Kawai K1ii

Kawai K1II Image

The K1ii was the first major update to Kawai's popular K1 digital PCM-waveform synthesizers. The K1ii has the same synthesis architecture as the original K1. There are 256 digital samples of waveforms, 50 of which are from acoustic instruments. You combine up to four wave shapes to create very new and unique sounds. They are capable of very good acoustic recreation, excellent unique synth sounds, or at times completely noisy walls of complex sound.

Kawai K1ii-rack Image

The new and improved K1ii added on-board reverb effects and better drum sounds to the original K1. The multitimbrality is up to 8 parts, which is great for sequencing in the studio since you can have (up to 8) multiple patches playing simultaneously. The K1ii is also available in a rackmount module, known as the K1iir. The rack version is identical to the keyboard version except for the effects. The K1iir has no effects processor built-in as does the keyboard version.

15 Visitor comments
rennie
June 27, 2010 @ 1:51 pm
even though this board is an 8 -12bit board you can still find sounds that stands up in a mix especially when you are looking desperately i will not give up on this board kawai i stick by.
Shawn
February 16, 2010 @ 10:40 pm
Guy who told you this keyboard has Release Sensitivity and Initial sensitivity?

The K1 only supports Velocity (initial touch) and Aftertouch (channel pressure). That's what's in the manual.
Fabio
February 6, 2010 @ 11:06 am
K1 user group:
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Kawai-K
Alan
January 25, 2010 @ 2:01 pm
I love this machine...the keys are the best...better than any cheap Midi key controller (as Sven also said)...aftertouch, Initial touch, pressure and so on. Its a Masterkeyboard. The Sound Engine is dated but you can program very dirty sounds for Techno. Hip Hop and other styles. Sven is right.....everyone who makes this synth bad in public...has no clue about music making and Synthesizer!
Sven
January 13, 2010 @ 7:35 am
Was about to buy a Midi controller but a friend showed me his K1 and all the Features of the Key section....Aftertouch, Velocity, Release Sensivity, Initial sensivity, pressure sensivity, spliting, layering and it is well built (kawai makes great pianos). I bought a K1 instead a Cheap-China-Made-Midi-Controller...........my best decision.

The Lo-Fi Sounds can be very good if you use "user sounds" or program own sounds. Everyone who says "this synth" [beep] s...should give up music!
 
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  • Demos & Media
  • YouTube Thumbnail
    Video 1
    - Kawai K1II symphony + musanim midi animation

    Patch Files - Every patch Kawai has produced for the K1ii is available here, courtesy of Harvey Landress. They are for Macintosh and Windows/PC.

    Manual - Download the original owner's manual from SoundProgramming.net.

  • Specifications
  • Polyphony - 16 voices
  • Oscillators - 256 PCM waveforms (4 per sound)
  • LFO - Standard LFO
  • Filter - No filter
  • VCA - Standard ADSR
  • Keyboard - 61 keys (velocity & aftertouch)
  • Memory - 64 single-patches or 32 combo-patches
  • Control - MIDI
  • Date Produced - 1989
  • Resources & Credits
  • Images from Joseph Baksay, found at Synth Site.

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