New bass synth & Minilogue XDM from Korg

Valve-based Volca & keyboardless Minilogue are shown at Superbooth 2019

Korgs Minilogue XDM, launched at Superbooth 2019.

As SOS got ready for Superbooth, rumours reached our ears that Korg would be launching a couple of products, although details were scarce. When the show opened, two new synths were unveiled: the Nubass, an addition to the Volca range of mini synths, and the Minilogue XDM, a keyboardless table top version of the Minilogue XD.

The valve-powered Volca Nubass bass synth was launched alongside the Minilogue XDM.

Even from the name, it had been pretty clear that the new volca was a bass synth, but although we had heard that there was a valve in there somewhere, we hadnt reckoned with Nutube, which is a newly developed Korg vacuum tube used at the core of the new battery-powered volcas oscillator, sub-oscillator and drive circuits. These are coupled to a 16-step sequencer with Transpose, Accent and Slide parameters for classic Bassline-style electronic bass pattern construction, and what Korg describes as an aggressive-sounding ladder filter - which we can confirm is a good description, having now heard it on the Korg stand at Superbooth!

A close-up of the Korg-developed Nutube valve at the heart of the Volca Nubass.

The Minilogue XDM provides all the synthesis capabilites of the Minilogue XD but omits the latters keyboard. It can be connected to a Minilogue XD via MIDI, creating a combined eight-note polyphonic synth (see below), making good on a suggestion our own Gordon Reid made in his review of the original Minilogue in SOS March 2016, and which he bemoaned the continued lack of in the keyboard Minilogue XD review in the latest issue. However, shortly after that review went to press, a firmware update to make connecting the XD and XDM possible was announced.

The Volca Nubass, its now confirmed, will retail for £179$280 and the Minilogue XDM for £565$800.

Korgs Minilogue XD And Minilogue XDM linked together via MIDI for greater combined polyphony.

http://www.korg.com

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