Korg Announces Monotron DUO & Monotron DELAY
Circuit Benders rejoice! Korg has added two new models to their Monotron Series of pocket-size, analog ribbon synthesizers, the Monotron DUO and Monotron DELAY. Offering battery power and a built-in speaker, the Monotrons can be used to make music anywhere or be torn apart to create your own sound making fun. There’s a headphone output for, well, headphones, connecting to an amplifier or a PA system.
Simple to use, the front panel provides five knobs and a front-panel switch, offering authentic hands-on analog control. The ribbon keyboard can be used for pinching out melodies or creating effects. The Monotron Series uses the same VCF circuit as Korg’s classic MS-10 and MS-20 semi modular synthesizers from over 30 years ago. The AUX input jack allows any audio source to be placed into the signal path and processed by this coveted analog filter, adding tone-bending filter effects to any sound or instrument.
Monotron DUO
This unit includes a second oscillator (VCO) with separate tuning. Tuning the oscillators in unison creates a thicker analog tone; tuning them in intervals is ideal for classic soloing sounds and for generating new effects. The X-MOD (cross modulation) circuit taken from Korg’s Mono/Poly can introduce a mild or razor-sharp edge to the overall sound; everything from a rich vibrato to extreme metallic sounds reminiscent of an FM synth. The Ribbon keyboard can be set to a Chromatic, Major, or Minor scale for easy playing across a selectable four-octave range.
Monotron DELAY
In addition to its analog oscillator, filter, and LFO, the Monotron Delay also provides a Space Delay effect equipped with Time and Feedback. This delay circuit even reproduces the pitch changes that occur when the delay time is varied, just as on an old-school tape echo. As with the filter, the delay effect can be added to any external sound via the Aux In jack. A trim pot on the back panel can continuously adjust the shape/direction of the LFO’s waveshape to deliver even more versatility. Finally, the ribbon keyboard offers a wide, four-octave range, and glows under black light illumination – along with some of the front panel artwork.
All of Korg’s Montron synths cost $70 bucks.
