Vintage Synth Explorer

Kawai • K5000

The K5000 was Kawai's top of the line music workstation digital synthesizer when it was released back in 1996. It's a bold and elegantly designed synth with a large LCD display, realtime controls and incredible sounds! The look and functionality is rivals the competition from the time...the Korg Trinity and Kurzweil K2500.

Programming sounds with the K5000 can be a breeze (once you learn how) although it has over 1,000 parameters per patch! That's plenty to play with. It combines additive synthesis and PCM sampled waveforms for you to layer and combine to design a whole range of sounds. Plenty of LFO modulation, filters and envelope controls allow you to shape and morph your sounds further. On-board multi-effects add the final touch of life to your sounds.

Once you've created some sounds, there's the on-board sequencer (K5000W only) for creating songs or loading Standard Midi File sequences (via disk-drive). It has a 40,000 note capacity and 40 tracks. Real-time record and step-edit modes are available and the sequencer is pretty straight forward.

The K5000S (pictured above) adds 12 dedicated knobs for hands-on control of filter, LFO and envelope parameters. There are 4 user-definable knobs and 2 assignable switches. The K5000S also has a 40-pattern arpeggiator on-board with 8 user-definable patterns too! K5000's have been used by Kraftwerk.

In 1997 a rack-module version of the K5000 was released. The rack version shipped with Kawai's more stable OS 3.0 software. The latest is 4.03 and is free to upgrade via download from Kawai. The rack offers all the same power and flexibility as its keyboard counterparts. To get a more hands-on-knobs control of the K5000 (like the K5000S) there is a Knobs Macro box. But other controllers such as Encore Knobby or Keyfax Phatboy can also do the trick.

VISITOR COMMENTS

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Posting Rules: Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

 

Neven Dayvid

Posted 26 days ago

Absolutely agree! For me, the best digital synth since the DX7. And the hardware, knobs, finish, keyboard are among the best.
A joy to behold, a joy to play and a joy to.... well let´s just say a fascinating challenge to program.

k-boarding

Posted 41 days ago

The k5000s is one of the most exquisite synthesizers that can be found in the place, totally different to anything known. is undoubtedly the masterpiece of Kawai, I purchased it six months ago after a long search to find one in perfect condition, I have over 10 synthesizers specially selected to achieve the most formidable combinations of sound and functions that you could imagine, between modern and vintage, and is undoubtedly one of my favorites, and a key to everyone looking for different sounds.

Shreddie

Posted 281 days ago

The K5000s is one of my two favourite synths (the other is the Andromeda). IMO it's at it's best when you let it do it's own thing... Let it do sounds that you can't find anywhere else and you won't go far wrong.

For those who are interested, I've found a link to a replica memory expansion... http://www.marjorie.de/kawai/kawai20.htm

Reinaldo Torres

Posted 304 days ago

This keyboard is amazing. Is one of those instruments you can loose yourself into the sounds. Just plug it directly to the CD burner and 70 minutes later you have an state of the ar new wave CD. Is what you would expect from a synth. Underrated, lost in time, missing in action. I rather have one of this one than 3 Kurzweil K2600.

The K5000 is like the Korg Wavestation A/D but better. It would be lovely to have both.

planetplayer

Posted 309 days ago

Another thing about the K5000 series. I think this is specific to the K5000R, but I think there was a memory expansion also. The memory upgrade was like $200 to $350 extra. The amount of patches and performance on the rack is dependent on system memory available after creating the harmonic and format structures. So there was not a fixed amount of patches and performances patches, but there were maximum amounts selectable from front of unit or midi with bank switching and patch change messages. This machine is powerful!

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