The on/off switch also serves as an LFO waveform selector with two choices: triangle and square. This is the same low-pass filter found in all Monotrons, the only difference being that there's no space on the panel for a resonance knob. The Delay's five knobs set the rate and intensity of the LFO, the time and feedback of the delay, and the filter cutoff. You should therefore consider the keyboard markings to be of decorative value only. The Delay's synth is so basic its sawtooth oscillator has no accessible controls at all - other than the ribbon that smoothly sweeps its pitch over about six octaves. Korg have long understood the value of onboard effects, especially to the performing musician, and the reasoning is as sound now as it was when I bought my DW8000 keyboard so many years ago. Its second (and admittedly more practical) new feature is a built-in delay effect that works wonders on the single VCO synthesizer. Under black light, the glowing orange text, in particular, should mesmerise geeks, spelunkers and party animals the world over. I turned first to the Monotron Delay, which outshines its siblings on two fronts, one of them literal: it's labelled in UV-reflective paint. The Monotron Delay's back panel features a mini-jack headphone output and auxiliary input, a volume control and a screw that adjusts the 'duty ratio' of the LFO's waveform. It's when you connect them to your regular sound system (using the stereo headphone mini-jack) that the depth, quality and appeal of these diminutive analogues becomes obvious. Monotrons are highly portable, thanks to two AAA batteries with a respectable life of around eight hours. As before, they are played by a ribbon just 8cm long and have built-in speakers, a rear-mounted volume control and an auxiliary input for processing external signals via their much-praised MS10/MS20 low-pass filter. Each brings something new to the table, but neither deviates from the brief of being cheap and cheerful. The Monotron Delay and Duo have the same dimensions (approximately 12cm x 7cm) and the same layout as the original model, but with an added splash of colour. Timed to ship near to Christmas, might they be the ideal musicians' stocking fillers? However, it seems Korg aren't finished with the earlier format yet, as evidenced by the two Monotron models on review today. It was followed by the Monotribe, whose drums, sequencing and more professional appearance fanned the flames of hope for a continuing upward trend. Superficially, it was toy-like, even smaller than a Stylophone, but inside that plastic shell was a heart of analogue, achieved using surface-mount technology and Korg's archive of classic synth designs. In 2010, Korg caught the world of music technology on the hop with the pocket-sized Monotron. Korg's analogue tribe has two new members, both with little more than pocket‑money prices.
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