I prefer it actually. I have about 14 keyboards already.

Very cool, the Mini is a real character synth.
Are you starting to warm to it more?

I've ordered the wooden end cheeks for it...

I think they're both awesome and it depends on your situation. But if you're just going for sound and it's not your only mono synth, I'd go MS-20 and it's not a hard decision.

70's Korg monos were an integral part of synth pop.

Quite easy to think its broken at first! Got to get used to it's quirks and the patch bay makes everything seem more effort than is necessary. But somehow its my favourite, definitely grows on you and those filters...

Hope you stick with it long enough to want to come back to these words...

Hmm.

I like the sound of the MS20 in terms of gritty.

I hate that it doesn't have a 2nd ADSR.
The patch bay is overrated in my opinion. I've made people angry on threads saying this but I honestly feel it's true.
The envelope on the MS20 is very slow.
Sustain works backwards on the filter. Kind of a weird quirk.
No second LFO considering all those patch points seems wrong.
There are quirks with other areas of what you can do with the patchbay. Like when you try to use ENV1 as volume and 2 as filter, ENV 2 still controls volume attack and release. So defeats the purpose. There are other things too.

I have managed to like some creations I do with it. I'm on the very edge of possibly selling my MS20 original. I almost did weeks ago but backed out to give it another chance again. I can't help but feel it's not worth keeping around though when I have a Pro One, Prodigy and so on. Honestly was even thinking of replacing it with a System-1 since I like the Roland sound. If it weren't for the darn keys on the System-1 it would be an easy choice.

I have been using the MS20 with my Kenton kit and Logic and it sounds good and has been fun. We'll see what happens.

Completely happy with my Bass Station II - I didn’t actually go into the shop to buy it, the intention was either a MiniBrute or MS-20 but when playing around in the shop I found the BSII more of an allrounder.

I was listening to the first one and thought, man this sounds like some trippy aboriginese sh*t, I like it! Then, I saw you live in Australia and the world was once again familiar.

haven't read all the posts, but i'd go for the bsii. don't get a new one though; wait for a used one to come up for around $400-450- they often do.

some of the tips n tricks vids for the MS - 20 are awesome, you-tube is such a great resource for that sort of thing..

totally the vid you posted before lead me to at least 4 or 5 that i bookmarked fro later. I was debating whether I should sell my ms20 mini but after seeing all the cool stuff I have yet to try quickly reconsidered.

Subjectively the BS2 sounds much better between your two demo vids. That is the first time I have heard a demo of a BS2 ever. So it's new to my ears but it does sound good.

this one is just beautiful, I'm at work now but patched it up and played with it for half n hour or so before I came to work and it sounded so cool, can't wait to get back to it, It sounds very Boards of Canada if playing the right notes, sounds like a chord...from a mono synth..!! that's pretty impressive, I'm going to enjoy this synth more than I first thought..

This has turned out to be a cool thread, lots of great demo's, most I've never seen before.
I just uploaded my latest "1 Minute Noodles" video's, and it's based on one of the patches posted earlier, but it's been tweaked a bit, so now it sounds different. Also it has delay and a stereo reverb on it.



And one of my favorite fun video demo's of the Mini.

Cool, I could watch those patching videos all day, nice use of the envelope in that first video Brightside, sounds nice and snappy, something this synth doesn't seem to do that well imo..envelopes are pretty sluggish..

I want to get an analog delay for my MS - 20 something like a Mooger fooger pedal would be incredible..

That car start-hot wired sound is too funny, it really does sound like a starter motor kicking over..

Well I finally finished my very first track done with the MS-20 mini...the "what you want" sounding lead part, is purely MS-20,, using the high pass filter with some tweaking, I was amazed I was able to get the synth to "talk" like this...anyways it took me nearly two weeks to finish this track, lots of edits and tweaks here, BS2, Minitaur and MS-20 are all the synths used, drums are purely Kong.

I'm also in the BS2 camp, but maybe for different reasons. To me they blew it when they tried to do a 1:1 MS20... but added USB. IMO, if you're adding, why not add some features that are regularly found on modern instruments, like the BS2? Specifically, I'm looking for a way to map velocity and aftertouch as controllers. Basically I bought the Pulse 2 instead of the MS20 Mini, but I think I probably would have enjoyed the MS20 Mini's sound more, but I can't handle that anachronistic crap. I hope Korg doesn't repeat this mistake on the Odyssey.

I sure as hell hope they do!

Currently I'm renting a BS2 to see how I like it. Currently learning how to make my own patches so I search for sounds I like and try and see how I can emulate them. Sometimes I wonder if I can just get by with my copy of Monark but I have had some cool results with the BS2. I really love the sound of the Sub Phatty but it's twice the money and I think the BS2 is more in my price category. Currently working on some what's now known as Minimal Wave/Cold Wave. I know the MS-20 can make some far out sounds and has a tone that is unique but I don't think it has the usability factor like the BS2.

Why? Would it be horrible if they gave us all the sound and functionality of the Odyssey plus some extra modern features? We already know it'll have MIDI, which is already beyond the original. Why not take advantage of all that MIDI offers? Even if you personally never use it, it will open up the market for an instrument like this a lot, which means a greater chance of being a success and the more successful it is, the bigger chance that other models will follow.

Of course, if the MS20 Mini is any indication as to how Korg will handle the Odyssey, they'll stick MIDI and USB on it and call it a day. That's fine with me as I've already got as much Odyssey flavor as I need in my ATC-X and, there's always the Boomstar 4075 for those who want to get even closer but don't want a crippled throwback.

Same here! Not going to poo-poo a "reissue" for being too original or too modern.

IMO, adding midi is fine, changing the architecture via adding aftertouch or velocity, then it's a totally different (and new) synth (and higher in price).

What you are talking about is not solely down to MIDI.

BS2 is better for perc sounds IMO. You can get good kick/snare/hat sounds out of it, which is fun. It also does all the standard synth patches nicely, including SH-like sounds and Moogy bass. The multi-mode filters make the synth really versatile overall.

Korg is probably better for drones / long evolving patches though. Those VCFs are really wild too, which the BS2 can't match. The BS2 is 'polite' most of the time, whereas the Korg wails. MS20 can do more with external input sounds, if that's your thing.

AFX mode on the BS2 sends the synth to the next level, it's got memories, and it works well as a MIDI controller for a DAW too.

It can do OSC sync sounds, which you can't do on the Korg.

Really good value if it's your only/main monosynth.

For a partner synth that complements the BS2 well, I'd recommend the Behr Neutron.. or the MS20FS / K2.
K2 has better build quality than the MS20 mini IMO.

This thread is 7 years old.

So is my mental age, but that doesn't stop me posting