A Performance Multi-FX for $169 // Korg NTS-3 Kaoss Pad

This is the Korg NTS-3 Kaoss pad! Its a small DIY performance FX which is surprisingly good! If you enjoy my vids consider supporting them here: / bobeats
Check NTS-3 in stores here:
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[@BoBeats]

You can check NTS-3 in stores here: Thomann (EU): thmn.to/thoprod/584416?offid=1&affid=623 Sweetwater (NA): sweetwater.sjv.io/75PZGV Perfect Circuit (NA): link.perfectcircuit.com/t/v1/S0BERUlFSUBFR0VHSEdATEpITA?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.perfectcircuit.com%2Fkorg-nu-tekt-nts-3-kaoss-pad.html Affiliate links support the channel regardless of what you buy and at no cost to you.

[@lummsmusik3219]

I waited for it a long time. Thx for review. There are not many small inexpensive fx devices for small synths setups. Well done Korg!

[@Tripwelleverday]

I use this on my big synth setup it’s amazing

[@andycordy5190]

😅 To someone who started out before digital effects were even a thing, digital was always about clean sound, a relief from all the line noise and other audio problems of analogue, the possibility of real time control as rich and continuously variable as demonstrated here. Amazed.

[@Tripwelleverday]

Sold out everywhere during preorders this is by far the best kaosspad ever made it’s amazing the whole layering is common sense it’s the best fx system ever im in love with it wow now to get really deep and download all the free custom efx presets

[@neonmorgen]

Sadly, there is no many custom fx at the moment that are compatible with the NTS-3, isn't it ? Anyway, Sinevibes will probably release all their effects soon on it !

[@Tripwelleverday]

@@neonmorgen I made my own

[@neonmorgen]

@@Tripwelleverday What do you mean ?

[@MichaMaschiene-jd8wd]

​@@neonmorgen think he means to build Your Own Custom Patcher With Editor 🎛️

[@Tiger.Arcade]

Really wanted to see a demo before purchasing. Thanks Bo for the great introduction!

[@djkanyon]

haha bro, can't wait to see it on your channel

[@krazywabbit]

Thank you for the demo. Very nice sounds. The switch for sync or midi. At this price point? Should be a standard moving forward. When I think of all the comments I’ve seen about gear costing too much, this should sell out. Sure someone will have a complaint. Can’t please everyone.

[@Raku777]

Thanks for sharing. I am glad that Korg is sending you things to review. I am also happy to hear that you know Loopop! I watch him too and like his review style. It does look like a good unit and it has a lot of effects at a low cost. The software seems a good bonus.

[@danwentz]

Korg is still killin it!

[@billyretrogamer]

I’ve had this preordered since like February- it’s perfect for my setup- size, ability, connections, etc!

[@butteo]

Thomann: "Available in several months" 😆🤣😆

[@AnthonyGoodley]

It's now been several months and it is available. My sales rep called today and told me that the one he placed on hold for me is now available. Ships tomorrow from Sweetwater.

[@hadrien5697]

Damn Korg already won the superbooth

[@sawtooth808]

This would make a lovely “partner in Grime” to a setup consisting of a Roland SP 404 mk 2 & a Novation Circuit (OG, or Trax) That Submarine Reverb is worth the price of admission alone 🤤

[@coconutlust470]

Looks very cool. Question: If I were going to use this in my set up, it would be as a multi-fx that I would not be touching most of the time. If you have multiple FX running on it, do you have to be touching the pad for the FX to work? Or can you "dial" in a setting with your fingers and save it?

[@ababyalbatross9016]

curious about this, surely it stays at your last finger position right?

[@kaitlyn__L]

If it’s anything like old Kaoss Pads that’ll be what the “perform” button controls

[@RJ_Eckie]

The unit has freeze functionality for all effects, which keeps them in place without holding your finger down

[@coconutlust470]

@@RJ_Eckie Thanks! Looks like it will find its way into my studio at some point in the future then. With any luck, in a few months will have made a nice little wooden enclosure for it that keeps it a bit safer.

[@scrobotasaurus]

​@@coconutlust470 check the manual first. I have the NTS-1 and it has an auto-off "feature" after like 30 minutes of it not being touched. If this has the same sort of thing, it would be troublesome as a hands-off FX unit.

[@BenCoeMusic]

Great demo as always Bo! Really nice to see affordable little boxes that let you get real experimental. This and the stylophone theramin are the first things I’ve really wanted to buy in a few years. (Not that there’s anything wrong with traditional synths/effects, just really exciting to see this type of stuff be affordable).

[@mauchkimberly]

OMG! There is a switch inside, on the board, so that you can switch the sync to midi? Exactly the information I wanted to know.

[@RJ_Eckie]

I’m really excited for this one! Four simultaneous fx is quite unique in the cheaper segment, let alone having the touch controls. (Not to mention the custom FX, routing and how small it is.) Can’t wait for them to start shipping 🙏🏻

[@radfaraf]

MIDI was a surprise!

[@kaitlyn__L]

I’ve been curious about 3rd party effects for NTS-1 for a while, but had no interest in it as a synth and wasn’t sure about modulating the FX with that panel. This is very compelling indeed, having 2D modulation control AND a modulation depth touch slider! I never liked the Kaossilators, and had wanted Korg to make another Kaoss Pad _purely_ focused on effects for a while.

[@andrewmello367]

You just made me buy this and a seqtrak. Thanks homie 😊.

[@sleepy_onion4838]

Legit such a great piece of gear

[@7177YT]

Solid demo, thanks!

[@sassymonkey]

Great review (as always!). I sincerely hope its MIDI In support allows easy, system-wide clock sync for LFOs and echo timing, etc. I would love to sync it to Circuit Tracks tempo in a tiny DAWless live rig! I actually still own 1st gen KaossPad from around late 90s and it only supports MIDI Out for CC messages on ext gear. That lack really made an otherwise super cool DJ effects box very limiting in practice.

[@ohmn-i-]

nice, been really looking forward to this!

[@dyscotopia]

If I'm not planning on programming my own effects is there any benefit to getting one of these over a used kaoss pad quad?

[@andreash3906]

Could you compare the effects vs the (new) Zoom MS70CDR(+)?

[@josephwright5921]

I have the original MS70CDR. I hadn't heard that they came out with an update yet! I would say it is comparable in that you can stack digital effects, but the strength of this unit is the tweakability of using the Kaoss pad and having each effect on a different quadrant on an X Y Axis. You can tweak a lot without menu diving

[@daveanthony6296]

Fantastic review. Thanks very much for so much relevant info. Have a seqtrak coming, and may now have to add the kaoss pad. 🤙

[@manuelsteinmair]

oooh, shiny... need to keep my gas in check though. ok, now back to watching the rest of the video 😊 Edit: nice video! might get one anyway , but first the NTS-1 mk2 has to arrive 😅

[@BoBeats]

Glad u enjoyed it!

[@JDSoundsets]

What a lovely little device and quiet powerful too. Another to the shopping basket ha look forward to NTS-2. As ever a lovely Video Bo

[@manonthelivingroad]

really awesome piece of equipment, will definitely buy it as soon is released

[@symbiat0]

Now I wish it was a Eurorack module… 😏

[@joep_there_it_is2669]

How's the sound quality - AD/DA conversion? Anyone test the difference between this one and older models yet? The KP3 and Quad tend to suck signal and lower quality of anything going through (also no true bypass, but guess I get why). Has this been improved?

[@piggehpumped7959]

Well i wanted it but now i REALLY want it

[@ameeqalli8115]

Sounds better than the kaoss replay

[@Cysubtor_8vb]

I've been contemplating it as I like the Sinevibes plugins I got for my Minilogue XD and it would be nice to use those on other gear. Still, the DIY aspect and questionable longevity have me hesitant.

[@davidholmes3776]

I really wish they’d put the screen from the mini KP2 on there.

[@ib4nt]

I need money!!! Nice video Bo! Thanks

[@YShape]

Is it possible to have a 100 percent wet effect with something like reverb where the dry signal doesnt pass through?

[@PhantomBeatsMM]

Do we have any information about maybe loading impulse responses into a convolution reverb?

[@menyazovutvron]

And here i am, buying pre-owned KP Quad hust because i want to posess every item from kaoss pad/kaossilator line

[@couchcamperTM]

Great review, Bo. I think I want one now.

[@mygoogle1525]

Can I use it as an fx in my daw? Does the sound passes through the usb?

[@anthonykenny1320]

Sounds great I do need one

[@joelou]

is the signal very clean? was thinking about getting 2 of them to put in between my turntables and mixer (turntables can use built in phono amp) but im worried it will lower the audio quality when not in use.

[@gph2193]

Had an NTS1, very cool. Just not at all robust or travel capable. Fragile, my NTS1 developed problems with the USB jack and completely quit working after a couple months.

[@BoBeats]

Yes the NTS platform is not built to be sturdy. Its a developmental platform

[@brumd]

Yes, this one will very likely end up in my setup! Speaking as someone who does a fair bit of electronic DIY projects, what puzzles me: why in 2024 do they bother to keep on using these 7-segment displays, instead of using a small OLED screen (e.g SH1106) which costs probably around €1 (= 10 Swedish Złotys (SZŁ)). Yes, text will be smaller, but you can fit so much more on it, instead of 6 scrolling letters on a type of display that was never designed to show letters in the first place. And technically speaking they both work on an SPI - 2 wires - protocol. I mean, it won't stop me from buying it, but I just don't understand. Could it be that they just try to get rid of old stock supplies?

[@BoBeats]

I think its partly bc of NTS being sort of in the middle of ’developmental platform’ and ’product’ so the hardware isn’t at the level of other products they make

[@brumd]

@@BoBeats yes, but what I mean is: the consumer's price for both products (a 0.96" OLED, or, a 6 digit 7-segment display) is virtually the same. Since there is quite a bit of menu-diving on the NTS-3, adding a small OLED would have made a lot of sense. I guess it has to do with remaining stock suppplies.

[@user-bv9nc8cr2f]

Does this have that stutter/glitch effect like the kaossilator?

[@The_artist_called_The_Engineer]

Looks fun. Just a bit too pricey for a frivolous purchase. I’d probably buy one and not use it. I’ll just wait patiently for my theremin to arrive 😀

[@atalaiamusic]

Good review!

[@jessebuehler9082]

@BoBeats - is there a way to hold the fx at the last XY coordinates, or is it always momentary and requiring a touch to activate?

[@BoBeats]

There is hold

[@doomtomb6522]

*Does it have a "hold" setting like the mini kaoss pad S2- so you don't have to keep holding the pad down?*

[@BoBeats]

yes, sorry for not showing this properly

[@everybodyhasoul5438]

The compressor is only on when you're touching the pad? As in, it will compress to a setting that is whatever you happen to touch and in the dry/wet amount that the whole chain is on? Seems a bit unusable to have a compressor working like that. Cool gadget though!

[@BoBeats]

You can turn on hold, sorry for not showing it

[@everybodyhasoul5438]

@@BoBeats So, for example, you could set 1-2 effects in your chain using the screen and then use the pad to modulate the other(s)?

[@gawronowicz5010]

I guess I'm hearing they improve audio quality quite a lot. I have the old mini-KP and it's unusable in this regard.

[@benreiter7218]

Does anyone know if you are able to hold the effects active on the NTS-3 when you remove your hand from the pad? So you can lock in an effect and then play another keyboard with both hands?

[@BoBeats]

Yes

[@happyjessus]

Finally there's a review/demo about this!! Thanks Bo! Quick question, is there a short of HOLD function or do you need to touch the pad for as long as you need the effect to be on?

[@BoBeats]

Yes!! Sorry for not mentioning it. U can hold FX.

[@happyjessus]

@@BoBeats perfect, thanks!

[@ToyKeeper]

This may be the first NTS which is arguably nicer than the original device it's based on... the little red miniKP from ~2006.

[@genielove9067]

I still used that one regularly

[@hellf.o]

FINALLY!😍

[@fluoxethine]

Is a lot of fun when it's available and when I see "Available in several months" then I'm disappointed and all of the fun goes away... xD

[@iballer74]

Think I’m going to pair this up with my blackbox

[@jaderington]

What was the other option for the jumper swap ? Is it cv gate ? I shall buy one very soon

[@manonthelivingroad]

you can either switch it to sync i/o or Midi i/o

[@BoBeats]

Correct!

[@anthonykenny1320]

Korg is so far ahead of everyone I might even put the guitar into it and ditch the clunky old Fractal Ax fx

[@floor12evgen]

nice review. im waiting to my recent bought nts-3 )

[@black-drink]

Always so plesent to se my favorit gear to pe present by bo.

[@maurobelarde8527]

Thanks for the demo dude! Does it have audio in? Can I process my guitar signal through it to use it as an FX unit? Take care. Be fine! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@BoBeats]

Yes sir. Stereo in. Thats how I process the Seqtrak audio!

[@maurobelarde8527]

@@BoBeats Quick answer. You're so kind. Now I'm thinking about all the crazy stuff I could make with a fuzzy guitar and this little magical device. 💖💖💖

[@bartvriesacker5466]

@@maurobelarde8527do it. I’d watch that video.

[@DoctA-Hipnoto]

How would you compare it to other kaosspad devices?

[@BoBeats]

Impressive in terms of sound and number of FX available, but build quality is far worse as its a cheap diy enclosure

[@va941]

Ill be honest, the only reason im getting this, is that i need a XY controller for bitwig😂

[@itchyjazz]

is the midi/clock switch reachable when it is assembled? or do you have to take it apart again?

[@BoBeats]

4 screws

[@georgekempson670]

I think my NTS-1 does pretty much the same. Filters, reverb, delay, etc. I can get some weird sounds from the NTS, so i don't think i could warrant paying nearly twice as as much as the NTS to be honest.

[@Sandelec-gm2cl]

What does it means the Sync ? The Kaosspad can Sync samples? Or only the LFO and delay speed..? Can you record your performance in an SD card..?? Thanks..😜

[@technodrone313]

probably would go well with that theremin that nobody can get yet :/

[@BoBeats]

Yeah im starting to wonder where it is at :-/

[@adrianm7960]

Sold!

[@djshire1984]

I DON'T NEED IT

[@Pastryarchy]

Yes you do

[@minimal3734]

Nobody asked.

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@minimal3734it’s a self affirmation to avoid wallet destruction, not a dismissal of the effects unit

[@Sandelec-gm2cl]

I had all Kaosspad models from 2001..😅 Wonderful for me... because I am DAWLESS...✌🏻

[@bartjanc]

ME NEITHER But…. 🤔

[@user-nu7xx7pc1d]

how much?

[@BoBeats]

Its in the title

[@user-nu7xx7pc1d]

@@BoBeats thank you!

[@stephpicher]

Let's grab a popcorn, Bo is building something! 😉pop

[@djkanyon]

Still don't get it, why do we have to assemble it by ourselves? I mean bro i love the thing and gonna buy it anyway but seriously Korg pls drop this IKEA shenanigans

[@BoBeats]

Nutekt NTS is a sort of development platform. Meant for people wanting to DIY, developers to make plugins for and so on.

[@djkanyon]

@@BoBeats i'm into DIY but is there new parts\details for that? i mean if one want to build on that basis\chassi will there be new parts from Korg? I think not, that's my point... But it would be awesome if it would!

[@unseenjungle5386]

well, i am not a fan of this DIY stuff... i would rather see a proper update / newer version of the Kaoss Pad KP3.

[@BoBeats]

I think many of us would love that. A kaoss replay w/o the replay part?

[@Game_Glyph]

GIMME DAT!

[@aerialcombat]

cool! 😎

[@CEMeier]

Vill du sälja din? 😇

[@sonofjak1971]

Forgive me for being "that guy" but there is no such word as alot, it's a lot.

[@BoBeats]

Yes, you are that guy ;) but in this case you were at least correct. Most who correct are wrong! Changed it and learned something. All the best / Bo

[@coopertrooper8256]

You're probably that guy alot 😉

[@sonofjak1971]

@@coopertrooper8256 Just trying to be helpful while avoid being a smart arse!

[@manonthelivingroad]

you are that guy like alot

[@Cyberspak-vz9rm]

@@sonofjak1971while “trying to avoid”or “avoiding” would be correct.

[@marctrester3725]

sorry Sii, but you speak to quick and unclear. What is the name of the Yamahasynth?

[@BoBeats]

Yamaha Seqtrak

[@nickloss2377]

the mini-jack says "dont take out of the house"....this is a toy... dont take to gigs or your peers will make fun of how amateurish you are. Jeez. Mini-Jacks. such a chinsy port/adapter. Not being used in any pro-level gear.

[@TB12710]

It’s a no from me. Too small. Did I mention the buyer has to put it together ? Boring. $169 plus tax 🤮

[@bobsmith-wf6jw]

Doesnt do much for the price Useless peace of gear again

[@LabSkaterPussies]

is it compatible with 10V pk-pk euro rack signals?