Product ReviewsKurzweil K2000R Rack Mount Synthesizer Module

Vintage gear, but still sound sweet

It's hard to find these synths in perfect working condition, but if you get one that still performs the basics, you will discover why it was a classic when it came out 25 years ago. I bought one back in the early 90's and loved it, but I didn't hang onto it for some stupid reason. So, I went out on a limb last month and bought a used one (with OS Version 3.54 installed), and it's actually performing very well, though the effects have gotten a little noisy on some patches and they have to be turned down. (I did a hard reset last night on the unit and the effects are back to normal, so maybe that took care of the problem). Anyways, I bought this unit primarily for the organ sounds. They just sound natural and not harsh in the upper EQ range. I also didn't realize it, but the studio drum kit that comes with the unit sounds just like the classic LinnDrum kit. This kit shines, while a lot of the other kits in the synth are just marginal. Also, the playability of the drum kits using a keyboard controller is about as good as it gets and a couple of the bass guitar patches are still better than some of my newer synths. 25 years ago, I think some of the technology peaked and Kurzweil figured out how to capture some very realistic sampled sounds that are very musical when played. Don't expect much from the piano sounds though. Today's sampled pianos (Galaxy vintage D, Ivory, etc.) sound much better than what any synth could produce 25 years ago. Also, the mixing board and cables that you run your synths through make a big difference in the sound. Spend your money on a good analog Allen & Heath or Midas mixing board, and you will hear the difference. If you buy a cheap mixer or a mixer that has an A/D to D/A conversion in the main signal path, you will lose a lot of that sweet analog fidelity. I forgot to mention that the K2000 not only is a great ROMpler, but it's also a sampler and analog synth as well!!! I love the 3.5 inch drive that is compatible with my dell optiplex 60!! Free sounds on the web anyone?Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: patriot1508