I bought MS20 because I was looking for a simple, cheap plug-in. Something with a lot of character to broaden my sonic palette. I found it!
User Interface
Korg’s MS20 is looking great. It’s much like the original, so it’s pretty easy to get around. Features that weren’t on the original are inplemented tastefully, I think. Readability could have been better, especially in the patchpanel, but the biggest drawback of the UI is the fact you have to scroll around the interface.
Sound
I don’t know how close it sounds to the original, but I have to say I really like it. It has a very distinct, gritty character. It sounds “real”.
Features
I do not like the “one synth fits all” idea. Too many developers cramp too much functionality in a single plug-in, IMHO. I like to pick a simple plug-in that fits the character I want and then create a patch from scratch. The MS20 is great for this.
It has all the features of the original but adds some:
- Unison mode with detune
- LFO sync’s to host tempo
- Presets…
- Polyphony…
Documentation
The documentation is good. I can’t find a description of the patchpanel, though.
Presets
There are enough to demonstrate what this thing can do. But I like, and it’s easy, to create my own.
Customer Support
I did not contact customer support. There is e-mail support and an online FAQ. I hope I won’t need it.
Value For Money
I picked this up for $50, -. I think that is good value for money. I’d prefer developers to create more simple, cheap synths that sounds as good as this.
Stability
I did not experience any crashes. I use it as a VST in Ableton Live 8, and as AU in Logic Studio.
Con’s
- Can’t see the whole GUI at once, you’ve to scroll around a bit.
- Some labels are really, really small.
- Patchpanel not so easy to figure out
Pro’s
- Simple synth to program
- Has lot’s of character
- Cheap