Korg EK-50 review

Full review

The EK-50 is aimed at people who want to perform, not follow lessons. Korg lists 61 velocity-sensitive keys with four touch settings, 64-note polyphony, more than 702 sounds, 41 drum kits and over 280 preset accompaniment styles built on 64 style families, each with intros, variations, fills and endings.

It is the only keyboard here with proper stereo line outputs and a pitch-bend joystick, and its two 10 W speakers are much louder than the small ones on beginner models. The recorder stores up to 999 songs with 12 tracks (four keyboard parts and eight accompaniment parts), and MusicRadar noted the Set List function, which stores 40 style and voice setups for quick changes on stage.

MusicRadar liked the sophisticated accompaniment and the range of sounds and found it a fun, affordable portable option, but it also said the grand piano sounds slightly electronic and the interface is hard to figure out. There is no lesson mode, only a chord readout and on-screen keyboard that help you learn songs, and Korg does not list Bluetooth.

It weighs 7.5 kg and runs on eight AA batteries for about seven hours or the supplied mains adaptor. Korg also sells a louder EK-50 Limitless with extra sounds and a software bundle; this page covers the standard EK-50.