The Korg miniKORG 700Sm at a glance

The miniKORG 700Sm from Korg is a monophonic analog synthesizer styled like 1970s living room furniture and enhanced with a few modern extras. This 700Sm version is about fourteen percent smaller than the 700FS introduced in 2021, giving the instrument a portable weight of just 5.8 kg. Historically, the miniKORG 700Sm (and the 700FS) are faithful re-creations of the miniKORG 700S released in 1974, itself an update of the original 1973 miniKORG 700, which was Korg's very first synthesizer. The design of the miniKORG 700 is both typical of its era and unconventional, as most of the controls are located on a front-facing panel rather than on the top. This layout becomes advantageous when the instrument is placed on an electric organ, allowing two-manual performance across both keyboards. Inside, the 700Sm houses two analog oscillators, a ring modulator and a noise generator, forming a strong basis for classic analog tones. The legendary Traveler filter is a parallel combination of lowpass and highpass stages, each adjustable without resonance. Modulation is provided by an attack/decay envelope that shapes the filter and VCA, along with a vibrato LFO. Sonically, the 700Sm spans everything a synth soloist could want, from powerful basses to expressive lead sounds. The 700Sm includes all the modern refinements introduced with the 700FS. Fourteen memory locations are available for storing custom sounds; those who prefer a traditional approach can work in panel mode, where the sound always matches the physical settings. The keyboard now responds to aftertouch and transmits its values to the tone generator. A built-in joystick handles pitch bending and modulation. When desired, an arpeggiator can be engaged, and external integration is supported through MIDI, USB and CV/Gate. An authentic analog spring reverb, which can be blended to taste, provides the final touch of vintage character.