Korg PS-3300 FS Synthesizer

General

Some years ago, Korg released a reincarnation of the ARP 2600. At the time, we still thought, "well, that thing is monophonic, and rather pricey, so there probably won't be many of them sold". How wrong we were! Although such a 2600 was logically not for everyone, the well-endowed synth nerds were extremely eager, and the stack of 2600s we ordered went out the door remarkably enthouasiastically. And then the PS-3300 FS. So Korg is doing it again; re-releasing a vintage synth. And not just any synth, but one we can call legendary. The comparison with the 2600 is not so strange when you consider that its historical status is comparable, and it also comes with a special separate keyboard.

Features of the Korg PS-3300 FS

The PS-3300 FS is a hefty cabinet, consisting of four parts. The left three comprise the synthesisers: three self-contained sound generators including envelopes. The rightmost module contains the mixer, function generators, preset storage and more. The synth itself is a semi-modular concept. So you cannot, as with Eurorack, replace and add separate modules. But there are patch holes that allow you to route signals as you wish. Of course, these are CV/Gate signals, so you can combine the PS-3300 with Eurorack modules, for example, and with regular synths that increasingly have CV/Gate connectors.

Reputation and class

In the old days (1977-1981), the PS-3300 was huge, both physically and functionally, and let's not forget the price. Consequently, it was the big artists who could and did use it: Vangelis, Jarre and Kraftwerk, among others. A very nice detail is that the original model had 48 keyboard keys, this reissue has 49. Another very nice detail is that this also relates to the polyphony. Even the old PS-3300 was fully polyphonic, and even though this was achieved with divide-down technique applied to twelve oscillators, it was just there. So there's a reason the original was so expensive and unattainable: a 3-osc synth with a polyphony of 48 was quite something, in the late 1970s. Still is, actually. So the new PS-3300 FS has one more keyboard key and one more piece of polyphony.

For whom?

The looks, the sound, anyone would want this thing in their studio. But the reality is also that there is a hefty price tag, and the synth does require some experience if you want to programme it. So the PS-3300 FS is definitely not for everyone. The better off, they might consider it. And as we pointed out earlier, where they come from is not clear to us, but the group that will buy this synth is bigger than even we can imagine. What is indisputable is that Korg has made this a wonderful device, based on an original synth that is very difficult (and then at astronomical prices) to obtain on the second-hand market. So this reissue is substantively a better synth, equipped with MIDI and USB. The search for the elusive PS-3300 of yesteryear can be discontinued!