The Kaoss Pad V is the first major upgrade to Korg’s touch-based effects in 13 years

Kaoss’s painting has seen a lot Different iterationsbut the main effect unit and sampling unit have not received any update since launch KP3+ in 2013. And Korg finally gave it the attention it deserved with its release kaosbad v. Rather than a dramatic reimagining of what a Kaoss Pad is, the V takes the basic idea – an effect unit with an X/Y pad to control parameters in a natural, performance-focused way.

The big innovation of the Kaoss Pad V is that it can recognize two fingers at once to control two different sets of parameters, or even two completely different effects. It also has a dedicated audio effects engine for audio encoding and formatting. It can also convert audio input to MIDI to control other equipment. Imagine being able to control a drum machine via beatbox, or synths via hum.

Sampling and looping features have also been improved. You can record up to eight bars, overdubbing, and even trim and rearrange the loop. These repeat features are even more useful since Korg finally added a balanced input so you can capture cleaner sound from microphones, synths, and other instruments. However, it sticks with the unbalanced RCA inputs and outputs on the back, which are more useful for DJ setups, but less useful in the studio.

The only thing that hasn’t been upgraded, unfortunately, in 13 years is the price. The KP3+ launched at $349.99 in 2013, which is equivalent to about $493 in 2026, accounting for inflation. But the Korg Kaoss Pad V is up for pre-order at a huge price $649.99.