Back in May at the annual Superbooth synth convention, visitors got a sneak peek at an upcoming Korg release—and among those visitors was our roving correspondent for the weekend, BoBeats.
In one of his videos from the convention floor, Bo remarked that—even though it looked like a toy—this new miniature device was a great-sounding, fun, real-deal synthesizer.
Korg has made the release official with a production run of the Nu:Tekt NTS-1. Sold as a DIY kit that promises an easy, solder-free assembly, the NTS-1 is a monophonic synth with a digital multi-effects engine like that found in its larger siblings the Korg Prologue and Minilogue XD.
In our video above, you can hear the NTS-1 in action. According to Korg, "It is possible to run any custom oscillator and effect content available for Minilogue XD and Prologue, or, create your own."
In addition, the NTS-1 includes an arpeggiator and built-in stereo effects section, along with a multimode filter and three LFOs. With an audio input, sync input and output, and MIDI input, there are plenty of possibilities to use the NTS-1 with other instruments.
Powered by a micro USB cord, you can use a portable battery for easy use while traveling—which, combined with its small and light size, makes it a perfect companion for on-the-go music-making. It also comes with a music software bundle comprised of iZotope Ozone Elements, Reason Lite, and more virtual instruments and programs.
According to Korg, the specs of the NTS-1 include:
- Keyboard: Ribbon keyboard
- Sound generation: 1 Digital Oscillator, 1 Multimode filter, 1 EG, 3 LFO
- Effects: Mod (Chorus, Ensemble, Phaser, Flanger), Delay, Reverb
- Input/output jacks: Headphone jack, Audio In jack (3.5mm stereo mini-phone jack), Sync In jack (3.5 mm stereo mini-phone jack, 20V maximum input level), Sync Out jack (3.5 mm stereo mini-phone jack, 5V output level), MIDI In connector (3.5 mm stereo mini-phone jack) connector, USB port (micro B type)
- Power supply: USB bus power mode, Current consumption: 500 mA or less
- Dimensions (W x D x H): 129 mm x 78 mm x 39 mm / 5.08" x 3.07" x 1.54"
- Weight: 124 g / 4.37 oz
- Included items: USB cable, Owner's manual, Screwdriver
The Nu:Tekt NTS-1 will ship in November 2019, but they're already available for pre-order through Reverb. Click here to order yours now.