Korg MW-2408 Hands on Review

[@ericlopez4615]

I found an mw 1608 in a pawn shop for $400. The shop had it for over one year, brand new, never sold. The salesman plugged it in, connected a cheap vocal mic, and I went through each channel. Everything seemed to work okay. I will test everything further when I get home with it. The shop's new policy is to sell things at reasonably reduced prices if they can't sell something within one year. I think I struck gold with this one. Although the store kept it in the plastic, they threw the box out long ago. Now I gotta find a band to attack with this thing, or form one. Not sure what I'm getting into, but life is for learning. Thanks for your video!

[@valentinosmoove4830]

Great Review - Korg kinda lost me on the usb section /deal breaker. I was really hyped on getting this board to use in my studio. Now I have to go another route.

[@amicinellanotte4843]

One question... phantom power is activated with a button and covers all the input microphones... but in live or theater situations we often have both microphones with and without phantom power... so we are forced to use only one type or the other other? Have we gone crazy? EXPLAIN TO ME? THANK YOU

[@sanskrit6137]

Enjoyed your review. Having used Behringer/Midas, Mackie, Tascam, Zoom and Yamaha consoles over the years, I have been searching for a good sounding board having the simplicity of analog work flow with right blend of digital benefits. Sadly, the Korg's omission of channel inserts/direct outs or some method of multitrack recording to me is a deal breaker. I recognize this is a very competitive market at this price point; still not having the ability to tap individual track outputs is honestly a major design/marketing oversight and difficult to understand considering the folks involved in it's development. I would have gladly paid an extra $200 for that capability. Perhaps a future model will correct this. Your earlier statement summed it up best: "this console seems to cater to everyone and no one all at once!"

[@JacobDurocher]

I am glad you enjoyed my review and yes I was disappointed as well in the lack of inserts and multitrack recording options.

[@miekwavesoundlab]

Hi! I owned this unit for 3 weeks now. I use this in combination with Focusrite 18i20 and using 8x recording post (or pre) fader into my DAW and sounds a lot better than instruments direct into Interface. This Korg has a total 12 (14) Output options 8-Mono (4-Stereo Bus) out - you can literally assign channel 1-8 to daw 1-8 via interface. You can send 14 channels to your multitrack if you set up you aux and bus control on 14 channels. 6-mono (2-mono + 2-stereo aux sends) - Yes Aux 3 and Aux 4 are STEREO aux sends that can be separated into 4 mono if you wish. I don’t even use the USB sound card in this mixer only since I got the interface. I tried it and it sounds good but interface is more versatile. I have a 96 point patch bay so inserting outboard is just a matter of pushing the LINE/XLR switches. I just wanted to share my experience with it. Your use case may vary but I hope I addressed your concerns. The real value for me was compact 24 channel analog control form factor for all my keyboards and it is a good complement via bus and aux outs for multi tracking into interface.

[@JacobDurocher]

@@miekwavesoundlab Thanks for sharing, you seem to have found a way to make this console work for you to record, that is awesome!

[@miekwavesoundlab]

@@kdowntown Yes! This is perfect mixer for 18i20. I use patchbay insert 1-8 into channel 1-8, I have Channel 24 as Master output LR. 18i20 Out 01 / 02 (master) > Korg In 23/24 Out 03 .. 10 > Patchbay > Korg In 1-8 Korg MW2408 Sub Out 1 ... 8 > patchbay > 18i20 input 1-8 Invest in quality TRS cables for your patchbay setup. I can instantly BUS record via Korg 2408 mixer or patchbay inject directly and bypas 2408 mixer. It’s very versatile setup. I have found lots of joy in re-amping and cassette recording back into 18i20 multi IO and use Korg mixer preamp and its eq. The channel compression knobs are very versatile! Very useful on cassette, vocals, drums, guitar. The Korg one knob compressor is superior to Yamaha one knobs IMO. One minor snag is that you can’t direct record built in effects from Mw2408. If you want to record the built effects you need to insert master / mon out or headphone out to 18i20 input.

[@miekwavesoundlab]

@@kdowntown Oh last thing - also invest in TRS to XLR cables because the XLR input tone is different than the TRS input tone. Both inputs sound great, but have slightly different characteristics when using Gain Trim at higher settings.

[@BritoWorx]

I have a question. Not sure if it’s hardware or software but could Korg add multitrack record capabilities via firmware update?

[@Polentaccio]

Interesting but how could they not in today's say and age, allow for usb and individual dry tracks out for processing in a DAW? I guess in a way it is a bit like recording with a 4 track, you layer everything on there a bit at a time, bump em to groups and then mix / commit.

[@JacobDurocher]

I agree, I feel as though this could have been a great hybrid option if they had only included multi-track recording

[@paulsarodh5460]

SUPR ROCKIN 💗💢👍👍

[@JamieAnkerTV]

Interesting review, also glad you did it as a review from experiance. Was very hyped with the idea of this mixer on release especaily the amount of subgroups it has But the more I see the more i realise it isnt fit for my purpose The idea of having headphone aux out baffels me but obviously I have realised that its not fit for me

[@JacobDurocher]

Yes, I do agree with you that this console seems to cater to everyone and no one all at once!

[@koyaanisqatsi78]

@@JacobDurocherI guess this is a great rehearsal console? so you can get everyone "linked" and monitored and record a 2-track for reference.. or to live perform with all your synthesizers.. It's not a recording mixer

[@JacobDurocher]

@@koyaanisqatsi78 no, it is not a recording mixer. In the application you’re talking about it would be great. The reason I am disappointed in the lack of multitrack recording option is it has so much versatility already, if it had more recording features, it would make it mass appealing!

[@ivanravello5687]

it seems like for some people never exist a reliable mixer , always mising something . I do live with my pa sistem and i have an old carvin 32 channel that fill my needs , i like the analog sound sistem, easy to use //// but as the technology is moving forward so fast i'm going to need a mixer with at least 16 channel xlr for live and some recording to make audio tracks to play back like all the bands do now , could you recommend one mixer for me ?? thanks ///

[@JacobDurocher]

For hybrid use, if you want to go to the digital side MIDAS/Behringer and Soundcraft have some interesting offers in the more “affordable” range. If you want to stay analog but be able to record multitrack then the allen & heath zed and the Mackie Onyx are some good prospects to look at!

[@erichogan9769]

how do I send different FX to individual channels?

[@JacobDurocher]

There is a dedicated FX send on each channel!

[@miekwavesoundlab]

Bus 1-2 is not working, but all the other busses work. I have to crank faders all the way up on both channel and bus 1-2 to hear signal and it’s noisy. How to repair it?

[@JacobDurocher]

Bring it back for warranty repair!

[@miekwavesoundlab]

@@JacobDurocher 2 years no more warranty:(

[@paulsarodh5460]

Thq fr d INFO 🎼🎸🎉🎉

[@Juan_lauda]

The channels sound very good. Only down side - all the monitoring section is in mono - which is fine for stage monitors but is a deal breaker if you’re using in ears. Shame

[@redcomn]

I was fine until the emo song came 😂. Btw how's the latency of this in usb interface mode?

[@JacobDurocher]

I found no noticeable latency

[@lrblouie]

Such a bummer it cannot record over USB on multiple tracks!!!!

[@livefromthepsy-op1170]

The song was nice. I’d add a touch of auto tune but compositionally very beautiful.

[@SaveManWoman]

Ya, I won’t be getting this unit ever.

[@livefromthepsy-op1170]

Glad we know, thank you.

[@johnisrael5183]

Yeah...Ive got a mackie 32.8 Bus...sounds about 50% better than this "thing" yeah...its sounds to metalic.......sounds cheap Live it sounds ok....studio...big no no