The Ultimate Guide to the Korg 01/W in the VST Era The Korg 01/W, released in 1991, remains a legendary piece of music history. As the direct successor to the world-conquering Korg M1 , the 01/W introduced advanced digital synthesis, richer acoustics, and a distinct sonic warmth that defined early 90s music production, film scoring, and ambient textures.

1. Korg Collection 3 (Using Wavestation & Triton Together)

While not an 01/W, Korg’s own Wavestation VST shares the same DNA. The 01/W used a derivative of the Wavestation’s vector synthesis engine. To approximate the 01/W:

When using Korg's official software emulations (like those in the KORG Collection), you get several modern upgrades: 

You can apply the waveshaper effect across various routing paths not possible on the original. Resonant Filters:

, featuring 641 presets designed to run in UVI Workstation or Falcon.

: It is a "suck it and see" process that can be unpredictable compared to standard resonant filters. Sound Profile The Korg 01/W is a master ambient synth from 1991

The 01/W is dead. Long live the 01/W.

: Available in three separate volumes, this covers the full Program Bank of the original hardware. It acts as a simple plug-and-play VST for those who want the raw sounds without deep programming. Kontakt Libraries

2. Best VST Options for Korg 01/W Sounds

A. Korg M1 VST (Most Practical Alternative)

• Official Korg software – $49.99 (often on sale).
• Why? The M1 (1988) is the predecessor. The 01/W added more waveforms, double the effects, and enhanced filters. Many 01/W presets are evolved M1 sounds.
• Best for: Classic 01/W pads, strings, keys, and basses.
• Tip: Buy the M1 VST + M1 Le bundle for more presets. Use the filter resonance and effects to get closer to 01/W character.