NAMM 2024: KORG Nu:tekt NTS-1 MkII and NTS-3 kaoss pad

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KORG NTS-1 MkII

If you’re like me, you don’t have time to watch a zillion product videos in order to learn even the most basic information about a shiny object. Here’s a quick take on the new KORG NTS-1 MkII programmable synthesizer kit. Check out my first look at the NTS-1 Mk1, too.

Let’s get the price out of the way, first. The MkII is $170, up from the Mk1’s $100 USD MAP. That’s a modest increase, but we better get something for the extra 70 bucks!

KORG upped the processor to an ST Microelectronics STM32H725IET6: ARM® Cortex®-M7 STM32H7 Microcontroller IC 32-Bit 550MHz 512KB (512K x 8) FLASH 176-LQFP. The original MkI uses an ST Microelectronics STM32F446ZET6, which is an ARM® Cortex®-M4 STM32F4 Microcontroller IC 32-Bit Single-Core 180MHz 512KB (512K x 8) FLASH 144-LQFP. The main difference is M7 vs. M4 and the higher CPU clock speed. Nice.

The downside: logue SDK MkII is not backward compatible to MkI NTS-1. The MkII SDK is reported to have new capabilities, but no one has seen the spec.

Below is a quick list of new features and enhancements:

  • 8 step sequencer
  • Arpeggiator with different chord scales
  • A new noise oscillator
  • USB-C and MIDI IN/OUT (TRS-A dongle)
  • Keyboard is multitouch and sends chords through MIDI OUT
  • Controls send MIDI CC through MIDI OUT
  • KORG Kontrol Editor support (librarian)
  • New effects: Soft Clip, Hard Clip, Fuzz, One Repeat Delay, Smooth reverb, Arena, Room, Early reflections, Horror
  • Tempo sync delay options
  • External audio can be used as a modulator
  • Built-in mini speaker

That’s worth the extra $70, I’d say. KORG have invested time and money on the logue SDK — a worthy trend — and that needs to be rolled into the asking price.

I thought about blowing off the NTS-1 MkII. Now I’m not so sure! The MkII has a number of useful refinements and I especially like the MIDI OUT capabilities.

KORG NTS-3 kaoss pad kit

The KORG NTS-3 really caught my attention as I always wished I had a kaoss pad!

Unfortunately, detailed information is sketchy at this stage. KORG claim four effect slots and deep editing. Features include:

  • XY pad (duh!)
  • FX depth touch slider/strip
  • Tap BPM and tempo sync
  • Filter, modulation, delay, reverb, lo-fi and mastering effects
  • 3 oscillator “effects”
  • 200 Performance program slots (100 preloaded, 100 user)
  • Dedicated librarian app (coming soon)
  • Sync IN/OUT re-assignable to MIDI IN/OUT
  • TRS-A MIDI convention
  • USB-C communication and power
  • KORG music software bundle

Guessing, the NTS-3 will probably require the MkII logueSDK. Judging from the KORG NTS-3 assembly video, the NTS-3 uses the same higher-spec STM32H725IET6 ARM processor.

Same $170 USD MAP asking price and same pre-order status as the NTS-1 MkII. KORG have sent out NTS-1 demo units, but no NTS-3 joy yet. Might have to wait a while for this one…

Copyright © 2024 Paul J. Drongowski