Kurzweil K2600R

The K26000R is a sampler / synthtiseur / expander 3U rack.
About 400 prsets factory, which can climb 800 with optional boards (contemporary, orchestral, vintage, GM compatibilty and Triple Strike piano).
You can record up to 1000 preset (factory + user) at all on the machine in one session, but nothing prevents to save on disk (included) or reader / writer / Zip / Jaz SCSI.
Midi in / out / thru, 16 channels (classic), just a little polyphony ("only" 48) when you want to mount a full orchestra of the beast ... But cons, there are 192 Oscillator oddly it difficult to put the machine in normal knees.
Extensions ADAT / S / PDIF available.
Sampling option available (see K2600RS). Note that without the option Sampling can be used 90% of possibilities of the machine: it is quite possible to import sounds. Wav or Akai format without the sampling option.

The effects are a veritable slaughter (KDFX) and can even, with the sampling option or an option with ADAT output dbut 2006, as a motor only be used if external effects!

Audio point of view, the default output 10 in TRS.

The synthse uses is called "VAST". Basically, imagine an old analog synth which, instead of manipulating sinusodales waves, square or noise, you can handle any sample. So, any sound imaginable is reproducible. On each layer of sound, you can have a series of filters, distortions, treatment bizarrodes, all pilot by LFO (4 per layer), envelopes (5 per layer), or m me functions you crivez you even (example: "multiply by the State LFO3 of envelloppe 2" => both say that you can do anything).
Oh, I forgot ... You can stack up to 32 layers for her. You can cry
And besides, everything is contrlable any: any paramtre pilot can be from any Controller (MIDI or internal).

The OS (v4) is super stable and prouv. Zro crash.
Oh, I forgot: there is a squenceur Intgr the machine. I do not use relatively few.

For those who are tired of making music, he yamme program "Pong" in it, played with the knob of the give! Well, ok, ok, the usefulness is questionable

More info here: http://www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com/products.html?Id=351

UTILIZATION

The machine is "plug and play" press "prog", turn the dial to choose a sound, and play with the keyboard.
All functions are ultra well think, CASC is easy and clear and the machine FEATURES possde two intressantes when Publishing:

- If your on a parameter, pressing "Edit" allows you to change this in more depth parameter. For example, you edit a layer, you on your area slection of the sample base, pressing "Edit" allows you to edit The characteristics of the sample (points of & for stopping by, etc.). Everything is like a, very good pens.
The machine is programmed like a synthetic analog, you're starting from the sound source to go until the final amplifier. It's a bit droutant because there really normment of Settings, but looking back, I would say that t hard to beat.
Edit possible from a PC with a sharware (KEdit) that allows any contrler since the interface a little more friendly.

- All values ​​you enter are prsentes in physical units. For example, an LFO Describes in hertz (logic), a filter is also expressed in Hertz, the volumes are exprims in dB, the time in milliseconds, the "pitch" in cents or 1/2 tones ... There normment of synthso you find units Completely abstract ... here, not you in your sound.

Add a search engine patches (!), One function "learn" on all parameters and so on.

The only thing that m'nerve is that text input is done with the keypad but the letters are not classes like my phone to laptop (ABC on key 2, DEF 3, etc. ). If I reach this level of complaint is to say that ergonomics is also virtually irreproachable!

SOUNDS

Until I first prsent gnraux aspects ... So the sound ...
I will first talk about the presets:

- The cry of quality pianos are (a big big big highlight of Kurzweil. Pink Floyd or Steve Wonder does indeed use more than their is to live - and pink is to use only their recordings ). I did not essay the expansion card Triple-Strike insofar rare thing, the version "original" of the beast satisfy me 100%. You have already seen a Roland or Korg be irreproachable on pianos with no options, you? (Try the piano Triton, for example: it is a shame! They add rverb when you press the sustain pedal, it's unplayable, has lousy sound, c is shit! Kurzweil, say anything, it's clean, flawless ... it yamme DIFFERENT tunings available presets depending on whether you play solo or group)

- Batteries are trs trsralistes but a little droutantes (mapping the keyboard is not the same in gnral PM: eg, the bass drum is r went two or three buttons, same for the snare drum, etc.). The advantage is that you do not need to kill your keyboard or your finger to make rolls: you can make two fingers. Another benefit, the hi-hat change their behavior when you press the pedal sustain: a truly offers a broad expressiveness.

- The guitars and bass are good but I'm not that client has a synth.

- The sounds of synthesis are carrment unusable for some, for others it is an excellent foundation to create your own sounds, and finally some are against magic (be it leads, pads or more sounds in the style "prophet").

- The orchestral sounds are means on the machine base, but are crying with happiness with the Orchestral ROM.

- The electric pianos are not bad, but do not use the possibilities the bottom of the machine. With the Vintage ROM, however, you can easily bear comparison with Supertramp!

- Last but not least for presets, organs. The presets of the machine are trs good, but ... since qques annes, the OS has been an update (although sr free) that allows a machine mulate Completely tonewheel (B3, has told you qque thing?). And you have the door pulls fingers, the behavior is irreproachable and the infinite palette of sounds. The worst thing is that you can even mulate machines that do not exist by imagining how such a B3 would sound if he had put piano chords!

In fact, the presets are variations of the basic waveforms of the machine. Once you understand this principle, without chantillonner anything and with relatively little work of edition, you can get about the results bluffing. For example, I reprogramm all electric pianos for ultra-thin behavior, the subtle distrosions trs, etc..

The sounds of synthesis, ditto: I succeded reproduce my good old MS-10 on the machine, with all zippers imaginable. The sound is rich, powerful, full of dynamic, full of subtleties and niceties.

Everything is in jouabilit and contrle of parameters. Tip: treat yourself to a MIDI Controller with lots of buttons and knobs, you will need it!

Basically, when we imagine a sound, sr we can get the machine to recreate on the price of a little programming effort, without having to forcment the Sampling.

Finally, the effects. We motor 8 effect blocks called KDFX. This is one of the diffrences between the K2600 and K2500 on (the option exists on the K2500, but it is overpriced). There is, I believe, several hundred blocks effects: reverbs (excellent), chorus (excellent), flangers (excellent), leslie simulator (excellent), amp simulators (testing organs: excellent), and ring modulators.
All with a 100% paramtrable routing, and each parameter of each effect block can be assign a Controller for each program (the Controller can be a MIDI Continuous Controller, but also an LFO, envelope, or a function of the current program). Quickly, we realize we do not have enough brains to go around the possibilities of the thing!

The effects engine is _compltement_ indpendant of synthse. Through the optional ADAT (approx. 300 Euro), so you can transform into a half-K2600 KSP8 is to say in an 8-channel effects engine, whose possibilities are a blend between TC Elec Fireworks and Lexicon PCM80. Look at the price: just to have this machine is worth it!

Finally, on the web, you can find thousands of free programs (google -> Launch Pad K2000) and you can import WAV or CDs in the Akai K2600. There normment CDs worth of the "coup d'ear!"

OVERALL OPINION

It's been five years now I have been with Kurzweil and I'm not ready to leave this machine! I started with the K2500 which n'tait not perfect (especially without KDFX), but the K2600 reached an incredible level of quality!
On occasion, you may find this synth for about 1500 Euro max.
I've tried the Yamaha, Triton (this is a good sampler, but frankly it does not happen ankle K2600! Compare pianos, basses, guitars, and especially the effects, you understand your pain!), and JRV series of Roland, but there is no comparison.
If I had to choose another synth I do not hsiterais!
What I love most: the sound, the sound, the sound, whether that of synthse, samples of the base or that of KDFX.
Look also at the site of Kurzweil: between now and release date, the options are quite out regularly, with updates of the OS too. With a machine "naked", you can already do a lot of things really! The map "contemporary" is indispensable to me but I admit that this choice is debatable.
I'm basically in the pop / rock with a touch of electro, this machine suits me perfectly, this is the only way that I can take on solo piano parts without giving the impression of being derrire a synth and distorted sounds with enchaner unavailable elsewhere.

Only regret: marketing and Kurzweil, made two This machine is not sufficiently promoted and distributed is great evil in France!

Bah, and here I have spent the last two years to glean a mythical machine that I never have being the youngster k2600r being the last, I now have a set in my Ensoniq ZR76, a JD800, a Z1, Wavestation a , a triton rack, a motif es rack (sold, a dung), and a Z8 akai emu e6400 ultra, the prob is that because of kurzweil I'll sweeten the while keeping only the minimum, s 'therefore acts rack version with 128 MB of RAM and optional pram, not Roma but I'll soon fix that.

UTILIZATION

The config is pretty intuitive, but very confusing because each departing element is separated such effects are not part of a program or a multi studios and are separated it is possible to program effects and setups to change on the fly as if incrementation prog, enormous, but confusing ... The edition is heard sounds complex but the size of the potential as a passion for synth I m ' clate.Le manual, I Tlcharger is available on the website of Kurzweil's is cool.

SOUNDS

Pooh is a vamp, contrary to the advice here I can compare it with other machines in my possession and has not really hit kurzweil the photos I used in program mode and I record audio the sounds are ample, with a large presence Becane much higher than other modern effects for my not yet fully understood but it sounds other than the verb of a pattern, bouarff!
The expresivite is excellent feeling even more games, enormous! I like almost everything is at ease in all I guess when it was released it was serious in advance, I should say that j 'I had a keyboard motif are sold on a ground rack es, huge mistake because the rack has no dynamics, but for me the kurz is much better, warmer and more versatile.

OVERALL OPINION

I just get it and I think has already bought the keyboard version to run them all for me is left for the planet Byby Kurzweil and the more I am the head of everything you need and if or sample and boom,,,