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.

hshs

December 1, 2010 @ 8:15 pm

Sorry, but the K2600 sounds very thin, digital and non-descript. There is nothing unique about the way the K2600
sounds.. just another controller box with very clean samples.
In the end, no matter how awesome the controller is, the sounds just aren't that great, specially if you are looking for fatness.

The K2600 sounds so thin, Jordan Rudess has to stack 6-10 layers of patches just to get a decent fat sound of the K2600. I will take an fat analog synth like a Korg Polysix over the K2600 anyday.

deja vu

October 23, 2010 @ 7:22 am

Discontinued model but theyre still selling for £3,000+ in some uk music stores. My main gripe is that any upgrade requires you to buy another upgrade. ie. to install extra rom boards you need to buy a daughter board to accommodate it so a £130 upgrade suddenly becomes £270. To install an internal hard drive you need to get the hard-drive mounting kit etc.. eeking every last penny/dime out of you. A keyboard/workstation with this price tag should be maxed out.

PScooter63

September 25, 2010 @ 12:34 am

The review missed the boat on some controller details - there's 2 ribbons, and the smaller one (just below the pitch & mod wheels) is also pressure-sensitive. The large ribbon above the keys can be subdivided into three smaller ones. A breath controller jack on the back accepts Yamaha models (BC-1 and BC-3). There's also 4 footswitch inputs and 2 expression pedal inputs. About the only thing missing is polyphonic aftertouch, but that's exceedingly rare even in today's market.

When I was deciding between a used 2500 and a new 2600 back in the day, I was advised that much of the audio circuitry had been redesigned in the 2600 to improve the sound quality (specifically, signal-to-noise ratio, and "cleaner" overall). This explains why the back-panel TRS inserts were no longer available in the newer model, for example, as they were replaced by balanced outputs.

My 2600 is still the backbone of my performance gig setup (theater productions and cover bands).

Emu4

June 9, 2010 @ 8:38 am

Simply the best synthesizer ever
It sound so organic.
There is NOTHING like VAST!!
long life Mr. K2600

Gigi

March 8, 2010 @ 4:04 pm

Vintage? the K2600?
Gotta buy one in these days, and sold my K2500RS.
Still kicking [beep] VAST for me is not a secret, i will buy the K2600 because im tired to be "slow" under the K2500, the KDFX menu is also quite slow... i think is time for a "little" upgrade.

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