Just as the first ever MP3 player came out of Korea, the newest evolution in the field of portable audio players also comes out of Korea. The new MT9 from the Korean company Audizen is a six-channel format that promises to give the listener far more control over how they listen to their music.

For example, you could mute the audio and create a karaoke track out of any of your music tracks.

With a conventional MP3 player you can control the EQ and the balance which gives you limited control over the way the music sounds, but the new MT9 will afford the listener the ability to adjust the volume of six individual audio tracks, which can contain separate instruments and lyrics.

The plan is to have separate sliders on the MP3 player to control aspects such as the voice track, the guitar, bass, drums, sound effects etc.

While still in the development stage, the concept is sound and the standards body who control audio and video standards will convene in Germany in June to discuss the format.

There are already some albums in the MT9 format for sale in Korea for just $2 per album. If the format does work and take off it will take time for a full rollout because every album will need to be remastered.