Korg Intros Volca Nubass Vacuum Tube Synthesizer

At Superbooth 2019, Korg today introduced the volca nubass vacuum tube synthesizer.

The volca nubass is a bassline synthesizer, implemented with Korg’s NuTube, an updated vacuum tube design. The NuTube technology is implemented into the oscillator, sub oscillator and drive circuits; creating ‘incredibly warm tones and rich distortions’ that only a tube can provide.

Video Demo:

nubass also calls upon NuTube to create classic stompbox-style analog overdrives. The tone knob controls either the distortion of the sound or its crispness.

The new synth also features a 16-step sequencer that offers motion sequencing of the knobs, transpose, accent, slide and randomize.

“By using a true vacuum tube for both sound generation and processing, nubass’ approach to synthesis is unlike anything out there, as are the sounds and patterns it will help users to realize,” explains Korg Director of Music Technology Brands James Sajeva.

Audio Demos:

Pricing and Availability

The new volca nubass is expected to be available in August 2019, at a price of $199.99. See the Korg site for more info.

45 thoughts on “Korg Intros Volca Nubass Vacuum Tube Synthesizer

          1. Garrett Wang, the actor who played Harry Kim, talks about the most ridiculous line he ever said on the show was when the Captain asked him if the ship made it through something, and he said “like a snake through a tube.”

    1. I’ve got a Volca Bass and this does sound different. It has more funk and squelch and plus it has the sub osc which is a welcome addition. Not sure if I’d want to spend £200 on it though as superficially its sound palette seems a little limited. I really need to hear some more demos. 🙂

      1. the bass has 3 tunable oscillators so the sub is kind of irrelevant, the tube does change the squelch character though, with the od makes it more 303ish

  1. is this the end of the volca line? it seems like when they run out of ideas they put tubes in things like they did with the electribes

      1. i have been asking for a chiptune since they launched the volca line, i would also like to see a better iteration of the sample that loads from an sd card and a vocoder

    1. Off the top of my head I can think of a bunch of ideas – volca sequencer (for building songs), volca studio (a 4 or 8-track recorder), volca fx (digital multi-fx plus motion seq), volca sampler (not just a sample player). Volcoder. Volca theremin. Volca chip (chiptune, as someone else suggested). That’s without spending ANY time thinking about other classic gear that could get the volca treatment.

  2. Don’t let that big beautiful nutTube distract from the addition of one critical feature holding the volca bass back from anything close to 303 liquid acid bliss:
    Accent – with an amount knob, even!

  3. All Volcas have some fatal flaw. For the Volca Bass it was the lack of TB features. For the Volca Beats it was including the Claves and Agogo but excluding rim tap and cowbell, so stupid! Now they finally include some TB features but put a ridiculous tube in there. I admit that I may be the only one who hates it but . . . another fatal flaw.

  4. anyone moding these into eurorack? not sure why they don’t tweak a little form to make it fit in the case. best of both worlds less power plugs

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