Kurzweil • K2600
The K2600 is another amazing monster synthesizer from Kurzweil using their excellent V.A.S.T. synthesis. Truly an elegant synthesizer with a full keyboard of 77 semi-weighted keys (88 full-weighted keys on the K2600X pictured above), 8 real-time sliders, ribbon controller, pitch and mod wheels and total MIDI controllability. The amazing sounds are contained in 12MB of sample ROM, expandable to 44MB using optional sound ROM boards! State-of-the-art sampling is also available on the K2600S, K2600XS and K2500RS with an astonishing 64MB of RAM standard! And that's expandable to 128MB! A 32 track interactive song arranger is also on-board allowing you to create various and complex sequences and songs which can be triggered from a variety of sources. This sequencer is no slacker with pattern, linear, and step recording, cut, copy, paste, advanced groove quantizing, event list editing and other powerful editing tools with up to 16 songs and 16 arrangement tracks. Add stereo outs, eight individual outs, dual SCSI ports, digital I/O and you've got yourself a professional studio-keyboard.
As a synthesizer, the K2600 is likely one of the most professional and superior instruments available. Very programmable, flexible and excellent sounding as you would expect from Kurzweil, following the amazing K2000 and K2500 synths. The V.A.S.T. variable architecture synthesis has 60 DSP functions, 438 preset programs (238 ROM, 200 RAM) and is capable of amazingly realistic acoustic instruments and a diverse range of analog synth sounds and other unique sounds complete with multi-effects and real-time MIDI control.
The K2600's Sampler option offers a hi-tech real-time Live Mode V.A.S.T. and K.D.F.X. processing of external analog or digital signals, capable of interfacing with ADAT, TDIF and AES/EBU and receiving up to 8 digital channels at once. Any of the synths parameters can be used to tweak the external signal in real-time and with 20-bit digital output! The sampler has digital I/O and is capable of sampling while you play. Of course the sampler offers all the advanced editing functions you'd expect from any professional quality sampler. There is a (DMTi) Digital Multi Track interface option for data format and sample rate conversion with the Alesis ADAT and Tascam DA-88 machines. And the K2600 features Flash ROM upgradeability via diskettes and SCSI. It has been used by BT, Peter Gabriel and Pink Floyd.
but recnetly i've been using kurzweil k2600r(with rom option),
i become big fan of kurz.
it's really ultimate synthesizer..
It would need other far more superior machines and i have not seen em.
Of course I/O's are getting old and loading samples with floppy is out of question now adays, that much is true.
But AFAIK there was SCSI in every K2* model. And there is plenty of compatible SCSI devices hanging out there.
I was totally blown away when i read K2000 manuals other day. And how much parameters it had! There was no even KDFX in those yet..
In that light saying K2600 is vintage is ridiculous.
If vintage samplers exist id say they are pre 16bit times, like Ensoniq Mirage or AKAI S900 amongst others..
And no, I'm not the old rocker who got tired of switching instruments, saying "good old Kurz is still the best" etc. I am annoyed by the floppy drive (transfering wav-s from my Powermac G5? useless), I have to burn cd-s, and use the scsi external drive- hilarious when 16GB flash memory sticks are aound...
I consider myself rather progressive, and I really tried: Tested the Roland Fantom G8 on stage and in studio, also the Nord Stage 88, the Korg M3 88 (the latter and the Oasys are a big step for Korg, congrat!), and the Yamaha XS8.
The K2600x may be vintage - but the sound, response and versatility is still FAR better than anything available on the market.
K-synths are as complex as you want to make them. If all you want to do is call up presets then the K will allow you to do just that. If you want to go headlong into convoluted, multi-layer, cross-modulated weirdness then you'll be in synth heaven. And yes, I'm a musician AND a programmer - it can be done if you have the will and skill.