Tag Archives: Korg EK-50

NAMM 2023: Korg EK-50U and EK-50CSA

Posted on by

The slow NAMM 2023 roll-out continues. Today, it’s Korg, again.

Korg are introducing two new models in the 61-key Entertainer Keyboard line.

The EK-50 U focuses on musical genres with “American roots”, that is, jazz, country, alternative, dance and rock. Korg breaks down the main features:

  • New styles
  • New sounds: electric and acoustic guitars, electric basses, brass, and drum kits
  • Performance record mode
  • Built-in amplification and speakers: 2x10W, 2x120mm dual-cone
  • Add-on styles from the Korg library
  • Operation on eight AA batteries (optional)
  • Song playback: MP3, WAV, Standard MIDI File
  • USB TO DEVICE and USB TO HOST ports
  • Weight: 16.5 pounds (7.5kg)

Street price (MAP) is $500USD. The EK-50 U and its sister are positioned in the high entry-level niche (i.e., against the Yamaha PSR-E473 and PSR-EW425).

Korg EK-50 CSA Entertainer Keyboard (don’t say “arranger”)

The EK-50 CSA focuses on Central and South America (“CSA”). It, too, has new styles and new sounds. New sounds include trumpets, saxophones, brass, guitar, bass and regional instruments like sampoña, quena and charango.

Both instruments have new speaker grill colors so I guess you can tell them apart if you own more than one. 🙂 I’m not real fond of the blue, Korg.

Listening to the audio demos, I would give the edge to the EK-50 CSA. The USA styles sound like… Well, they sound like an arranger playing rock and roll. I’ll bet the CSA out-sells the U simply due to anti-arranger bias.

BTW, the term “American” encompasses North, Central and South America. A bit chauvinistic or at least geography challenged. 🙂 “CSA” sometimes has a whole ‘nother meaning in the USA.

747 Queen Of The Skies (1 February 2023)

Copyright © 2023 Paul J. Drongowski

Korg EK-50: Meh

Posted on by

As I mentioned in my last post, both Roland and Yamaha have new product announcements and events scheduled for this week (September 13 and September 14, respectively). No Roland rumors to far, but there was a slip uncovering the Yamaha MODX.

The holiday sales musical instrument sales season seems to have come early this year, with Korg revealing the EK-50 Entertainer Keyboard.

When I first saw the EK-50 on Musicradar, I was intrigued. Here would be Korg’s entry into the $400 USD and under, entry-level arranger market. The first YouTube videos dashed that hope. I still cannot flush the sound of this thing from my ears.

The EK-50 is a sonic stink bomb. The voices and styles are horrible. If you read the articles on this site, you’ll know that I’m pro-arranger as well as pro-synth. So, my opinion is not pre-biased against arrangers. I’m not biased against Korg, either. At any given time, you’ll find either a MicroKorg XL+ or Triton Taktile right next to my main PC. You never know when you’ll need to noodle or learn a new tune while playing with an on-line track. I’ve also dipped into the entry-level with the Yamaha PSR-E443 — no illusions about buying a Genos™ for $400. I even gave the Roland GO:KEYS an honest trial.

I do not get equipment for review from manufacturers. I do this with my hard-earned cash, like you.

Korg say that the EK-50 is not an arranger. It’s an “Entertainer Keyboard.” News for Korg, if it quacks like a duck and plays like a duck, it’s a duck. I’ll bet that Korg marketing knows that the EK-50 is a sonic dud and doesn’t want shade thrown on the well-regarded Pa professional arranger line of keyboards.

I would like to see more innovation at the entry level. Even though I had issues with the GO:KEYS keybed, I have to give props to Roland for the GO:KEYS sound engine and phrase-based approach to backing. Let’s see more of that instead of warmed over styles from yesteryear with the occasional, gratuitous EDM loop thrown in.

Sometimes, you gotta know when to kill a product.

Copyright © Paul J. Drongowski