Korg miniKORG 700Sm Analogue Synthesizer

Same Sound, Smaller SizeThe Korg miniKORG 700Sm pays tribute to the iconic miniKORG 700, the very origin of Korg’s analogue synth history, enhanced to meet the requirements of modern musicians. Featuring two oscillators for thick, detuned sounds, the miniKORG 700Sm sees the return of the signature Traveler controller, allowing for expressive filter adjustments. With advancements like aftertouch, spring reverb, an arpeggiator, and a range of connectivity options including USB and MIDI, this synth is both a powerful standalone instrument and an excellent companion to stage keyboards. Complete with a custom soft case and a free software bundle, the miniKORG 700Sm brings vintage analogue sound into the present day.

Released in 2021 the miniKORG 700FS was an incredible revival of the legendary 1970s miniKORG 700S analogue synthesizer, updated with additional functionality that wasn’t possible in the original. The miniKORG 700FS was so popular that its limited production run sold out so quickly, creating significant demand for increased production.

Korg has a long history of groundbreaking analogue synthesizers and has recently gained a reputation for faithfully reproducing some of the rarest and most sought-after models. The miniKORG 700Sm is a tribute to the sound of the iconic miniKORG 700, the very origin of Korg’s analogue synth history, while being enhanced to meet the needs of today’s musicians.

The new miniKORG 700Sm retains all the features of the miniKORG 700FS while offering a slimmer keyboard and a size reduced to approximately 86% of the original. Additionally, the miniKORG 700Sm weighs just 5.8 kg (12.8 lbs), making it easy to transport.

At A Glance • All the features of the miniKORG 700FS in a compact format
• Includes aftertouch, spring reverb, an arpeggiator and more
• Vast connectivity options including USB and MIDI
• Comes with a variety of music software

UpstreamThe true beauty and richness of the sounds produced by the miniKORG 700 could not be realized through analogue modelling technology that uses computational integrated circuitry such as DSPs and other devices to model analogue circuitry.

Although you can replicate a circuit by using the same parts and copying the design schematics or circuit board, there’s no guarantee that this will reproduce the original sound. This is because the components deteriorate over time, dramatically altering the sound. To accurately recreate the original sound, we had to rely on the experience and memories of the technicians who worked on the original product.

Korg were able to bring the original sound to life thanks to our team of technicians, who have gained invaluable expertise over the years through their work on many synthesizer revival projects. This team was guided by the legendary Fumio Mieda, a Korg engineer since the early 1970s and one of the designers of the original miniKORG 700S. Working closely with Korg’s sound designers, they meticulously reproduced the original sound as faithfully as possible. Korg wish that those who play the miniKORG 700Sm will experience it as a beautifully crafted and authentic recreation of the original.

UpstreamA unique feature of the miniKORG 700, the Traveler controller, made of two parallel sliders located below the keyboard. With these controls, players could adjust the cutoff frequency, with the upper lever controlling the low-pass filter and the lower lever controlling the high-pass filter. This gave players the freedom to adjust the expressive character of the sound according to the position of the levers. By moving the levers to the left and right while playing the keys, wah-wah and muted sounds could be created along with the iconic “traveling” sound.

Since the sound passing through the filter has a lower cutoff frequency and higher cutoff frequency than the frequencies set by the sliders, all frequencies are filtered and thus no sound is heard when the positions of the two sliders are inverted. In other words, making the two sliders cross would in theory produce no sound. To address this, the original miniKORG 700 featured protrusions on the sliders to physically prevent them from crossing.

The design was both a benefit and limitation of analogue circuitry. In the past– and even today– it’s impossible to design a filter with perfect characteristics. During the time that the miniKORG 700 was sold, some players would shave off the protrusions on the sliders to allow them to cross, in an attempt to create new sounds. Some models that were sold internationally did not even have the protrusions to begin with. The miniKORG 700Sm also does not have the protrusions, opening endless sound design possibilities and allowing players to create patches in unique ways.