Korg X5DR

A half-rack module with a workstation's worth of AI2 sound in an eight and a half inch black case.

Overview

The size surprises people. The X5DR measures roughly 8-1/2" x 9" x 1-3/4" in a sturdy black case. That is a half-rack footprint, small enough that two units can share a single rack space, but the buyer has to source the optional rack ears from Korg. They were not included in the box. The front panel is sparse even for a module: a volume control, a mini headphone jack, a 16 x 2-character backlit LCD, and the control/parameter buttons. The rear carries a 12 V DC input from a wall wart, a mini DIN host connector for connecting to a PC without a MIDI interface, MIDI in/out/thru, and a single set of 1/4-inch stereo output jacks.

Inside, the X5DR runs Korg's Advanced Integrated (AI) sample playback technology. The waveform memory is 8 MB, holding 430 multisounds and 215 drum/percussion samples, with 64-voice polyphony and 47 digital multi-effects types with real-time control. Sound On Sound (May 1995, p.26) listed the UK price at £675. The module is fully General MIDI compatible, with 128 GM programs plus eight drum programs. It ships with two preload banks. Preload A is the standard X5D voicing, and Preload B holds the patch data from the X5 and 05R/W.

Per Sound On Sound (August 1995, p.212), the X5DR differs from its 05R/W predecessor by an additional 2 MBytes of samples - 90 new multisounds and 50 new drum sounds - plus alternative program banks and the jump to 64-voice polyphony. The 05R/W had topped that magazine's Buyer's Bible for twelve months. The X5DR was pitched as the same award-winning sound with more of everything.

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Related Models

• Korg DSS-1 (1986)
• Korg 01/W ProX
• Korg 01/Wpro (1991)
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• Korg 05R/W (1993)