The worst features of the Micro-X are as follows

[inthefade]

This thread should be for the flaws of the Micro-X, for anyone interested in buying it.

These are the three biggest things that piss me off about the micro-x:

1. The portamento is completely stepped and digital sounding, it is awful and most of the time unusable. The analog modelling is terrible in general. the filters too are really "stepped" sounding.

2. The arpeggiator is choppy and unusable. If you want to quickly change chords it will always miss notes, especially when you aren't in "latch" mode. (In fact no digital arp' that I've used has ever played as nicely as my roland MC-303's)

3. There is no way (that I know of) to control different programs with different MIDI channels.

For $700 I'm really pissed off about these shortcomings.

[inthefade]

Also, they way the four knobs are set up is poorly thought-out.

The large selection knob is poorly placed, I always hit it when moving my hand between the keys and function buttons and accidentally switch programs.

And the velocity sensitivity on the keyboard is really awkward and difficult to control.

Anything else?

[khortoom]

Dunno about micro-X's velocity sensitivity, but X-50's Velocity sensing is good as long U play it's own sounds... as soon as I use it as a midi controller for propellerhead Reason... and try to play with normal velocity some notes pass thru, the others don't, X50 seems to have a sort of All-Or-None velocity sensing above/below certain threshold when functioning as a midi keyboard... and U can only play 'safely' and hear all notes if U increase velocity sensing to 5 or 6. But then the dynamics are not enjoyable.

[Daz]

2. The arpeggiator is choppy and unusable. If you want to quickly change chords it will always miss notes, especially when you aren't in "latch" mode. (In fact no digital arp' that I've used has ever played as nicely as my roland MC-303's)

3. There is no way (that I know of) to control different programs with different MIDI channels.

For 2 maybe try key sync option and for 3 check out the Combi or Multi modes - they provide exactly that feature.

[Clauzii]

The large selection knob is poorly placed, I always hit it when moving my hand between the keys and function buttons and accidentally switch programs.

YES! that is THE most anoying thing. Mine shifts even when just plaing
A bit more click ie. microKORG stylee, just a tad softer Like it is know i'd need gaffer tape, when taking it to concert, and change sounds remotely...

There would have been space for the normal 0-9 selection buttons for sounds if it weren't for that wheel Guess we can't get it all at this price..

Also the VOL pot on my microX can't be used for smooth fadeouts, since the right channel always fade out before the left

The rest is pretty nice at the given price.

[4NDRW]

well my korg usb driver/micro-x editor doesn't recognise my micro-x

after a long jam session, my joystick is f*ck*ng up... will try and get that under warrantee
glad i didn't purchase this online (happened to be on special at a djstore locally)

i much prefer normal jogwheels like on my karma to the wheel on the micro-x
it skips more programs when you turn it quickly, gets annoying as i have to trace back to the sound i was looking for.
specially with no numpad

but then, it is soooo cheap, so portable and sounds so good.
originally got it to replace my karma, but its made me appreciate the karma so much more....
probably will still sell it, and look at getting an m3 in a few years.

i just need to spend time to make a kick ass controller mapping with my novation 61sl then i'd never have to touch it.

[Kossi]

after a long jam session, my joystick is f*ck*ng up...

mine too

[BONES]

I have no problems with the layout at all. Everything seems well thought-out to me and, compared to a lot of similar synths, it is very easy to get stuck into from teh front panel. My joystick is holding up well after almost 18 months of use and abuse.

These are the three biggest things that piss me off about the micro-x:
1. The portamento is completely stepped and digital sounding, it is awful and most of the time unusable. The analog modelling is terrible in general. the filters too are really "stepped" sounding.

Ummm, its not an analogue modelling synth, so that's hardly surprising.

2. The arpeggiator is choppy and unusable. If you want to quickly change chords it will always miss notes, especially when you aren't in "latch" mode. (In fact no digital arp' that I've used has ever played as nicely as my roland MC-303's)

I think the arpeggiators are one of the instrument's strongest features, as a quick flick through the Combinations will demonstrate to anyone. I'd say the problem lies with the user. You couldn't give me an MC-303, its a toy.

3. There is no way (that I know of) to control different programs with different MIDI channels.

Then you clearly haven't spent any time at all learning how to use it. Its trivial.

For $700 I'm really pissed off about these shortcomings.

For $700 it is the most incredible value imaginable. But it is not a toy, it is a serious musical instrument that you need to spend some time learning how to use.

[4NDRW]

well, i got my software editor working
but havnt used it much, so can't comment too much on it.

gonna get my joystick fixed after 2 small gigs, but from reading another thread
sounds like its a wire that gets trapped by the mechanism and breaks. (design fault)
but should be a quick easy fix.
if the shop has any in stock, and my board still looks as good as it does now... then they'll likely just swap it for another.

the presets are really cool and alot more usable ones than my karma.
i like how all the sounds are geared towards electronic music (which suits me)

minor things:
the jog wheel, but i'm getting used to it
the joystick breaking, but they'll fix it
the power connect feels a little weak, so make sure you use the little hook on the case.


i really like this little synth

[inthefade]

Since writing this original post I realized how to control different programs with different MIDI channels. I still find it is pretty clunky and impractical.

In fact, the whole menu system is very clunky. Altering the LFOs and envelopes is anything but intuitive, and you have to switch back and forth between a half-dozen different screens to get it to do what you want.

Just to clarify; I love this synth, and use it all the time--It has beautiful pads and organs that are great for warming up a mix, heavy heavy basses for pop or dance music, and cutting leads. Plus the effects are pretty useable.
But if I had known about these problems, I might have chosen something else in the same price range.

I'm a big fan of mono-synths, and so I can't believe how bad the portamento sounds when going between larger intervals. It sounds like it is playing a series of notes rather than a smooth scoop. It can be used in an esoteric way, but only so many times.

As with most of Korg's modern products , it is perfect out-of-the-box for making House, Trance, and "Rave" dance music. For anything else, it can take lots of finessing. Which can even be a good thing if you've got the patience for it.

I have to restate that the arp function is really obnoxious to use unless you only hit one chord and let it go. I prefer to play my arpeggiations chord by chord, and it just never works smoothly and predictably with the micro-x.

I've also been having problems with syncing the midi clock to my MPC too. if it is set to EXT for the clock, sometimes arpeggiation just wont work until I turn the whole thing off and on again. Don't really know what the problem is.

[BONES]

I still have no idea what you expected. Its a ROMpler, not a mono-synth and its strengths lie elsewhere. If you find Multi or Combination mode clunky, its simply because you're not used to it. I've been dealing with it since 1988 when I bought my M1 and if they changed it I would be pissed off. Its how KORG synths work and its perfectly straightforward. And of course the endless pages of menus are a PITA, how else could it be with such an inexpensive machine? I think that it compares very favourably with things like a Micron [which you might actually prefer to the microX] and I think its actually better than my old K-Station, which had a full set of knobs, sliders and buttons, because of the rotary encoder.
I find it very difficult to fault the microX in any area. 18 months on, I am still convinced it is the best synth I have ever owned, and I've owned plenty since I bought my first one in 1981. I find the very minor compromises of its size and price completely irrelevant because it does what I bought it to do so incredibly well. It is the first hardware synth that I find indispensible since we moved to software in 2000. I'd get rid of our Prophecy before I parted with it.

[4NDRW]

my micro-x also does exactly what i bought it to do
kick ass sounds
small portable package
strips away most of the annoying features i never used on my karma
my other keyboards are Korg too, so i knew what to expect.

a few limitations of course
i wish i could make the MIDI OUT act as an OUT+THRU
so i could daisy chain things. i dont see why that option wasn't included
(unless it is, and i'm too dumb to find it)

[Bigs]

The MicroX is the first hardware synth/rompler I bought, but I'm very happy with it. I agree that the portamento doesn't sound as perfect as with a true analog modelling synth, but I still think it's pretty decent.

As for the arpeggiator, I think it's very flexible.. of course chord changes have to be played with a certain amount of tightness, but I've never seen anything different.

The joystick issues surprise me, I personally think it feels like it was lifted right of an Oasys (mind you, I never used that one). But if it's a design flaw it was probably fixed in later revisions.

[4NDRW]

the joystick looks similar but feels very different to the karma
the karma one actually feels like a hard rubber and feels looser

whereas the micro-x is solid plastic and is also much higher sprung
but i've come to prefer it

[Bigs]

Hmm yeah I guess the material could be more luxurious, but I really like the feel of the action. I've always used wheels before, but I instantly preferred the X-Y joystick after trying it for the first time.