Synth Geekery 279

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In episode 279 we talked about synths, eurorack, sequencers, drum machines, samplers, effects and software! Plus all the usual segments! Funny Side, News from the Geekery, Price Watch, Name that Synth …

Show contents:

About the Synth Geekery Show

Synth Geekery is a weekly podcast/live stream (YouTube) show about everything synthesizers, drum machines, samplers, sequencers, eurorack and music technology. We take the “one of the masses” viewpoint, where we are also users of gear just like you (read: we’re not influenced by commercial product placement).

The show relies on the generous contributions of the synth community. You can contribute in many ways including supporting us via our YouTube Channel Membership or Patreon. We also have regular and special video guests: if you would like to take part in future shows – please contact me via email on the about page here.

Your Host

Ranzee (Ranz Adamson) is your show host. He’s based in Perth, Western Australia and has been a hobbyist musician and technologist for most of his life. More information can be found about him here.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ranzee

BandCamp: https://ranzee.bandcamp.com

Guests

This week’s video guests are:

Daren T. Housse

Bandcamp Link: https://darenthousse.bandcamp.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLPHxpZgFKKE1wkG9ndto3A

Daren resides in the UK and is one of the first video guests on the show since 2019. He has a large amount of tracks on his youtube channel plus a great album collection over on BandCamp.

SynthAddict

Andy is a musician and technologist from the bay area in California. He has an amazing collection of music tech gadgets and a large knowledge of synthesizers.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUtABvP7q29uvLKi73zIjFQ

Ian J. Cole

Ian is a musician, composer, sound designer and producer currently producing solo ambient electronic music. He also runs Sinners Music which is a Record Company and Online Music Retailer in East Yorkshire, England

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/IanJCole

Chris – Maikshifter

Chris is a musician and technologist from Perth, Western Australia. He’s always had a love for creating and tinkering with music electronics and has recently embarked on a new journey creating eurorack modules.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Maikshifter

Video replay

Funny Side

The funny side segment is a collection of memes that are somewhat relevant to the synth geekery community. Some of these images are taken from Facebook, Instagram and other social media sources. Please respect the creators. Hope you enjoy this week’s selection:

News

Nord Piano 6

The Nord Piano 6 is a highly versatile stage piano, designed for professional musicians seeking top-tier sound quality and performance flexibility. It features Nord’s renowned Piano Engine, offering realistic acoustic and electric piano sounds, alongside advanced sampling capabilities for a wide range of instruments. The updated version includes a powerful synthesizer section, providing additional layers of sound, and enhanced effects for more creative control.

The Piano 6 is equipped with a responsive, fully weighted keybed for an authentic playing feel and improved aftertouch. Its user-friendly interface includes an OLED display for easy navigation and real-time adjustments, making it perfect for both live performances and studio environments. With multiple outputs, a compact design, and robust construction, the Nord Piano 6 is ideal for musicians on the go who need a high-performance, all-in-one instrument.

Price: 3399 Euro (73) and 3799 Euro (88)

Link: https://www.nordkeyboards.com/products/nord-piano-6/

Nord Organ 3

The Nord Organ 3 is a cutting-edge digital organ designed for musicians seeking authentic organ sounds and versatile performance features. It features enhanced emulations of iconic organs, including the Hammond B3, Farfisa, and Vox models, delivering expressive and realistic tones. The dual 61-key waterfall keyboards with triple sensor keybeds provide a responsive and dynamic playing experience.

Key highlights include a rotary speaker emulation for rich, immersive sound and advanced modulation effects like Tremolo, Phaser, and Chorus for creative sound shaping. The user interface is redesigned with an OLED display and LED indicators for drawbar settings, enabling intuitive real-time control. Compact and portable, the Nord Organ 3 is an ideal instrument for live performances and studio sessions alike.

Price: $3,999

Link: https://www.nordkeyboards.com/products/nord-organ-3/

Korg HandyTraxx Play

The Korg Handytraxx Play is a portable turntable designed for DJs and vinyl enthusiasts, blending classic vinyl playback with modern digital enhancements. Developed in collaboration with Toshihide Nakama, co-creator of the original Vestax Handy Trax, it introduces features such as digital effects, a built-in looper, and high-quality controls for interactive vinyl manipulation.

Key Features:

  • Optimized for Scratching: Equipped with a high-quality fader offering smooth, precise motion and minimized silent zones, the Handytraxx Play facilitates effortless cuts and transitions. The fader can also reverse channels, accommodating various scratching techniques.
  • Digital Effects: Incorporates three types of filters—DJ filter (low-pass/high-pass blend), EQ filter with low isolator, and peaking wah filter with modulation—allowing dynamic sound shaping. A built-in delay effect further expands creative possibilities, enabling the creation of ambient soundscapes and echo effects.
  • Built-in Looper: Features a looper with variable speed control, enabling live playback capture and replay. This function supports unique DJ mixes by adding scratches to looped beats, recording samples, or swapping records seamlessly during a loop.
  • Precision Craftsmanship: The custom-designed tonearm minimizes needle skipping during playback and scratching. A belt-driven motor with digital rotation correction ensures stable platter rotation and quick recovery, providing consistent performance during demanding scratch sessions.
  • Portability: Powered by an AC adapter or six AA batteries, the Handytraxx Play is designed for mobility. Its built-in 2.5W speaker delivers clear audio with rich bass, making it suitable for both home and on-the-go use.
  • Customization: The headshell supports both ceramic and moving magnet (MM) cartridges, offering flexibility for various playback styles. Users can replace the scratch fader or reorient the control panel for right- or left-handed use, ensuring comfort and adaptability for every DJ.

The Handytraxx Play combines traditional vinyl experience with modern digital tools, providing a versatile platform for creative expression in a compact, portable design.

Price: 359 GBP

Link: https://www.korg.com/au/products/dj/handytraxx_play/

Korg HandyTraxx Tube



The Korg Handytraxx Tube is a portable record player that merges classic analog warmth with modern functionality. It features Korg’s Nutube vacuum tube technology, delivering rich, harmonic sound that enhances every record. The built-in stereo speakers provide clear audio, while the die-cast aluminum platter ensures precise and stable rotation. The Handytraxx Tube supports 33-1/3, 45, and 78 RPM playback speeds and includes bass and treble tone controls for customizable sound. Its compact design and battery operation make it ideal for both home and on-the-go listening.

Price: 699 GBP

Link: https://www.korg.com/au/products/audio/handytraxx_tube/

Korg HandyTraxx TubeJ

The Korg Handytraxx Tube J is a limited-edition portable record player developed in collaboration with JICO, a renowned manufacturer of high-quality analog audio styli and cartridges. This model features JICO’s precision-engineered Clipper MM Cartridge, designed to deliver rich, detailed, and true-to-the-original sound reproduction. The Clipper cartridge offers superior audio fidelity and is compatible with JICO’s N44-7 and N44G styli, in addition to its exclusive CRCP/MK1 stylus. Its unique design balances the center of gravity between the left and right channels, while the Tapered-S Cantilever ensures accurate vibration reproduction, creating an immersive Hi-Fi soundstage.

The Handytraxx Tube J retains all the acclaimed features of the original Handytraxx Tube model, including:

  • A die-cast aluminum platter for stable rotation.
  • A counterweight tonearm for optimal tracking performance.
  • A phono equalizer powered by Korg’s innovative Nutube vacuum tube technology, providing rich, dynamic sound with warm harmonics.
  • Built-in stereo speakers, supplemented with bass and treble tone controls for customizable sound.

This collaboration between Korg and JICO combines Korg’s expertise in electronic music instruments with JICO’s renowned mastery in analog audio craftsmanship, resulting in a portable record player that brings professional-grade sound quality to a compact form factor.

No vid

Price: 1099 GBP

Link: https://www.korg.com/au/products/audio/handytraxx_tube_j/

Korg HandyTraxx 1-Bit



The Korg Handytraxx 1bit is a high-resolution portable record player designed for vinyl enthusiasts seeking superior sound quality and advanced digitization capabilities. It allows users to archive their vinyl collections in 5.6 MHz, 1-bit Direct Stream Digital (DSD) format, capturing audio with exceptional clarity. Equipped with Korg’s Nutube Phono EQ, it adds warmth and depth to playback, enhancing the listening experience. The Handytraxx 1bit features a die-cast aluminum platter for precise rotation and includes pitch monitoring to ensure consistent speed. Its universal tonearm with an interchangeable headshell allows for customization with different cartridges, and the pre-installed JICO J44A 7 MM cartridge delivers dynamic sound. Additionally, it supports USB connectivity for seamless recording and playback in both DSD and PCM formats, facilitating easy digitization and transfer of vinyl records to digital devices.

Price: 919 GBP

Link: https://www.korg.com/au/products/audio/handytraxx_1bit/

Korg MultiPoly Module



The Korg multi/poly module is a rack-mountable and desktop-friendly analog modeling synthesizer, inspired by the classic Mono/Poly. It offers up to 60 voices of polyphony and features four timbral layers, each equipped with four oscillators—Classic, Digital, and Waveshaper types—for creating rich and complex sounds. The module includes dual analog modeling filters, multiple envelope curvature presets, and six portamento models, allowing for detailed sound shaping. Its design accommodates both rack-mounted and desktop setups, with a standard 19″ width and adjustable panel angles. Additionally, the multi/poly module supports MIDI 2.0 Property Exchange and polyphonic aftertouch, enhancing its expressive capabilities.

Price: 709 GBP

Link: https://www.korg.com/au/products/synthesizers/multipoly_module/

Korg MultiPoly Native

The Korg multi/poly native is a software synthesizer that emulates the hardware multi/poly, bringing its advanced analog modeling capabilities to your digital audio workstation (DAW). This plugin offers up to 60 voices of polyphony and supports four layers, each capable of hosting a separate program for intricate layering and split configurations. Each program includes four oscillators—Classic, Digital, and Waveshaper types—alongside a noise generator and ring modulation for expansive sound design possibilities.

The multi/poly native features dual-modeled filters with audio-rate modulation, encompassing various filter models such as M/Poly, MS-20 lowpass/highpass, and Minimoog styles. It also incorporates Layer Rotate functionality, which triggers new programs with each keypress, and Motion Sequencing 2.0 for complex, per-voice modulation. Additionally, the Kaoss Physics interface provides interactive, hands-on modulation through a dedicated touchpad.

For effects processing, the plugin offers three studio-quality effects per layer, plus master reverb and parametric EQ. Notably, patches created in multi/poly native can be seamlessly transferred to the hardware multi/poly and vice versa, facilitating a cohesive workflow between software and hardware environments.

The multi/poly native is available for $199 USD. Owners of the hardware multi/poly are eligible for a crossgrade license at a special price of $49.99, accessible via a coupon code linked to the hardware’s unique ID. The plugin operates as a 64-bit VST3, AU, and AAX plugin on macOS (Intel and M1) and Windows platforms.

No vid

Price: 199€

Link: https://www.korg.com/au/products/software/multipoly_native/

Korg MiniKorg 700SM

The Korg miniKORG 700Sm is a compact reissue of Korg’s first monophonic analog synthesizer, the miniKORG 700S, originally released in the 1970s. Unveiled at the 2025 NAMM Show, this modern version retains the vintage character while incorporating contemporary enhancements.

Key Features:

  • Compact Design: Approximately 86% the size of the original, featuring 37 slim keys with aftertouch, enhancing portability without sacrificing playability.
  • Dual Oscillators: Provides rich, thick tones suitable for leads and basses, staying true to the original’s sound palette.
  • Traveler Filter: Features the iconic dual-slider system for intuitive control over high-pass and low-pass filters, allowing expressive sound shaping.
  • Modern Enhancements: Includes a spring reverb, joystick for pitch bend and modulation, aftertouch, arpeggiator, USB port, MIDI IN connector, and CV/GATE IN jack, catering to contemporary performance and connectivity needs.

The miniKORG 700Sm offers musicians a blend of nostalgic analog warmth and modern functionality in a portable format.

Price: 1169 GBP

Link: https://www.korg.com/au/products/synthesizers/minikorg_700sm/

Korg Kronos 3

Is this just a firmware update with a hardware refresh? The OS Kronos System Version 3.2 is only a minor update from the previous version of 3.1.3.

The Korg Kronos 3 is the latest iteration of Korg’s flagship music workstation series, unveiled in January 2025.

Building upon its predecessors, the Kronos 3 integrates nine distinct synthesizer engines, offering a comprehensive range of sounds from authentic acoustic instruments to rich analog synths.

Key Features:

  • Enhanced Performance: Equipped with an upgraded CPU, the Kronos 3 delivers improved processing capabilities, resulting in faster load times and smoother operation.
  • Expanded Memory and Storage: The workstation boasts 3GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, providing ample space for extensive sample libraries and user data.
  • Nine Sound Engines: The Kronos 3 incorporates nine versatile sound engines, including:
    • SGX-2: Premium acoustic piano engine.
    • EP-1: Dedicated to electric pianos.
    • HD-1: High-definition sample-based synthesis.
    • AL-1: Analog modeling synthesis.
    • CX-3: Tonewheel organ modeling.
    • STR-1: Plucked string physical modeling.
    • MOD-7: Waveshaping VPM synthesis.
    • MS-20EX: Analog modeling based on the classic MS-20.
    • PolysixEX: Analog modeling based on the Polysix.
  • User Interface: Features an 8-inch color TouchView display for intuitive navigation, complemented by a four-way joystick, ribbon controller, and assignable knobs and sliders for real-time control.
  • Comprehensive Sequencing and Sampling: Offers a 16-track MIDI sequencer and a 16-track audio recorder, alongside Korg’s Open Sampling System for versatile sound creation and arrangement.
  • KARMA Technology: Incorporates Korg’s KARMA (Kay Algorithmic Realtime Music Architecture) for generating complex musical phrases and dynamic effects, enhancing live performances and studio productions.

The Kronos 3 is available in three configurations:

  • 88-key and 73-key models: Feature Korg’s RH-3 Real Weighted Hammer Action for an authentic piano feel.
  • 61-key model: Equipped with a semi-weighted action, suitable for synth and organ performances.

For existing KRONOS and NAUTILUS users, Korg plans to release a soundpack in the second half of 2025, enabling access to the latest Kronos sounds on earlier models.

The Korg Kronos 3 is slated for release in June 2025.

Price: 2649 GBP

Link: https://www.korg.com/au/products/synthesizers/kronos3/

Korg Nano Key Fold

The nanoKEY Fold is a compact, foldable MIDI keyboard that brings creative freedom to musicians and producers on the go. Small enough to fit in a pocket yet powerful enough for full-scale production, nanoKEY Fold unfolds to reveal 25 keys, complete with silent membrane technology and customisable velocity settings.

Price: 179 AUD

Link: https://www.korg.com/au/products/computergear/nanokey_fold/

Behringer Steps

Behringer Steps is a versatile, compact modular sequencer designed for use in electronic music production. It features a 64-step sequence with multiple tracks, allowing for independent control of parameters like pitch, gate, modulation, and more. The sequencer has a user-friendly interface with tactile controls, offering both step input and real-time performance options. Its connectivity includes CV and gate outputs for integration with analog synthesizers, as well as MIDI compatibility. The Behringer Steps is often praised for its affordability, flexibility, and ease of use in creating intricate patterns and sequences.

Price: $129

Link: https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=0720-ADI

Xils-Labs The Eighty

The Xils-Lab The Eighty is a software synthesizer inspired by classic analog sounds, combining vintage warmth with modern flexibility. It offers 8 oscillators with a wide range of waveforms, including custom shapes. The synthesizer includes a versatile modulation system, sophisticated filters, and multiple effects to shape and enhance the sound. Designed for both beginners and advanced users, it provides an intuitive interface with a variety of presets while allowing for deep sound design. The Eighty is known for its rich, dynamic tones suitable for various genres.

Price: 67 GBP

Link: https://www.xils-lab.com/

Price Watch

Find below images and links to the items we showed for the price watch segment.

Sony DPS Series FXhttps://ebay.us/CPheyjThe Sony DPS Series FX is a range of high-performance digital signal processors designed for professional audio applications. Known for their exceptional sound quality and versatility, the DPS Series FX offers a wide array of effects, including reverb, delay, chorus, and modulation, along with advanced features like dynamic processing and pitch shifting. These processors are equipped with intuitive controls and a user-friendly interface, allowing for precise sound shaping and real-time adjustments.
Ideal for both live sound and studio environments, the DPS Series FX is built to handle complex audio tasks, providing clear, transparent effects with minimal latency. The series is known for its reliability and consistent performance, making it a popular choice among audio engineers and musicians seeking high-quality processing power.
Oberheim SEM Patch Panelhttps://ebay.us/7rxz3kThe Oberheim SEM (Synthesizer Expander Module) Patch Panel is a highly regarded analog synthesizer module designed to offer extensive patching capabilities for sound design enthusiasts and modular synthesis users. It provides a collection of inputs and outputs for connecting external devices or modulating various parameters, such as filters, oscillators, and envelopes, creating complex and dynamic sounds.
The patch panel allows for real-time manipulation of the SEM’s core features, enabling users to build custom signal paths and control interactions between the module’s components. This modular approach enhances flexibility, offering endless possibilities for sonic experimentation, making it ideal for musicians, producers, and sound designers who want to push the boundaries of their creativity with the iconic Oberheim SEM sound.
Sequential Prophet 10https://tidd.ly/3WomRZeThe Sequential Prophet 10 is a legendary analog synthesizer known for its rich, powerful sound and classic design. It features a dual-oscillator, 10-voice polyphonic architecture, offering lush, expansive tones ideal for a wide range of musical styles. The Prophet 10 combines the warmth and character of vintage analog synthesis with modern stability and precision.
With its robust filter section, modulation capabilities, and extensive modulation routing, the Prophet 10 allows for deep sound shaping. The instrument also includes a versatile arpeggiator and sequencer, providing enhanced performance options. Its iconic, easy-to-navigate interface makes it a go-to tool for musicians looking to create expressive and dynamic analog sounds.
ARP Quadrahttps://tidd.ly/40EBYAnThe ARP Quadra is a unique analog synthesizer from the 1970s, known for its distinctive multi-functional design. It features four distinct sections: a polyphonic synthesizer with six voices, a monophonic synthesizer, a string ensemble, and a drum/percussion unit. This setup allows for a wide variety of sounds, from lush string pads and basses to complex lead lines and rhythmic textures.
The Quadra is renowned for its ability to create rich, evolving soundscapes, thanks to its versatile modulation capabilities and multiple envelope generators. Its analog nature provides warmth and depth, making it a favorite among synthesist musicians looking for a broad sonic palette. While somewhat complex to program, the ARP Quadra remains a sought-after vintage instrument for those looking to explore the unique possibilities of early polyphonic synthesis.

Name That Synth

No name that synth this week – send one in!

If you are after more information about Name that Synth – please check out this page here.

Saturday Sonority

This week’s Saturday Sonority we might talking about …..