KVR Audio

fmr · Post by **fmr** » Thu May 31, 2018 1:19 pm

Hey guys:

I have a Kurzweil K2000, but it is currently broken. I was looking for a new Kurzweil, and was surprised by the number of new keyboards Kurzweil now have (they even have a speaker monitor), spanning the entire range, from entry level to high end.

Any of you have experience with the new keyboards of Kurzweil? Does their sound live up to the past credentials of the label? How do they compare with the competition?

szurcio · Post by **szurcio** » Thu May 31, 2018 1:38 pm

I have a PC3 - it's an amazing keyboard with very good synthesis possibilities (PC3K is even better with the sample addition). Plus, you can get some great soundsets, like these: https://www.barbandco.com/store/c20/Kur ... %2F_A.html

Amram · Post by **Amram** » Thu May 31, 2018 6:21 pm

When you said broken , whats broke there?

fmr · Post by **fmr** » Fri Jun 01, 2018 8:06 am

Amram wrote:When you said broken , whats broke there?

The instrument doesn't play anymore. First, it started distorting horribly in some presets, but now, it simply doesn't play. If I had to guess, I'd say there's something wrong with the D/A converters. Since it is quite old, I don't know if it's worth to repair it (let alone the fact I don't know where would I find someone to repair it over here).

I am still using it as a keyboard controller since I like the keyboard touch.

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Fri Jun 01, 2018 8:14 am

If you really like your K2000, just might be more worth it get another one second hand. Or upgrade to K2500 or K2600, or if you don't need that many keys, K2661 (but you lose the ribbons then). PC3 series have a lot of additions, but some things are different synthesis-wise compared to ye olde K-series (cannot adjust VTRIG1 and VTRIG2, they have fixed values, only amp envelope gets ENVMOD, envelopes 2 and 3 are not influenced by ENVMOD page at all, some effects like phasers don't sound the same as on K25/K26 with KDFX, they're bugged, there's no sample skipping parameter, etc.).

fmr · Post by **fmr** » Fri Jun 01, 2018 8:36 am

EvilDragon wrote:If you really like your K2000, just might be more worth it get another one second hand. Or upgrade to K2500 or K2600, or if you don't need that many keys, K2661 (but you lose the ribbons then). PC3 series have a lot of additions, but some things are different synthesis-wise compared to ye olde K-series (cannot adjust VTRIG1 and VTRIG2, they have fixed values, only amp envelope gets ENVMOD, envelopes 2 and 3 are not influenced by ENVMOD page at all, some effects like phasers don't sound the same as on K25/K26 with KDFX, they're bugged, there's no sample skipping parameter, etc.).

Would you say, soundwise, the modern Kurzweil keyboards have the same quality, or do you think they suffered somehow?

I was hoping they would be even better...

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Fri Jun 01, 2018 9:00 am

The "Kurzweil sound" is alive and well in the newer boards. Apart from the phaser effect (and some KDFX not even being included), sound quality didn't suffer at all IMHO. It got cleaner (new DSP blocks with less aliasing for virtual analog synthesis, some new filter types, improved KB3, etc.) K2000 is known as a very good machine for gnarly, grungy industrial soundscapes it can do. I guess you could do the same on PC3, but it'll definitely sound cleaner.

K-Bee · Post by **K-Bee** » Wed Jun 13, 2018 1:56 pm

I had a PC3x for years. Although it's not exactly "new" (came out in 2009 as I recall) it was a monster instrument capable of pretty much everything due the Kurzweil's V.A.S.T. synthesis engine. I never got to investigate much into VAST though and later replaced the PC3X with a Kronos 88. I do miss the PC3 rhodes though, as they were way better than the Kronos'

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Wed Jun 13, 2018 2:02 pm

Dunno, I like Kronos' Rhodes better because there's no obvious velocity switching on them as there is on PC3...