Dumping korg for Kurzweil

min · Post by **min** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:32 am

Ok everyone. Please don't hate me but I just can't justify the expense of the kronos when I won't be using the audio tracks/sampling and the weighted 73 key is quite heavy. I'm leaning towards a kurzweil pc3 le6 (semi-wieghted keys). This is all I need to sound good and I think it feels better to play than kronos 61 from piano perspective. Wish me luck...more portable and the semi weighted keys actually do feel semi-weighted unlike korg's spin on semi-weighted 61 version which is just synthy springy action (marketing ploy). By the way...there is no contest between keyboards. Bad tradesmen blame their tools. But on the physical side I'm always looking for portability and a good feel with the keys. Good luck with your music everybody!

SeedyLee · Post by **SeedyLee** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:52 am

I think the PC3 LE looks like a wonderful board, although I haven't had a chance to actually play one. If it's what you like, go for it I say (but report back here with your experiences

).

Newsounds4kronos · Post by **Newsounds4kronos** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:27 am

Dude try the motif xf 61 instead, at least there are tons of 3rd party sound library developers + is light and the keys feel better than my kronos 61 and you can grab a second hand one for cheap. Although I prefer my kronos I think you would be happier with a motif xf 61 instead of kurs pc3 le.
Anyway good luck

min · Post by **min** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:38 am

I totally understand where you're coming from. I've owned some Motifs before and they're great, but these days I want semi-weighted feel and the 61 key motif doesn't offer this., I despise the Motif's patter/chain method of piecing a song together. Can't deny I love the sounds, but too expensive, no nice semi-weighted feel and too cumbersome to sequence on. Love their on board vocoder and how you can save your songs as wav files and simply pop on computer. I'm over wasting big bucks on keys. Just want a synth that feels nice, diverse sounds, easy sequencing, light and portable, and affordable. I've looked at all the options. Kurzweil wins.

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:25 am

If you like it, go with it. Nothing wrong with that!

But while we exchange personal evaluations, mine is not the same as yours. Apart from the very good price-value relation, I wouldn't consider a Kurzweil, because I would not want to play the well programmed, but in my ears completely outdated sample set (tiny 80s/90s samples). And I also prefer the other comparable sounds in each additional engine (the Kurz only offers B3 and VA engines besides sampled sounds) over the Kurzweil equivalents.

The Kurzweil VA, for example, sounds like nothing compared to the three Kronos VAs in my ears, and I also prefer what I can do with the CX3 over the Kurz B3 emulation. In addition, the Kurz offers nothing, which I consider remotely of the quality of the Kronos EPs and Pianos, noit speaking of Mod-7, waveshaping, screen, setlist mode and many other things.

But as I said, if it fits your taste, nothing wrong with using it. You just shouldn't be surprised if some Kronos users have other opinions on sound quality and some other advantages of the Kronos.

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:39 am

Disregard jimknopf and welcome to the club, min.

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:59 am

Yes, I forgot to mention that:
After reading my comment, immediately disregard it and enter EvilDrangon's club!

I am still working on a way to make my Kurzweil comments self-destructing by IT explosion after you have read them.

SeedyLee · Post by **SeedyLee** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:04 am

I suppose now would be a bad time to suggest a Roland?

:p

keego · Post by **keego** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:06 am

If you can afford it go for the PC3K you can load your own/3rd party samples into the flash ROM.

I am lucky enough to have both Kronos and both 76 key PC3 and PCK6.

Both boards have their virtues

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:47 am

keego wrote:Both boards have their virtues

Precisely.

tiggie_00 · Post by **tiggie_00** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 12:05 pm

There is a guy on Ebay right now.. He has been working on Sampling the Kronos for 6 weeks now.. He will be selling a Kronos 80gb sample set for 50.00 that will work with Kontakt 4. So you could just run the sounds of a Kronos through usb midi with your pc..

ccmacdon · Post by **ccmacdon** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 12:21 pm

The Kurzweil and the Kronos are in very different "leagues".. Kronos is $1000 more and worth every penny. I'm not Knocking the Kurzweil because it's a great keyboard (I've owned several different models over the years).. but the sound quality is a definately notch below the Kronos in virtually every category. Furthermore the Kurzweil user interface has always been very complicated, whereas the Kronos with it's touch display has a fantastic user interface.

The thing I don't like about the PC3LE6-61 is that it doesn't have KB3 mode (correct me if I'm wrong).. it certainly doesn't have the drawbars.. So for me I would have picked up a PC361 (which if I'm not mistaken has been on sale for $1000 at various internet retailers recently), or a different model, something with the Kurzweil KB3 mode.

Organ is important to me so if I was choosing a workstation or "all-in-one" keyboard I shy away from Motif, Phantom's etc... and I'll stick with either Kurzweil (with KB3 mode), or a Kronos. But that's just me.

The bottom line is that you're going to get what you pay for.. if you don't need KB3 mode and the Kurzweil covers all your wants/needs and it costs less, why pay more.. (unless of course your needs change, which they always do).

Good luck with your decision.

mathieumaes · Post by **mathieumaes** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 12:42 pm

No hard feelings. I've looked at the Kurzweil range too. And the Nord keyboards. And the Yamaha S90 XF. And the Roland RD700.

I played the Kronos and it whispered in my ears: buy me! and I did

Many purchases are usually based on a gut feeling. If your gut says Kurz, then buy it!

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 12:51 pm

ccmacdon wrote:The thing I don't like about the PC3LE6-61 is that it doesn't have KB3 mode (correct me if I'm wrong)..

You're wrong.

It doesn't have sliders, but it does have both VA1 DSP blocks and KB3 inside.

keego · Post by **keego** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:22 pm

EvilDragon wrote:
ccmacdon wrote:The thing I don't like about the PC3LE6-61 is that it doesn't have KB3 mode (correct me if I'm wrong)..
You're wrong. It doesn't have sliders, but it does have both VA1 DSP blocks and KB3 inside.

It also has half the polyphony of the PC3 and PC3K 64 as instead of 128

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Dumping korg for Kurzweil

Dumping korg for Kurzweil

Ditching the Kronos