Debuting in NAMM in 2006, the Radias was Korg's big synth of the day. with its engine running Korg's Multi Modelling Technology (MMT) which was spawned like their other previous modelling engines from the OASYS development project. However the Radias also works with PCM waveforms including 128 drum samples & it does a basic kind of FM as well as formant additive synthesis. The Radias also includes a Vocoder, so in some ways we can assume it is related to - but not the same as - the MS2000 & MicroKorg models - like a bigger version which gives you the best of those two, but simply adds 'more'...
The bottom line is if you buy into one of these secondhand you are getting more than virtual analog modelling sounds.
The Radias offers superb quality techno, trance & general dance floor synth sounds, as well as classic Poly & Mono synth fare a-plenty, but would fit equally into a film score studio setup, while it's also able to serve up the most lush & sparkling ballad style electric pianos, Rhodes & other keyboard sounds from the classic Korg M1 & Roland D-50 sample synth eras, dripping with high resolution quality.
From a design point of view it was somewhat strange. The Radias itself is a rack mount unit, but you could get the optional keyboard-with-rails module to mount it on and play it from.
It's got 24 note poly, but that figure can drop depending on the synth engine model you are playing.
Radias has 256 programs, 32 drum kits, and 16 formant motion sets. There are 3 modulation sequencers which can change parameters in steps over time allowing the imitation of Control Voltage steps on old synths as well as modern era Wavestation type sounds. Mod sequences can be 16 steps long and play in various , modes, forward, backwards, loop etc
A program can consist of up to 4 complete timbres, and each timbre can be assigned its own note range, output, MIDI channel and control parameters & triggered by it's own dedicated arpeggiator or either of the step 2 sequencers, allowing your Radias to perform as a multitimbral module or as a performance synth performance.
Each of the 4 'Timbres' has its own 2 band eq & up to 2 insert effects & there is a further master effect for the whole program.
The Radias is a very interesting VA synth which will deliver a vast palette of sounds from vintage to modern and does much more than just imitating traditional oscillators. Thee can be found secondhand for a vastly varying range of prices so shop around!
KORG Radias specifications
- Synthesiser/Vocoder
- MMT (Multiple Modeling Technology) synthesis
- 49 keys
- 24 voices
- Oscillator 1 - 9 basic waveforms 4 types of modulation
- PCM (64 synth sounds, 128 drum sounds)
- 16-band vocoder
- Arpeggiator
- Step-sequencer
- Audio Inputs: Audio In 1: 1/4" phone jack, Audio In 2: 1/4" phone jack and mini jack with Mic/Line SW
- Audio Outputs: MAIN OUTPUT (Lch/MONO, Rch): 1/4" phone jacks, INDIV. OUTPUT (Lch, Rch): 1/4" phone jacks, PHONES OUT: 1/4" stereo phone jack
- MIDI IN/OUT/THRU
- USB port
- Dimensions: panel upright 885 (W) x 383 (D) x 223 (H) mm, panel folded 885 (W) x 383 (D) x 99 (H) mm,
- Weight: 8,7 kg
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