I consider the Triton Extreme the ultimate version of this popular keyboard and you can buy it in 61, 76 and 88-key (piano action) versions at $2,800, $3,150, and $3,600 MSRP. Ultimate? The new samples included are acoustic and electric guitars, woodwinds and brass, choirs and a great new concert grand piano. Korg also added the Trance Attack, Orchestral Collection and Vintage Archives sounds as well as the best of Dance Extreme, Studio Essentials, Pianos/Classic Keyboards and the complete Triton Studio set. Suffice it to say that with 1,344 programs, 50 drum kits and 1,280 combinations consisting of up to eight programs, I just don't see any shortage of great sounds any time soon from this one.

Triton has two tone generators for 120-note polyphony with each oscillator connected to a multi-mode filter and multiple envelope generators. Besides the two LFOs with 21 waveforms and dual polyphonic arpeggiators with 489 preloaded patterns, Triton Extreme now has built-in 12AU7 tube. Yes, a vacuum tube sits under a future-retro glass bubble on the keyboard's top plate. As out of place as this first looks, it makes perfect sense to be able to insert this tube amplifier stage in any patch for extra warmth or overdrive or final effect. The tube can also be inserted in the sampler recording chain as well.

For working fast, Triton Extreme's sampler is the best with 16-bit and 48kHz and direct control from within any other keyboard mode. You can sample and "fly" or loop audio all while the song continues to play. Typical computer-based editing like time-slice, loop, truncate and time-stretch are all done using Extreme's TouchView™ graphical interface. It can use .wav, .aiff, Akai S1000/3000 samples and import/export via a USB port or from the included CompactFlash slot.

Dual USB ports allow you to mount the CompactFlash media directly to a computer for fast file sharing, and to use external USB media and drives, even to burn an audio CD of your final mixes. There are both stereo analog and digital I/O connections and many real-time controllers--even a ribbon controller. The built-in 16-track sequencer holds up to 200 songs or 200,000 notes, has up to five insert effects and two stereo master effects allowing stereo mixdown and effect automation.

For much more contact Korg USA at 316 S. Service Rd. Melville, NY 11747. Telephone 516-333-9100 or visit www.korg.com