analogue sounds can be created but they have a kind of grittiness

about them that an actual analogue would never produce - sort of

like an analogue synth that has never been invented! Downside is

sequencer use. For one thing the sounds tend to sound somewhat

'in yer face' and cant't be tamed - fine in isolation but mutlti-

timbral tracks sound like they're screaming at you. Secondly,

the timing of this beast is garbage - I've heard mine misfire

chords from the keyboard! (esp. in multi-mode). Sequencing is a

joke. Occasionally the machine lapses into perfect timing but

soon falls to pieces (and I mean pieces) a couple of bars later.

If you can afford to buy it just for a couple sounds in a mix, its

worth checking, but as a multi-timbral unit its shite. Beware -

the K4 is NOT the serious instrument it professes to be.

able to do. After I got I I discovered the lag time when playing large chords or

fast runs. I did manage to overcome this. If you set the sources to 2 then your

response time is lighting quick. Another way with 4 sources is with the DCF ENV

if you INVERT it (set the depth to -50) and reverse the ENV in your mind (set the

ATTACK to +50 and DECAY to -50) it's alittle faster don't ask me how, could be

that the K4 proccesses the DATA in reverse. Where the lag is noticed is in Multi

mode, when you apply alot of 4 souce sounds and try a glissando or big chords.

Midi it can be noticed as well. I really think that the designers wanted us to

use 2 source sounds for big chords fast runs and heavy Midi sequencing jobs,

and the 4 source sounds were intended for nice slow fat pads. It is really easy

to over program your sounds, that can cause proccessor lag time. Think a little

more sequentially when programming this guy and make sure you ENV match in the

same source don't set you DCF ENV for a short lived wave and then your DCA ENV

for a slow sweeper. Some of these tricks will remove the pop's and clicks that

the resonance filter makes. Other than that it can be a very powerful sounding

unit.

I think it can sound very good, but when you use this machine for a while the lack of real quality becomes obvious. However: in Holland you can pick up a K4 for as little as 800 guilders (that is approx. $400).

For that kind of money you get a very capable synth with lots of easy editing options.

Disadvantages of the K4:

Sounds lack realism, lack of MIDI-options, not a fast response (but not as slow as some of the others say), bad presets and too little polyphony.