The famous Korg touch controller is back in the spotlight with a highly anticipated new version: the Kaoss Pad V. This generation introduces a two-finger multitouch pad, a voice-dedicated effects engine, a high-impedance input for guitar and bass, as well as a USB audio interface designed for DAW integration. Enough to appeal equally to DJs, guitarists, and music content creators in the UK.
A strong legacy, updated for today
Since the late 1990s, the Kaoss Pad series has established itself as an iconic tool for twisting, sculpting, and animating sound in real time. While other gestural technologies have disappeared from stages, this touchpad has held a special place thanks to its distinctive effects algorithms and its very intuitive way of controlling multiple parameters with a simple finger movement.
With the Kaoss Pad V, Korg continues this story by preserving the spirit of the range while adapting it to more varied uses: electronic live sets, vocal performance, ambient guitar, hybrid DJ/DAW sets, and more. The design remains in line with the previous model, but with a cleaner aesthetic and, above all, a redesigned touch interface.
Dual-touch pad: two parameters at your fingertips
The major evolution in this model is the simultaneous handling of two contact points on the touch surface. Where older versions only allowed single-finger control, the Kaoss Pad V now lets you move two parameters in parallel, opening the door to more complex movements and far more evolving sound textures.
You can, for example, link one area of the pad to a filter while the other controls a delay, vary pitch while shaping a reverb, or combine modulation and feedback. The principle remains the same: move your fingers across the pad to trace the effects’ trajectory in real time, but expression becomes much richer thanks to this dual touch.
Vocal effects engine and voice control
At the heart of this new generation is an effects engine specifically geared towards vocals. The Kaoss Pad V offers algorithms for creating harmonies, adding a vocoder layer, transforming vocal pitch, or reshaping the voice in more radical ways.
A notable feature: the voice is not just an audio source. It can also control external MIDI hardware. This opens creative possibilities for beatboxers, singers, and vocal performers who want, for example, to trigger or modulate other instruments from their microphone, without having to let go of the touchpad.
A selection of classic effects and enhanced sampling functions
The Kaoss Pad V is not limited to new features. It retains a selection of processors that built the series’ reputation: filters, delays, reverbs, modulation effects, and various vocal treatments already well known to users of previous generations.
On the looping side, the unit goes further than earlier models: you can sample up to eight bars, overdub layers in real time, and make use of functions such as BPM-synced Step Hold. These tools make it easier to build evolving loops, add rhythmic variations, or enrich a live set without needing a computer.
The Kaoss Pad V offers a total of 300 program slots, including 200 factory presets and 100 user slots. An SD/SDHC card slot allows you to save both loops and program settings. Sounds can be edited, and users can also customise the colour of the LEDs around the pad to adapt visual ergonomics to their stage or studio environment.
Guitar and bass input: the Kaoss Pad V as a creative effects pedal
A particularly interesting development for musicians who play guitar or bass is the inclusion of a high-impedance (Hi-Z) input. This input is designed to take an electric stringed instrument directly, with no additional box, similar to what you would expect from a pedalboard effects pedal.
Korg highlights the ability to explore ambient soundscapes, rhythmic modulations, time-based glitch effects, or vast reverb landscapes, all while modulating the effects with your fingertips. For guitarists in search of experimental textures, the Kaoss Pad V therefore stands out as an original alternative to traditional pedals.
Connectivity: mic, USB audio, RCA and MIDI
In terms of integration with the rest of your setup, the Kaoss Pad V offers a mic input shared with the Hi-Z input, a USB audio port for use with a DAW, as well as stereo RCA inputs and outputs. All of these signals can be used at the same time, with mixing carried out directly in the unit.
There are also 5-pin DIN MIDI input and output ports, allowing the Kaoss Pad V to be integrated into a wider system of synths, drum machines, or controllers.
Price, availability, and some design surprises
The Kaoss Pad V is scheduled for release in May 2026. The announced price is €599. This clearly positions it in the category of advanced performance tools for musicians, DJs, and producers.
Some hardware choices may come as a surprise, such as the use of an SD card for data storage, or the absence of 6.35 mm connectors for the main inputs/outputs. This underlines continuity with typical DJ-style setups, while also embracing a shift toward guitar use thanks to the Hi-Z input, which will likely be very popular with instrumentalists.
Why the Kaoss Pad V is of particular interest to musicians in the UK
Between the electronic scene, the culture of hybrid live performances, and the growing number of guitarists exploring ambient textures, the Kaoss Pad V finds a natural place in the UK’s musical ecosystem. Its ability to act simultaneously as a vocal effect, a loop box, an instrument effects processor, and an audio interface makes it a flexible tool for both home studios and live performance.
Its gestural approach also remains a major asset at a time when many creators are looking to make their performances more visual and physical. Being able, in 2026, to manipulate complex sounds with a simple finger movement on a luminous pad still has a strong stage impact that is hard to reproduce solely with a mouse or rotary controller.
FAQ
Is the Kaoss Pad V suitable for home studio use?
Yes, the Kaoss Pad V includes a USB audio interface, which allows it to be used directly with a DAW. Its effects, sampling functions, and 300 programs make it an interesting creative processor for a home studio, even without a DJ setup.
Can you use guitar and microphone at the same time on the Kaoss Pad V?
The inputs can be used simultaneously, but the mic input and Hi-Z input are shared. However, it is possible to combine these sources with the RCA inputs and the USB audio stream, with signal mixing handled internally.
How many sounds and loops can be stored in the unit?
The Kaoss Pad V provides 300 program slots, including 200 factory presets and 100 user-configurable slots. Loops and program settings can be stored on an SD/SDHC card inserted into the dedicated slot.
What types of effects are available on the Kaoss Pad V?
The unit includes a dedicated vocal engine (harmonies, vocoder layers, pitch transformations, etc.) and a selection of effects inherited from previous generations: filters, delays, reverbs, modulation effects, and vocal treatments. These effects can be combined with sampling functions, looping of up to eight bars, real-time overdubbing, and BPM-synchronised Step Hold.
