Kurzweil K2600XS

Editing patches is probably the most complex out there on any hardware or software synth. The K2600 was designed more as a computer then a traditional synth. It uses VAST architecture and a KDFX effects engine. Kurzweil originals and more sound manipulation then any other keyboard. It is the most difficult keyboard to configure, but it also has one of the most support. I got a tutorial CD set that works on a PC and it pretty much ran me through beginner to advanced settings (3 CDs). The CD tutorial is both audio and visual. Because there are soo many tutorials on the internet and that there is a VHS video and CD set tutorial I give the ease of use a 8.

Originally I was hesitent about 48 voices. The architecture of the Kurzweil is just that 48 voices is plenty! Especially in todays world of computer DAW, where we can record each track separately. The kurzweil's 48 voices is just as effective as 64 voices or 128 voices on some other synths.

I got this keyboard because of the features. It has the most features and most support for those features from 3rd party CD sample libraries then any other synth. A fully optioned out Keyboard has hammer action 88 keys, with a built in high quality sampler, 8 separate analog audio ports, digital ports !!!, a breath control port etc... It has 128 megs of sample ram and 1.5megs of program ram!! It also has a built in harddrive for samples. You can have several 2Gig partitions on a single harddrive. I also have a optional external CD-ROM and Jazz drive (I found them on ebay for just a couple bucks!!!). Several SCSI devices can be daisy chained together, so the kurzweil has access to several harddrives. WOW!

I am not sure about the built in sounds because I don't use them. This is a SAMPLER (yes also a ROMPLER) with professional grade effects (KDFX) with the largest library od samples then any other synth. So I will concentrate on them. Sweetwater is a example of a company that makes massive 64 megabyte samples (for a single instrument!!!). A CD usually contains several sampples and programs. Some CDs have hundreds of programs). The combination of a large quanity of high quality massively large samples + VAST + KDFX makes this the best synth out there (Korg Oasis may be a contender once the libary builds up). There are Yamaha grand and Steinway Grand samples available that sound better then any other synth ROMpler. I still have my Roland synths because I like the plub and play type of use of the SRX ROMplers. But the ROMs on Rolands though nice cann't beat a 16, 32 or 64 single instrument sample passed through VAST and KDFX on a Kurzweil K2500/K2600. With 8 outputs its also possibe to route different sounds to different speakers. Less distortion and more of a orchestral or band effect. The digital I/O s make it ideal for using it with a laptop DAW.

So far no problem, but then I am very very careful of my Kurzweil. I have had it now for about 3 years. I know a lot of bands use helpers that may toss the gear about as evidenced by badly battered up cases. I am not sure how it would handle in such cases. I use the latest 4.11 OS from kurzweil and I haven't found a problem yet. I give it a "no opinion" because I have not put it through the trials. I see a lot of die hard "buy american" people who say a FORD is built rock solid, but they baby the car and never compared it to a Lexus. A Ford lasts me about 3 years maximum the way I drive, where as my Lexus still runs and looks great after 7 years. You pay for quality. In my case I baby the Kurzweil and though I owned other synths they were not equiped with hard drives so I dare not test it. And in general no one should rough up a hammer action keyboard.

I noticed that most reviewers in America for just about any product give bad reviews for customer support. Well, I don't think it is fair to single out Kurzweil in this manner. I happen to speak 3 languages and a fourth badly. I can assure you it is a cultural problem and not a company problem. American customer support is usually rude, abrupt and just plain incompetent. Call Japan or Korea directly and you'll get much better service. Even with my struggling language abilities they were patient and helpful. God, even the information operator on their telecom side was struggling with english trying to help me get the phone number. In America I am happy if they pick up the phone ! hack if their accent isn't soo country or gheto that I can understand them I am thrilled. I rarely call american customer support simply because the employees usually know less then I do! I don't think most of them even graduated high school. So to be fair to Kurzweil I'll give them a 6. A little better then many customer supprt I delt with.

Kurzweil is my main and pretty much the only hardware synth I use now. I still occassionaly use my Roland romplers because I like the plug and play ease of the SRX sample roms. Nothing comes close to it in terms of the community if users that has built up sample CDs and programs, and tutorials for the K2600.
If someday I upgrade from my antiqueted Pentium 4 3GHZ PC to a DUAL CORE PC with dual monitors and MIDI controllers I may use my software synths more then my Kurzweil. Though I'll still use my Kurzweil for any live sound and as a controller. I like soft synths, but I like a high end hardware better because of less latency, less buggy, hardware bottons and knobs instead of the mouse. There is just too many driver problems on both the mac and pc when it comes to connecting the softsynths to audio interfaces, mixers and such (drives me crazy how much time I waste trying to fix driver problems). If stolen, I would hire the Sopranos (which was filmed in my area) or even scarier the russian mob (which is also in my area) to get it back and do all sorts of terrible things to the burgler.

I own a K2600XS and i wouldn't trade it for anything. The sounds are amazing i don't see why anyone would say that they sound realistic. I guess so many keyboard players are use to Korg Triton and Yamaha Motif which are very impressive keyboards but they are not a Kurzweil. The ability to patch sounds and set ranges adjust attack time,decay,release etc. You can also adjust the pan on the keys... features like this that are the reason i love my kurzweil... i guess its people who don't want to deal with have to actually read the manual and spend a couple hours exploring the infinit features this keyboard has to offer. Yes the manuals are long and it is a difficult keybaord to learn to use but in the end its worth it. Once you get a feel for how to use it's features it's tons of fun.

I've recorded several short songs for DVD intros doing everything on the keyboard... Pianos,Bass,Guitars,Strings,Effects,Drums... The keyboard also has capabilities of pulgging in a breath controller or guitar and using the built in effects(KDFX) on them. In the band that i play in when we record I am able to record the keyboard part using the sound/preset as well as recording a seperate track in MIDI using my K2600 as a controller... the advantage is if after we add different instruments(bass,guitar,drums,voices) if the original sound is cluttering things up i'll use the MIDI track recorded and just sample some other sound using the track...those of you who know MIDI understand.

The sounds are amazing!!!! Kurzweil offers such realistic sounds its insane... i personally use a lot of strings choirs synth. pianos and elec pianos... but the amazing thing is being able to blend all these sounds and tweak the effects to come up with a totally unique sound of your own. I've personally been impressed by Jordan Ruddes... for those of you who talk trash about the K2600 should check out the work Jordan does with Dream Theater. Now this man patched so much stuff into his Kurzweil that he has string going with bells and choirs with a piano in the background and special effects triggers by one single key in the keyboard. Its just amazing to see someone really use this instrument the way it was meant to be used. Also the awsome thing about the kurzweil is that it can read sounds from other racks and can control other keyboards sounds through the magic of MIDI. Kurzweil also offers expansion packs orchestral/contemporary and after you buy them any updates are free as long as you bought the expansion board you can download new sounds online on the kurzweil website. Also K2600 can read sounds from keyboards before it(K2500, K2000 etc.)

It's an awsome keyboard but it is a little scary going on some kind of tour with only one of these keyboards since everything is on there (setups,patches,sounds,etc.) I would personally like to have a back-up but i can barelly afford one much less two. I know pro guys that use it like Jordan rudess has a backup Kurzweil as well as a back-up K2600RS(Rack Sampler. However the beauty of the kurzweil is i have every set we play is saved on a floppy disk so all i have to do it pop it in and load everything back into my kurzweil and im set to go... as far as losing downloaded sounds i can always download them again because...THEY'RE FREE!!!! however a ATA Case is nessecary because it much too risky to haul it around without one... one slip carrying it will cost $$$$$!!!!

Customer support is not exactly Kurzweil's strong. I tried to get a manual my kurzweil didnt come with and they just ended up telling me to download it which was good but i had to waste money on ink and paper... as far as getting it repaired thank god i haven't needed to but i do know that there is a Kurzweil authorized dealer close to me.

Overall the Kurzweil hands down the best Keyboard out there in my opinion. Now this is just my personal opinion i know there are very impressive keyboards out there like Korg Triton, Yamaha Motif, Nords, and just recently Korg Oasys. I've heard great things about these keyboards but im just a kurzweil guy...i love its sounds, its features and mostly that not a lot of people have it and not all the ones that do have love it... mostly the ones who can't you use becuase they dont't take the time to study it. Through this keyboard i am able to do a full orchestration with strings,brass,woodwinds, pianos and even timpanis and do simple things like just playing the piano... i am able to edit sounds and patch them together and use effects on them... and record, and mix complete songs on it... im even beggining to using a guitar distortion and wah effect on my synthesizer to get even more amazing sounds out it... with a kurzweil the limit is the sky....literally.

This thing is a beast! There are so many features, it's mind boggling! It's not exactly my instrument, but that of the choral group I perform with, so I haven't even begun to explore all the things it does. As the resident electronics buff, I was deligated the task of figuring out how to work some of the functions. The manuals (yes, there are several) are so incredibly long, and since almost nothing on the thing is intuitive, they are an absolute necessity. This thing is just too damn complicated and confusing. Much of the stuff included is stuff I will never use, and those features I will use are buried beneath piles of worthless crap.

The polyphomy is a dismal 48 notes - just not gonna cut it these days. There are vast memory expansion capabilities, what with several expansion libraries. There are many pre-loaded sounds as well. There are, as mentioned before, a wealth of features and effects. I imagine that if one can conceive it, it's in there. They are not exactly easy to locate, and are sometimes difficult to set. The action quite simply sucks. There is just no better description. The semi-weighted keys are utterly worthless. They allow for absolutely no expression whatsoever. Perhaps I am more predisposed to loathe such an action considering that I have very strong fingers and prefer a heavy action, but come on! One would argue that you could set the sensitivity to taste, but it still never really feels right. The weight is simply not there, and neither is the feeling of control and comfort that exists in a real piano action, or just about any of the other brands (try Kawai, it blows this thing and all others out of the water in this respect). There is indeed an onboard sequencer, and it is quite advanced. Once again, not exactly intuitive, but quite impressive in its own right. There are a wealth of outputs, including several digital optical ports and pedal and breath controller inputs. There are also several different MIDI ports (In/Out/Thru), and quite a few software applications for MIDI.

Here comes the hammer blow - UGGGH! The pianos are HORRIBLE!! I have never heard such terrible sounds, unless you count Korg. The attacks are too harsh and abrupt (the term "ice-pick" comes to mind, and in this respect this thing is exceeded only by Roland), and the synthesized side-sound of the "hammer" hitting the "string" is loud and unnatural. The beginning of the sample sounds uncharacteristically sharp, yet just afterward it trails off to absolute mush. The low notes are alright, although the lowest of this range sound utterly mechanical. The [vocal] bass through upper-alto notes, however, are fuzzy and indistinct. It's almost like someone came up and turned all the knobs on an equalizer from 250 Hz to 2kHz up full blast, but I have found that actually using an EQ and doing the absolute opposite does nothing in the least to correct this. This range in partictlar sounds so obviously fake that any standard computer MIDI set could do better. The mid-soprano through top ranges, however, have WAY too much "bite", and the very top notes sound like a toy piano. This creates a perpetually annoying unevenness for all the piano patches, which are totally unusable. Getting back to that MIDI sound set; this keyboard crams all of its pre-loaded sounds into 4 Mb of memory. This is about double that of the computer. Not particularly impressive. No wonder the pianos are so bad. Supposedly, this keyboard uses multiple velocity layers for the pianos. Give me a break; if this is honestly even true, then the rotten and totally expressionless fatar action negates any good these samples do. One never even hears much of a difference in tonal quality (timbre) between soft and loud notes - the loud tones sound like mf notes cranked up to ff velocity, and everything below that sounds like the same sample with the high end cut and the volume lowered. There is absolutely no legato. Every note stucks out, and fast passages sound eerily similar to the Xglite sound set you might find selected in the "Audio Properties" listing in your Control Panel. Generally, it sounds like a cheap Yamaha all-plastic 61-key starter board for little kids. There is absolutely no drive for musical expression or creativity - I get absolutely no inspiration when I am improvising. It actually has no real tone character, it sounds at best generic. To speak the honest truth, I have heard it used for several genres of music outside of choral accompaniment and solo work, and it sounds pretty bad. The band Kansas used it for their 2003 tour, and I knew it without even having to look at the screen; I could hear that atrocious piano patch. The effects are worthless, for even if they were the absolute best effects in the world (they aren't, by the way) they couldn't lift the abyssimal piano patches. I understand that many people won't even use these that much, owning to the fact that there are so many other sounds on this thing, and that they will not need a piano for their genre of music. I can speak for several of the other instrument groups; the strings and orchestral tuttis are decent at best. They have harsh attacks and sound digital, almost like someone accidentally left the chorus effect on (I checked, it wasn't). The solo wind and brass instruments were actually quite impressive. I liked the trumpets and trombones, though the brass ensembles left something to be desired. Not that any keyboard has really ever emulated a brass section particularly well. The flute and oboe patches are steller, and the solo string patches are very nice as well. Unfortunately, as far as other instruments, I was not impressed. The electric pianos are awful, and I find the utter lack of a basic Rhodes patch to be just downright unnacceptable. The harpsichord and other claviers are not very good, either. The organs range from pretty good to okay. The organ model controls let me have a little fun duplicating the s

We were sent a used instrument by mistake (see next paragraph), so the fact that this went haywire is not really a fair consideration here. The new one they sent us has so far had very few problems. Sometimes it just doesn't turn on, only to work 15 minutes and 500 frantic attempts later. As far as gigging, the thing weighs more that Pavarati and Butterbean put together, but it hasn't failed us yet.

We had a bad experience with our first 'board: they sent us a used keyboard which had been refurbished. It might have been nice if they had TOLD US THIS! Right from the get-go, besides the cabinet being of an attractive purple shade, the Eb just above Middle-C was loose; the weight had apparently come off. It still worked, but it stuck out in runs and chords, and it was difficult to play with this problem. We contacted the company, who made a point of ignoring us long enough for the thing to go totally defunct. It shifted pitch on a whim at random intervals, causing the already abyssimal musical ear of our choir to do a double take. What's sad is that, one time the thing stayed stuck one whole half step too high, and no one in the choir (including the conductor!) could tell the difference. God help us! Anyway, after frantic calling and a few strongly spoken words, they finally realized their mistake and sent us a new one straight away. When it arrived, there was no expansion library (which had come with the purple beast, and which we had been instructed to return along with all the other peripherals). Be it to their credit, Christmas was right around the corner, and they did send us a few broken candy canes. Had it not been for that, I might have given this column a 1. Merry Christmas, Kurzweil.

If it were lost or stolen, I would first jump for joy, and then I would pity the poor soul who was hauling around 80+ lbs of metal and plastic, unbeknownst to them of the horrible sounds contained within. After all, it's not mine. It would then give me an excuse to petition the choral director to excercise the budget and purchase the Kawai/laptop/GIGA Sampler combination that is fast becoming a staple in the professional music industry. We may very well do this anyway. This thing is totally useless as a controller, its action is utterly expressionless and unresponsive. Overall, this is one situation in which the whole actually ends up being less than the sum of the parts. I am utterly dissappointed.

Why I hate this company?
Complicate logic (some think genuine)
Initially expensive, than reduced drastically in price (not fair to original owners)
Indeed very humble support.
Design of past ages (vintage)

No complaints.

Why I hate this company?
Complicate logic (some think genuine)
Initially expensive, than reduced drastically in price (not fair to original owners)
Indeed very humble support.
If broken than you are in trouble.

Indeed very humble support.
If broken than you are in trouble.

Many people as me appreciate Kurzweil for sound and some features incl. quality. I think that company should be very responsive to each customer who paid 5000 USD for something that has manufacturing cost of 1000 USD (nowadays even less). It means BIG CASH may go to support and R&D.
We believe that with Kurz. we owe conservative piece of gear that should always be slightly ahead of competition.
So, guys when I see that Kurzweil reduces price to less than 50% of what I paid (with reasonable discount), than I start to doubt if company logic is sane. Make better products and sell it expensive or I'll have all reasons to choose Yamaha next time.
Mercedes is not 200% better than Volkswagen or Toyota, but you know that it IS BETTER and it WILL BE better, at least slightly and always. AND YOU PAY FOR IT.
If my point is clear I just should add, that as instrument Kurzweil suits me at most time and it is indeed very good for many musicians to have choice in upper class of keyboard synths.

Not easy to use.
Complicated and finicky OS.
SCSI makes the keyboard problematic.
Floppy is not completely compatible with DOS.

Features galore when it comes to sound manipulation.
Extensive options.
Great FX.
Nice program (patch) architecture.
Nice controls.

I own a bunch of synths, this is the best.
I was willing to accept the comlexity of VAST and the problems of SCSI and floppy because the sound in this machine is amazing.
My roland is quieter (Sound to noise ratio) and my software sample synths are more convenient, but the overall quality and versatility of a kurzweil is unique.

I have not giged or had this long enough to judge this.
Generally most i have been happy with asian imports.
Though I have heard of k2500x nightmare stories.

No idea.

Get rid of the floppy !!!!!
Get rid of the SCSI !!!!!!

Sound is wonderful, this synth is now my favorite synth.
Though I do like my old roland xp keyboard, simply because there are so many roms in it.

I accepted the 48 voices and the floppy and the scsi because this synth otherwise is soo great.

definately a hard core pro gear for the vet or a beginner who is not afraid of complexity.

I give it a 8 simply because it is a strange combination of new and old technology.

I would like to see a compact flash reader instead of the floppy. A two USB 2.0 ports (one as slave and one as host) instead of the scsi and a larger screen.

A voice expanion option would have been nice but not required.

Consider the source of opinions! It may help you understand why opinions may vary dramatically. I've been playing live rock music for over 25 years. I play all instruments some. I've always loved keys..I'm not a technical user, but when I first got my Kurz, I deleted everything on it, and started from scratch. It helped me to figure out the ease of use in rapid fashion..It's easy to program, even for a dummy who knows very little..The manual explains each step in a way that is very clear, If it were any easier to use, I myself would be board to death with it.

I'm just an Ol' Rock n Roller..The polophony works fine for me. It has the best sounds I've ever had on an instrument.
The effects are V.A.S.T.--Literally! I have the expansion cards they sound awesome, but I don't think I will need all of these sounds for the style of music I write. The reason I purchased the 2600XS is to have a portable workstation to put together songs on..And I don't think it's possible to put together a small studio for this price!!I also will use it live for some sequencing, and pianos, organs and synth. The sequencer is sufficient for my use, if I expanded beyond this I would use a computer sequencer with the keyboard.Sensitivity on board is very cool, you can fully adjust it to suit your style of playing.

The sounds are endless, what else could be said?
The B3 is real and better than the old..The pianos are sweet, Orchestral is harmonious, and heavenly. The sound effects are the best. If you're looking for the all around best keyboard for the money....Kurzweil rules in my book.. If I lost this heavy monster today, I would buy another tomorrow. I love this keyboard!!!

I haven't had mine long enough to know if it is reliable on the road......I hope so! I will have a backup keyboard to insure the music will go on til closing time!

I have dealt with the company for a short time, so far so good..

When considering a new keyboard workstation I must admit, I did all of my research on the internet. Though reviews are usually mixed, I was quite certain I made the best decision, ever when I chose the Kurzweil 2600. I think it's fare to say I compared the other products on the market, in this price range equally...Sight unseen ! I play guitar and bass and keys in my band. I'm not a great piano player but I sure will sound like it when I rip off an Elton John song at the next gig..I'm sorry but I don't have anything bad to say about my Kurzweil..But if I could have it my way, I would have an onboard CDRW.

The 2600 doesn't exactly top my list of easy boards to use, but that comes without saying with a board this in-depth. The fact that it is so programmable and so deep makes it confusing at first and takes a while to grasp, but this is what makes its sound engine so intense. Sorry people but if you want sounds out of the box (not necessairily good sounds, mind you) with no effort and no creativity, buy a Triton and sound like everyone else.

Polyphony is somewhat weak by todays standard of 128 voice polyphony, and the "32 track" sequencer is kind of a joke, but the new expansion boards (orchestral and vintage keys) sound immaculate. There is nothing better out there, and couple that with the best effects I've ever heard on a board and your set whether your doing hip-hop or orchestral programming.

The drums suck. No lie, the mapping is stupid and unplayable and the sounds themselves are lacking the realistic feel you can get with a 5080 and the Dynamic Drum cards. Other than that they are second-to-none. The best pianos, strings, organs (KB3 mode), even the synth sounds are pretty phat if you get into them. The Best Sounds Period. The drums suck.

uhm...leave it at home, they break easy...I'm on my 3rd

Company was very friendly and cooperative but that may be because I deal with them so much. I've heard horror stories which I wont get into becuase theyre not personal experience. Very friendly people of course but i can see how they could be difficult.

I own many keyboards (Triton, Motif, 5080, RD-700, P200, as well as the 2600) Since the kurzweil came into my studio the others have been collecting dust under a pile of compositions and cue sheets. I wouldnt be able to function without this board. Granted ill still use some sounds off the Motif and the drums off the 5080, and the triton makes a very stylish paperweight (one thing its good at, ill give it that) but the 2600 is irreplaceable. The one thing not mentioned here is the sampler, which can load practically any format of Sample CD-ROM (a big issue if youve ever delt with formatting problems) I run just about everything through the live inputs and the effects processor, from guitars and basses to every other keyboard or drum machine. If you take the time to learn one piece inside and out, let it be the K2600. You'll be able to do more than you ever dreamed possible with any other keyboard or synth.

This is a very complex musical instrument. VERY DEEP!!!! If you have trouble operating a PC then you will be lost with this monster. The manuals are very good at explaining all of the details. The K2600 has an almost infinite ability to produce any sound or layers of sound that you can imagine. It's ease of use is based on your desire to explore and learn.

The polyphony is low for such a complex and exprensive instrument but it is'nt a problem 98% of the time. The KDFX are outstanding!!! This thing has great expansion capabilities (though expensive). Kurzweil makes a point to not let it's "K" series instruments become obsolete like some unmentioned companies do. You can't go wrong with this keyboard if you want lot's of limitless features.

WOW!!!!!! The best on the planet!!!! Kurzweil sounds are warm,deep,clean,very professional and full of life. Korg and Roland sounds in my opinion are thin,weak and to digital sounding (except for the old analog stuff, Jupiter,Juno,MS-20,Polysix ect.). If you can think it or dream it the K2600 can make it. ANYTHING!!! Listen to Jordan Rudess from Dream Theatre to get an ideal of what this thing can do.

A lot better than the older "K" series keyboards. They changed almost everything. I have faith in the K2600, it's built like a tank and weighs as much :) No problems so far!

I've heard mixed reviews about Kurz support but all of the negative stuff was based on the K2500, mainly the repair time. I talked to a Kurz dealer and he said that he has'nt had a single K2600 come back.

If you are a serious musician then this is the best of the best of the best. I could'nt live without it. I can't wait to see what Kurzweil comes up with in the future. If I could give this an 100 instead of a 10 I would. GET ONE!!!! NOW!!!

in the beggining i thought it was impossible. I returned a triton pro x and got this baby instead. But a mistake it was not. Even though the preset sounds are just ok, some are absolutely perfect and radio ready. The patch editor is amazing. Just take your time and be patient. The manual is alot better then the korg manual. It was written in english.

48 on the polyphony. To all those who have an issue with polyphony, just stop it. I have had this keyboard for almost 2 years and have never had a polyphony issue. Effects are just aaammmazing. KDFX is soooo good, they made it into its own box ksp8. 4 expansion slots, midi is very deep, and the onboard sequencer is good, but I do mostly audio, so dont take my opinion on that.

Realistic? Perfect!!! Nothing, NOTHING comes even close. It works for all music types. You can make anything you want. The oscilators on the board sound different then the bell like sounds of emu and korg. This board makes sounds that will sound good 20 years from now. It will not sound dated. Velocity and aftertouch are fine

fine

No issues. They have responded to every inquiry

I would get another one. I may get another one just because they are not as expensive. I have been writing music for years and this is the best board ever. Its heavy and tough to learn to use. Its amazing sound and possibilities are unique. I own an xl7, virus, ksp8, macg4, protools, etc. I wish the kurzweil guys would get a computer editor.

Software version is 3.10. The presets run the gamut of unusable to incredible. This is a high end keyboard and very, very deep so there's a lot to the OS and to programming but as someone experienced with a lot of different keyboard and computer OS's I find it very intuititive, extremely well laid out, and fairly easy to use. A beginner would be asking for trouble, however. The manuals are actually written in english as a first language and are also well laid out and informative. The hour long video tutorial with Jordan Rudess of Dream Theatre is excellent and a great quick start especially if you download it to your computer from Kurzweil's FTP site and follow it on your K2600.

The big knocks that I see in other reviews are the polyphony, 48 voices, and the action, a Fatar 88 key weighted action. Did any of the people who knock it actually live with it for a while or did they just read the product literature or bang on it in a music store? 48 voices may not sound like a lot by current standards and if you're laying down symphonic arrangements that makes sense. But for any sort of pop music I think it's fine. I don't know why folks trash Fatar actions. They're on a lot of keybaords and many people probably don't even know they're playing them. Personally I find the action very responsive and well built. I think high end Yamaha actions such as the ones in the Motif 8, S90, and especially the P200 (I owned one for a while) feel a little better from a piano players perspective (I started life out on piano) but I think the Fatar is a close no.2. Aside from that this keyboard does everything a keyboard can possibly do. It is more programmable than any other keyboard currently in existence so sounds can be be as stupid or incredible as you can make them. It has world class sampling, the best effects of any keyboard, excellent and (to me) very intuitive sequencing, intuitive Quick Access lists of patches that you mix by programs (single patches) or setups (multis). This is a great live performance tool. It's also got an extensive MIDI controller feature list but I can't comment on that since so far I've primarily used this as a stand alone keyboard. The KB3 mode that emulates a Hammond organ is fantastic. The sliders mimic drawbars so you can do all sorts of Hammond organ tricks in real time. I've cut my live rig down from three keyboards (Triton, QS-8, XK-2) to just the one and don't miss a thing although it took a while to program all the splits I need.

The sound quality of this instrment is better than anything I've ever heard on any other keyboard and I've owned a lot of them over the years, ranging back to the Minimoog, Prophet 5 and OBX-A (when they were current! I'm an old fart.) and including current favorites like the Triton. The Stereo Dynamic Piano ROM just sounds staggering. The upper end of the piano is incredibly realistic and the sympathetic vibration model is fabulous. This is the first time I've played a piano patch on an electronic keyboard that really sounded real to me and I've played them all. The orchestral sounds, especially strings, orchestral percussion, and woodwinds are just gorgeous. Horns, guitars, bass, and drums are great too but it's more how you play those instruments that makes them sound real. The V.A.S.T. synth architecture is the deepest and most extensive of any keyboard on the market so sound creation is limited only by your imagination. Yes, there aren't a whole bunch of dedicated knobs like on the virtual analogs but if you spend the time you can get everything and much more than any of those machines will do. The KDFX effects processor is ungodly. It's just the best there is right now. But one of the nice things about the K2600 is that the samples and patches sound great dry. It's hard to avoid noticing that on many current high end keyboards and modules the effects contribute an inordinate amount to the sound. Not the K2600. Sampling options are extremely extensive and rival any stand alone sampler with RAM expandable to 128mb. It's also got a cool live mode so you can process other instruments through the K2600 effects, not to mention vocoder. It's got 10 balanced analog outs, digital in/out, optical in/out, and SCSI. Overall it's simply inspiring just to sit down and play this instrument and maybe lay down a quick sequence. Often I never get beyond the piano.

It appears to be built very solidly. Though slighly smaller than a Motif 8 or Triton Studio it is actually heavier, 72 lbs. which is disappointingly heavy but since it's the most powerful keyboard on the market right now I guess there are tradoffs. I'm actully giging with it and the first thing I did once I got it was buy an SKB ATA style case but it's only been a few months. Give me a year and I'll tell you how reliable it is. I bought this as a demo unit (see Overall Rating) so it probably had been pounded on at a music store for at least a year or longer. No problems so far.

I've only downloaded stuff from the FTP site and cruised other web sites of which there are a lot. I've bought a few add-ons and accessories from Sweetwater and they've been great.

I got an incredible demo/close out deal from Guitar Center. I never thought I would own a K2600XS since they're so expensive and I think somewhat overpriced and really I had no ambition to own one. Actually I went in to look at the S-90. I had pretty much settled on the Motif 8 as my next keyboard but thought the S-90 might be an alternative but when I saw the price on the demo K2600XS they had sitting there and played it for a bit I could not walk away from the deal. Overall I'm still surprised to find myself a K2600XS owner and think it's the best keyboard currently manufactured for sales to consumers on this planet. One can argue the validity of a keyboard instrument having this kind of capability as opposed to soft synths and other computer based options (and I use Logic, B4, Reason and other computer stuff)and I had been undecided what direction to go in myself. But snce I'm primarily a live player and considering the deal I got and the overall incredibleness of this instrument, well, I'm very pleased.

This ain't your daddy's moog. Using the Kurz 2.0 OS, I was astounded at the sheer thoroughness of this monster made me think that maybe somebody knew what they were doing when they made the 2600. The menus aren't intuitive, but generally with patience and close inspection, the option you need (even if you didn't know it was available) is present.
The manual was dauntingly large, and paradoxily, lacking in so much detail that more often than not, I didn't find my questions answered. However, I'm not an expert keyboardist, but am very experienced with the windows os, so maybe a keyboardist would find it easier with the terminology and insight.
Loading from floppy disk was a pain at first, as I realized that there are several different 'memory' systems at work here, and still trying to discover why my midi songs won't fully load. Problem is most likely an id10t error on my part.
Summery: This isn't a novice keyboard, but if the price tag didn't tell you that, yours is truly a journey of self discovery!

My first keyboard was a Kork dw series. Loved it to death, literally. The Kurz 2600, while seemingly much more digital, is a work of art, and any feature availible, live or programmed, is a finger touch away. It seems that literally ALL the buttons, sliders, pressure strips, and keys are completely and infinitely configurable.
I was disapointed that I didn't have an option to network my keyboard to my computer, nor install an internal hard-drive. Now days, scsi 2gig hard drives are very rare, and putting this kind of storage on there is like installing a 5.25" floppy on my file server. However, I understand that there are zip drives availible for the unit that can replace the floppy drive.
I've never used a sequencer before, only loop-based pc software, but the sequencer was easy to figure out with the extensive video included.
Producing sound came in 3 flavors: Out-of-box Juicy, Oh-Jesus!-What-have-I-done? Berry, & Sampling-made-easy Chip. Placing the routable, assignable, and very powerful effects to each sound or all at once is straight forward, and just as much part of creation as is putting a waveform to it. Nothing that I wanted to do, could I not do. VAST is amazing.
This keyboard, if stood upright, would make anyone mimic the classic quote from '2001', "My god, it's full of stars!"

Ya know, everyone has an opinion, and dang it, I'm gonna state mine here. Korg makes their keyboards sound like they got tubes plugged into their mobo's. But honestly, the crisp, robust noise put out by the seemingly endless outputs (in the video, the speaker complained, I think, about there ONLY being so many outputs...) is clean and filling. It even makes my scrappy .wav files from my computer sound excellent.
The weighted keys are indeed very difficult for a novice like me who likes to bang the heck out of a sound and expects it to sound good. Obviously the keyboard was made for pianists and organists who really know how to play classical music and jazz. (that was a putdown for me, not the former.) I look forward to learning the board inside and out, but my poor poor fingers... Fortunately the sensitivity is just as programable as everything else. My self-programmed oboe easily mimicked the real thing. With time, my 2600 and I will be fitted together like a depressed dorito junkie to his nintendo couch.

It seems that I have a hard time with keyboards, I've cracked one in half, and the other lost it's keys... (Gee, hope the Kurz warrenty dudes ain't reading this...) Honestly, right out of the box and my first try at 'chopsticks' and I heard a rattle. Just a little one, but noticable. Upon investigation, it was actually my keyboard stand. Oopsie.
One word: Heavy & Solid. Okay, that is two words. This baby ain't gonna break anytime soon, or my name is Jerry Lee Lewis. Frankly, I'm getting older, and I think my fingers are gonna break first.
I am planning on doing a few gigs with it, but it is so heavy, I'm glad I lift weights. The 2600 is built to last, too. I looked at all the ports and dials, and everything is very secure and professional. No corner cut here. So far, I give it a 10.

I haven't contacted the company yet for support, though I have a few questions I'm trying to figure out. I'm more a figure-it-out-on-my-own-type-of-guy. I *did* visit the website and not only did all the pointers lead to a valid page, but the site was intuitive and direct. I wonder why they didn't have the web designer work on the manual too. All the document are availible online (in fact, before you buy this baby, I'd d/l them so ya know what you are getting into. Not that I'd want to discourage ya, but I was looking for a challange when I got this...)
I have faith in Kurzweil, they've produce the keyboard that I've always wanted for over 10 years.

With great keyboard, comes great responsability. If my house burned down today (ya all better knock on wood with me, okay?)I don't think I could afford to buy another one. I was greatly tempted to buy the Korg Triton (smaller, light keys, touch screen, quadrant vectoring...)but I've truly looked forward to a keyboard that wasn't a toy.
I'm challanged, though I'm sure to someone who knows what they heck they are doing it is easy, to combine my pc software (ACID Pro 3.0, if you are asking...) with the 2600, but I know it can be done. I'm not crippled yet by the floppy and midi-dump sound swapping. I'll be looking around yet for a good pc manager for the unit, but really, it's got everything.
I guess the only thing I wonder is if Vincent Clarke were to get one, how many of his synth collection would start collecting dust.
It ain't easy, it's my keyboard.

Thank you, Len. I don't know how to repay you.

Soft version 3.0 Most of the presets are good, and with the optional roms, they sound even better. Making patches is not perfectly easy, but with a little reading of the manual, (which is extensive,) I was able to get stuff programmed.
The manual (there are two) is good and large. Phonebook size. Reads better than a phonebook, but I read the same chapters several times to undertand certain stuff.

Polyphony 48. Keys are weighted, and feel ok.
KDFX is very flexible. It takes time to learn how to route and program but great stuff can be made with it.
Expansion capabilities are 4 roms, 128megs of ram and dmti interface to get all digital sound out. 2 roms are out, the other 2 are still in the works. We are all still waiting!
The midi on this thing is as good as it gets. very flexible.
Sequencer is good, but not perfect.

Kurzweil sounds and stock programs are very realistic and some are great. Mostly, this is a board that can do anything if enough time is spent with it.
Aftertouch is very good.

So far so good. No issues.

They have been good. Answered questions when I had them.

Lost, stolen, I dont know. I would probably take the money and spend it on many smaller pieces of equipment. More flexibility.
I have been a hobbyist for a few years, and only recently started buying pro-equipment.

This is by far the most awesome keyboard I ever owned! What makes it even better is the new CD ROM Manuals that SYNTH-TEK is making for it. My K2600XS came with the beginning CD ROM instead of the owners manuals. This CD ROM series includes Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and V.A.S.T. If you want to master the K2600, this CD ROM series will take you there. I guess without this CD ROM series the K2600 would be kinda scarey, cause it's such an awesome keyboard. But the bottom line is this; "If you want the best money can buy, Get the POWER HOUSE Kurzweil calls the K2600XS." Regards, Eddie Legg

This board has 48 polyphony, and the keyboard action is so there. It has KDFX which is like having your own studio built right in. As far as expansion capabilities, Kurzweil is well known for keeping their keyboards upgraded not outdated. You can upgrade the K2600 for free off their web site. It has an on-board 32 track sequencer that is top of the line! Question is; What does this keyboard NOT do?

Very realistic sounds!

The reliability is second to none!

Customer Support is AWESOME! If you have any problems, they will go out of their way to help you!

I'm 37 years old, and I've been playing since I was 9. I've always played Yamaha keyboards up till now, and I must say the K2600XS blows them all away!

Purchased this from Sweetwater Sound to replace my K2500X which was stolen (from my church!). K2600XS was logical upgrade. While K2600 is essentially an incremental upgrade from the 2500, some notable improvements.

There is a distinct increase in dynamics and output. KB3 (B-3 emulation) has functions labeled on front panel. KDFX (upgraded & expanded on-board effects) now standard, so lots of more inputs and outputs (analog/digital/lightpipe/etc).

Right out of box, programs and setups are plentiful and useable. Most all sound great without tweaking or adjustment. Controller routings thoughtfully and logically set up.

As normal for Kurzweil, manuals are enormous (can you say "War and Peace"?) but easy reading and very straightforward.

Those who like computer based sequencing will never warm to the on-board sequencer, but I always found it intuitive and flexible. Maybe that's because my only alternative is Logic 3.0 (ha ha ha)

Only 48 voice polyphony. That's probably its most significant weakness...was hoping they would have added more in 2600. Action is weighted and firm. Some pianists who prefer light actions (like an upright piano) find it hard to play fast on Kurzweil's Fatar action. It just takes chops. Go listen to Jordan Rudess (who records and tours exclusively w/ Kurzweil) and dust off the Hanon.

Also wish this flagship axe would support polyphonic aftertouch...I still yearn for the old CS80 and poly-AT on strings.

KDFX is now standard on K2600, very significant improvement over 2500's effects. Finally KB3 Hammond emulation has a realistic Leslie effect.

I purchased all the ROM boards, 64MB mem for sampler, have yet to play w/ built in vocoder function.

But having around 600+ sounds on board out of the box, thousands more on disc, 32 track sequencer, exemplary digital effects, vocoder, sampler and 88 weighted keys all in one machine? Yeah, I think it's stuffed to the gills.

Sound quality (presence, depth, imaging, detail) are the primary reason anyone should consider Kurzweil. All the other machines I own or have used (M1, Quadrasynth, JV1080, Trinity, EV5, ad naseum) just don't have the sheer sound quality of Kurzweil. Just my subjective opinion, your mileage may vary.

Specifically, with Piano daughterboard, Orchestral and Contemporary ROM, KB3 and most of the Stratus Sound library on CD ROM from Sweetwater, I've never had a problem with inventory of sounds. Generally, sounds are as realistic as you're going to get from non-physical modeled synthesis. Yamaha's VL770M does better solo wind emulation due to the physical model's expressiveness, but I've always used a BC3A breath controller with a good flute sample, and usually get a few folks looking around for the invisible flute player.

No, none of the piano patches will never hold its own side by side with a Steinway M. But I don't think any of us really believe anything ever will.

Long and short of it is I think the sounds (and dynamic control over them) are as good as I've ever played. Or I wouldn't have bought another one.

I've heard bad stories about K2500's, but I never had a single problem with mine after 3 years. But I don't travel much with it (just to my church, then back home) so it may be an unfair assessment. Biggest problem is weight...I think it's a little heavier than my K2500X was.

I called Kurzweil to inquire about a tutorial video I saw at a local retailer, and they were dogged in persistence to get me an answer, details, etc. I'm very impressed.

I've never had to get repairs or upgrades (software OS upgrades have always been free off their web site) so can't address that.

"If it were lost or stolen, would you buy it again?"....I just did.

I've been playing 29 years, classically trained. Played and/or owned too many machines. From Rhodes, Moog Prodigy, Moog Source, Arp Solina, Polysix, CP70, Prophet 10, DX7, D50, CS80, M1, Quadrasynth, B3, PC88 to K2500X.

IMHO, this is the best beast I've owned or played. But I'm only giving it an 8 because it's so darned expensive.