Korg M1R EX

For playing and performance it is easy. For setting up sounds to sequence (in a combi) I believe the M1 family does it better than any any other. For programming, as with other synths without a ton of knobs, it is tough because you have to jump around through the menus to get to parameters. There's nothing like knobs for that. Or an editor. Hmm...

16 voice single, 8 voice double.
Excellent effects even now - 2 effects units generating up to 2 effects each in serial or parallel. Downsides are overdrive/distortion are digital sounding, leslie sim is average, and they are not dynamically controllable via MIDI.
Program and multisound cards for expansion.
Great MIDI implementation for outboard sequencing. You can vary plenty with vel/touch/wheels.
On-board sequencer is to be ignored - we have computers nowadays. Yet, every now and again, I use to scratch something out.

Don't miss the boat & think it sounds too 80's because the sound is bright and often coated with exciter/reverb. Use the filter or EQ in the effects to darken the sound little and remove exciter/eq/reverb effects often employed too heavily on the sounds and you'll be happy. That filter is digital with no resonance so don't throw away your Moog modular just yet. Criminally, there is no glide/portamento or S&H but there are plenty of pitch modulators.

You have great opportunity to use key position, velocity, and aftertouch to be expressive, especially with the right sounds in combi mode.

It has some terrific drums sounds. The samples often have effects sampled on them but just go in there and set the decay for -90 and you have a punchy hit. Seriously, the drums are better than you might think.

These things always just work. I have an M1 and an M1rex and never have had a single problem.

I'm convinced Korg doesn't care about their older stuff - just what makes them money today. Try to search for the original M1rex sys-ex. Good luck. Luckily these things always work!

Must have an M1rex in my setup especially considering the going price. Sure get your Motif/Triton paired with a Virus but keep one of these in your rack. You'll use it! Especially good for sequencing from a computer. I give it a high rating because I really use it a lot (and I do own newer equipment).

I don't know. I only turn it on or off, select sound and play it sometimes I download patches using SoundDiver. That's all I do with it. I don't programm this thing. It's not worth it.

8 Mb of 189 below-average-quality samples, 16 voices, there is a multimode, but who needs it? 100 patches. Very big and quite heavy unit.

Basic acoustic sounds like piano, flute or brass may be passable, the choir sample is cool, but the rest just suck. Forget synth sounds, forget drums (very dated), forget strings (too edgy and unnatural). There are lots of programs on the net, I recommend to check them. It's funny how people turn those sounds inside out to make this unit sound good. Sometimes they almost succeed. I can't find a sound in this module which would make me want to keep it. Choir maybe. It's cool itself, I like to play it, but I can't just fit it into any song.

I don't know why I bought this thing. I don't know why I paid so much for it. I think I was insane. This thing is old and very limited machine with bad sounds. There are so many better choices for your money out there. In fact I don't think you'll find worse rompler than this.

Very easy to use if you are famalair with and M1.

The polyphony was never anything special but for the time it was released it was good. The effects are really noticable. This is a rare Ex version and there not many as produced as say the regular M1R.

The sax is great and basically these are T series sounds. It has all the M1 banks just no keys.

Great nice unit. Its a 2 space rack without rack ears which I which it came with. Great for a studio.

Never had to use them and I have heard certain parts are not avalable for older units than 10 years.

Great rack unit. I highly suggest it. I got mine on E-bay used for a great deal. These are getting rarer to find around.