Unlike other elements of the Korg KaossPad family, the Korg KaossPad Quad allows for up to 4 effects to be used at the same time!
But unfortunately, it is not equivalent to having 4 Korg KaossPads or Mini KaossPads in one...
This unit is only an effects processor, so you cannot use it to play audio samples like you can on the other models from this family (at least on most of them).
You also have a much more reduced range of effects to choose from, despite you have more effects units running at the same time.
Each unit only has 5 different effects algorithms available, despite each of them focus in different kinds of effects (looping, gain / modulation, filtering and delay / reverb).
This means you have only 20 different effects in total to choose from, rather than the almost 100 available in other models (my Korg Mini KP2, for instance, has 90 different effects plus some synth sounds).
Having different algorithms available for the different effects units means that, for instance, you cannot use pitch shifter in one unit and a filter in another, which can sometimes be really annoying...
Still, having less effect algorithms available can be a good thing if you search for a machine that is really easy to use, as all you have to do to change your effects algorithm is to press a button, rather than having to scroll up and down to find the effect you want.
But that is about it when it comes to advantages, as controlling 4 independent effects using a single X-Y pad can be quite complicated...
As you'd imagine, a certain set of parameters might work great for one of the effects you are using, but not for the other effects you have available...
To fix this, you need only to use the Freeze buttons, available below each effects unit.
However, doing this means you will edit a single effect at a single time, which is something you wouldn't be forced to do if you were using multiple units each of them with its own X-Y pad...
But with all honesty, in most cases, you won't be using both hands to edit your effects.
Despite I might have sounded a bit harsh, I really liked this unit, and you can hear it being used in some of my performances (including Synth-ing Nº21, Synth-ing Nº22, Synth-ing Nº23, but some others made use of it as well).
While the effects might not be as good as a top of the line unit, it still sounds really nice and is a truly amazing machine if you want a compact solution that gives you 4 different effects at the same time!
It might end up not being as good as having 4 independent Korg Mini KaossPad 2, for instance, but it is still a pretty solid solution with a nice set of effects available that can be controlled with a bigger X-Y pad!
And to top it, it will cost you less than getting 4 independent Korg Mini KaossPad 2 (probably even less than what you would pay for 3 of them...).
So, why did I get rid of it if I actually liked it a lot?
The main reason is that I find it to be an amazing machine for live performances, in which small space available is a limitation.
If you are mostly going to use it in studio environment, you'll quickly find out there are much nicer effects units available to enhance your sound.
Despite this unit provides great effects for the price, it just can't compete with a high end Eventide or Lexicon, for instance.
It is true those units don't give you the same kind of control you get with the Korg KaossPad series, but that can be solved using a proper touch controller (iPad would do it, but I also have an old JazzMutant Lemur available), as long as your effects processor responds to MIDI controls.
And as a big plus, most effects processors allow for much deeper editing of the effects algorithms than what you can do with the Korg KaossPad Quad!
In fact, you can probably use several touch pads to control a single effects algorithm in a higher end unit, since there are usually so many different parameters that you can control, rather than only 2!
If I would perform live more often, I am not sure I would have gotten rid of it...
But ultimately, I think I probably would have, since I have some Korg Mini KaossPad 2, that end up being considerably more portable and can effectively replace it...
This also means that I probably wouldn't get one again if I had the chance, but rather would stick to my set of Korg Mini KaossPad 2, also because I prefer to use minijack connectors rather than RCA ones (which is also a down for me, since I don't really have equipment with RCA connectors...).
Still, if you want a nice effects unit that can run 4 effects at once with touch pad control, I think this is still one of the best options out there and I totally recommend it!
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