Kurzweil Music Systems
The company Kurzweil Music Systems produces synthesizer , stage pianos and effects units . The company's keyboards were largely developed by Raymond Kurzweil . Kurzweil Music Systems was founded around 1990 by Young Chang Akki Co. Ltd. Incheon / Korea taken over. The instruments have been further developed at the YCRDC in Waltham (USA).
Kurzweil K250
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This synthesizer was launched in 1984 and was one of the first sample- based digital synthesizers . The basic configuration consisted of 2 MB ROM, 12 voices and a weighted 88-key keyboard. The processing unit was a Motorola 68000 processor with 10 MHz / 32 bit. MIDI was also available. A rack version was also available. All the electronics were housed on a drawer-like motherboard .
The K250 was the first fully electronic sound generator that could convincingly reproduce a grand piano. The K250 was an exclusive device of immense size that formed the sound basis for many setups in the 1980s.
Kurzweil K2XXX series
VAST synthesis
The sound generation of the keyboards of the K2XXX series is based on samples, but the models of the series can also calculate standard waveforms. Up to 62 samples are first assigned to the keyboard ("keymap"), then run through various sound shaping algorithms (keymap + algorithms = "layer"), pass through an effects processor and finally end up as a "program" at one of the four output pairs (rack version; two Pairs with the K2000 keyboard) or the "Mix Out". A "program" can consist of up to three "layers". The Kurzweil manages three keyboard zones, each of these zones can be assigned a "program", which is then simply called "setup". The Kurzweil's non-volatile RAM holds a different number of programs ex works, depending on their complexity and the type of device.
The special thing was that the path from sample to output is not fixed. Rather, the user can select 31 algorithms in which various DSP "modules" (such as filters, "stimulators", envelope EG etc.) are put together in various configurations. The wiring of these modules is fixed, but it is possible to define the behavior of the individual components (e.g. Hipass, Lowpass, etc.). Although z. For example, if the K-2000 has a maximum of 24 voices, it still has more oscillators, as some DSP modules allow additional waveforms to be generated. For example, solo sounds with three sawtooth waves can be programmed even though only one of the three "real" voices is used when playing. There are also 50 so-called "FUNs", the function generators. With them, mathematical formulas such as: cos (a + b) can be used to calculate the control voltages of two modules to form a new one.
Kurzweil K2000
With the model K2000, which was produced as a 61-key version and as a rack device (K2000R), the Kurzweil company brought a full-fledged workstation onto the market in 1991. With a ROM of 8 MB, which could be expanded to 24 MB with the additional boards "Contemporary" and "Orchestral", natural sounds could be generated that sounded very realistic, especially in the strings and acoustic guitar areas. In addition, the K2000 was able to generate analog pads and lead sounds in very good quality.
Equipped with an optional sampling option, up to 64 MB RAM could be filled with your own recordings (K2000S or RS). The specialty of the synthesizer lies in the possibility of processing these samples, just like the ROM samples, with the VAST synthesis.
The K2000 had a similarly equipped competitor, the Yamaha SY99 , which appeared at the same time . Both devices cost around 7,000 DM .
Kurzweil K2000VP
The improved ROM setup of the larger K2500 series was already integrated into the VP series, which was first introduced in late summer 1998 . Externally, the Kurzweil remained with the tried and tested and very robust plastic chassis, which was naturally reinforced with metal "inside". The devices of the 2000 series were offered in black until about mid-1998 and then in blue (Techno series) until the end of 1999. Anyone who ordered the "Contemporary" and "Orchestra" Sound ROM sets within this period also received another 200 new programs and 100 setups for free. This was the first time that memory banks 600 to 700 were occupied, as these were an integral part of the new ROM modules.
Kurzweil K2500
This model came on the market in 1996 and has a new ROM with 8 MB memory compared to the K2000. The program memory (P-RAM) has been enlarged a little. The biggest innovation was the double number of 48 voices and 192 oscillators.
In addition, the keyboard version of the K2500 has been given a large ribbon controller above the keyboard and faders for use as digital drawbars. The keyboard versions are available as the K2500 with 76 lightweight keys and as the K2500X with 88 weighted keys. The sampling RAM can be expanded to 128 MB here. With the built-in sampling option, the synthesizers are called K2500S and K2500XS. In addition to the extensions that are also available for the K2000, the K2500 can be extended by a 4 MB stereo piano and the KDFX function. The KDFX expansion replaces the previous Digitech effects processor with a five-fold stereo effects group and digital outputs developed by Kurzweil itself. The advantages are the improved noise behavior, since the signal only needs to be converted once, and the larger number of effects that can be used simultaneously.
Kurzweil K2600
The flagship of the Kurzweil series was supplemented by the built-in options KDFX and stereo piano. In addition, the VAST synthesis can be used even more flexibly here. The K2600 is also available as a 76- and 88-key version. The factory program RAM is twice as large as in the K2500, i.e. 480 KB. The K2600 can be upgraded with the well-known additional ROMs as well as new ROMs for e-piano and the P-RAM.
Kurzweil K2661
The youngest offspring of the K series is a K2600 including the contemporary and orchestral ROMs as well as the factory-installed P-RAM option and an 8 MB general midi ROM. However, this keyboard only has 61 plastic keys, no ribbon controller and no floppy disk drive. There is now an SM slot for this. The K2661 can be upgraded with an optional ribbon controller and the sampling option as well as the new ROM boards for electric piano, church organ and stereo piano.
PC3K series
The PC3K series of professional keyboards consists of PC3K6 (61 keys), PC3K7 (76 keys) and PC3K8 (88 keys). Features of the PC3K8 are fully weighted hammer keys, velocity and aftertouch sensitive keys with a quick release spring that offers an ideal balance between playability between piano parts and synth / organ parts. Keyboard is a Fatar TP40L. They contain a display (240 × 64 display), 128-voice polyphony, 16 MIDI parts, VAST synthesis engine with user-programmable DSP algorithms and extended functions compared to the K series including Kurzweil's VA1 synthesis concept, the authentic one provides analog emulations and new sounds.
Kurzweil PC1-X (88 keys)
With the PC1-X master keyboard introduced in 2004 (based on the legendary PC2) with its own sound generation, Kurzweil succeeded for the first time in creating a balanced synthesis of user-friendliness and a wide range of programs that by no means had to hide from the workstation concept that had been cultivated for a long time. The molded parts (side panels made of plastic), which are almost 90% made of sheet metal, are made of elegant matt black and, at around 26 kilograms, are not exactly light stage pianos deliver expressive sounds from the extensive range of presets and setups alone. The sound generation came largely from the K-2661 series, which were only severely limited in their workability. The effect concept was based on the well-known KDFX - Kurzweil Digital Effects. The 88-key hammer action keyboard came from Fatar and provided a good piano feeling. The overall concept followed the "ready to use" approach, which was more than sufficient given the high quality of the samples. The "Slow String" sample alone sounded like extremely natural strings and was copied by other manufacturers with much more memory-intensive ROMs, but the quality was never matched.
Current products
- SP6: Stage piano
- KP80: Portable Arranger
- KP10: Portable Arranger Mini
- PC4: Performance Controller
Individual evidence
- ↑ Green Box: Kurzweil K2000 K2500 K2600 K2661. In: AMAZONA.de. March 18, 2017, accessed on July 4, 2020 (German).
- ↑ Ingo Gebhard: Kurzweil PRODUCTS: K2600 series. In: hoppwei.de. January 1, 2000, accessed July 4, 2020 .
- ↑ Kurzweil K2600 | Vintage Synth Explorer. Retrieved July 4, 2020 .
- ↑ Paul Ward: Kurzweil K2661. Sound on Sound, May 1, 2004, accessed July 4, 2020 .
- ↑ briefly: PC3K8. In: KURZWEIL It's the Sound®. Retrieved August 4, 2020 (American English).
- ↑ Kurzweil PC1x. In: keyboardline.de. KeyboardLINE, accessed July 4, 2020 .
- ↑ Kurzweil PC1X Performance Controller. Retrieved July 4, 2020 (American English).
Web links
- Kurzweil Wiki (English)
- website