The Korg Kaoss Pad mini has been equipped with a sampler and is now a hand-held DJ effect with incredible potential.
The trusted Korg touchpad can directly control 100 different effects while the sampler can load and trigger any desired sound. These effects can be intuitively controlled in real time, simply swipe your finger tips across the touchpad. Take you finger off the touchpad and the FX RELEASE function automatically applies a delay in order to seamlessly sync with you music or performance. The Auto BPM recognition synchronizes the applied effect to the song tempo and gives every professional performance a final polish.
DJs can prepare sound effects or voice samples with the new sampler function and use them during productions or live performances. Three playback modes are selectable: One Shot, Gate and Looper. The speed (Pitch Change) and even the start position (Cue Point) of the playback can be adjusted. Additionally it is possible to capture new sound with the Sample Recorder, which can be input via the integrated microphone or Line In.
For more comfort and fun, the Master Recorder function makes it possible to record sessions with the Pad 2S in WAV formats. The battery operation and integrated speakers means it can be taken and used any where and at anytime. The flexible mini KAOSS PAD2S makes producing and performances simple and fun.
Even the use as a normal Audio player is possible: simply save your favourite songs to a card and edit it with the effects of the mini KAOSS PAD 2S. No other devices required.
I’ll get a bit of criticism out of the way first. A day after I ordered the KP2S the price on the website went down making the device around £10 cheaper. I contacted the store and there was no response.
Okay, now the actual product. It is well built as you would expect from Korg and about the same size as a portable hard drive making it very easy to chuck in a bag. The effects are varied and fun to play with and the hold button makes it great to use with other instruments.