Korg Collection 6 review: new synth plugins PS-3300, Trinity, and SGX-2 piano

Korg Collection 6 review: The 6th version adds high-quality emulations of the PS-3300 and Trinity, as well as the Kronos Piano engine SGX-2

Companies often bundle their software products to appeal to customers. Arturia offers the V Collection, Native Instruments has the never-ending Komplete bundle, and Korg provides the Korg Collection.

Unlike Arturia, Korg provides only emulations of its own hardware synthesizers and effects. This trend continues with the release of Collection 6, the latest version, which includes three new instrument titles.

Korg kindly sent me the new plugins for Collection 6 several weeks in advance for testing. 

Korg Collection 6 Review

The Collection is entering its sixth installment. In July 2024, Korg released version 5 with excellent emulations of the ARP 2600, EP-1 e-piano, and Vox Super Continental.

Version 6 is more synth-focused, adding two new synths and a piano: the PS-3300, Trinity, and SGX-2. This increases the bundle to 20 plugins, including 

• 14 synths: PS-3300 (new), Trinity (new), ARP 2600, microKORG, miniKORG 700S, Prophecy, TRITON Extreme, TRITON, ARP Odyssey, MS-20, Polysix, Mono/Poly, M1, and Wavestation 
• 1 piano: SGX-2 (new) 
• 1 e-piano: EP-1 
• 1 organ: VOX Super Continental 
• 1 drum machine/groovebox: ELECTRIBE-R 
• 2 effects processors: KAOSS Pad, and MDE-X

Installing the software is done via the Korg Software Pass, which worked without any issues in my case. Updates are also handled through this platform.

One thing up front: I’ve never played with a real PS-3300. Not in my tiny studio, nor at an event, and it’s entirely out of my budget anyway. For the Trinity, I only had a brief, non-intensive play years ago. Therefore, I can’t make 100% statements about its authenticity. 

PS-3300 Plugin

The first new plugin is arguably the highlight of the new Korg Collection 6, and this review. It’s the Korg PS-3300 plugin, which is based on the hardware of the same name. Produced for only about five years, from 1977 to 1981, with fewer than 50 units ever made, it’s one of the rarest and most revered analog synthesizers in music history.

The Korg PS-3300 returned to the spotlight in 2024 with a modern reissue, with the original developer, Fumio Media, also involved. The new emulation includes everything the original and reissue have to offer. That’s not all. It goes even further, adding exclusive features.

Like the original/reissue, the PS-3300 plugin offers three independent synthesizers (PSU-3301) paired with a massive utility section (PSU-3302). The original hardware had a crazy polyphony of 144 (48×3), which was expanded to 147 in the reissue. Well, the software has even more. They have raised the polyphonic bar to 180 voices, giving you 60 voices per synth rack.

If that’s not enough, you can always layer multiple instances of the Korg PS-3300 in your DAW – impossible with hardware. Whether your CPU can handle that is questionable. Yes, the plugin is CPU-intensive, ranging between 15% and 40% on my M1 Max from 2021.

Its massive sound engine, equivalent to 147 MS-20s, has been modeled with their latest analog modeling technology. Users can enjoy the same features, and more importantly, the same semi-modular workflow. 

Each voice module has a multi-wave oscillator that covers the basics of shaping, including PWM, AM, FM, and sync. They are available via the front panel with dedicated knobs or via patch sockets for more advanced routings.

This unique three-part configuration also lends itself to cross-patching/modulation fun—great for highly experimental sounds. I particularly like the FM on it, which has a very mighty but still fragile, elegant character. 

Filtering, Modulation & Mighty Resonators

There is also a filter that can be switched between the original PS-3300 and the characterful, aggressive MS-20. On the modulation side, the PS-3300 offers more scope than the hardware monster.

Alongside the single-envelope and two-LFO configuration, the developers added an ADSR envelope with two modes (PS/modern) and velocity that can act as an amp modulator.

This was a helpful addition, allowing you to use the modules more independently or to modulate them more extensively. A loop function is missing, which would have added an LFO.

Not to be forgotten—and probably one of the key features of the PS-3300—are the 3-band resonators in every voice module. The bandpass filter-based section is a lovely way to make analog-style patches more metallic or add vocal coloration. Route the LFO to the resonators, and you achieve phase, wah, and other dynamic effects.

Another essential feature of the original/reissue and plugin is the temperament adjust section in each voice. It allows you to independently tune the voice modules to a specific scale, providing alternate tunings. You can do it manually with 12 knobs or use one of the many included factory scales. 

Since I am not a pro keyboard player, I could not test this in detail, and it looks like it also applies to the sound designers, as there are not many patches available that use them. 

Utility Extravaganza and more

The three synth voices (3301) are welded together by a large utility section (3302), consisting of a mixer with panning, additional patchable modulators (voltage processors, DAR envelope…), and a recreation of the built-in ensemble effect.  

It’s a crucial section of the PS-3300 because it frees the individual modules from their fixed signal path, making them semi-modular. It’s a shame that you can’t instantly split the individual voice modules and play them individually from the keyboard.

It’s possible to create pseudo splits via patch detours, but it doesn’t quite reach the level of an actual split. I guess they want to keep it as original as possible and didn’t want to break the patch compatibility with the hardware. 

Furthermore, you can add variation to the voices and refine the sound with a multi-FX processor packed with vintage-inspired and modern algorithms. Four slots are available, fully customizable except the last one, which is reserved for reverbs.

EQs, compressors, guitar amps, phasers, choruses, flangers, as well as various delay and reverb algorithms. A shimmer reverb is also included – a must-have in 2025? As with the other Korg plugins of the last two years, they are very flexible and high-quality. A nice extra is the sub-preset browser, which lets you instantly swap and save effect presets.

Sounds

A step further into the UI, you’ll find a large mod matrix that primarily maps controller data—for example, velocity, aftertouch, poly aftertouch, MIDI CCs, or the built-in X/Y joystick. Envelopes, LFOs, etc., are set directly on the front panel, just like on the hardware. Plus, there is a MIDI map page with all possible adjustable MIDI CCs.

Korg ships the plugin with an extensive collection of presets from professional sound designers, including Francis Preve, Kurt Ader, Taiki Imaizumi, and others, that showcase the synth’s quality. They cover a broad spectrum, from super-classic vintage-inspired basses, leads, and pads to avant-garde, experimental bleeps and blops.

Since I don’t have any hardware to compare it to, I can’t confirm or deny that it’s 100% authentic. Nevertheless, with the PS-3300, the Korg team has developed a top-notch analog modeling Synthesizer that, in terms of sound, is right up there with the Champions League. It’s juicy, has a lot of bottom, and sounds marvelous.

In direct comparison with the PS-3300 from Cherry Audio, the Korg version sounds more refined and more “analog” in its core sound to me. Even though the CA is anything but bad, it’s also a great virtual instrument. 

Trinity Plugin

The second new Synthesizer is a classic one from the 90s. For the 30th anniversary of the Trinity, Korg is adding an authentic emulation of this 90s workstation to the Korg Collection 6 with all the original features. It was the successor to the legendary M1, which represented a significant technical advance for the time. 

It’s an 8-part multi-timbral Synthesizer with 8 insert effects and 2 master effects, recreating the TRINITY’s ACCESS sound engine. According to Korg, they also modeled the D/A converter to preserve the original sound character.

It’s functionally identical to the hardware, except that the hardware limitations and the plugin’s polyphony have been increased. However, I was surprised that there’s no way to load TRINITY patches from the hardware into the plugin, or vice versa.

TRINITY ACCESS Engine

Each patch/program consists of two PCM-based oscillators (two PCMs per OSC) or a drum kit, which are passed through two multimode filters, an amplifier, and an advanced multi-FX processor. The latter includes delays, reverbs, resonators, dynamic processors, and more. 

This is a program, but it can be layered with seven more programs to create a combination. Korg ships the Trinity plugin with the entire original sample library, with all four expansions (TFD-1S MEGA PIANOS, TFD-2S ORCHESTRAL ELEMENTS, TFD-3S DANCE WAVES & DRUMS, TFD-4S M1 FACTORY).

Additionally, it offers samples from the 1998 TR-Rack sound module, giving you, in total, over 2000 programs and combinations. The Easy mode is a convenient way to see the most basic parameters at a glance. Alternatively, you can delve deeper into the TRINITY ACCESS engine with the different tabs. 

In this case, you also see the extensive modulation per part. One envelope and two LFOs for the pitch mod, two envelopes and LFOs for the filter, and one amp envelope per oscillator. This is still a lot of flexibility today, in contrast to many of today’s VA synths

Depending on how elaborately you design a program, you can bring a lot of dynamics and movement into the PCM sounds. However, it’s much more interesting to creatively layer up to eight programs and mangle them with effects. In the dedicated zones section, you can split sounds on the keyboard as you wish.

Interesting observation: in their detailed modeling work, the developers omitted the option to virtually install the Prophecy and Z1 expansion boards, which is a shame. This feature had the original Trinity hardware. Yes, I’m a physical modeling synth lover. 

This gives you up to eight sounds on the keyboard, each with independent synth and effects settings. This was—and still is—one of the selling points of using a workstation if you want a computer-free setup.

A significant advantage of the software to me is the browser, which provides a clear overview of all sound sources, programs, and combinations. Browse by tags, bank, or category, or type directly into the search field. Also handy is the built-in preview function for instant sound audition without playing the keyboard.

Sounds

Once loaded, the Trinity plugin catapults you into the mid-to-late ’90s world of cheesy sounds. So cheesy that a Pizza Hut Cheesy Crust is nothing compared to it. Jokes aside. The over 2000 included sounds will keep you busy for a long time and will surely satisfy many 90s sound needs.

I cannot confirm or deny whether the Trinity plugin is 100% authentic. However, from what I know of its sound spectrum and from demos, it reminds me a lot of it. The multi-timbral sounds are enjoyable, as they give you a complete synth orchestra without having to switch.

You have to like the charm of late ’90s sounds. Personally, I’m not really into those sounds; maybe I’m too young, which makes me less enthusiastic about this Trinity emulation, but it’s still a great release. But they don’t trigger me. 

SGX-2 Plugin

The third and last new plugin in Korg Collection 6 is the SGX-2. This is the piano engine from the KRONOS/NAUTILUS synth workstations, available now as a plugin for macOS and Windows.

Since I’m not a trained piano or synth player, I have a harder time with these types of plugins, as they’re designed specifically for that. But I’ll do my best to share my impressions.

When installing the plugin, you’ll immediately notice: it’s not 100% physical modeling, but a multi-sample-based piano. Attention: the installation requires several GB of disk space, specifically 10GB. You can also put it on an external drive. 

Once loaded, a large UI opens with a resizable piano interface and various control elements. Depending on the chosen piano, the image adapts. You have the piano controls, a multi-FX section with four slots, a mod matrix for MIDI expression and CCs, and MIDI maps. 

The SGX-2 plugin features five piano models, including German Grand, Japanese (Grand, Small Grand, and Upright), and Italian Grand. Yes, a world piano tour. All 88 keys have been recorded in loop-free stereo, faithfully preserving the natural decay of every note.

I didn’t notice it was multisampled while testing. It sounds very natural, and the sounds blend seamlessly. With the controls on the main page, you can even customize the character of each piano to your taste.

You can adjust the damper resonance and noise, the mechanical noise, note release, and string resonance. The depth you can go into here isn’t nearly as extensive as with a physical modeling piano, where you can adjust every screw.

But the available adjustments allow the player to steer the piano’s sound in different directions and adapt its behavior. For those who want to play right away, there is also a piano-type browser with dozens of pre-made pianos. 

A multi-FX processor with 35 colorful algorithms is also onboard. Three slots are freely assignable, and the fourth is reserved for reverbs. These are based on the same algorithms as the PS-3300 plugin and sound high-quality to me.

They can refine the piano sounds but also push them in new directions.

Sounds

The Korg SGX-2 comes with plenty of inspiring presets, allowing you to discover a piano voice truly from strictly classical to unusual and creative. Pianos combined with effects are a beautiful thing, and can even transform the main character into a new instrument.

As a non-piano player, I like the sound of the SGX-2 plugin. Whether it’s better than IK Pianoverse, Roland Cloud Earth Piano, NI Noire, etc., I can’t say. I lack the piano expertise for that. At least it inspired me during testing, and I’ve enjoyed using it.

Korg Collection 6 Review Summary 

In summary, this is a solid upgrade for the Korg Collection. It offers something for everyone: an impressive “monster” analog modeling synth with the PS-3300, a synth for retro fans with the Trinity, and a piano for classical music fans. The $99 upgrade price is very fair. 

In direct comparison with the Arturia V Collection, it’s a shame Korg didn’t update its older plugins (MS-20, Polysix, etc.) to newer engines. They are a bit behind the times and need a makeover. 

I would be happy if Collection 7 includes synthesizers like the DW-8000 or the Z1, but without the horrible menu system. Almost forgotten gems like the Sigma or Delta are also welcome, or even an emulation of the Korg SDD-3000 digital delay. 

Korg Collection 6 is available now at an introductory price of $299, down from $399. Existing customers of Korg Collection 5 can upgrade for a special price of $99, and from v4 for $149.

Log in to your KORG ID to access the KORG Shop coupon. There are also intro prices for the individual instruments: PS-3300 for $99 instead of $149, Trinity for $149 instead of $199, and SGX-2 for $99 instead of $149.

Users who purchased the KORG Collection 5 between 2025/9/1 and 2025/10/28 are eligible for a free upgrade (grace period). Please log in to your KORG ID for further details. Plus, there is a sale on all other Korg software products.

They run as VST3, AU, and AAX plugins on macOS (native Apple Silicon and Intel) and Windows.

More information here: Korg 

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