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Korg MA-1
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Korg MA-1
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«  Nice simple, nice and cheap »

Published on 08/02/12 at 11:31
I needed a metronome but not something sophisticated, why my Mac is fine, I get lots of little software tools that bury any of metronomes.
Not just a normal metronome, cheap, and convenient to play only the device without the need to use the Mac

This little Korg is 13 euros, which is very expensive if you look at the manufacturing level (it is pure pastique lightweight, made by Vietnamese funds wet basement, it looks like a toy) but cheap in the absolute and does his job as a metronome.
It's small, fits in your hand and can slip easily into a guitar case (it was part of my specifications ..)
He walks with two pencil batteries small (AAA) that are provided (thank you Korg)

One can visualize the tempo either with a small index which moves in a circular fashion, simulating the mechanical pendulum metronomes, either with a set of small arrows (by a time to see it or is the measurement). It automatically enhances the first beat of the measure, it is not adjustable, since this measure is plotted it is not very serious.

It has the "tap tempo" a very nice trick which tracks the tempo of a song by pressing a small button in cadence. Personally it will not serve me every day, but from time to time it may help.

Do not be fooled by the sheet as long as a day without bread .. it's a pretty basic metronome, not a drum machine or something like that. His job is to type this far and he does it well.
There are functions that are outright just to look nice for example the increment of speed can be done by a (normal) or 4 by 4 to like mechanical metronomes ... uh I'm not sure if you're a fan of mechanical metronome a little thing we buy electronics such as MA-1

It can generate an A 440 (calibrated) reference for tuning (but this is really for hopeless cases, it is troubleshooting, it's not a tuner).
There is a small ergo the back to put it down vertically.

The volume of the beep is adjustable, said that the linearity of the potentiometer is the race .. creative say. It smells the cheap c't'histoire. In practice there are three positions, low, medium and high but not a true continuous modulation.
There is also a headphone output for drummers and noisy soundscapes (or night work with the guitar unplugged) and it is in stereo (some metronomes entry-level headphone outputs are mono).
The only complaint I have this little thing is the acute side and electronic sound, why on earth the largest manufacturers of metronomes do not make them sound more serious to less aggressive. In style the little Korg is not the worst, but it is still far from a mechanical metronome.

I put 9/10 because frankly there is not much to blame, the missing point is the quality of the plastic anyway .... Hey mister ... Korg and sound that could have been worse.
In absolute terms this is not a marvel, but as this is the cheapest brand of metronomes (Thomann is one in 10 euros) and he does his job, I am always forgiving.

Note that for a little gizmo electronics, ergonomics is not bad, fairly intuitive. I have not opened the user manual. We identify quickly how a particular thing works.

Of course, I would do without hesitation that choice and then saw the price I might even change your mind without it is serious.