Korg DW-8000 • EX-8000 Collection

New Sounds for Korg's Classics

256 Programs  • ONLY $25

Mac or PC Sysex & Midi File format

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Korg released the DW-8000 and EX-8000 (rackmount version) in 1985 along with it's "little brother" DW-6000. The DW-8000 is a "Digital Analog Hybride" and the first synth from Korg to use sampled waveforms as the sound source. It also included a digital delay effect. A big deal at the time.

The DW series was a natural step up from earlier Poly-800 series. It featured a five octave 61 note keyboard, a 64-note arpeggiator and "DWGS" (Digital Waveform Generator System) synthesis. DWGS synthesis can best be defined as an early sample playback system where short waveforms are stored on the synths hardware chips. The waveforms themselves are made up of the usual pulse, triangle, sine and sawtooth waveforms, but also featured waveforms such as brass sax and piano.

The DW can hold 64 patches in it's memory and included MIDI to allow sysex transfer for storing sounds on your computer or hardware data disks. You could also purchase the MEX-8000, a hardware device which could provide four additional sound banks and boost up the memory to a whopping 256 sounds!

If you have an old DW-8000 or EX-8000 that will power up, but does not have any sounds in memory, you most likely have a dead battery. The DW-8000 has a CR-2032 lithium battery to hold its patch memory when it is powered off. You can usually get one at places like Radio Shack for a couple of bucks. The battery usually lasts between five years and ten years. Korg decided to solder in the backup battery, instead of put it in a socket. For this reason, replacement the battery can be a bit tricky. If you can use a soldering gun, you can replace the battery yourself. Once you have the battery replaced, our collection of sounds will get you going again. You loose any sounds that are in the synths memory when the battery dies and new sounds must be loaded in to be able to play the synth again.