New keyboard for studio! First time keyboard buyer

E

endserenading81

New member
I am interested in getting a synth that makes every sound and instrument that your guitar, bass, n drums can't produce. My price range is between $500-700. Any suggestions. I'm looking for sound quality. Ya know, a piano that sounds like a piano, strings that move you, and an organ that's not laughable.
Thanks,
Rob
 
Kurzweil K2500.

Powerful sampler, powerful ROMPLER (built in ROM based samples), powerful synthesis cababilities. Sounds are very good--used by many professionals. Way better than weedy sounding Korg Tritons/Trinitys.

You *WILL* need to read the manual if you want to program it and aren't already a synthesis guru. Incredibly deep and VAST (hehe) editing. Quality build and keyboard action.

You can find them used for around 800ish but it is a solid investment that is expandable and upgradable. It won't go out of style in a year or two or be completely superseded by newer technology. It's predecessor the K2000 is STILL used today and it came out around 1992.

Forget stuff like the Alesis Q6 series (thin sounding), or the latest overpriced Roland spinoff in the VX series, keep away from the Yamaha Motif, forget about the used-to-death Korgs... keyboard players that know the difference between good and bad sounds in a sample based keyboard tend to veer towards Kurzweil.

Oh, and the company supports their products for YEARS after they were made. They still support the K2000 which is 12-13 years old now.
 
Not sure what Cloneboy is smoking....

Kurzweil's are very complex synths, not for beginners. He is also full of it when putting down the Yamaha Motif. I own one myself and find it a very versatile and capable all in one workstation.

I would take a look at the older Roland RS series synths (RS-5,RS-9) or even try and find a used Roland XP30.
 
Kurzweil sounds better. Besides, there are TONS of soundsets available for the Kurzweil K2500 AND it can use EMU format, Yamaha format, Roland format (over SCSI), Akai format and so on.

The K2500 shines because it is also a sampler and not bound by the limitations of most other synths. The sound quality blows away the competition.

The XP30 is just as easy/hard to operate for any beginner as the K2500. While the XP30 is an okay synth, it's not remotely in the same class as the K2500 is. Not even close.

Sure its complex if you are delving into the FUN's and programming your own material but not for day to day operation or loading soundsets. It's precisely as easy as any other synthesizer. However, when you have mastered the basics the Kurzweil still has more to show you--unlike something like a Motif which is just average samples, paired up with fancy effects and a bunch of looping phrase samplers that's great for techno music, but probably not what the doctor ordered for this guy.
 
The best and ONLY way to find something to your liking or needs is to go to the music store and try them out side by side. I too own a Motif and for my uses is a great synth both for live and studio uses. Anyways once at the music store after playing each instrument you will know what it is you'll be needing.

:)

Cheers,
Ben

http://hire_on_the_fly.tripod.com
 
Cloneboy Studio said:
Kurzweil K2500.

Powerful sampler, powerful ROMPLER (built in ROM based samples), powerful synthesis cababilities. Sounds are very good--used by many professionals. Way better than weedy sounding Korg Tritons/Trinitys.
Click to expand...

A brave statement indeed! Do as bsr2002 said and go check them out side by side. I see many more pros using Trinity/Tritons and motifs than the Kurz's. Let your ears be the judge.

just my opinion.
 
Unfortunately it's not easy to find a Kurzweil dealer and the K2500 is out of production now--the K2600 is the board that is out there.

Since when has popularity been the determiner of quality? It can be an okay barometer but the Korg Trinity/Triton series is popular IMHO because Korg has good distribution and spend a lot of money on advertisements; the Motif because it has the phrase sampling (personally a worthless feature).

By all means let your EARS decide--because you will pick Kurzweil every time. :)
 
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