The synth is capable of 32 stereo voices. The mod and pitch wheels are above the keyboard and, above those, the Modwave adds a ‘Kaoss Physics’ pad - a touch‑sensitive X‑Y pad that can be assigned in the modulation matrix and has some neato gravity‑based physics modes to create interesting modulation shapes. Like the Wavestate and OpSix, the Modwave is built around 37 full‑sized keys which offer velocity but no aftertouch. So, whilst some of the DW‑8000 waveforms are included in Modwave’s oscillators, the Modwave is its own thing (and that’s just fine). And where the DW‑8000 had analogue filters, the ModWave is all‑digital. The DW‑8000 didn’t have wavetables, just static digital waveforms.

The DW‑8000 was also a two‑oscillator synth with digital waveforms but, in reality, the two don’t share much common ground. Korg are marketing the Modwave as a ‘revived DW‑8000’. The latest member of the team, ModWave, takes on the challenge of wavetable synthesis. The Wavestate resurrects Korg’s Wave Sequencing synthesis, first introduced by the Wavestation. Their midrange synth line‑up - the Wavestate, OpSix, and now Modwave - offers complex synthesis in affordable packages. Korg’s Modwave is a wavetable powerhouse that can import Serum wavetables without conversion.

Korg mod wave