Ketron SD2

I should say, plug-n-play to set this little creature up. But the thing is that there is no built-in USB connection. What the hell even decades ago Yamaha MU's/Roland/Edirol synths offer such important connection, but Ketron want the users to do so indirectly? (need us to use a USB to MIDI cables, huh?) It is not reasonable for such an expensive little box.

There is not much so-called "features" I can find in this little box. For this price, I would rather expect a balanced connector instead of RCA! (This one even more expensive to many audio interface or synth though!)

If they saved the price for "expensive" connectors, they should pay attention to improve other important features like USB connection, or even I would prefer a "fake" legato function like Yamaha for their out-of-the-box sound to improve the playability of a 'real orchestral' sounds, otherwise why I need to buy this for such silly sounds, any hardware synth can do the same job, what's the different?

The worst thing for hardware synth especially called themselves an orchestral module is no actual consideration on improving sound via current technology like a kind of performance functions. However, it could just be an imaginary thought on their offer for these features for sound module manufacturers who never have a will to improve such important "feature", they is why even a much cheap software orchestral library beats an expensive hardware orchestral synth.

I saw reviews that people compared this box with Garritan Personal Orchestra as well as Eastwest Orchestra Silver, and here showed how these people, implicitly affiliated, are inappropriate as they dare to say this box beats both orchestral libraries, huh? I bought this little box by curiousness after reading reviews and I have both aforementioned libraries... I concluded: NEVER, NEVER EVER trust the reviews especially those guys who are in an certain extent, affiliated with the company!?

Sound like I return to 1990's hardware synth era, this box sounds are that, sounds you are playing a EMU Proteus 2. I even had EMU a Virtuoso 2000 which many people hated it. If you are a person who dislike EMU virtuoso so-called orchestral sound, then this box possibly make you hundred times more dissapointed... It sounds like a mix of Roland/Yamaha/Edirol synths.

Come on, we are now 2009, there's not an excuse that adding sampler-liked programming such as legato, portamento and repetition functions are impossible. In software sampler, I can even make a crappy "Atari-aged" soundfont-to-Kontakt-converted sample library shines by loading a third-party legato function, from a dead synthy string to a realistic legato string. We have ability to do so in this music era, but this new little box stays the same in old 1990's era. If they really put efforts to add these performance functions for their sound, I'm sure they could have chance to beat low-end software orchestra libraries.

So far. I have no technical issues with it.

No need this at all.

There may have people who disagree with me, they may think I'm "looking down" on a product. However, do they even think for a musician who relies heavily on orchestral sounds would be happy if they spend a sum of money that can even buy two low-end sample libraries sounding hundreds times better, on a jokey, purposefully-advertised as an so-called orchestral module?

Remember, we're in 2009, not 1990! I strongly expect if the company called this box as a hardware ORCHESTRAL synth (remember, modern time 2009!), they should have done something to make it stand and shine among hundred software sample libraries!

I hope if you don't want to be a victim like me, stop your intention and close you eyes to read those online reviews about how good this box can beat software libraries. This might be true if they put performance features like the software libraries did, but never happened no matter how the bias reviews praise the unrealistic situation!

If they advertised thier product as a modern laptop synth, taken out the word "orchestral", then it is more appropriate, more natural, don't disappoint us, and could prevent the anger from musicians relies on orchestra sounds like me. (You knew these musicians have higher expectation of quality of your sound than other popular synth or gig musicians). The company in some extend fail to learn the history from EMU Virtuoso 2000, and almost a decade later, i.e. now, it happens again.

To companies who want to make hardware sound module: Please open you eyes on software libraries, keeps track on technology how the script and programming feature enhance a dead sample/soundROM to a truly realistic sound. We as users, expect a hardware synth including these features to add in your box to make a reasonable realistic sound, otherwise, why do we need to spend 400 bucks on a box, the sum is enough to buy two software libraries with reasonable realistic sounds!

99% of the time, I am using this without a computer - simply a Behringer UMX-49 controller keyboard jacked into the SD2. I basically made my own poor man's digital piano, and I love it.

Let me first mention that there are very few buttons, controls, or indicators on the SD2 - only power on/off, a volume slider, and an LED showing that it is receiving midi signals. So, there is no way to change instruments or banks from the SD2 itself - it must be done with MIDI signals. Nor can you visually see what bank or instrument is currently selected. You just have to listen and figure it out. I knew all this before I bought it though, so no big deal.

Using bank 0, instrument 0 (grand piano) is very easy - plug and play. Figuring out how to change instruments and banks using my keyboard's controls took some time because I hadn't done that before. However, even so, I had the hang of it within a few hours, and it's really not the fault of the SD2. If you've used other sound modules before, no worries - it will work the same.

I even discovered that the UMX's preset controls for volume, reverb, balance, etc. work just fine with the SD2. Bonus!

I have used the SD2 with Sonar Home Studio XL (ver 6). It works fine, and the templates Ketron provided were quite helpful. The one problem is that I can't go to the other banks within Sonar. It should work, but after messing with settings for quite a while, it still doesn't. Oh well, it still works great with bank zero.

There are a lot of built-in effects like BassBoost, Reverb, Chorus, Delay, Drawbars for Hammond organ sounds. These must all be controlled using MIDI. With my simple set-up I only really use Reverb and Chorus. I used the drawbars once, but it wasn't easy to set up using my controller.

Just beautiful. All the acoustic sounds are nearly perfect - piano, violin/cello, trumpet, harpsichord, accordion. Really nice.

Rhodes piano, Clavinet, Hammond and Pipe Organ are all very good too. The Hammond drawbars really work, and there are a bunch of different organ sounds including some great percussive ones, but I'm not an expert organist, so couldn't tell you how realistic this sounds compared to a real Hammmond B-3.

The analog synth-type sounds are also interesting and some are even exciting, but there is no fine tuning of a patch to get exactly the right tone like there would be on a true synth.

It has a wonderful collection of just about every type of sound you could want, but if you're looking for a lot of Moog-type sounds, I would look elsewhere.

I have to say though, that I am pretty picky about acoustic piano sounds, and with the SD2, I can fool myself that I'm playing a real piano. That is the most I can ask of any sound module. And with all the other possibilities of horns, strings, synths, organs, etc. (all of which sound incredible), this thing is just a blast to play.

So far, so good. I had a problem once where the incoming power to the SD2 was drawn down by an appliance kicking in elsewhere in my house, and the SD2 stopped working for a few hours. The next day, it was good as new, and I put it in a location with a more stable voltage. No problems since then - I've had it 6 months.

There are very few moving parts, so I expect it to last a long time.

They've answered every question I've asked by email within 24 hours.

I would definitely buy another if it was lost or stolen.

I am a complete amateur - picking up piano again after many years of guitar.

Not only is this thing really amazing sounding, but the size cannot be beat.

I can turn it on, and just play piano without worrying about anything. Or, if I want, I can choose any of 383 other sounds or I can REALLY nerd out and set up BassBoost and drawbars via midi. Pretty endless possibilities.

OTB, very easy to use. Basically, plug and play! Works great with BAIB, and other sequencers as well - Cubase, Nuendo, Sonar, Sibelius...

Excellent sounds and patches - the pianos sound lively, the guitar patches are incredible, and the sax has to be heard to be believed!

All in all I was VERY impressed with this box. One would not expect a small box like this to sound as good as many of the sw libraries on the market today, but it does. And for the price - it can not be beat. $380!!! Unbelievable that something that costs so little sounds so big - and so good.

And one can't go wrong with the amount of sounds and patches - 384 orchestral sounds, including solo instruments, 32 live drum sets, 150 drum loops - where else are you going to find this amount - and this quality - for this price?

The best feature for me is that it is external hardware. No worrying about running out or CPU and RAM - everything is done inside the SD2. And it is nice and small - not too small to use properly, but the perfect size to squeeze into my already crowded "studio".

Again, the sounds are great. Not at all what you would expect from a little box like this that only costs $380. And it responds to all MIDI controller data like a charm. I have a touch-sensitive keyboard that I play from, and the SD2 responds to the touch sensitivity just like it should. All I need to do is make sure I play properly, and the SD2 takes care of the rest.

To me, this is extremely reliable and dependable. The rugged construction (no plastic here!) will allow me to take this to gigs and not have to worry about the case cracking, or the innards getting roughed up if it gets dropped.

I have not had alot of need for customer support - but did have a question about something. I shot them off an email, and they got back to me later the same day. Answered my question very clearly, and the person was very friendly. Seems like their suppost is top notch!

Very easy to use right out of the box as a GM synth, upper banks are also easy enough to access simply by toggling the Bank 0 to 1, 2, etc.

However, there is a built in full Tonewheel Organ and Rotating Speaker simulator, complete with active drawbars that is a not so easy to access situation that requires having a MIDI controller with enough Continous Controller assignable drawbars or knobs plus a few other CCs that are critical to operation that make that feature hidden for all but the compleat Midiot most likely. Ketron does supply templates for using the Tonewheel with Sonar, Cubase and Logic recording softwares as a free download from their website for those wishing to use the box for recording.

I wish they would supply a software utility for that standalone, though. Not a kill AFAIC, just a wish.

I cannot find a spec for the polyphony in either their manuals nor on the two ketron websites, Italy or US. However, I've run this thing ragged with both heavy midi sequences and as the MIDI output synth for Band in a Box and have not encountered any polyphony problems, note dropouts or the like.

There are a few built in effects, "Rotor" - "WhaWah" - "Bass Boost" and "Distortion" that I might use, also listed is "Arabic Scale" and "Global Transposer" plus "Tune" which are accessed by sending MIDI SYSEX commands. The ones I have tried work and the Rotor is rather realistic to my ears, good stereo monitors, normalized, are critical.

No hardware expansion to my knowledge, but the internals can be upgraded via software and the same MIDI input port, matter of fact, Ketron has already issued one upgrade to firmware for free on their site to do so, I haven't done it, my unit may not require that, due to purchase date, am still trying to find out about that. So far, it sounds so great I don't care about upgrading anything and haven't had any bugs to speak of either.

Full MIDI implementation, right down to programmable aftertouch response. No complaints here yet from Ye Olde Midiot, but I'm sure that with enough trying, I'll be able to find something (grin).

For what the box is designed to be, I'd have to say that it is full featured alright.

Man, I have a shelf full of hardware MIDI synths from most major brands in this little jinglestudio, plus another shelf full of samples, soundfonts and gigasamples that I think just got retired for the most part. This little box sounds fantastic and very realistic. Even the horns and guitars. Wow.

I think this SD2 works best with music where you are trying to create the illusion of existing acoustic and electric instruments. I use it for Commercials, Jingles, Industrial Music, Jazz, Classical, Rock, SmoothJazz, Country, whatever the customer requests, to good advantage. Sometimes my customers can't believe it is MIDI music.

This SD2 also sounds very nice with Band in a Box, just in GM mode. Start exploring the upper banks and it is simply one of the best I've heard to date. "To date" is important with MIDI synths. Every year, something else comes along to trump the latest and greatest, but AFAIC, this one is the latest and greatest when comparing pricepoint to sound quality there is nothing else out there yet to compare it to.

Metal case, no doubt about the RF shielding there, also looks and feels quite rugged. I've started carrying it to the occasional keyboard gigs I do, using it for the sound module instead of the internal sounds in my 88 key Kurzweil, simply because to my ears it sounds better. And the vast majority of that time I carry it just for the Grand Piano, which seems to just blend well and sound real no matter the setting. With a proper fullrange stereo amplification system onstage, of course.

That question in this category, "Would you use it on a gig without a backup" has always seemed absurd to this old working musician. I suppose I would if I didn't have anything else, but I don't go to gigs with anything electrical without some sort of backup for it if I can help that. Still, the SD2 should last and last if not electrically abused somehow. YMMV

I give the device a 7 only because of the dumb question.

So far, the few communications I've had from Ketron have been great, but I didn't do anything other than send an email telling them how knocked out I am over the lush and realistic SOUNDS in this thing. Got a reply back in one day with a pleasant thanks. That's promising. I don't expect any troubles here, though.

If my gear gets stolen, somebody usually gets hurt when I get it back. Therefore my gear don't get stolen (grin). But I really love the sound of this box, at the pricepoint, I'd get another, sure.

I started on piano at 3, Trumpet at 8 and Guitar at 12, I'm pushin' the latter half of 50 now. Professional. This is what I do for a livin' when I'm not masquerading as an electrical engineer on the day job.

I love the sounds this box makes. They are realistic and AFAIC a cut above the vast majority of what's out there today.

Nothing could be easier. My review will be somewhat simplistic as I really haven't a clue about midi stuff. I do know you do need a sound card with a midi hook up. I midi out from my computer soundcard then rca back into my sound card. It is that simple. This is a pure hardware item so there are no presets. Any editing would be done on your computer. In my case it is with Band In A Box. You would think going out & back in would have some latency problems but it is zero! Once I have my BIAB song set up I play it through the SD2 while recording it on Sonar. Any recording software should work. So it is BIAB -> Ketron SD2 -> Recording software.

It does have an "On" button & a vol. slider. On the back is Midi in & thru plus RCA's out. That is it. Programming would be done with software or a keyboard. In my case I use Band in a Box for backing tracks & this thing is the best sounding gizmo I have found. Oops! Mini headphone jack too. The best feature however is its size. It is a hair bigger than a portable handheld CD player. I have limited space so a larger keyboard synth is out of the question. This combined with my Edirol recording interface gives me a recording deck hooked up to my computer that is about the height of 6 or 7 CD's stacked up. The footprint is actually a hair smaller than a CD.

If you have used midi using software synths like the MicroSoft synth you already know how bad it sounds. Next step is you upgraded to a Roland software (VSC?) & things sounded a bit better. Finally you tried Forte ($40.00 & still a good deal) & were reasonably pleased but deep down still yearned for a bit more. I listened to sound samples of some of the more expensive soft synths & I thought a couple of them were almost as good as the SD2. I did a back to back to back comparison of the above mentioned stuff & the SD2 was quite a jump up in quality.

It is made in a little metal box. I think I might be able to pund nails with it but we probably shouldn't test it out like that.

I talked to Jay at one of the US Ketron sites. http://www.ketronus.com/
He was incredibly helpful. He gave me his number via email & told me to call him on a Sunday no less. We talked for a half hour or so & I ordered it right then. If others were as helpful as Jay I would be even more broke than I am.

If it were lost or stolen,,, You bet I would buy another.

I am an old rocker trying to learn a second language called Jazz! Between BIAB & the Ketron I have started making some interesting music that for my money really keeps me in the game. I just listened again to BIAB using Forte as my sound synth vs. the Ketron. The song had some horns in & the difference just blew me away. I started playing guitar at age 11 & am 50 sumpin now. As there aren't too many jazz player around here the set described above gives me virtual players that are better than I am at times. I hate reviews that just handout 10's! Sorry but this thing is that good for the money. If I win the Lotto so I can get more space I'll go buy a keyboard synth costing thousands of dollars. I'm assuming it might be a bit better.