KORG Introduces the opsix mk2

video upload by Korg

"A full sonic spectrum, the opsix mkII is Korg's powerhouse Altered FM synth boasting twice the polyphony as the original, hands-on controls, and a refreshed design for deeper, richer sound exploration, anywhere.

What's New with opsix mkII:
-Polyphony increased from 32 to 64 voices
-Refreshed Look (knob and slider’s pointer color, mkII logo)
-Equipped with functions equivalent to opsix SE "

KORG · opsix Sound Demo

A Full-Spectrum Sound Experience

opsix mk II is a digital synth like no other. Based on the sound engine of the original opsix, the number of simultaneous voices and voicings has been expanded to an astounding 64 voices. The result is superior performance and precise control.

The opsix Operator Mixer simplified FM synthesis for the first time, making it not just comprehensible but also controllable. With the addition of extra synthesis capabilities and programming, it offered a more efficient workflow and an even richer sound.

And, it is fully compatible with the sounds and samples from both the original opsix and the opsix Native software, including numerous high-quality libraries.


Evolved to an astounding 64 voices

The opsix mk II has 64 voices, twice as many as the original 32 voices, allowing users to enjoy tone editing without having to worry about the number of simultaneous voices. In addition, the operator-mixer section, the most distinctive feature of this product, has been accented with a new image color, green.


Get Illuminated with the Operator Mixer

At the heart of every sound is opsix mk II’s Operator Mixer – a simple set of six faders and knobs that invite exploration. Each part lights up red to indicate carriers or blue for modulators. Manipulating them opens up new sound-shaping possibilities to breathe fresh life into your musical ideas. This straightforward, hands-on workflow is part of what makes opsix mk II so unique, just like the sounds it offers.


Direct Hands-On Control

Whether you’re tweaking a preset or building a patch from the ground up, the six data entry knobs on the right give you quick access to the parameters you need and seamlessly sync with the large OLED display, giving you a clear, focused direction to your workflow. Coupled with the mixer, it makes creating fresh sounds super easy and, most importantly, fun!

Select from a full range of analog-style filters, from the radical Korg MS-20 low-pass/high-pass filter to the powerful yet smooth KORG Polysix low-pass filter that gives your sound a vintage feel. There are also two or four-pole low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and band-reject filters with resonance.

There’s even a built-in spectrum analyzer and oscilloscope that gives you visual feedback via the screen on the music you’re making.


Six in One Synthesis

The core of opsix mk II is nothing short of exponential. Since waveforms can be arranged and modulated in nearly infinite ways, opsix mk II can easily do the sonic work that is similar to numerous types of synthesis:

Subtractive

Removing parts of the sound to get the sound you want; the most widely-used synthesis. opsix mk II uses up to six envelopes and multi-modeled filters to achieve many cutting-edge and classical analog synthesis tones.

Semi-Modular

Rerouting signal paths to change the sound. A spin through the Alogorithm section will dramatically reshape the sound by changing how the signal routing between the operators work together, and no patch cables are needed.

Analog (Modeling)

Analog-style controls and plenty of stackable waveforms take you from digital to analog-sounding in no time. Enjoy deep basses, crisp leads, thick pad sounds, fuzzy brass tones, and so much more.

Waveshaping

Adding intentional distortion to the waveforms to achieve aggressive overtones that are either harmonic or inharmonic. This will help you achieve gritty, bitey tones dripping with character.

Additive

Stacking waveforms and blending their harmonics is key to an expansive range of harmonious, dissonant, and tension-driven sounds. With six operators available, the complete FM experience is possible, including the ability to go back in time for classic sounds you have heard throughout recording history.

Classic FM

Last but certainly not least, opsix’s highly flexible and powerful architecture starts with true six-Operator FM. As a result, it easily delivers signature sounds you have surely heard on thousands of hits from the ‘80s on through today, and with far more polyphony than other standalone FM synths available today.

With all of these ways to realize and explore sounds, opsix mk II is uniquely suited as a “future-modern-classic” synth!


Altered Reality

What started as a legacy synthesis has evolved into something completely different. opsix mk II is FM-based, but the similarities to the classic synthesis end there. The Altered FM architecture delivers sounds across a vast spectrum, far wider than any single synthesis has been able to cover before, thanks to new sound components; new waveforms, filters, shaping, effects, LFOs, envelopes, modulations, and more, all translating to its broad assortment of sounds.


Powerful Effects Processing

opsix mk II provides three blocks of 30 types of high-definition effects that you can use together to enhance your sounds even further. There’s everything from a great mix of usable standard effects like chorus, phaser, delay, and compressor to some world-class shimmering reverbs that will elevate your sound to the next level.


Polyphonic Motion Sequencing

opsix mk II features an incredible step sequencer that rivals groove boxes for flexibility and power. Press the PLAY button on any sound and experience the complexity of the sequences! Every Program has its unique sequence stored with it, or create your very own.

You can record up to six notes per step and edit each note's velocity, gate time, and playback timing. Create long phrases or make subtle shifts in timing to emulate strums or drum rolls, something that’s not possible on a typical 16-step sequencer. The motion sequencer of the opsix also lets you record changes of up to six parameters, creating smooth motion changes in sound within a phrase or building rhythms that change dramatically with each step.


Monster Modulation Matrix

The opsix mk II ’s modulation possibilities are genuinely mind-blowing. With six operator modes and 40 preset algorithms, plus the ability to create your own, opsix mk II offers you dynamic sonic options.

This synthesis is supercharged with the processors that come at the end of the signal chain. The MOD section works separate from the operators, with three EGs and three LFOs; and 12 virtual patches for a wide variety of routing possibilities. Use these features for a huge range of modulation to create swirling soundscapes or add rhythmic motion to your sounds.


Throw the Dice

Use the Randomize feature if you’re in the mood for unexpected sonic discoveries. Press the button marked with the die icon to completely scramble the synth’s parameters, generating a new, unique sound. You can use the Randomize feature for all parameters or just for the operators, the algorithm, or the sequences.

You might strike gold with your roll, but if not, just try again or use the result as a starting point for your next new sound.


Free Librarian Software

The opsix Sound Librarian lets you view and organize data on an opsix mk II connected to a computer via USB, and transfer sound data back and forth between the opsix mk II and the computer.