Looking to get a synth/vocoder: MicroKorg vs R3

Aequitas123 · Post by **Aequitas123** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:27 pm

Sorry for this not being related to Live. I just like this forum and thought i'd ask here to see if anyone knows.

Other than the price difference, whats the difference between the MicroKorg and R3 and is it worth doubling the cost for R3?

Also, are there any alternatives?

I'm especially interested in the vocoder.

Angstrom · Post by **Angstrom** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:33 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOTZk0fD6Qs

sorry.
I have no actual helpful advice, just that.

Aequitas123 · Post by **Aequitas123** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:40 pm

hahaha, nice like.

nowtime · Post by **nowtime** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:16 pm

My R3 is due to be delivered any second now. I got to compare them side by side. Please see my comments in the following 2 links.

Used R3's are going for $400 US on ebay, microkorg's are going for $300. Korg is giving $200 rebates on new R3's right now.

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... highlight=

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... highlight=

Aequitas123 · Post by **Aequitas123** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:35 pm

Nice review.

I'm in Canada so i just missed the $200 rebate on R3s. F**K.

I've played both, but only very briefly. The mK seems to work fairly nicely, but i found it to sound really thin. Perhaps i didn't get into it deep enough to find the fat sounds.

The R3 just sounded amazing as soon as i started. The vocoder mic picks up the voice much clearer i thought. I was really impressed with this video demoing the R3 vocoder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWikH6mdUB0

Can you change the mic for the mK?

nowtime · Post by **nowtime** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:42 pm

Aequitas123 wrote:Nice review.

I'm in Canada so i just missed the $200 rebate on R3s. F**K.

I've played both, but only very briefly. The mK seems to work fairly nicely, but i found it to sound really thin. Perhaps i didn't get into it deep enough to find the fat sounds.

The R3 just sounded amazing as soon as i started. The vocoder mic picks up the voice much clearer i thought. I was really impressed with this video demoing the R3 vocoder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWikH6mdUB0

Can you change the mic for the mK?

I think so, but it's an 1/8th inch or something stupid.

I found that I indeed COULD manipulate the R3 like I did the microkorg, but some of the essential tweak controls were buried a few pages deep. I am hoping I can reprogram the 4 knobs to control what I want on the first page, but it is unlikely. Still, I think I can get used to it for live use.

Happy vocoding!

Aequitas123 · Post by **Aequitas123** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:59 pm

1/8th inch? That is stupid!

So you're saying the mK sounds better or is easier to make sound better than the R3? Overall which sounded better?

nowtime · Post by **nowtime** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:17 pm

Overall the R3 won, that's why i bought it. What I liked about the micro is that it sounded more unique, more individualistic. At times it was like standing in front of a Marshall stack with the volume turned to eleven - wild and practically out of control. But the R3 was more beautiful, and for now beauty wins over dissonance and anger.

Aequitas123 · Post by **Aequitas123** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:27 pm

Well played nowtime.

Now if i can just figure out a way to get the $200 rebate on the R3. I'm in Canada and the offer just ended in March!