KORG NTS-4: 6-Channel Mixer with Built-in logueSDK Effects
4,5 / 5,0 | 
The new KORG NTS-4 is a six-channel performance mixer for synths and drum machines with built-in logueSDK effects.
KORG NTS-4
KORG didn’t bring any new synths to Superbooth this year – if you don’t count a mysterious prototype hidden beneath a thick layer of plastic wrap, that is. But the new NTS-4 in the nu:tekt series looks like it’s worth considering if you’re looking for a compact (and presumably quite affordable) performance mixer for your synths, drum machines, samplers, and grooveboxes.
The layout is pretty straightforward. Depending on how you count, the NTS-4 offers six or ten line-level channels: two mono and four stereo. All inputs are on mini jack connectors, which is great for portable desktop setups and modular systems, but less ideal for full-size synths and grooveboxes. The mono inputs can apparently also take Eurorack-level signals.
Each channel is equipped with a level knob, cue and mute buttons, and an aux send. The mono channels also feature pan pots.
In addition to a level knob for the main mix, the master section on the right includes a cue balance knob, a USB audio knob (more on that in a second), and a separate volume control for the headphone output. Sadly, there’s no level meter, but the NTS-4 does offer a pair of clipping LEDs. Thankfully, KORG has opted for 1/4 jacks for the main output.
While the NTS-4 can be used as a standalone mixer, it also functions as a USB audio and MIDI interface. There’s a MIDI output for syncing your drum machines and grooveboxes to your DAW, and the USB port also carries audio. At this point, I’m not entirely sure as to whether USB serves as an audio input, output, or both, but we’ll find that out sooner or later.
What’s most exciting, however, is that the NTS-4 features built-in logueSDK effects like the NTS-1 mini synth and NTS-3 KAOSS Pad. This lets you draw from a growing library of effects created by third-party developers, so you’re not limited to the factory library. If you know what you’re doing, you can even create your own. In addition to a send effect that can be applied to the individual channels, there’s a total effect that affects the main mix. As an alternative to the internal send effects, you can bring in external effects via the send and return jacks.
While the KORG NTS-4 is pretty bare-bones and doesn’t offer nearly as many features as some of the more advanced mixers for synths available today, it does look like a simple and portable solution if all you need is a quick way to mix a handful of channels. While the volca mix failed to meet the expectations, this looks more like the mixer that many fans of the volca series have been asking for for a long time.
Price and Availability
As of now, KORG hasn’t said when the NTS-4 will become available and what it’ll cost. We’ll keep you posted.
The rest of the NTS bunch is available at Thomann*.
You’ll find KORG at booth E100 at Superbooth 26.
More Information
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