Köln, Germany
About this listing
The Korg Volca modular is a monophonic, semi-modular synthesizer in Buchlaristic-Westcoast-Style with built-in sequencer. The compact housing contains 8 modules with 50 patch points, the white lines show the pre-wired signal path, so patching with the supplied cables is desirable and brings even more pleasure to sound research.Compact LaboratoryThe eight freely combinable modules invite you to an experimental and unconventional interplay of possibilities and tonal result and provide many a sound never heard before. You will be rewarded with unusual analog sounds that you would have expected from a (large) modular system. The look of the Volca Modular is based on the Buchla Music Easel.ConnectivityThe Volca-typical sequencer records 16 patterns with a total step length of up to 16 steps in its memory. Of course, Volca Modular does not store sounds, but the generated sequence can be used for other purposes than to control pitch and note length. As a bonus there is a CV-In socket which makes two signals from a Eurorack modular system, for example, usable in the instrument by means of a separately available Y-cable.The included modules:Source (VCO with triangle waveform and wavefolder)Functions (1x ADH envelope & slope generator each)Woggle (Sample&Hold)Split (multiple/totalizer)Dual LPG (two LPGs)Utility (mix and invert)Space Out (stereo output with reverb)Sequences (connects the sequencer to the sound generator)KORG Volca modular at a glance:Semi-modular synthesizer in West Coast styleBuchla Music Easel Optics8 independent modules with 50 patch pointsFM, Wavefolder2 Low Pass Gates2 EnvelopesReverb EffectCV InMany new sounds to experiment and discoverUnusual analog soundsMobile operation thanks to battery and internal loudspeaker16 mini patch cables and sync cables included in deliverySummary from SOS magazine February 2019PROSA West Coast modular in a Volca. Wow!It sounds fantastic.The Volca sequencer: now with scale quantisising and microtuning.Battery operation.CONSPatching is inevitably fiddly.Limited modular connectivity with the outside world.No MIDI.SUMMARYKorg have attempted something brave – a modular synth in a Volca package. It maintains all the sonic possibilities of modular without the size or the overdraft fees. All the Volca Modular!CONCLUSION“The Volca Modular sounds wonderful. It is capable of a huge sonic palette and it positively encourages experimentation. Of course, without inserting any patch cables, the basic configuration will only produce basic results. Judging it without inserting a patch cable would be doing the Volca Modular a disservice. Once you get busy making connections, you will be rewarded with a vast range of interesting and unusual sounds. In just a few days, I stumbled through beautifully soft basses, alien drone textures, radiophonic bleeps and bloops, kick drums from hell, electro percussion sequences, nostalgic warbly leads and more. Close you eyes and you could be listening to modular system 10 times the size and 20 times the price.We do have to talk about the size; the (miniature) elephant in the room. The Volca Modular does feel cramped. The biggest problem is getting to the controls when there are lots of patch cables plugged in. Some of the inputs and outputs are very close to the knobs and often on more than one side. Getting clear access with all but slenderest of fingers can be troublesome – pins can get bent. I can’t help feeling that putting all the modular connectors at the top of the unit would have eliminated this problem, leaving the knobs free for unfettered twiddling.Ultimately, however, the size doesn’t matter because I found myself having fun and making great sounds. If you love analogue synthesis, but crave something a little different, then the West Coast approach will deliver. I suspect the Volca Modular will be many people’s first taste of West Coast synthesis full stop. There isn’t anything else at this price that can give such a genuine taste of those two worlds and that’s fantastic, although if you get bitten by the modular bug your bank manager might disagree. The fact that Korg have even attempted to fit a modular environment into the Volca still astonishes me. What’s even more astounding is that they’ve pulled it off.”- Rory Dow, Sound on Sound (February 2019)
Original Price€189.53
15% price drop
New Price€161.34
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