Univox K-1 Mini-Korg

The K-1 Mini-Korg is very easy to use: everything you can control is on the front panel under the keys. All analog, so no "parameters", just knobs, sliders, switches. Very intuitive.

This is Korg's first successful keyboard product. It is also the simplest. No polyphony. No sequencer. It does have a "trigger output", and that's it. One convenience is that the power cord stores inside the keyboard inside a little locking door area.

Classic synth sound. Great portamento. Great noises.

What support? Someplace I have a copy of the schematics for this thing. All discreet components, so you don't need to be a robot to solder replacements if need be.

I've had this in my closet for years. I've lent it to a vintage synth friend who reluctantly returned it after 10 years. Back in the closet. But I bring it out once in a while to record it or play at a jam. Its unique by today's standards. Lots of digital synths try to immitate the old sounds but I've never heard any of them do this one justice. I just moved it to my garage and decided not to try to sell it. I'll keep it for another 25 years and see what happens.

Im writing about the K-2, not the K-1. THe K-2 has two VCOs, the K-1 only one. My dad baught this at some point in the 1970s. My memory of it goes back to like 1977,but I think its a bit older. I learned how to play synths on this thing. It is extremely easy to use--a 10 year old could (did) understand it! The filter is called a Traveller. The envelope and other components have there own termonology as well. My SH-101 is easier to use because the terms are standard.

Um...midi? polyphony? internal effects? look elsewhere. THe K-2 has pink and white noise and ring modulation settings, these can be blended with one oscillator or it can be a two oscillator unit. The second oscillator seems to produce only a sawtooth wave. No pitch bending abilities (very frustrating in 1982 when I was discovering Jan Hammer). There are two chorus settings when Oscilator one is set to a sawtooth wave. The filter can not fully resonate.

This is not a great bass synth. It is a great effect synth and lead line synth. The sawtooth waveform (when using two VCOs and the chorus)is really as good as my minimoog. Want the lead sound from ELP's Karnevil 9? You got it, and thats a modular moog, not a mini (The modulars are fatter than the mini even when in the same configuration). The sounds on this thing are totally analog and they produce when you ask them too.

I guess dad bought it new in '75 or '76. By 1981 I was carrying it to band practice and then stopped using it by 1986. I honestly think it sat in my Dad's garage from '86 until I pulled it out and reclaimed it about a year and a half ago. Not one problem at all. All oscillators in full calibration. Almost as stable as my MOTM stuff. I call that reliable.

um...............if you have or get one, open it up. You will see a series of adjustable (with a screw driver) pots. Play with them! Remember where they were set before you do so you can put them back if you want. I did back in 1983.

I love this thing. I really dont know why I didn't pull it out of Dad's garage sooner. I own lots of current stuff and an Oberheim OB-8 and DX-7, but as far as analog monophonics I have an SH-101, a minimoog, a micromoog, and a 13 module MOTM system. THe K-2 is almost as unique as the MOTM.

Not only are all the control names palpable (e.g, Vibrato, Repeat), but they are color coded as well. The tone shaping controls are all color coded For example, the wave form, traveller(LFO), and brighness knobs are red. The blue knobs control vibrato; the green, portamento. This is the best synth to buy for an illiterate friend.

The fact that this is an analog (non-MIDI) monophonic keyboard should not impede anyone from making great music with it.

This Univox has a very clean sound with a lot of treble. From it, I can elicit a house-y string synth to many very strange sci-fi type tones and noises. In addition, it produces realistic reed and wind instrument sounds very well, if you're in to that sort of thing.

Despite the instrument's age, there are no oscillation problems. If you place it on "repeat", it will maintain the note forever.

This a great keyboard, for both live performance and recording. Unlike other analogs (Moogs come to mind), the learning curve is not great. Within an hour, anyone can probably get 20 different interesting sounds with it. Also, the relative unpopularity of this model means it can add a distinctive feel to your music: many musicians have Moogs and JP-8000's, but few have Univoxes.

Limited number of settings (portamento, vibrato, pitch shift, several different waveforms... etc.), but the combination of sounds of limitless...

THe styling rules! All of the switches are in the front of the synth... (http://www.synthmuseum.com/univox/unik201a.jpg)... Actually, this picture is that of a K-2; the only difference being the pots on the top, left of the keys...

I love this synth. It's simple, it's analog, it's beautiful. The texture of the sounds are very thick, and are great for old analog synth-type leads, not for beats or basslines...

Works fine. It's really old. That combination deserves a good rating.

What is customer support? I never even heard of Univox before I got this synth...

In the words of a Saturday Night Live personality, "I love it I love it I love it I love it I love it..."