don't buy a M1 as your main synth and expect it to do late 90s type sounds. It's a waste of money and time. Buy it to complement your rig.

My M-1 is one of the first and I have to say that I learned all of the ins and outs in no time!!! The set-up is very easy to follow and even changing parameters is easy. A+ to Korg

The ployphony is 16 notes and the key action is fine. The effects are ok and are easy to use. it can take cards, although I have never used one other than a memory card...but you can not add new samples. I have loved using the on-board sequencer! It is very easy to use!!!

I found the sounds to be great! The piano and brass instruments are a bit flat, but the other sounds are fine. I was most disappointed with the strings. They are not very good and the loop is poorly made.

I have had no problems with the M-1...in fact I replaced the battery myself. I have never used it on the road, but between all of the places I have lived it has held up wonderfully.

N/A

I have enjoyed this keyboard and have found new ways for it to grow with me. I have been using Unisyn to import and create new fresh sounds. I wish I could import new samples, but in 1990 this thing was top dog!

Easy-peasy, although this is partly because is doesn't do an awful lot. Ahhhh, bless. Sequencer might be mildly challenging.

Quite limited by today's standards. Basic filters and low polyphony, I'm afraid. You'll soon get tired.

I'm sorry but it really is truly awful. Okay, there might be the odd usable pad and the piano impresssion is almost acceptable. But the main problem is its lack of potential; what you get with the factory presets really is the best it can muster - not acceptable.

Utterly reliable - its best point.

Not sure.

Fine as a stage instrument for a crappy Country & Western band, but of no use here in the UK where such abominations have thankfully been prohibited by law. I sold mine and made a 50 quid profit, if you've got one then I suggest you do the same.

Presets were ok. The user interface was the best what i had seen in embedded devices in year 1990. Manual was good.

Korg M1 is 16 voice sample playback synth with good sound and effect editing possibilities. Keyboard was ok if i compare it my current master keyboard (DX7). "Buy a piano if you need a piano touch" is my current philosophy. The only thing i missed was polyphony and no possibility to update samples. You can use external ROM cards, but they are very expensive if you compare to free samples that are available from Ensoniq EPS 16+ and other similar machines. The keyoard is has a channel after touch. On-board sequencer was 8-track if remember correctly and it was very easy and inspiring to use.

The best sounds of presets what i am some times missing are a very tight synth for songs like V Halen "Jump" and a pad for songs from G Medeiros or W Houston. On board effects are good. M1 has 4 separate outputs for external mixing. M1 was nice, easy and inspiring to play and to compose with.

I compare the device to Ensoniq EPS 16+ and it was really stabile. Suitable for home musicians or live players that do not want to hassle with samples and be afraid of the next crash.

If i need to buy only one synth in the same price range, i would buy Ensoniq EPS 16+, but if you really love some sounds of M1, buy it. In 1991, when i get bored to the sounds, i wonderd why didn't Korg put 256KB RAM for own samples and allow sample dump through midi. Anyway, if you need a really fast composing synth, M1 is so easy and ok sounding device that you can record your ideas very fast. And you don't have to hassle with floppies;-)