|
I've had the K2600XS for about a year, got it for a good price on eBay, and added 3 out of 4 ROMs. I pair it with a Proteus 2000 for a full range of sound and instrumentation, but find myself using the Kurz a lot more. The sounds are clean, rich, deep and captivating. FX are superb. Keyboard action is excellent. I've added a hard drive by cannabalizing an old server, works fine, though HD power supply can only support newer drives with less wattage. HD access via SCSI is SLOW, and am not sure if PRAM option adds cache to speed it up. Hope so, cause it needs it (though now no one sells the PRAM-26 anymore).
The unit is emminently programmable, but its not easy to do and tedious. Even adding the ROMs is tech oriented and requires careful reading of the instructions. Digital out is the cleanest sound, but can't get the volume control to work in that mode. Analog sounds are very realistic but lack the nuances that are featured in the Yamaha Motif or Tyros (or even the Proteus 2000). Pianos have always been the Kurzweil signature sound, and the K2600 Triple Strike ROM does not disappoint. The standard Piano sounds are decent, but not up the the ROM. The electronic & synth sounds are also rich, more along the classic rock lines (which I love) but can also handle a touch of hip-hop. Its totally there for classical or jazz at any level.
For 24 voice, its well implemented and I've yet to really have a problem with its supposed limitations (then again with a Proteus 2k, hardly an issue). I use the keyboard in a personal MIDI setup to my home computer and powered Berringer monitors, and it just rocks. I play these days for leisure, but the richness of sounds keeps me far from getting bored or stale. The staggering array of FX alone is enough to keep the ear pleased. The ribbon controllers are great, and there is plenty of room for controller expansion. Sampling is crystal clear, and though better done on the computer these days, it is still a nice feature to have on the instrument.
The unit is heavy and not too transportable. Many units sold used on eBay are scratched, dented and abused a lot because it is so unwieldy. If your going to transport it, invest in a case with wheels. The Kurz will connect to a computer via SCSI, but since both are 'master' units, some care is needed or the system will hang. I've had some BIOS errors and system hangs on the Kurz for unknown reasons, but not with any consistency.
I was undecided on whether to get the K2600X or the Yamaha Motif ES8, but prices are better on eBay on the Kurz and more scratch & dents appear there for a real bargain. I have yet to see a damaged Yamaha appear on eBay, so I suppose the Kurz is used more professionally. I chose the Kurz for its richer sound and fx, but the tradeoff is less sounds than the Motif. The Motif seems to be better holding its value on eBay, and its almost like the Kurz is fading in terms of sales presence on the web in units and parts. The Motif is about all thats left outside of gigasampling on the computer these days. That will be my next venture, but the Kurz will remain at the very least as my MIDI keyboard and just for quality practice and recreation. I just love it too much.
|
listings
