Korg Electribe EM-1 (2000s)
A music production station combining rhythm and synth sequencing, released in the early 2000s
Overview
The Korg Electribe EM-1 is a music production station, also described as a groovebox. It was built for hands-on sequencing and sound shaping. Released in the early 2000s, it puts rhythm and synth sequencing in one compact unit aimed at dance music production. The synth uses analog modeling with 50 waveforms. It gives 2-voice polyphony for synth parts and 8-voice polyphony for drum sounds. Users rated it 3.8 from 557 votes, and it is described as a fun, engaging tool used by professional artists in electronic music.
Specifications
| Polyphony | 2 voices (synth), 8 voices (drums) |
| Waveforms | 50 |
Design
The EM-1 has dedicated controls for real-time sound manipulation and sequencing. On the circuit board, the IC6 component shows up in user reports as a potential failure point. At least one fried IC6 has been reported.
Context
A forum thread titled "Korg Electribe EM-1 Nachfolger" was posted on October 21, 2005, on sequencer.de. It points to ongoing interest in a successor model.
Market
Used units have been listed for $464.71 CAD with shipping from Japan. A replacement FX effect selector switch pot was listed for $26.37 CAD. Current listings suggest used units start around $249.99, and a search for "korg em-1" turned up 69 results on eBay.
eBay Listings
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