User manual KURZWEIL PC1XREVIEW

[. . . ] c o m Stage piano with synthesizer and controller features. Pros: Excellent sounds, especially the pianos. Cons: Very few voice parameters can be edited and saved. Knobs seem fragile, especially the LCD contrast pot on rear. [. . . ] Spoiled by KB3 mode and dedicated clones, I was happy to discover something that increased the realism of the PC1X's ROM-based organs. When a B3 sound is dialed up, the effects engine gives you a dead-on Hammond-style chorus, and an average rotary emulation respectively controlled by the SW2 button and mod wheel. Engaging the SW4 button brings in an entirely different Leslie effect, identified as "VAST Rotary" in the manual, with the wheel still governing speed. This one is way ballsier, and has clear and distinct motion differences between bass and treble rotors. Setting the FX bus mixes completely dry left it intact, showing it to be built right into the sound program itself, not the effects. This means you can't get in and tweak its parameters, but it sounds damned good as-is. Analog-style synth programs are remarkably smooth and creamy, with hardly any artifacts, and there's no unwanted noise when you sweep knobs C and D, which are most often mapped to the cutoff and resonance of the keyboard's real resonant filters. "Solar Lead" continues to be one of my favorite solo patches ever, great for stylings from Chick Corea to P-Funk, and the thick pad "Dream Catcher" shines on like a crazy cubic zirconium. Effects The dual-engine onboard processor is a great balance of simplicity and sound that would be impressive in a home studio-priced outboard unit, let alone a keyboard. FX Bus A is mainly for "effecty" effects; FX-B is dedicated to 30 high-quality reverbs. Bus A can be chained into B serially, but can splits and layers have different effects on different sounds?Yes, subject to the limitation that there are only two discrete effects to work with. Since the wet/dry mixes for each bus are just MIDI controls, and since a Setup has separate control assignments per zone, that bass-piano split could enjoy a squishy compressor down low and a nice MARCH 2004 KEYBOAR D w w w. c o m 59 Kurzweil PC1X Stage Piano airy reverb up top. Of course, even in a maxed-out Setup with four parts, each Zone can partake of however much of effect A, B, or both that it wants. It's not really an effect, but for space reasons, I'll mention the arpeggiator here. Accessible from Setup mode, I found it useful on drum kit sounds to create basic rhythms, and great for retro-hooks like the synth intro to Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody. " Most programs use SW3 to turn it on and off. Vital Stats Synthesis type Polyphony Multitimbral parts Keyboard Controllers Display Internal programs Internal setups PCM sample-playback plus subtractive 64 voices 16 88 keys, weighted action, velocity and aftertouch pitch and mod wheels, 4 assignable knobs, 4 assignable buttons 2 lines x 20 character LCD 256 base, 128 orchestral, 128 General MIDI 64 128 Programs, 128 Setups 32MB two-bus system derived from KDFX engine over 150 types, incl. dynamics, distortion, rotary simulation, tap delay, chorus, phaser, etc. 30 reverb types sys-ex L/R 1/4" balanced TRS, 1/4" stereo headphone out in, out, switchable thru/out PCR-2 16MB ROM (Classic Keys) ribbon controller, FS-1 switch pedal, KFP-1 piano-type sustain pedal, KFP-2M dual piano-type pedal, CC-1 continuous pedal, PC-MDS music rack W 54. 3" x D 14" x H 4. 3"; 50 lbs. In Use The feel is perceptibly lighter than the PC2X (as well as couple of other staples I compared it to: a Yamaha S90 and Roland A90), but more weighted than the 76-key versions of the PC2 and K2600. I could see primarily pianistic players perhaps pondering [That burns your alliteration quota for 2004. In a rock or pop band context, I found it to be ideal, offering all the dynamics I could want for piano and other percussive sounds, yet with a snappy enough response that my show-off synth riffs weren't hindered at all. No sore fingers at the end of the night, either, a problem I've often User memory locations Wave ROM Effects Bus A Bus B Data storage Audio outputs MIDI I/O Expansion options Optional accessories Dimensions/weight 60 KEYBOAR D MARCH 2004 w w w. c o m Kurzweil PC1X Stage Piano encountered when covering many different kinds of parts on a weighted keyboard. [. . . ] A word of caution about handling: Though knobs on anything should never bear strong downward pressure, the PC1X's seem more delicate than average. In particular, the LCD contrast shaft protrudes farther than anything else on the rear panel, and resting the keyboard on its backside will put a lot of weight on that little knob, possibly damaging the circuit board on which it's mounted. Recessing it or putting a protective flange near it would be a good design move. Conclusions The PC1X is basic and yet thoroughly professional. Kurzweil has chosen to trim a few features instead of giving the user fewer (or lesser-quality) sounds, and in my opinion they chose exactly the ones that a broad segment of cost-conscious and busy keyboardists are least likely to miss. [. . . ]