E-MU PK-6

I'm not sure which software version this unit has, but it's a fairly recent one, and I don't there've been too many revisions on this one yet.

I feel that this board is easy to use once you get the hang of it, since pretty much all synths have their own interfaces. There is an editing matrix which allows you to edit all of the parameters via four control knobs. Obviously, analog synths are far easier to operate than something like this, but they also tend to have a fraction of the parameters, and therefore have less variation in the sounds that they can produce.

Editing patches is really not a problem unless you are creating a sound from scratch, in which case SoundDiver(from Emagic) or Midiquest(from SoundQuest) might be a good idea.

Although presets are 99% of the time never indicative of an instrument's true potential, I have to say that there's a excellent number of usable presets: pianos(acousting & electric), piano-blends, synths, basses, strings, pads, efx, and some other instrument emulations. My only gripe is that they don't exploit more than a fraction of this board's potential(see below).

The manual, while not perfect, is one of the best I've yet to see. Nearly every feature on the synth(as well as some programming terms...) are explained for the user. It IS a large manual though, so as long as you're not intimidated by a 200+ page manual, you're in good shape. It's far better than any I've seen from Yamaha or Roland....

64-note polyphony with 4-element/oscilator voices, although you will encounter some-note robbing, depending on which type of filter(of which there are over 50-types!)you use for your sound. Keyboard action is semi-weighted, but the quality of it's really subjective. If you're used to cheaper keyboards, you might find it a bit stiff and heavy at first. Piano players might find it a little loose - it all depends on your background and preference, but I find this action suits me well.

2 built-in effects units, which I feel sound pretty good, but I'm not one to use a lot of effects on a synth sound - I would prefer to apply them in a mix. LOTS of expansion capabilities here, as you can add up to 3 32 MB expansions, and there's about a dozen of them available(B3, Techno, Hip-hop, Orchestral, World Beat, etc.)

Midi implementation is decent to excellent - you can easily use this as a controller for external gear as well. No sequencer, which probably wasn't a bad move, as most of us(including me...) will most likely be using sequencing software of somekind via the PC or Mac.

My only gripe in this department is the lack of a slot for a smart media card, which many newer synths are incorporating(Yamaha CS6X, Roland XV, etc.). It's not the end of the world, but it would've been nice.

This synth is the only synth I've yet to see with 6-pole filters, which can make a big difference in the sound, especially if you are going for analog/techno/trance-type sounds.

Splits and layers are possible - and no synth I've ever had lets you adjust whether or not an element just cuts off or gradually fades out as you play across it's determined range on the keyboard.

There are so many other features to this board, that I don't have enough time to properly describe them all(like the 16 simultaneously syncable arpegiators, or the morphing z-plane filters, ....). One feature I really DO like is the ability to generate random patches(another feature not found on many synths, except the SCI Prophet VS(good luck!), or the Yamaha SY22/35).

Did I mention you can also merge several patches into 1? Or hardwire the modulation sources to nearly any desination? If you don't know what this means, they do a pretty good job explaining this in the manual.

I think that 95% of the sounds on this board sound extremely realistic for this price range. Realism is really subjective, and you have to bear in mind that a cello sound played on a piano keyboard isn't going to sound exactly the same; the phrasing IS going to be different. However, IF you are going to sequence sounds from this board, you will get much better results.

This board comes with a pop/composer soundset, and I think you could easily use this board for rock, pop, or jazz with few problems. This synth has the same engine as the E-MU Proteus 2500, so it's pretty recent. The pianos are decent, and definitely usuable - but what I like even better are the piano blends(piano blended with other waveforms), and I mean more than just the piano/string combo.(but those are there too, since they are pretty standard now, even if you absolutely hate them....). The "glass piano" patch is a good example of this.

Given that this is one of the few synths on the market to sport 6-pole filters, you could probably come up with some really good techno, trance and analog sounds. I haven't tried any of those yet.

The case is entirely plastic. I've yet to take this baby outside my house, but if I did I would be sure to get myself a hard case, or a Kaces III 'porter' gig bag(excellent investment - about $130.00 USD, especially if you don't like carrying heavy items, this is the sturdiest, thickets gig bag I've come across).

The PK-6 weighs about 21 lbs.(9.5 kg), which is going to be far easier on your back than a Triton/Triniy. :)

I've yet to deal with them personally, but their web site has been very helpful, and you can get a free replacement manual by downloading a .pdf file.

Overall, I'd have to say that this is one of the best synths I've seen FOR the money. I'm not going to say it's better than a Triton, Motif, XV-5080, or anything else, because everyone's got their own tastes and opinions. However, there are an awful lot of features available in the PK-6, and it won't cost you $2000.00+ USD

I own, or have owned the following:

Yamaha DX7/9/11/100, CS6X, SY35, TG-500
Roland Alpha Juno-1, XV-3080, D-550
Korg Wavestation, DW-8000

I really like the features that this synth has, and I would not hesitate to use it in any film work that I do. You could use this in a variety of applications, and I would definitely use this board live.

FIrst off, this is my first decent keyboard. My last one was a casio, so I might be impressed easily. Second, keys are not my primary instrument. The software is version one. The presents sound fantastic. The pianos are very good. The B-3 sounds are absolutely incredible; think Deep Purple, Boston, etc. Editing the patches are simple. Just screwing around with it is usually enough to figure things out. The manual is huge, but is ok quality. It seems hard to look up a specific topic. I can't get the arpegiator to work like it claims in the manual. I can't tell if it's a misdirection or some sort of a bug in the software.

64 voice poyphony, 32mb, 2-24 bit effects processors, 61 keys. Keys are "semi-weighted". They seem a little stiff, but good. I can't imagine what true weighted keys would feel like. There is plenty of resistance. Keys are pressure sensitive of course, and work good. It seems to have all the MIDI requirements, but there is no on-board sequencer. Expansion is available with emu sound modules.

In my opinion, the sounds are fantastic. Very realistic. The guitars are not natural to me, but being a guitarist I'm probablly more sensative than non guitarists. The strings, piano's, organs, EP's and even horns sound good. This board seems to be designed for all-around use. But if the sound you want isn't there, either editing or adding a sound module will probablly do it for you.

I don't think I can accurately analyze this, but it seems like it's built solidly. One of the keys (C# above middle C) has a nasty knock when it's released; almost as if it's missing a piece of felt or something. Also some of the keys have some sharp edges. Maybe it's my technique, but sometimes I feel like it might actually cut mut my finger. The Casio had a softer feel in this regard.

I emailed the company from the support section on thier website regarding the knocking key and arpegiator problem. It's been about two weeks now, and still no reply. It's sad that in a supposed "service oriented society" that service can be so incredibly lame.

Except for the minor problems mentioned above, I love it. It sounds great and is easy to operate. For the price it's great. To my ears it sounds as good as amything out there. Although I've been playing keys off and on for 35 years, it's still my second instrument. I've worked in a music store, I own a recording studio and come from a family where everyone plays piano. (It was required in our family). I don't think you'll be disappointed with the sounds.

It is really easy to use if you are familiar with E-mu's products. I am an E-mu fan, so it is pretty easy for me and I don't need to read through the manual thoroughly to get start working. Manual is thick and simple and comprehensive !!!!

64 poly. I prefer 128 though. But it is ok since I use other gears for arrangement too. Keyboard action is good compare to the same price range keyboard. I use E-mu normal expansion board and it got an extra board ( ensoniq sounds) which cannot be used for E-mu module (P2K, mo-phatt etc .. but available for the command station). I give it a 10 because editing a sound is so easy. It got 16 jump button which can straight jump to the part that need to edit. The patch cord editing system include aux env, filter env., and 6 stage volume env, 2 LFO, 1 filter with Q and some odd z-plane filter. 200 + 100 user defined arpegiator is available for every single channel. I also like the 4 knobs which can be used to control 16 assignable controller events to tweak the preset parameter. All 16 controller can be patch to whatever parameter you can think of!!!!

sounds is think on bass. The preset is not so good. I almost ended up editing the preset to get what I want in my songs. But with the extra ROM card installed, it is unimaginable of what sounds I can get by combining instruments of different ROM. This sets of ROMs are versatile for any kind of music you can think of.

I play the keyboard hard and some black notes makes "tac" sounds when I released it fast. I guess I need to be more gentle with it!!!

It suits my need.

After getting a feel for how to edit the voices, it's no problem. Going from preset to preset is easy enough, and there's a Category Search function which makes it easier to find the sound you want. The manual is gigantic, but very thorough and easy to understand.

The features of this synth is where it shines. The keyboard is great. Not just the semi-weighted action, but the actual tactile feel of the keys is excellent. Tons of presets (which get repeated in the User bank), and tons of samples to use when making new patches. It has built in effects which really doesn't do much for me, but it's good to know they're there. It's got an insanely flexible arpeggiator. It can be expanded using the many ROM upgrades E-Mu offers. Installing them sounds pretty simple. It's also got 16 buttons on the front panel which can be assigned to any of the internal patches, allowing you to quickly switch between the most used presets--a great feature. Hell, even the somewhat "goofy" appearance in pictures looks good in person.

The sounds are where the synth falls totally flat. Every patch, most noteably the pianos, sounds good either in the low half of the keyboard or the upper half. Nothing sounds good across the board.

This was replacing an ESQ-1 by Ensoniq and I was looking for a few basic sounds that I used the Ensoniq for previously. The first was a digital bell. No sale. All the bell sounds were either spacey, weird, warbly sounds, or actual instrument sounds (like a xylophone). Though I could sort of force the sounds I wanted through editing, it again either sounded good low or high, never both.

The second sound I wanted was a basic, analog synth pad. Nothing doing. I got a great high sound, but the low sound was very thin and sounded almost like an electric guitar patch. Or I got a good, fat low sound and high it sounded hollow and lost its resonance. Terrible.

The last was a synth string sound. Every synth has a good one of those, right? Wrong. The synth string sounds in this had one of two horrible effects: they either swelled in or had a harmony note (5th or octave) above the note you played. This was a part of actual sampled sound, it couldn't be removed by editing the patch.

I was sorely disappointed with this synth. I really wanted to love it, but I just couldn't. No matter how much I tried (and we're talking days and days of programming) I couldn't get a useable sound out of the thing. I don't know, I guess if you don't need good sounds across the board or like a bunch of weird, New Age sounding stuff this would be right for you. Not for me though. I've returned the synth and will be getting something which will undoubtedly have fewer features, but will at least have one or two sounds that don't make me cringe every time I pass middle C.

Just got this board one week ago...without spending two days reading the manual, right out of the box I was able to access the patches..




Just got this board a week ago...without having to spend 3 days
slaving over the manual..I was able to go straight to the presets,scroll
through the banks with no problem. The presets are well thought out,
and sound very clean...Although the manual is pretty thick..it is very
well written...with screen illustrations and simple explanations.

64-note polyphony has always been plenty for me, even with this synth using
up to 4 tones per patch. The effects are not overdone,even when used
in the multiset for sequencing, they hold up well. The PK-6 doesn't
have an on-board sequencer but the playback Jam and built-in Riff
patches are awesome...excellent for practicing solos or scales behind
a nice rhythmic bass, keyboard and drum setup...the action is very smooth.
Emu provides expansion through their ROM packs, featuring a wide selection
of sounds fit for every genre....the unit also features 16 syncable
arppegiators...nice! A few knobs enable you to edit the patches..LFO's,
Frequency cutoffs,etc.

From a recording and sequencing standpoint, The PK6 stands right with
the Roland XP series and Korgs Trinity...I gave up a Roland RS9 for this
synth...the sounds are quite usable...Organs..not to versatile, guitars..
adequate...plenty of Basses, both synth and electric...Pianos are very nice,
the electric pianos quite sensitive and with the mod wheel a touch of
vibrato for that "70's Fender Rhodes" sound is there. Drums, lots of thick
kits for every style, however the toms of sound of the acoustic kits
sound sort of unrealistic. Excellent vintage synths, strings...on
the down side the brass patches may be the weakest link...but placed
correctly in a sequence or live situation they could suffice. I do
jazz, pop/r&b, and originals this board got chosen over a TrinityPlus
and an XP50...simply because the architecture of the entire board
seem to fit the ol'school/ contemporary flavor that I still love.

I haven't gigged with it yet, but I think it's going to do well with
the jazz/funk/pop that my band plays. I rarely need a backup board..
since i do what I need to to protect my keys.

Haven't had to deal with any..............yet!

If It were lost or stolen..I think I buy it again..simply because it
feels good and sounds like what I need. In my modest home studio...I wanted
a board that I could write and record with, without the presets sounding
"cheezy". I used to own an Alesis QS6, the PK6 reminds me a lot of that
synth, very light but thick when it needs to be..I think the design
could have been a little less "artsy"...As a songwriter, I needed a
decent synth that was inspiring and interesting to play...the PK6 does
the job for me...over 1000 sounds for under $900 bucks...what can I
say...good to the ear,easy on the wallet....makes for a great unit!

The new software on the machine. The patch editing is the best the sounds are great. Was thinking about getting trition for sounds but was sold on these after listening. The manaul is good, pretty thick.

128 poly the keyboard action is very good, semi weighted and alot better than that on the triton le. many effects on this thing. Bought the pure phatt rom card for it, installed with no problem and the sounds are banging. emu has a lot of expnaison boards. No on board sequencer for recording just one for play back

Sounds, all i can say is off the hook. good for hip hop, r&B and pop

Just got it so it works for now

haven't dealt with them

If it was lost I'd beat the thief with the left over cables. it is worth the price i paid