Korg Collection 5 adds ARP 2600 synth, Vox Continental organ and classic electric piano emulations, taking it way beyond its original remit
Plugin reboots of non-Korg synths and keyboards have now joined the bundle, too
Originally intended as a repository for software emulations of its own synths, Korg’s Collection has now been expanded to include instruments that come from different hardware stables.
We’re certainly not complaining, though, particularly as version 5 of the bundle is headlined by the classic ARP 2600 synth. Korg does have a relationship with this instrument, of course, having previously rebooted it to great acclaim as a hardware product.
As well as promising to accurately emulate the original synth, this plugin version also offers various improvements. These include a second filter, a drive section, new modulation sources, MIDI control, a sequencer and up to 16 voices of polyphony,
An emulation of the Vox Super Continental combo organ beloved by British bands of the ‘60s and ‘70s is also here. Again, there’s a Korg connection: the company has owned Vox since 1992, and released a Continental-themed stage piano in 2017.
Finally, there’s the EP-1, a homage to classic electric pianos such as the Fender Rhodes. This one will be familiar to owners of Korg’s Kronos and Nautilus synths, as it’s based on the same Multi-Dimensional Synthesis (MDS) technology. This is designed to offer greater realism than you’d get from a standard sample-based engine.
The Korg Collection now contains a total of 14 synthesizers, two effects processors and one drum machine, giving it pretty comprehensive sonic coverage.
Korg Collection 5 has a regular price of $399, but it’s currently on sale for $299. If you want to buy the new instruments individually, you can currently do so for $100 each (their regular prices are $150 each), and there are also upgrade and crossgrade prices.
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The plugins run on PC and Mac in VST/AU/AAX formats. Find out more on the Korg website.
I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.