This week on The Digital Lifestyle Show, I'm joined once again by Dan Phillips from Korg R&D in California. Dan returns to the show to talk about the brand-new Korg PS-3300 plug-in, part of the recently released Korg Collection 6.

The PS-3300 is a recreation of one of Korg's most ambitious and rare synthesizers — the original 1977 PS-3300, a huge polyphonic monster with 144 envelopes, 144 filters, and three complete synth panels. Only around 50 were ever made, but now Korg has brought it back to life as a software instrument.

In this chat, Dan takes us behind the scenes of how his team recreated this legendary synth in software — from understanding the original circuitry to faithfully modelling its unique imperfections that made it sound alive.

🧠 Rebuilding a 1977 Giant in Software

Dan explains how the PS-3300 plug-in came about following the success of the 2600 and Multi/Poly projects. Although it looked like a simple synth on the surface, the team quickly discovered that the original PS-3300's divide-down structure and per-note envelopes made it one of the most complex synths they'd ever emulated.

"We thought it was going to be simple," Dan says. "We'd already done the MS-20 and the 2600, so we figured this would be quick — but we couldn't have been more wrong!"

Korg's engineers meticulously modelled every detail, from the analog tolerances of each circuit to the filter's unusual topology — a design unique to the PS series. Even the natural imperfections of the original hardware were recreated digitally, giving each note that "alive" feeling that analog synth fans love.

🎛️ The Sound of the PS-3300

The original PS-3300 featured three complete synth panels, each capable of full polyphony — a mind-boggling design even by modern standards. With every key having its own filter and envelope, it produces subtle differences between notes that make it feel organic and unpredictable.

In the plug-in version, Korg preserved that depth and added modern touches like MIDI mapping, a familiar interface shared with other Korg software instruments, and integration with the Korg Librarian and Editor.

You can layer the three panels creatively to build evolving textures, phasing strings, or vocal-like tones using the built-in resonator section — something that hasn't appeared in any modern synths until now.

🧩 Part of Korg Collection 6

The PS-3300 headlines Korg Collection 6, which also includes the Trinity workstation and the SGX-2 piano engine from the Kronos.

Dan shared some fascinating insights into the Trinity's high-fidelity sound engine and how its oscillator interpolation set a new standard for digital synthesis back in 1995. Together, these new plug-ins showcase Korg's heritage — from vintage analog monsters to iconic digital workstations.

🎶 Free PS-3300 Sound Pack

To go along with the episode, I've created a free sound pack for the PS-3300 plug-in featuring 26 custom performances inspired by the classic analog textures of the 1970s.