Bad Gear - MS-20 Mini

[@wallacebillingham9388]

At first glance the MS20 Mini is ticking 86% of all the boxes Best line ever on your show

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!!

[@0e0]

tight

[@searchiemusic]

@@AudioPilz you are genuinely just so funny dude

[@roscius6204]

@@AudioPilz you've been sitting on that for how many episodes.?

[@KeirMurphy]

Yet the lunatics on some synth forums can't measure the amount of humour and banter!

[@tegendemuur338]

Got the MS20M (module) and it'll never leave my place! Also, PWM. :) The only true classic synth tone that I needed to own. No Moog or Buchla or Sequential for me! Korg is the punkish brat with attitude that I need. :)

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed!!!

[@AdamDaughterson]

Same

[@andyq9669]

I wanted an MS20 since I was a kiddie in the 80's, but wasn't keen on the teeny one. The module had some extra features from memory? I ended up with one of the FS re-issues (in army-green, they ran out of black) and love it (apart from the freaky envelope behaviours)

[@theboofin]

Or relevant...@Frikoppie

[@AnalogOne-jams]

Best mono-synth there is IMO. I like the fact that it does not sound clean - makes it sound more alive.

[@AudioPilz]

👍👍👍

[@orphic-trench]

That demo track at the end made me über proud to own an MS-20 mini. It still sounds freaking killer.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@phpn99]

You need to own a Florian Pilz as well, but I heard they don't come cheap.

[@G.GordonMidi]

@@phpn99see if Klangfabre will loan you one

[@marsoblivi0n945]

@Frikoppieinsane. The ms20 is one of the most brutal mono synths ever created. It’s very inspiring. You can tame it easily with talent.

[@neonblack211]

​@Frikoppieyeah what a great monosynth the 9 string hellraiser is

[@TorstenSommer-c3p]

I own the Ms-20 Mini and the Ms-20 FS and i absolutely love them. Sure, there are lots of alternatives out there, but i always loved the sound of the MS-20 and the originals are sometimes expensive. And i don´t have any problems with wobbling knobs. And i use especially the MS-20 Mini a lot.

[@AudioPilz]

Nice!!!

[@MadelnMachines]

Is the FS much better quality in terms of knobs, build, noise and keys or the same, just bigger?

[@obi-juan3295]

I have to agree I love mine and no wobbling of knobs either 👍

[@theboofin]

Totally.@@MadelnMachines

[@BeatsByJarel]

Same

[@infindebula]

I dislike mini-keys so I got me the “Kit” version back in 2014. In a nutshell: way too expensive, full size, pretty good build, both filters available (one noisy and one not), assemble-it-yourself. It sounds awesome and I love it.

[@AudioPilz]

I want one too!!!

[@MrKjDrake]

How dare you!!! 😂 I’ve bought and sold so many synths over the years but my MS-20 mini has never been for sale.

[@AudioPilz]

Nothing personal;)

[@mattgalletly]

The first thing I noticed when I got mine was that cheap pressed wood panel board on the back. Like an old TV or radio from the 70's.

[@AudioPilz]

Oh, I thought it was plastic;)

[@Jason75913]

​@@synthetic24 pressed-sawdust "wood" is still wood

[@Jason75913]

@@synthetic24 so is the back cardboard or what? That's hilarious

[@kquat7899]

Always come out with great sounding tunes, no matter what gear you're using.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@sub-jec-tiv]

This is true

[@entropybentwhistle]

Kind of proving the point that it’s not really the gear but the musician. Get whatever you can afford then practice and make the best music you can with it. A shaved monkey with the best flagship synth will still always sound like a shaved monkey trying to play a flagship synth.

[@markmorgenstern]

I was thinking the same thing! You bring out the best even in bad gear!

[@PorkBjork]

genuinely love you're compositional techniques@@AudioPilz

[@philswan1455]

The music you were making on the MS20 sounded bloody awesome!!! Loved it!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@__teles__]

@@AudioPilz I wish mine sounded ike that :(

[@therealtony2009]

the fact that people reviewed the ms-20 mini bad enough that it got onto this show, shows that reviews are almost never accurate

[@AudioPilz]

There is some valid criticism tho

[@therealtony2009]

@@AudioPilz yeah wobbly knobs do kinda suck

[@zackcolbourne6921]

​@@therealtony2009 What about knobbly wobs?

[@tntshuffle-9799]

​@zackcolbourne6921 those are the worst!

[@Cysubtor_8vb]

I have both the MS-20 mini and the K-2, which provides additional filter options as the latter isn't as noisy and have a 1/4" output. That being said, some patches just sound better on the noisier MS-20 mini, so the combo allows it to tick the missing 14% of those boxes 😂

[@AudioPilz]

Definitely get both;)

[@Euanharris777]

You timed this perfectly because I’ve had a mini for a while and I recently decided to figure out how it works

[@AudioPilz]

Nice!!!

[@alexwestconsulting]

I absolutely love this synth, whether OG or reissue, full-size or mini. The sound, the look, the filter. So grimy. The K2 sounds as good, but the form factor of the 20 (full-size or mini) is just rad. For some bizarre reason I have the 20ic as well which I've never used.

[@AudioPilz]

Nice collection!!!

[@mokujinsan9946]

Bless you mate for another fantastic episode. A friend of mine bought one of these, I was truly shocked at the build quality, kind of reminiscent of a interactive kids toy at a Future Museum which had been mashed up by 1,000 coach loads of special children. 😂

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!! Nice analogy!!!

[@sideefxtv]

😂😂😂

[@dillipphunbar7924]

Cleverly done on the vocoder shout-outs.! Nick B should be rolling in meme royalties by now. Loved the Back2thefuture one.

[@AudioPilz]

Good ear!!!

[@InFamousProductions]

killer like usual, but the end part with the synth voice shout outs, is legend. those sounded amazing. As far as the MS-20, I have the K-2, but still want the OG version.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@JD-1991]

hi! i find the k2 incredibly capable and faithful reproduction!!!!!!! + the ESP is imo more useful for design application (perhaps one of the places it loses its 1:1). whats making you want a korg original ?

[@lazercrotch9839]

You're vids are amazing on many levels. Helpful/informative, funny af, and the music you make with this gear is top notch.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@sctb00]

Lost it at Cronenberg and differently social, but I expect to a few times per Bad Gear. Was not expecting the deep (and wet) nostalgic tone of the Wub House demo-DAMN that bangs.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@poldidak]

My first synthesizer, purchased in 1980 by mail. I had never played an MS-20, and completely depended upon the Korg name and the fact that Joe and Gino Vannelli mentioned them in Keyboard magazine to inform my decision. I never found it a very good lead synth and mostly used it for bass. When we bought a home just a few blocks away from the local AM radio station tower I discovered I could “play” the radio on my MS-20, as it would pickup up the RF and when I triggered the VCA and VCF the radio signal would pass to the output. That was a good bit of luck to discover alternate sound sources for electronic music.

[@AudioPilz]

Nice!!!

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

Whoa!!! Nice!! Yeah i often hear stories of people who lived near by an AM transmitter site and how easily they could hear the AM stations from objects like kitchenware (pans and pots). But i never heard of a synthesizer's circuits being affected by AM broadcasts. But it makes sense :D

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

Well done Florian, but I think it's long past time for you to see if you can manage to pull your intro theme out of the wild and wacky Hydrasynth line. No easy task, I assure you! 😎

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!! Agreed!!!

[@schnoodlevideo]

LOVED the finale track! I use my terribly hacked Monotribe all the time and absolutely love it, but always wanted one of these (or the MS20M!)

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!! Maybe go for the Kit version

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Monotribe is hugely underrated. Especially the kick drum which spanks on a sound system

[@chikoavena3407]

I have this one and a k2. The ms20mini sounds awesome, the k2 is almost there, but both of them at the same time are awesome... Funny thing is that the k2 has better build quality lol

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, Uli has really upped his game!!!

[@devmiles]

When i bought my MS20 my downstairs neighbor rang my door asking what all the obscure rumble was, all windows were violently shaking.

[@AudioPilz]

😂😂😂

[@borislavvonberlichingen5394]

When it comes to the keybed. I've got an old MS-10 here. I can't imagine a worse keybed. But ... the filter let me forget the build quality. And it looks nice.

[@lukeriely4468]

I owned one in the 1980s. Awesome for bass, and hard kick drums. Great for spaced out sonic drones, too. Especially with a tape echo.

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, these are not exactly Steinways;)

[@borislavvonberlichingen5394]

*klok* *kloklok* *klok* - luckily there's a CV and a gate input.

[@troubadour723]

Speaking of guitar synths, have you ever thought about featuring one on the show? The fact that Roland has produced quite a few over the years should make one ideal for the show.😄

[@AudioPilz]

Great idea, thanks!!!

[@zannfilm9645]

No problem with wobbly pots on mine. Some of the jack nuts can work a bit loose but a quick finger tighten soon sorts that out.

[@AudioPilz]

👍👍👍

[@vinyljunkie07]

No regrets selling this one, brought it when it came out and yea nah I can't get it to work in my music.. It sounds cool in other peoples stuff but I prefer my original 700s over the gnarly MS-20 mini. Build quality is shocking, if Behringer did this the internet would be on fire. Interesting points are this was supposed to ship with both filters but last minute they decided against it. If you look at the circuit board the space is there for the second filter type. I think I am the second person in the world who did this tho theirs as I modified my mini to have both filters. The other issue is a massive DC thump on the K35 when pressing a key from not matching the transistors that's not a issue on the original and I could go on

[@AudioPilz]

That sums it up nicely!!!

[@scottnelle]

If Korg made an MS-20 filter module it might tempt me into modular! I think I'm happy to leave the rest of it behind. I feel extra lucky to have caught Arturia's giveaway of their MS-20 filter plugin--it was free for a few weeks when it first came out.

[@AudioPilz]

An actual Eurorack module would be awesome!!!

[@tegendemuur338]

There's plenty of affordable modules and synth pedals and everything that can bring the MS20 sound to your place without this awkward little thing.

[@novalogue]

Little do you know - you soon will see the amount of MS20 filter varieties and will fall into the rabbit hole - evil voice ends

[@mycosys]

You mean the Behringer K-2 or one of the MANY MS-20 filter clone modules (many better than the original)?

[@go-away-5555]

Yep there's a ton of MS-20 clone filters and more advanced filters with an MS-20 core. I have like 3 😂. I love the MS-20 filter.

[@troutmask6800]

I bought this in the early 80’s for 500.00 and loved it. It was the first analog synth I bought and didn’t own another one until the Moog Modular’s came out a few years ago (I own three of them). At the time this came out there were no true affordable analog synths with patching like it. Not sure why they came out with again, but for the time I owned it I got a lot out of it.

[@AudioPilz]

Nice!!!

[@fromhillrecords]

I love my MS-20 mini. A trick I saw on KZbin and implemented immediately, it has 2 outs, main and headphones. Use the headphones out as your main and use the main out as a patch in the ext. in for feedback. Did you think it sounded fat before? Tweak the signal level and it goes insane.

[@AudioPilz]

Love it for Moogs too!!!

[@markaprill6501]

Fixed the noise issue by using a filter used by audiophiles to clean the ac power. Forget the brand I used but it worked on my friends ms 20m when it first came out.

[@AudioPilz]

Great idea! Thanks for the heads up!!!

[@Jason75913]

That's great to know!

[@borkiagore]

Finally! All that's missing is the Boss RC-505 loopstation review and I can finally close the playlist of my setup reviewed by Bad Gear

[@AudioPilz]

Great suggestion;)

[@silicononsapphire9715]

When it launched it really looked like a miracle - a fully featured reissue of an old analog synth from one of the Japanese giants that for a decade or two were acting like "Analog synths? Oh, you mean virtual analog?". I wonder if today the MS-20 Mini or the Behringer K-2 is of better quality?

[@AudioPilz]

Let's put it this way: build quality of the Mini is comparable of what Uli did in the 90s...

[@jamesmcnalley3536]

My B* K2 feels comparable to my KARP 2600m. Both are much more solid than the wobbly SE-02.

[@moliver_xxii]

that was my dream synth ten years ago. i got it this year on third hand market.... before watching i thought the hate would be towards the size and the filters... but i was surprised to see build quality in there! but fair enough. i like that it isn't as heavy as the original so i can carry it around easier.

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, super compact!!!

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Hurts per volt. That final jam is evil, nice work Captain. 🫡

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@DestroyER82]

Tested it and rather have chosen a lot better made Behringer with both filters. Anyways, still really glad that Korg are doing those and are not Rolanding. All the best! ;-)

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed!!! Same to you!!!

[@budgetkeyboardist]

The tracks were killer - honestly, I've never lusted for one of these. I'm just here for the cool music made with it. That said, I have nothing against it - they are cool.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@slipknotboy555]

Great as always! Nice idea with the TE choir guy. That was actually pretty cool! The MS-20 Mini has definitely appealed to me over the years, but I never picked one up. Not that I have the money now anyway, heh. I didn't know about some of those issues, either. Guess it makes more sense why it made it onto the show!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@turtleCalledCalmie]

Yes, Friday after work and new bad gear episode! Happy weekend!

[@AudioPilz]

Have a nice weekend!!!

[@SNOwyte]

This video explains every problem i have with korg for the most part...the moment the screen said 'no thats not clipping it sounds that way out the box'

[@AudioPilz]

You might wanna call it signature sound;)

[@SNOwyte]

@@AudioPilz nah i cant even tho, the lil yellow kaossilator didnt have this issue as much

[@lindsaywebb1904]

Ms20 might be my favourite synth of all time. I have the original as well as the mini. The noise thump on the mini is indeed annoying but it has one huge advantage over the original. And that is the portamento circuit is after the midi in whereby with the original it is before the trig so there is no glide when sequencing :-(

[@AudioPilz]

👍👍👍

[@bldcaveman2001]

I wanted to applause your vocoder shouts - they were awesome! Also now kinda want one of these now. Damnit.

[@treetopjones737]

See Hainbach's ep. on them.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@ThePrestoPrestissimo]

Wow, this building quality makes the Volcas look like Roland Botiques

[@AudioPilz]

Lol

[@davidcassidy602]

That “vocoder” shoutout at the end is so extra. Definitely worth sticking around for.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@bumfie]

Had a shot of the (VST) plugin for this and was pretty surprised by the quality . No wobbly knobs - Pardon the expression . I'm looking forward to see the new Behringer clone of the old UB-Xa. as the original is VERY Expensive Oh . Quality content .. Thanks

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!! Yeah, virtual wobbliness is still in its infancy stage

[@matthewtunnicliffe201]

Hahaha brilliant! I'm surprised it took so long to get on here. Yeah, I'd have loved having an original or the full-size reissue, but I can't justify the price. I'll more than happily make do with my mini despite the wobbly knobs because I love the sound.

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!! One piece of gear at a time;)

[@tru4158]

Korgs instruments definitely have a unique timbre to them that I i have come to love. You warming up for the XD?

[@AudioPilz]

Great suggestion, thank you!!!

[@htechdance]

I have come to hate the XD even though mine is in perfect condition!

[@htechdance]

Once you lay hands on the Take 5 you realize the XD is out of date.

[@jc3drums916]

@@htechdance But the Take 5 is double the price.

[@GreenShark4]

Was hoping for the bassline to Operating Tracks by Front 242 :/ Great video!

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!!

[@synthetic24]

The slim keys are okay for a mono synthesizer. This instruments is not meant for playing Beethoven piano concerto's

[@AudioPilz]

The size is just one of the dealbreakers. They're really crappy too;)

[@synthetic24]

@@AudioPilz Crappy? Not for me...

[@djshire1984]

My first hardware synth was the Korg Monotron Classic, because that's what I could get. My first hardware effect was the Korg Monotron Delay. I thought about getting the MS-20 Mini, but never did. Looks like I made the right choice. Also 5:05 DAT HAIR!

[@AudioPilz]

Hair today, gone tomorrow;)

[@pirateradioFPV]

I can see you're following the times with the "knockout" vocoder finish :D

[@AudioPilz]

;)

[@EwaldK]

Have one standing next to me from 2013, the knobs and keys are as tight as when I bought it. And yes it got lots of use over the years. Great video btw, nice inspiration for some new patching ideas 😀

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@velpeppervt]

For all the valid caveats there are to this synth, this only makes me want to learn to use my further! All of those jams were straight up bangers. Genuinely curious, how did you use your Beatstep to modulate it? I didn't even know it could modulate things other than pitch via Midi? Great video as ever, and oh boy, the Lossy meme is so real, yikes. 😅

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!! Just set the BSP to the right CV standard and connect pitch or velocity to the modulation target of choice

[@VigesimatoR]

Man.. Jam 2 sells this son of a korg so hard. I'm very pleased that you chose to upload ALL of the video, and not just jam 2... By doing so, you protected my wallet from sudden deflation and my sanity from deep despair and suffering.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you so much!!!

[@SplotchTheCatThing]

"Interesting sound that wouldn't work in a track" you say? Well that's the kind of thing I take as a challenge. :)

[@AudioPilz]

That was more of a provocation as most more elaborate patches on the MS-20 sound like this;)

[@kenfusion]

It's my ringtone 😄

[@entorwellian]

Agree with all of the problems listed and yet I still love the sound of it. Mine has been collecting dust but I think its time I brought it back out.

[@AudioPilz]

Definitely give it another shot!!!

[@bigkik]

Another great episode ! I am glad having saved money by getting the volca bass instead 😊 Obviously for an upcoming episode we definitely need that (not so) "pocket" operator new ko 33 "field" !

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!! I really need one of these!!!

[@GizzyDillespee]

I thought "field" signified their overpriced line... but if so, it should've been "field choir" and "field clothing".

[@baxthered]

TE made it cheap because they knew that people would buy the outfit.

[@jedcappelli3206]

The knob issue would be definitive for me. Of course the MS-20 has a very unique sound signature, but part of the allure of the original is the user experience / playability, and the sturdy and extremely fast potentiometers are a critical part of that. I've never encountered a smoother or faster filter cutoff (or attack, decay, envelope amount, etc... ) in my life (and I've encountered many).

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, quite a buzzkill...

[@LowGainElectronics]

The noisy VCA was present on the original ms20…

[@AudioPilz]

Normal noise is one thing but did the original really come with that amount of actual leakage?

[@AkaTengu]

I loved it so much I bought mine off the showroom floor years back! Mojo for days and kills at lead and bass, but eventually the loud VCA really got in the way of using it in the more esoteric ways I wanted to. So I got a eurorack version of the filter with even more options so I could sell my MS-20 mini. But it’s still the meanest, punk, and pissed off sounding synth I have encountered. I still have my mini and I think it is the main synth my GF would be mad if I got rid of 😂. My knobs are pretty sturdy and probably had been gorilla groped by many before crossing my path lol. Maybe a kit or FS will grab me the same way someday. Thanks for the vid! Surprised, yet not to see it on here but I would have thought you would have gone nuts for the MS-20. It’s like an alien Predator technology that some punk from the future witnessed, but was sent back in time naked to the 60s, the Soviet army tried to extract what they could of their memory to recreate it, however due to incompatibility of the specimen the project was discarded, they escaped to Japan but died in some Akira type vibes, and the deciphered alien technology and spirit of this punk became the MS-20. I think that’s what my manual says, but I may be misremembering?

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@pinatacolada7986]

If you could do a scathing review of the Korg/Arp 2600-M next and make the price crash on the second hand market, I would be very grateful. It's been on my wishlist for years now. The MS-20 mini is a beast, I love mine.

[@AudioPilz]

Great idea;)

[@FieryBiscuits]

Man, this just reminded me of 2008 when I wanted to get a Nintendo DS to mess around with Korg DS-10

[@AudioPilz]

That one is actually really fun!!!

[@AceGarpTruckingCo]

I nearly got one, but bagged an MS20-FS last year instead, which only comes with 10% of the noise issues. While build quality is better, the keyboard is still nothing to write home about full size but it plays nice and fast. You need any amount of external devices to vaguely modernise it. It's paired with a Minibrute 2S which seems to be the cheapest standalone thing that can do Hz/V, but I still have to jury-rig S-Trigs using Softube Modular, a bunch of logic circuits and a DC-coupled audio interface. Seriously, what would it cost them to add PWM, sync, velocity and/or aftertouch and a V/Oct/Normal Trig switch? Oh, and in the release year of our lord 2022 you could still have any MIDI channel you like as long as it was 1. All for nine-hundred and fifteen of your British pounds. There's my only-slightly-not-as-Bad Gear review. Can't get that sound anywhere else though (but nice try Arturia-Korg)

[@AudioPilz]

Super interested in the FS!!!

[@AceGarpTruckingCo]

@@AudioPilz it's good because you get both filters (the remaining noise is only from the MkI filter), but honestly I'd rather have the MS20-M (though I do like mine in blue). And Cascadia has redefined the MIDI/CV-in-one-semi-modular state of the art for me. I know the MS-20 is *supposed* to be primitive but *some* cheap QOL improvements would be nice...

[@thesesmallboxes]

Epic Patreon shoutout segment!! I’m betting even @Weaverbeats will enjoy it! 😉

[@AudioPilz]

Love his channel!!!

[@thesesmallboxes]

@@AudioPilz He ripped TE for the doll set, while watching your review!

[@bluehole6019]

Man if anyone can’t get this thing to sound good, they’re the problem. My only gripes about this thing are how noisy mine is and the key bed, other than that the thing sounds fantastic

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed!!! That one comes with so many classic tones!!!

[@MisAnnThorpe]

I agree with you regarding the sound but the build "quality" is a definite concern. The patch points in particular don't exactly give reason to be confident in their longevity.

[@downloadhistoryproductions]

@MisAnnThorpe I bought mine in 2014 and it's still holding strong

[@bluehole6019]

@@MisAnnThorpe It was my first synth in 2016, when I was a fairly careless 17 year old. I didn’t take great care of it, but it still works fine. No chipped keys, no scratchy knobs, no bad inputs. The only real “damage” it’s sustained is that the ring around the signal out fell off a couple times, but I just put it back on. Compare that to the $1,300 Novation Peak that had knobs falling off after one year of sitting on my desk, barely being used.

[@masterjoda75]

I'll be honest... I absolutely LOVE my MS20 mini. I keep going back to it first over my Moog and Prophet. Just such a cool, aggressive and unique sound that is fun to tweak. Especially when you start using the noisy-ass patch panel. I don't care. It sounds awesome. I hope it never breaks down on me. As I do agree it is built chintzy.

[@AudioPilz]

👍👍👍

[@hellf.o]

Love how Korg provides you so much material!

[@AudioPilz]

Korg and Roland are the best!!!

[@rorz999]

Korg do produce a lot of legitimately bad gear

[@kristianTV1974]

Not even a close second to Roland though! 😂

[@hellf.o]

@@AudioPilz Bad dealers!

[@alistairsteadman3765]

I’ve had a few MS-20s over the years including the mini. The noise issue on the mini meant it was gone in a month. It’s undoubtedly a great mono but I never really clicked with them, but I love my MS-10.

[@AudioPilz]

Yeah, that one can be a deal breaker

[@grimreads]

That thing so cheaply made it makes B look like a premium brand. But it sounds so gnarly that make it a no-brainer for certain genres

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed!!!

[@ProckGnosis]

Wie immer, gut gemacht! I picked up an MS-20 FS last year, and I had similar complaints about the keys and the build quality. Couldn't believe the MS-20 cost more than twice the Uno Synth Pro (FS) I also picked up, but the build quality was half of the Uno Synth Pro. Now, if I could somehow mate the MS-20 and the Uno Synth Pro, THEN I'd have a babysynth that was seriously playable, tweakable, and monster sounding all in one piece of gear. Should also add, despite the lacking build quality of the MS-20, I think it sounds ball-busting great.

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@unclemick-synths]

1:06 Sold! Who couldn't love that tone? ❤

[@AudioPilz]

Classic!!!

[@jdrukman]

I traded my nord lead for the ms20mini 6 or 7 years ago. No regrets. I don’t use it that much but it comes in clutch when needed.

[@AudioPilz]

Nice deal!

[@SmallWorldBigThings]

We have definitely too many mono synths... I have a strange feeling that this one is not so much different than other in the same price range category. Interesting review. Cheers!

[@AudioPilz]

Thanks!!!

[@FatherSaccharine]

I certainly agree that there are a lot of monos out there, but for myself, having owned far too many monos and sold most of them, the MS-20 is the only one that I really look back with fondness, and sometimes think about grabbing again. There's something about this incredibly noisy and leaky circuit, accessible and sometimes odd patch bay, fake duophony, and general "vibe" that really makes this one stick out to me. Definitely get a chance to try one out for yourself sometime. There's a reason why there is a mild cult following around this one. For extra fun, check out the other ones in this series, like the MS-10 which will lead you to die hards who believe that's the true MS series king. Ultimately, you are correct in that it's "just a mono", but sometimes the whole is more than the parts! I would say that AudioPilz is excellent at riffing on synths, but they do tend to skew more conservative in the palletes they share, while the MS-20 really shines and standouts when you start pushing it into weirder territory! For example, they mentioned struggling with the noise floor, whereas in my opinion, that's one of the charms and draws of it! Good luck!

[@SmallWorldBigThings]

@@FatherSaccharine Thanks for sharing your experience. Personally I have only a few Craves (also semimodular and these work nice in triplet) and my beloved desktop Uno Synth Pro with extremally easy use and powerfull tripple morphing oscillators, double filter and expensive modmatrix. I don't feel I need more analog monosynth than these two models. ;)

[@AkaTengu]

@@FatherSaccharine​​⁠​⁠yes, this synth gives you a visceral feel like no other unique to itself. I thought the demos were a little tame. Where is the Wonky Royksopp melody, meets crazy Goldfrapp vocal, but reran through the esp for extra dirt, over a sequenced EBM bassline that would have lead to a dance party under a bridge that you really actually want to be at?

[@JH-lo9ut]

or do we...?

[@yvesremord1331]

that final wub house is awesome !! we need it in a full song release :DD

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!! Shameless plug: there's a full version on Patreon;)

[@enochroot9438]

does the release of the new Teenage Engineering KOII mean we will see an appearance from the original TE KO on BadGear soon? maybe accompanied by the wooden TE nutcracker choir

[@AudioPilz]

Great idea, thanks!!!

[@visisydandthevoid]

Almost forgot today was Friday. Thanks for the reminder 👍

[@AudioPilz]

Have a nice weekend!!!

[@tonystevenson26]

I LOVE my Korg Volca LFO ! Never selling...

[@AudioPilz]

😂😂😂

[@tommy.countach]

if you ever do a top tier intro list, this one is way up there, sounds really gnarly and punchy, i love it. damn it gas hitting hard.

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed, it's in my top5 too!!!

[@JD-1991]

DOOM timeline. the k2 serves me well. anyone care to share reasons they think it doesnt live up to the originals ? im curious

[@AudioPilz]

I'd like to know too!!!

[@the_jACK_Ripper]

Picking up my korg ms-2000r from my former home this weekend!

[@AudioPilz]

Nice one!!!

[@joonglegamer9898]

Yeah I kind of agree with you Florian, it's like they are all pumping out this line of simple miniature versions of past grandness, building on lost childhood dreams and fond memories of the past, kind of like all these Arm-based miniature consoles with emulators running games from the past. It's all about pumping out the money of that nostalgia while it last. Is if fun? Sure - if you have a bunch of miniature instruments with mono or a few polys jacked up with a few effect pedals, and a rythm box - you can have a lot of fun. At the end of the day, you're a musician - and eventually I think this is a passing fad that will die out, and they will all end up on Reverb from that time were everyone tried to publish some kind of underpowered thingamajig doodad with twistyknobs and feels.

[@AudioPilz]

Very well put!!!

[@miroslavjonas]

I was expecting TE EP 133 K.O. II. Guess it didn’t collect enough complaints yet 😂 Would love to see Modal Electronics Cobalt on show in the light of recent bankruptcy stories.

[@AudioPilz]

Funnily enough I've yet to make it onto TEs early access list;)

[@williambrown319]

One of these days I'll learn not to watch Bad Gear this close to pay day. Today is obviously not that day.

[@AudioPilz]

Definitely don't get the Mini;)

[@philmunoz9269]

I got the korg legacy collection when it came out and have the ms20 controller that came with it. I would never give it up. I had wanted to get the ms20 mini but never did. Looks like i didnt miss much. Im very happy with the software and controller. I feel the build quality is better on the controller. Also through the software it can be made polyphonic which is an advantage over the hardware. I know some people feel that the software is dated, and also arguably not the same since its digital, however ive done some great things with it and im completely satisfied with it.

[@AudioPilz]

I used it a lot back in the day, never got the controller tho

[@sonidourbano3368]

i would never regret buyin this synth...own it and love it😍

[@AudioPilz]

😀😀😀

[@bricanylturbuhaler1912]

I had an MS-20 mini and now I have an MS-20M and an MS-20FS I love them both, the MS-20 mini is a pretty good machine even if the build quality isn't quite top notch.

[@AudioPilz]

Nice, I'd love me some FS!!!

[@julioagnosia]

I wish Roland made an ms20 clone… would be a hell of an episode!

[@AudioPilz]

Lol, great idea!!!

[@acidbat4441]

i wish behringer would clone and roland clone of an ms20 :D

[@AgentsofRush]

@@acidbat4441 Don't give them ideas.

[@julioagnosia]

@@acidbat4441 waiting for it at the synth memes!!!!

[@Jason75913]

An ACB clone of the MS20? I'd like to see that for the hell of it.

[@user82938]

The Richard Devine spilled coffee on OP-1 photo made it onto Bad Gear in record time.

[@AudioPilz]

That one broke the internet;)

[@MayzMatthiasYzebaert]

I notice that if you don't start making a track using a MS20, its sound just doesnt fit. (as you mention aroudn 4:48). Makes it a very characteristic synth I guess. Nice.

[@AudioPilz]

Agreed!!!

[@lurkinguy]

Been going through the Bad Gear Episodes, and I seem to have missed this one. And that filter-magic at 2:25, woowee!

[@AudioPilz]

Thank you!!!

[@endlessnameless6628]

Size unclear. Need larger banana

[@AudioPilz]

Mmmmmh, banana...

[@endlessnameless6628]

@@AudioPilz Florian, on a serious note for a minute but any chance you could do some tutorial stuff if you ever get the time? The jams at the end of these are always fucking great, maybe branch out a bit and show how you create them? Be cool to see your workflow and process Just an idea mate!

[@synthanatomy]

Waited already for the EP-133 K.O. II video but it probably doesn't tick all the boxes ;) Great video as usual :)

[@AudioPilz]

Hey Tom, do you already have one?;)

[@KeirMurphy]

Funny thing: The Novation Peak got shredded for internal (and fully controllable) distortion... yet synths like the OG MS-20 clip internally for much beautiful goodness

[@AudioPilz]

True that!!!

[@LWmusik]

The noise on mine is so loud that any soft sound automatically becomes a flute sound, lol

[@AudioPilz]

Lol indeed

[@synthetic24]

I have zero noise. Maybe you are unlucky

[@LWmusik]

@@synthetic24 The issue is not the noise, but how korg handled the situation. No units were considered faulty, even though it's clear that many had this fault. Buying an instrument should not be a lottery

[@synthetic24]

@@LWmusik That is correct, I agree.

[@voltijuice8576]

Almost bought one back in the day, but decided to wait for the MS-50 mini. The weird input processor of the 20 is a fave, every synth should have some envelope follower/comparator/tachometer thing! Even if it's not accurate you can still correlate events in interesting ways. Honestly I prefer my NTS-1 over any vintage Korg, an MS wouldn't get 1/10 of the use that this little thing does.

[@AudioPilz]

NTS-1 is awesome!!!

[@quadcam24v]

You can con the ESP into being a 3rd oscillator by feeding the output of it back into the input. Its wonky but it works. I love the MS20 minis noisy and evil sound, some days you just wanna *shriek*

[@AudioPilz]

Nice technique!!!

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

I can remember wondering when this particular synthesizer surfaced if it was one I might have wanted. Considering every modular synthesizer I’ve ever owned was present with a modulation matrix, this would not have been so bad for me. All the same, I overlooked it.

[@AudioPilz]

👍👍👍

[@dietervoser4425]

es war ja nur eine Frage der Zeit....🙂 Tolle Show !

[@AudioPilz]

Vielen Dank!!!

[@tz64nk41]

The Volca Keys is indeed a noisy bastard as well. I had mine side by side with a Volca Bass and I was driving the Bass really hard in the mixer to distort it (which actually sounded pretty good) but it's hell doing that with the Keys because of the high noise floor at high frquencies.I combined it with the Boss OS-2 once and well, that's noise on more noise. I wonder if the delay circuit is to blame.

[@AudioPilz]

AFAIK it's mostly the delay...

[@unclemick-synths]

Analogue (BBD) delays are almost always noisy - same with the one in the Behringer Neutron.