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Poly-Ensemble: PE-1000 "Ensemble P"

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The PE-1000 dates from a similar time frame as the PE-2000, but features an extra octave of keys (for 60 total), and is 'optimized' for percussive sounds, though it's not strictly limited to those. Preset voices include electric piano, piano, harpsichord, and clavichord, which fall into the percussive variety, and also "reed", "pipe organ" and "brass". There's an octave coupler knob which allows the keys to operate notes one octave above, but the intensity of the upper note can be adjusted by the setting of the control. The -1000 features the Korg Traveler filter arrangement (low pass, high pass) which is a single filter operating over the entire output of the machine; vibrato (including speed, depth and delay), a control for stretching the tuning, and a manual mode which allows you to select a waveform, and use a rudimentary envelope generator rather than the preset envelopes.

With all that, it sounds as though it should be able to deliver a substantial variety of sounds, but in fact, its sound set is a bit limited, much of it having certain sameness, probably due to the nature of the output waveforms of the oscillators.

The PE-1000 does have an interesting trick up its sleeve, in that it can be retuned, note-by-note, by the user!

Unlike the PE-2000 and Lambda, the PE-1000 is not based on a top octave generator. Instead, it actually contains 60 discrete oscillators. Here, you can see an octave of the trim pots which allow the oscillators to be retuned. Want to try your PE-1000 is meantone? Twiddle away!
  

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