TECH
VERDICT BUILD QUALITY
EASE OF USE FEATURES
8.5 8.5 8.5
VALUE FOR MONEY 8.0 SOUND QUALITY
8.5
HYPE A high-quality professional
sampler and effects unit with touchpad interface, and even more killer effect programs to play with.
GRIPE There is little to tempt existing
KP3 owners to upgrade.
Korg’s flagship Kaoss Pad has been improved and upgraded, while keeping the best elements of the previous incarnation, to create a truly wonderful portable effects unit.
8.4 /10
PRICE $349.99
CONTACT
korg.com
CONTROLLED KAOSS Korg is looking to create maximum Kaoss with its all-new KP3+ flagship effects unit...
KORG is undoubtedly one of the best-known names in electronic music, having earned their enviable reputation by producing some of the most awesome-sounding synthesizers known to mankind. But of late, Korg have also been carving out something of a niche for themselves by creating a range of portable effects units such as the miniKaosspad2 and the Kaossilator2, which have been put to good use by musicians from a wide range of genres. The device that started this lineage of portable effects units — and the big daddy of the family — is the Kaoss Pad. The latest incarnation of this was the KP3, before the technicians at Korg applied their updating and improvement treatments to create their new flagship Kaoss Pad, the KP3+. Kaoss Pads have always been about the big touch pad at the centre of the unit,
KEEP UP-TO-DATE Make sure to update your software regularly to ensure bug-free operation, as well as access to new features and sounds.
and the KP3+ follows this tradition with a nicely-sized touch controller, with an interactive LED display that can be stroked, rubbed or tapped to control multiple effects in real time. Complex effect controls are combined into touch gestures that are very intuitive and a whole lot of fun to use without the need for meddling about with control parameters; still, some truly stunning effects can be created by getting deep and dirty with the settings.
The KP3+ has a total of 150 effects, that can be put to use when remixing, DJing or in live performances. In addition, there are an extra 22 programs found inside the KP3+, compared with the KP3. All of the best-loved programs from the KP3 are also onboard this latest incarnation, including effects and filters such as delays, reverbs, spiral effects, a
MAKE ROOM Running out of hard disk space is not only a hassle, but will cause problems with the performance of your computer. Hard disks are cheap these days, so make sure to upgrade.
grain shifter and even a vocoder. Using the high quality onboard sampler found inside the KP3+, it is possible to record up to four different samples of 13 seconds in length, which can be triggered and manipulated by the looper programs as well as having effects layered on top.
The build quality of the KP3+ is absolutely fantastic. It has an all-metal body with an anodized matt black finish that is just gorgeous, and feels as good to the touch as it looks. The control panel case design is very slick and professional, with nicely-sized backlit buttons, an FX release level slider and decent-sized knobs and switches. The unit also has plenty of inputs and outputs, featuring both MIDI in and out connections, USB connection and two stereo line inputs and outputs. The front panel has a headphone output with a volume control knob, SD Card slot
TAKE THE LEAD Old leads can cause no end of headaches by causing hum, earth problems and clicks in recordings, so replace any leads that have come to the end of their life.
and a microphone input. This really is a beautifully designed and manufactured piece of professional audio equipment that will stand the rigors of touring without missing a beat.
In some ways Korg are a victim of their own success. By completing such a stellar job in design and production of the original KP3, they left themselves very little room for improvement. Because the upgrades seen on the KP3+ are fairly minor in nature, they will have a hard time tempting existing KP3 users to upgrade, but should see plenty of new owners, as discerning buyers seek out a quality effects unit that will stand the test of time. This new KP3+ is likely to be extremely useful for years to come, proving to be a wise investment.
BACK IT UP Backing up your computer’s system information as well as your songs and samples will save your bacon if a digital disaster strikes your computer.
djmag.com 089
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