Hello everyone. If you have a PC3, or you had a chance to play it.... could you please post a mini-review of sorts.
Did you like the sounds, build, flexibility, synthesis options, sequencer (although I am using software sequencers most of the time). How is the virtual analog synth? Hammond organ mode? I'd be very grateful for any comments, really.
Yes, I know that the display sucks.
I already own Korg Radias, MicroKorg, MicroX... a Roland SonicCell (has the Fantom sound, just not the interface or sampling) and a Waldorf Blofeld. Hopefully this will give you an idea if Kurzweil would work well with this kind of setup.
The other options would be
a) getting rid of SonicCell and replacing it with a Fantom or
b) getting a Yamaha Motif.
This is mostly for live playing, jazz/rock and some smooth jazz and classical studio work.
Again, thank you all for reading this.
KURZWEIL PC3 (X, 3, 61)
Moderators: Sharp, X-Trade, Pepperpotty, karmathanever
Quite a difficult review you're asking for. Let's start.
Synth aspect:
the new VA1 engine is amazing, aliasing is not audible for many of the simple waves so the feeling is like playing on a real analog but with the perfection (coldness) of the digital behaviour (the sound is perfect but without aliasing, maybe TOO perfect) so you have to recreate the analog feelings with the new VAST engine (lfo filters etc etc)
the new VAST is amazing giving you the possibility to create a 32 layers per program with filters chained together (or not) with every kind of algoritm. So you'll have a real modular synth with a 128 notes of polyphony... with the new vast you can create your own algoritms and you're note stucked with presets like on the K series. And you can chain together any of the layer (not only three like on the K series)
Pay attention: all these features create such a complex synth engine that needs to be mastered to lead to good results. So if you want any kind of synth sound the answer is yes you can do it but you have to know exactly how to do it.
OS
the new operating system is oranized in a better way than on the K series but you have a really good pc editor too that is really a gift to program the beast
Sequencer
it's really complex and maybe would need a better display, but it's powerfull and you can find all the parameters in a few key pressure.
KB3 (Hammond)
many people say the emulation is poor, but I guess 90% of them only talk about preset. Again, this is a complex machine and need tweakings to create what you need. You have the possibility to tweak everything about the organ sounds and have good results. Remember that you have 9 drawbars on the pc3 and this is a good things if you need to play live and search for particular organ settings.
about the ROM sounds
the piano: do you like the kurzweil timbre? ok this is for you. Electromechanical sounds are great; about the Orchestral I can say that they're simply amazing; guitar sounds are only a few but really good, and you have a lot of cheance to create what you want using the new KDFX engine that is really powerful, probably the best effect engine out there (again REALLY COMPLEX to use, pay attention!). Distortion add some aliasing though but I never found a digital distortion effect that doesn't do it. POP Brass section is poor if you like the 80's music but again you can program your own setups.
the pc3 has only a few plastic elements so it's really strong (and a little heavy, many says it's heavy but it depends on you I think...), the only thing i have to criticize is the pitch wheel that like on the k2661 tends to have problems if you're not too kind with it. Don't push it too hard! Sliders are really good.
As a master keyboard it has no rivals so it would become the center of your setup very soon.
Anyway after all this I have to be honest. If you play classical music PC3 is perfect, if you want synths sounds (not preset, but you have a lot of power in your setup) and you like to program them, go for it. But if you play jazz and need guitars, bass and other kind of sounds ready to be played... well the motif could be a better choice, it's really ready to use for that kind of music. Anyway forget about flexibility with the Motif...
Hope this help a little, best thing would be to try a pc3 or listen to the demos online...
Regards, Lorenzo
Synth aspect:
the new VA1 engine is amazing, aliasing is not audible for many of the simple waves so the feeling is like playing on a real analog but with the perfection (coldness) of the digital behaviour (the sound is perfect but without aliasing, maybe TOO perfect) so you have to recreate the analog feelings with the new VAST engine (lfo filters etc etc)
the new VAST is amazing giving you the possibility to create a 32 layers per program with filters chained together (or not) with every kind of algoritm. So you'll have a real modular synth with a 128 notes of polyphony... with the new vast you can create your own algoritms and you're note stucked with presets like on the K series. And you can chain together any of the layer (not only three like on the K series)
Pay attention: all these features create such a complex synth engine that needs to be mastered to lead to good results. So if you want any kind of synth sound the answer is yes you can do it but you have to know exactly how to do it.
OS
the new operating system is oranized in a better way than on the K series but you have a really good pc editor too that is really a gift to program the beast
Sequencer
it's really complex and maybe would need a better display, but it's powerfull and you can find all the parameters in a few key pressure.
KB3 (Hammond)
many people say the emulation is poor, but I guess 90% of them only talk about preset. Again, this is a complex machine and need tweakings to create what you need. You have the possibility to tweak everything about the organ sounds and have good results. Remember that you have 9 drawbars on the pc3 and this is a good things if you need to play live and search for particular organ settings.
about the ROM sounds
the piano: do you like the kurzweil timbre? ok this is for you. Electromechanical sounds are great; about the Orchestral I can say that they're simply amazing; guitar sounds are only a few but really good, and you have a lot of cheance to create what you want using the new KDFX engine that is really powerful, probably the best effect engine out there (again REALLY COMPLEX to use, pay attention!). Distortion add some aliasing though but I never found a digital distortion effect that doesn't do it. POP Brass section is poor if you like the 80's music but again you can program your own setups.
the pc3 has only a few plastic elements so it's really strong (and a little heavy, many says it's heavy but it depends on you I think...), the only thing i have to criticize is the pitch wheel that like on the k2661 tends to have problems if you're not too kind with it. Don't push it too hard! Sliders are really good.
As a master keyboard it has no rivals so it would become the center of your setup very soon.
Anyway after all this I have to be honest. If you play classical music PC3 is perfect, if you want synths sounds (not preset, but you have a lot of power in your setup) and you like to program them, go for it. But if you play jazz and need guitars, bass and other kind of sounds ready to be played... well the motif could be a better choice, it's really ready to use for that kind of music. Anyway forget about flexibility with the Motif...
Hope this help a little, best thing would be to try a pc3 or listen to the demos online...
Regards, Lorenzo
Thank you Lorenzo.
I am not that concerned about guitars for live playing. When I play Jazz, it's mostly acoustic piano and electro-mechanical keyboards. Here and there, I might split between acoustic/electric bass for left hand and, say, Wurlitzer for right hand, that's all.
I do like Kurzweil acoustic piano sound actually. I prefer that over everything else, except some large software libraries or advanced physical modeling. But I don't want to carry my computer with me on gigs.
I like the fact that orchestral ROM is good. I really need some good strings and winds. Orchestral percussion too.
Now, I'm not sure why they went for the xD card slot. That was a waste of resources. Why not another USB for flash drives?
I am not that concerned about guitars for live playing. When I play Jazz, it's mostly acoustic piano and electro-mechanical keyboards. Here and there, I might split between acoustic/electric bass for left hand and, say, Wurlitzer for right hand, that's all.
I do like Kurzweil acoustic piano sound actually. I prefer that over everything else, except some large software libraries or advanced physical modeling. But I don't want to carry my computer with me on gigs.
I like the fact that orchestral ROM is good. I really need some good strings and winds. Orchestral percussion too.
Now, I'm not sure why they went for the xD card slot. That was a waste of resources. Why not another USB for flash drives?
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EvilDragon
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 1992
- Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 1:18 pm
- Location: Croatia
This was because after Kurzweil went bankrupt and then changed ownership of the company the PC3 was already designed with xD card in mind and it was too late to make the change, and it would cost them additional $$ for R&D, which they didn't have.karacha wrote:Now, I'm not sure why they went for the xD card slot. That was a waste of resources. Why not another USB for flash drives?
PC3LE, on the other hand, has USB, I Think.