Kurzweil PC2

This is the 76 key version. Using 1.0, until I can upgrade.

Very easy to use. Kurzweil puts a real emphasis on intuitive controls with this unit. That helps make it a great performance keyboard, which happens to be my primary requirement. To make a keyboard with this much flexibility and so easy to manipulate is a remarkable achievement even by today's standards.

The manual is very clear and even enjoyable to read. I wish someone could help me understand this: here's two big companies, Kurzweil and Roland. One writes excellent manuals written in a very reader-friendly style, the other writes crap written by engineers for engineers (and probably not even effective from that standpoint). All I can think of is there must be very different corporate cultures operating here. Kurzweil really can put itself into the mind of the user, and this is reflected both in the design of the product and the manuals.

I'll try not to repeat things that have been said below. Its a powerful midi controller. Maybe somewhat less so than, say, the Roland A-90, but Kurzweil's system is more intuitive and I tend to favor that because both the PC2 and the A-90 have more midi power than I would actually use.

I like the action on the PC2. Its semi-weighted. As another reviewer said, a very nice compromise between weighted and synth action, which is what you need if you're going to use just this keyboard for, say, piano and organ. I use the keyboard mostly in combination with a Hammond clone, so I don't need it for organ sounds, but since I'm playing mostly fusion/acid jazz and funk, the kinds of sounds I'm using (e.g., electric piano, clav, synths) can be very effectively played with a semi-weighted action. The keys feel substantial, and they bottom out with a nice cushiony feel, which really helps avoid finger fatigue. Aftertouch works beautifully, though I don't use it much.

I wouldn't use this keyboard if I was playing mostly piano. The action isn't even close to piano-like, and its hard to get the dynamic range you'd want for something like a solo piano performance. When band gigging, I do play some piano on it, but in those situations, the focus is not on the piano sounds -- its more of an ornament -- and so this keyboard suffices. If you're going to be playing alot of piano, maybe the PC2X is the way to go. I really like the action on that keyboard as well.

One review below compared the action to the Roland A-33. I own and A-33 and I think they are hardly comparable. The PC2 is more substantial, and just feels much more like a quality instrument. I can be much more expressive on the PC2 than on my A-33. The A-33 is not bad, particularly for organ. Whether you like the action on a particular keyboard is in large part a function of the type of music you're playing and the sounds you're using. For what I'm doing, the PC2 is just about perfect and I'm very happy with it.

The sounds on the PC2 excel for what I'm using it for. The "serious classic" rhodes sound is fantastic, very thick and dynamic. THere are a few really good wurlitzers, and the clavs are respectably good. All of these are very mid-rangey, so much so that when you get up into the higher registers, the sounds almost dissappear. I stay away from the higher registers when using these sounds. Its an acceptable compromise, I guess, because for electric pianos the mid-range is what really counts and, as I said, these sound great there. Really cuts through a band mix.

I like the piano sounds, though, again, I don't really use this keyboard so much for that. I'm not sure how I'd feel about using this for a solo piano gig. It would be OK, I'm sure, but there might be better choices for that among digital keyboards.

There's a couple of nice synth sounds. The strings are OK, some of the brass sounds too harsh to my ears. Once you get beyond pianos and epianos, the selection of sounds is rather small. Anybody serious about using strings, brass, orchestral, or synth sounds would undoubtedly want more to choose from. I guess that's what the expansion boards are for. Or maybe that's the point at which you start using this more as a midi controller than a sound source.

The effects sound good to me, for being digital. Not very flexible in the routings. I personally don't need 86 reverbs to choose from. I like that the wet-dry mix is so easily accessible.

The KB-3 is really nice. The basic tone wheel sound is good. The leslie effect is good though not terribly convincing to my ear. But the overall sound is soft and fluid, musical and very pleasing to the ears, even if not a spot-on copy of the real thing. For Hammond replication, this is a class act, though in my opinion not quite in the upper echelons of Hammond clones. B-3 is such an important part of my sound, I have to have the best and so I'm playing a new Korg CX-3. The KB-3 may not be state of the art Hammond cloning, but its vastly better than the organ sounds one usually finds on multi-purpose keybaords. Using it in combination with other sounds on the PC2 gets tricky. It uses up alot of polyphony and as far as I can tell, it also uses up the main effects routing. So be forewarned if you think you'll be able to use the KB-3 along with other PC2 sounds and still have everything just the way you want it.

Seems very solidly built. Even the wall-wart seems designed to last. I'm not in the habit of bringing spare equipment to a gig. Call me crazy. I usually have two keyboards so if one went down, I would make do with the other. That's enough security for me.

Haven't used them.

Its the best keyboard out there for what I'm using it for. I like the fact that I'm getting such great semi-weighted action and playability in a 39-pound keyboard. I carry this thing around alot. The PC2X, at 50+ pounds, would wear me down much more quickly than the PC2.

Kurzweil recently came way down with its prices. The PC2 has an MSRP of $2600 but is selling for $1600. At that price, its an excellent value.

This is not a workstation keyboard, its not an every-sound under the sun keyboard. Its a performance keyboard and controller and, as such, its a champ, or at least a real contenda.

It's real easy, partly because there isn't that much to change about the sounds. No wading through submenus, the system is really well though out.

64 poly. Keyboard action is semiweighted, but is a bit insensitive for piano playing. It's difficult to play pp, if you want to do this then buy the weighted one. One effect processor + a reverb, which are easy to use. Two 16MB ROM expansions are due soon, the first one by spring 2001. Unfortunately, this expansion will add GM compatibilty and orchestral sounds, not something I'd like.

Pianos are excellent compared to the Yamaha S80 and its likes, and so are the electric pianos and organs. Strings are also good, although there are too few different sounds to fit me. No synth sounds whatsoever that are usable. Clavs good (and a good harpsichord!).
All in all there are very few sounds, but the ones that it got are really something. As I said, the keyboard feel isn't that good - comparable to a Roland A-33.

It's really heavy, and made of metal. It has been rock solid the month I have owned it.

I mailed and asked about the expansion, and got a reply the same day - pretty good. Kurzweil is a very respectable company in my opinion.

If lost, I may go for the weighted version - otherwise this is in my opinion the best synth up to the Roland XV-88, which is alot more expensive.

I am still using the 1.0 Operating System that came shipped with the unit. I have received the "low battery" message upon booting up but was aware of this software glitch prior to buying the keyboard and once I download the 1.5 OS, that problem will be taken care of.
I am extremely impressed the the factory presets. I have, so far, been able to find something in every category that more than suits my needs on stage. I have found the keyboard very "user friendly" to program and the manual is clear and top-notch.

The polyphony came standard at 64 but the PS2 can be upgraded to 128 with a user-installable board. The action of the keyboard is close to a perfect balance... weighted enough to be able be play expressively as a real piano yet light enough to be able to pull off glissendos when jamming with the KB3 (Hammond Organ) sounds. There will also be 2 user installed ROM cards available to add more patches to the sound list. I currently am not in need of the midi connections but the well-designed controller had all the configurations one could ever need. The built-in appegiator is rather versatile and can be programed in many ways.

The piano and elecric piano sounds are the best I've ever heard on ANY keyboard. There are enough variations of each to handle any situation. The strings are lush and very "blendable" with other instruments. There are only 128 patches in this controller but the selection was well thought out and all the "meat & potatoes" sounds that gigging musicians require are there and they all sound great! I'm a Hammond B-3 fan, big time, and the KB3 sound generation in this board is outstanding. The tone wheel modeling is spot-on and the Leslie effect is the most realistic of any keyboard (or outboard device)I've ever used. In all honesty, the PC2 would be worth every penny for the incredibly realistic Hammond sound alone.

I've had my PC2 for about six weeks now and have had no complaint, what-so-ever. The "fit and finish" of this keyboard is very impressive. I've gigged several times with it, already, and I honestly don't anticipate any need to carry along a backup. It has always been my impression that Kurzweil builds 'em to last!

I haven't had to deal with the manufacturer to this point but the factory-authorized dealer where I bought the instrument had knowledgeable staff that knew the model inside and out.

I would re-purchase the PC2 in a heartbeat.
I've had 35+ years playing professionally and have owned just about every make of keyboard one could think of during that time.
I have been using Alesis and Korg synthesizers on stage to get all the sounds I needed but now I can get them all (and more) with this one keyboard!
My recommendation to any player out there is... not buy anything until you've checked out this magnificent instrument. The playability and the sound will win you over. The PC2's deep plum color is rather cool too.

This beast is a honey to program, both for editing the internal sounds and for its use as a controller. I used a Roland A80 as a controller for about 10 years, and the PC2 is moderately more flexible. I use the PC2 to drive a Korg Wavestation module, a Roland D50, and a Voce V5 organ module, and things usually work flawlessly, although the pedal-driven sustain function occasionally hangs up; but a tap on the pedal frees it. The manual is clear as a bell.

The PC2 definitely doesn't feel like a piano, even with its "semi-weighted" keys. In fact its action feels a bit like a toy keyboard, but that may be because I'm used to fully weighted keys. However I was tired of hauling an 88-key weighted-action controller to gigs. On the good side, the PC2 is responsive; the action is fast and touch-sensitive. This is a matter of preference, but I don't like the pitch bending wheel that rotates away from the player to raise the pitch. I find it much easier to use pitch wheels that move left-to-right, as in Roland synths. For me they are easier for high-speed fusion solos. There are tons of effects, many of which are only mildly distinguishable, but they are easy to use. All of the typical MIDI capabilities work very well, although I would have liked more than a single MIDI-OUT channel.

I disagree with some of the other reviewers about the highly acclaimed acoustic piano sounds. Although they sound more authentic than those of several other synths I've tried, they never sound beefy. The grand piano sounds like a mushy spinet. When the attack is emphasized in some patches, the sound is more harsh than bright as you might hear in, say, a Steinway or Yamaha grand. Also the midrange has more life than either the high or low ends. For the R&B I often play, I want a powerful gospel-grand sound, which I can't squeeze out of the PC2.
But there are some excellent sounds on board. The electric pianos are especially good. There's one fine lead synth sound, and the organ sounds are surprisingly good, although they pale by comparison to my Voce V5, mainly because they are too 'clean' sounding. I like some of the "voices" sounds also. The palette of sounds isn't very large, but it's reasonable for a controller.

I had a serious problem with my PC2. When I first bought it, the display indicated that I needed a new battery, which I replaced. Then I merrily went along programming sounds in preparation for a gig, assuming that everything would be reliably stored for at least a couple of years. Big mistake! After about a month of daily programming, I turned it on and discovered that the unit had reset itself to the factory-loaded presets, which meant I lost everything 3 days before the gig. I almost threw it out the window! When I called Kurzweil, all they could say was "sorry". I've never had this happen to me after more than 20 years of playing synths. So now I do a SysEx dump every time I touch it, just in case this happens again. I'm going to try to use it without a backup, but how many keyboard players carry back-up controllers to gigs?

The company was friendly, but hardly helpful, with my one complaint. I've never sent it out for service or repair.

I might buy another if it got stolen. The internal sounds are useful, and sometimes terrific, and it is an excellent controller. It's also portable enough for my gigs, which are usually in small clubs. Other than the software loss I mentioned above, it's the best controller I've used. It doesn't overwhelm you with sounds to sort through, and it has no other functions, like sampling/sequencing, which I don't use very often anyway.

The best part of the PC2 is it's user-friendliness. This keyboard is extremely easy to use, with all the necessary performance buttons all layed out in an organized, well-thought manner. Navigating from programs to setups to the KB-3 mode is a piece of cake, as is layering and splitting due to the dedicated buttons above the 4 sliders. Editing patches is very easy--no huge befuddling lists of options to scroll through, but a series of buttons that'll take you to the exact place you want. MIDI setup, as with the PC-88, is effective and efficient. Combined with a lucid, layman-friendly manual, the PC-2 is easy to navigate, mold, and tinker with.

The PC2 features 64-note polyphony, which although not too great, isn't horrible. Again, Kurzweil is soon going to offer an upgrade to 128 polyphony. The MIDI capabilities go on and on, from the 5 pedal inputs (2 controller, 3 switch) to the ribbon and breath controllers and more. The action is excellent on both the PC2 and PC2X (76-key semi-weighted and 88-key fully-weighted, respectively). The keys feel very nice and respond well. Although I've played piano for longer than I can remember, I still went with the semi-weighted version cause I do a lot of B3 stuff and glissandos. The PC2X, however, feels better and more realistic than any other 88-key controllers out there. I sat down and played the PC2X and then switched to the Alesis QS8.1 and Korg N1 and both keyboard's action felt plasticy and fake.
The PC2 is a dedicated controller optimized for live performance, so it is lacking both a sampler and sequencer. Of course they'd be nice, but if you're looking for those and have an extra $4000, buy the K2600...

The sounds are also top-notch--the pianos, both acoustic and electric, are better than I've heard elsewhere and offer a large variety. The strings are well done and mesh with other instruments (especially piano) well. The percussion and drum programs are also high quality, and there are some decent brass, guitar, bass, synth, and lead sounds thrown in. Overall there's only 128 individual programs, but they're ideally suited for performance and the sum is far greater than the individual parts. However, buyers beware: If you are looking for a synth or something with sampling and lots of sounds and lots of memory, this is NOT it. The sounds are excellent, but exclude a lot including individual string instruments (violin, cello, etc.), all woodwinds (except for a breathy flute), and a good-sounding accordian (it's the only horrible sound on the keyboard). It's not GM-compatable either. Kurzweil has plans to release two additional 16-meg RAM sound blocks, which will hopefully rectify the situation somewhat. Buy this for its' controller capabilities and keyboard sounds, and if you need more than find a good module.
That said, however, the crown jewel of the soundboard is the KB-3 tone wheel organ emulator. It does a superb job of emulating the Hammond B3 and it's celebrated Leslie speakers, including excellent control of all 9 drawbars, vibrato, chorus, key-click percussion, and rotary speaker effect (with seperate generators for the horn and bass rotors, just like the Leslie) which ramps up and down at programmable speeds and levels just like the real thing. If you are into B3 stuff, you've got to hear this! It's extremely easy to control and comes with a decent amount of space to save user-edited setups for quick recall.
The PC2 also includes the KDFX generators from the K2500/K2600 series, which offer a total of over 200 different effects (granted, most are various reverbs...you can only have so much reverb). It does allow for easy wet-dry control which is nice.
The keyboard responds very well to touch, with excellent velocity and aftertouch controls and settings, all of which (of course) are programmable. Do you like to bang away at the keyboard? Just change one setting and it becomes much more forgiving and balanced.

This thing feels built like a tank, but I haven't gigged w/ it enough to comment on more long-term prospects. But hey--it's purple, what more could you ask for?

Although this keyboard hit the market in February 2000, they've already come out with one Operating System upgrade at this point (August 2000). I can't comment on Kurzweil's reliability from past experience, but I got this from the local Reliable Music in Charlotte (the #2 Kurzweil dealer in the nation) which has several knowledgeable repairmen.

I compared this with the Alesis QS8.1, Korg N1, Korg Trinity, and the new Ensoniq 76-key synth and hands-down prefered the sounds on this puppy. Some of the others have more features, but I felt this was more ideally suited for performance (which is what I do) than anything else. Again the lack of certain sounds has a nagging grip on me, but as soon as I pay this off I can always get a nice module to hook it up to.

The PC2 simply sounds phenomenal. I did alot of critical listening between it and some of the other 88 note keyboards available like Yamaha's S80 and there just isn't any comparison. The piano and string sounds on the PC2 are the best I've ever heard. For that matter the electric pianos and bass sounds are too. You would expect it but the bass and drum sounds it rule as well.

The PC2 is really easy to use. Though I used to own a PC88, they've really improved its interface. You can layer and split sounds with a touch of a button. In addition you can edit sounds on the PC2, its not full editing, but I was able to customize the envelopes on the string sounds, add some distortion to the rhodes sounds and edit filters on the pad sounds too. There is a user bank for saving your own patches.

I haven't used the manual much, which says alot about how easy it is to use.

The key action feels very good. Feels more solid than my PC88. I played the 76 note version of the PC2 which is semi-weighted, but being a pianist I had to go for the 88 note.

The PC2 has 64 voices of polyphony. Its expandable to 128 though the expansion option to do this is not available yet. There are also supposed to be ROM expansions coming soon, which it takes 2 16MB ROM expansions.

The effects section on the PC2 sounds great. Many of the sounds have effects control assigned to sliders. There are also some effects that are pretty wild like the ring modulator and the envelope followers.

The MIDI controller capabilities seem much like the original PC88. It will control four zones simultaneously. You can store your own setups (combination sounds) in the user bank.

The connection between keyboard feel and sounds is just right. Try the preset called Dynamic Grand and you'll know what I mean. There is so much attention to detail in the sounds. The harpsichord has a sample when you release the key. The wurly sounds distort just like the real deal.

The PC2 also has a KB3 organ mode. If you are at all into hammond organ sounds you need to hear this. The leslie simulation is great, and you have drawbar control from the four sliders.

This keyboard really has a well rounded set of sounds. It has a little bit of everything...something for everyone. In general all the sounds are excellent and for this reason alone its worth the difference in price!

I've heard some stories about key action problems on the original PC88. They say that the PC2 has an improved more durable action. I never had any problems with my PC88 so I can only say that mine worked fine until the day I sold it to upgrade.

I attended a Kurzweil clinic before I purchased it. The guy that did it has his own Kurzweil support website which has some MP3's of the PC2. The address is http://members.aol.com/kurzconnection

I haven't had this much fun playing a keyboard in a long time. Its really great and so very musical. I chose it because of the quality of its sounds and the feel of the keyboard and would definitely make the same choice again.

The PC2 is more money than some of the other keyboards out there, but after doing alot of playing and alot of listening I have realized that you get what you pay for.