Thanks Korg, great timing.
After waiting for years I bought the first version a couple months ago. 
Now I want another one, can’t resist those turquoise LED’s.
3 Likes
The worst volca is now slightly less bad. A little black box that plays Dexed presets 
This is going to kill the resale value of the Volca FM I’ve been meaning to put up for sale.
This Volca is reinforcing my idea that youtube Reviewers are an absolute waste of time these days.
4 Likes
Ahh I think you are correct. I was thinking that the A4’s CV track functionality was overlapping into the midi out updates (as in, being to send a LFO’s value to CC instead of CV), but it seems indeed to be just note, length and velocity…
I know the encoders CAN send CC in performance mode.
Anyway WAY off topic, sorry.
2 Likes
The world really needs a dedicated MIDI LFOs device (and Peace).
5 Likes
iOS? 
(I guess its not dedicated but I am using Drambo for this right now)
1 Like
I can imagine such a device in the Digi format. Thanks for the tip.
2 Likes
MIDIPal has an LFO mode. Fairly easy build, even with the SMD if you can get a PCB made.
2 Likes
Totally. An old iPhone with Drambo and a Beatstep/EC4 gets you very customizable lfos for days (and knobs to tweak them)
3 Likes
The Volca FM is 6 years old, came out in 2016.
I guess he counted in Canadian years.
12 Likes
You seem to be lost.
Gearslutz is that way 
21 Likes
It’s Gearspace, actually 
I do think sometimes these product announcement threads can use a bit of negativity between the endless ‘wow I’m going to purchase this product!’ comments.
4 Likes
I’m with you, just thought I’d be a knob.
6 Likes
A few thoughts:
- If you are interested in FM and on a budget, a used Volca FM mk1 will be fine. Just add the Pajen firmware to fix bugs and you are good.
- But if you can afford the mk2 then reverb and randomization are very nice to have
- If the Volca FM truly is the “worst” Volca, I’m particularly pleased to see that Korg is updating it. It is likely that they were ‘forced’ to replace the old CPU with a faster (and likely cheaper) part. They could have just banked the cost savings. Instead, they fixed bugs and added some resource intensive features: polyphony and reverb.
- I think it is good to recommend inexpensive hardware like the Volca FM. I’ll probably buy an Essence FM in the next year or so, but I know what I’m getting into. People who are curious about FM can do much much worse than a Volca FM as a starting point. People on a budget who want hardware don’t really have any alternatives. From the perspective of making electronic music accessible to far more people I’m extremely pleased with Korg. As a buyer of weird synths, I love them too!
FWIW - I think the Volca Mixer is probably the worst Volca. It should have had more channels.
8 Likes
For Canadian people it’s that way 
, well, upside down.
5 Likes
Rude.
Wouldn’t find drake behaving like that.
Or that nice Castro guy.
9 Likes
I mean what is it making accesible? Dexed is completely free and runs on Linux, OSX and Windows. Unlike this it is actually quite easy to program and learn FM synthesis on. If you must have hardware a Reface DX is not that much more expensive and way easier to use.
Hell, if you MUST have that vintage Yamaha menu diving get a used DX21 for less? I’m sorry but I can only really see the Volca FM as a little box for Dexed presets without a computer. I guess that’s fine and exactly what some want. I like the other volcas better cause they’re actually fun to program.
3 Likes
I recommend a mk1 to a friend a couple of weeks ago. A lot of casual musicians unpack/pack-up a small collection of noise-boxes per session, they are pushed for space and enjoy hardware. The volca is unique amongst the synths you list in being ideal for this.
I agree the reface DX is a nice thing, probably a bit overlooked, but they are clearly meeting different needs.
1 Like