Korg EX-800 Desktop Poly 800?!?

How am I just now finding out that the Korg Poly-800 came in a desktop module?

Does anyone have any experience with these?

Any reason I shouldn't go for one if I can find a clean example for $400 or less?

I've been trying to get one to replace my poly800 sold during a bad patch.... because the poly800 is the shit. Everyone hates it so its cheap. But tis paraphonic like a stripped downmonopoly and its the sound of detroit. Its not as bad as folks say it is and I sued my poly800 a lot for string machine duty back in the day as well as stacked techno stabs. Don't sell your Juno, PK, butif you've got that, an alpha or 106 (the 60 and 60 are too classy), all your drum machines and a 4 op FM synth you can just lay hard into some old school techno without trying.

I have one.

If you want a Poly-800 this is the way to go. The Poly-800 doesn’t handle system exclusive, while the EX-800 does. It’s a paraphonic synth: one filter for all Voices.

right on with everything here, its an evolved p800 for your rack. Not that the poly800s big but its bigger and chintzier, the form factor alone sells the ex.

I bought mine cheaply on a whim. I’ve not played with it a ton yet but it’s not particularly strong as a module IMHO.

He's trying to do detroit techno with it, I guarantee you.

Honestly, I wouldn’t pay 400 for it. There are a lot of things I’d look at first in the weird module category. A Dave Smith Evolver, a Yamaha TG-33, etc.

Nor would I. Hence why I don't have one right now. I won't even pay 300 bucks for one. That's not to say it has no place. But given the choice I would take the TG33 all day. Love mine. Although it gets used a lot less lately. SY35 baby....

He's trying to do detroit techno with it, I guarantee you.

I do, or I do not... there is no try. ;)

Honestly, I wouldn’t pay 400 for it. There are a lot of things I’d look at first in the weird module category. A Dave Smith Evolver, a Yamaha TG-33, etc.

Nor would I. Hence why I don't have one right now. I won't even pay 300 bucks for one. That's not to say it has no place. But given the choice I would take the TG33 all day. Love mine. Although it gets used a lot less lately. SY35 baby....

OK, two votes for TG-33... go on then gents, sell me... why is this the best vintage desktop/rack synth on the market for under $500?

BTW, NYCsynth, it's been really nice to have your voice in these discussions. With no disrespect to other synthing EBers who have bothered to check out the forums, it's often felt like conversations in this section are just Jim and I keeping things percolating... at least over the last year or so. Jim is awesome, and that's obviously been enough to keep me coming back, but the more the merrier.

OK, two votes for TG-33... go on then gents, sell me... why is this the best vintage desktop/rack synth on the market for under $500?

D50 type AWM sample engine plus streamlines tx81z engine that can be combined via vector synthesis, DX7mk1/dx100 type 12 bit D to A for a gritty sound. I really prefer the SY35 in the vector/FM camp because it has a decent digital filter for even more sound design potential but it has a crisp and soemtimes harsh sound with none of the 22/33's mk1 DX series skronk. Also the 35 is keyboard only as far as I know. I could be wrong though. For my purposes the SY35 is better though... but the uniqueness and versatility of the TG33 make it a winner in modules. The EX800 is mainly good for techno stabs, stacked voice drone riffs and fake string machine. In ex800 versus tg33, its an apples and oranges comparison, but if I ahd the choice between one or the other and I did have that choice at one point, I take the tg33. I don't need that kinda accuracy for techno. But it has it.

BTW, NYCsynth, it's been really nice to have your voice in these discussions. With no disrespect to other synthing EBers who have bothered to check out the forums, it's often felt like conversations in this section are just Jim and I keeping things percolating... at least over the last year or so. Jim is awesome, and that's obviously been enough to keep me coming back, but the more the merrier.

Tell me about it, this place is mostly just us lately.... I feel like its sometimes hit up by younger kids but they don't appreciate old school hardware. Great to have a 3rd voice here NYCsynth... it doesn't hurt that we have very similar kit from out motu 828s to our lesser known ensoniq, kawai and yamaha stuff :-)

In ex800 versus tg33, its an apples and oranges comparison, but if I had the choice between one or the other and I did have that choice at one point, I take the tg33. I don't need that kinda accuracy for techno. But it has it.

So I come here asking about a simple, fizzy, charmingly-feeble-sounding DCO synth with a resonant analog filter, just one for all the voices, of course, but a filter nonetheless... and you guys are steering me towards a notoriously complex late-FM/early-AWM Yamaha creation that doesn't even have a filter? The nerve! LOL

Which one of your two went through a serious Skinny Puppy phase in their youth?... because when I see a very serious-looking, cold-on-cold Yamaha synth like this, and I immediately think late-80s industrial-flavored synth pop.

... it doesn't hurt that we have very similar kit from out motu 828s to our lesser known ensoniq, kawai and yamaha stuff :-)

Yeah I'm still not fully convinced you're two separate people. But I'm game to play along with this ruse. :D

D50 type AWM sample engine plus streamlines tx81z engine that can be combined via vector synthesis, DX7mk1/dx100 type 12 bit D to A for a gritty sound. I really prefer the SY35 in the vector/FM camp because it has a decent digital filter for even more sound design potential but it has a crisp and soemtimes harsh sound with none of the 22/33's mk1 DX series skronk. Also the 35 is keyboard only as far as I know. I could be wrong though. For my purposes the SY35 is better though... but the uniqueness and versatility of the TG33 make it a winner in modules.

...but don't get me wrong. I've been listening to TG33 and SY22 demos all day. I LOVE the industrial design on the TG33, it's a dead-sexy object... you guys have put this thing on my radar in a big way... I just see it as something that would end up, for me, getting used for big early-90s jungle pads and other atmospherics... things that sound like the came off the old Aeon Flux animated shorts (to totally date ourselves here)... in other words, different scenarios than the roles a Poly 800 would fill. Thankfully, this is not a situation where I'd have to choose one over the other. :D

Which one of your two went through a serious Skinny Puppy phase in their youth?...

in my youth? a phase?

things that sound like the came off the old Aeon Flux animated shorts (to totally date ourselves here)...

dated? look, aeon flux, buckaroo bonzai? blade runner? these are whole cinematic genres, they're timeless LOL

in other words, different scenarios than the roles a Poly 800 would fill. Thankfully, this is not a situation where I'd have to choose one over the other. :D

true, but in my defense I didn't propose the tg33, I just spoke up when it was mentioned... and was also day drinking.

you were talking puppy and dated nd I realized I hada copy of my highschool yearbook around and here's my picture... I'm not the one with the boobs. We never got along even though we were at a lot of the same clubs when we shouldn't have been.

yes I went to raves like that.... even threw some parties in full rivet uniform

EDIT: this was about the time I owned a realistic concertmate, DX7 mk2, DR55 and POLY800(!) as the heart f mystudio LOL

I used a cracked copy of Cakewalk for Windows and drew the notes by hand with a mouse.

I remember doing that when my dad got a copy of cakewalk from my uncle, mebbee 92ish :-) But it was frustrating... eventually went atari and creator

I think you're like 5 years older than me, damn

I was in high school from 1991 to 1995. My first “rig” was a Gravis Ultrasound MAX sound card, which had 512k of RAM or something like that for samples. I used a cracked copy of Cakewalk for Windows and drew the notes by hand with a mouse.

Drawing notes with a mouse is a timeless tradition. :D I'm sure you've watched twitch streams of young producers working in FL or Ableton, and therefore know this approach is as popular as ever. :D

The heart of my first studio? Gentlemen, feast your eyes and ears on the mighty Turtle Beach Pinnacle. I started with just this, a Japanese Strat, and a copy of Sonic Foundry's Sound Forge and slowly morphed into someone that can related to 90s-yearbook-Jim.

The reason I suggested the TG-33 is because I think most of us have a lot of analog stuff with resonant filters. Sometimes the weird digital stuff is overlooked, but I think it’s poised for a comeback.

I gravitate towards things with lots of sound design potential which is why I mentioned the TG-33.

I've studied and/or lusted after many of the pieces of gear in your arsenal, and I feel like I understood where you were coming from with your TG recommendation immediately. It is a good and much-appreciated alternative to bring up... but I reserve the right to poke fun at the gulf in timbral qualities between a Poly 800 and a TG33 regardless. :D

...and I hear you regarding filter fatigue, but if there was a version of the TG33 that also contained an analog filter... I'm pretty sure we'd all want that version even more.

Can someone tell me about the SY-35? Someone mentioned it has a filter. Is that true? I wasn’t aware of this.

Filters make everything better... even imaginary ones.

Can someone tell me about the SY-35? Someone mentioned it has a filter. Is that true? I wasn’t aware of this.

I own one,its sitting powered down in south philly right now. its basically a 16 bit sy22 (tg33 keyboard) .... but it has a digital filter tacked on and the interface and engine is a bit different but capable of the same basic sounds. Has a joystick too.

I own one,its sitting powered down in south philly right now. its basically a 16 bit sy22 (tg33 keyboard) .... but it has a digital filter tacked on and the interface and engine is a bit different but capable of the same basic sounds. Has a joystick too.

Everything I've read says no filter on the SY-35. Someone needs to update Vintage Synth Explorer. I'm sorry for my crack about filter being imaginary.

non resonant.... called tone like on a lot of mid budget digital synths

non resonant.... called tone like on a lot of mid budget digital synths

Does it adjust the amount/influence of certain oscillators within whatever FM algorithm it's running to simulate effects of a LP filter, or is there actually some filter DSP going on?