Kurzweil PC2X0

This keyboard (version 4.0)is very easy to get around without the manual. The presets are your bread 'n butter sounds.Editing on this board is limited.The manual is helpful.

The polyphony is 64 notes.The effects are nice.This unit came with the orchestra card.Lush sounding strings.I have not purchased optional sound cards.Only a few Sound cards were developed for this keyboard.

This keyboard is very expressive and the piano sound is the best.This is the reason why I brought this keyboard.Compared with Korg,Roland,and Yamaha.The Roland RD700Sx came in close second.The KB3 organs are great.The Rhodes sounds are usable.

This is where Kurzweil failed me.At a gig one of the key weights broke.This makes a horrible "clacky" sound.I would not use this keyboard without a backup.This was repaired.Two days later I noticed three keys F#4,G4,and A4 began to make annoying squeeky sounds.Sounds like another repair job.I've made keyboard purchases from Korg,Roland,Yamaha,Ensoniq.This is by far the most unreliable piece of equipment I have ever owned.

WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!! I'm very dissapointed with Kurzweil and the dealer who sold me this keyboard; in reference to a warrantied repair (The broken key mentioned in the reliability category).I spoke directly with the person in charge of warrantied repairs at Kurzweil "AND Music Corporation". Due to this repair my keyboard sat in the music dealer's repairshop for five months. Excuse from the repairman - (He could'nt get parts from Kurzweil) I later purchased parts needed for the repair from a dealer who had them in stock.Excuse from Kurzweil - (We were merging in and out of companies.There will be a delay in shipping of parts). After the fifth month and constant phone calls, I realized the two parties were not cooperating and I was caught in the crossfire. I then transfered my broken keyboard to a "non Kurweil authorized" repairshop; and the repair was completed in two days. I'm still waiting waiting for a check from Kurzweil for half of the repair bill.

BEWARE!! I WOULD NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER PIECE OF KURZWEIL EQUIPMENT UNTIL THIS BUSINESS GETS IT'S ACT TOGETHER. LESSON LEARNED- IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE SOUND.

I have owned the PC2X0 with the orchestral sounds included for about a year now....and am still amazed every time I use it and work on various set ups with it. I waited 15 years to replace my Korg SG1 digital piano which was a very early offering in the digital piano market....and it took some getting used to as I previously played only a Yamaha CP70...but got tire of tuning and breaking strings etc.

I had made the decsion to update my stuff even though its mostly for my own enjoyment at this point...so....I tried EVERY digital piano with weighted action that had come along in the past 15 yrs. I had played on a Roland a couple of years ago and really liked the action so I started with those; they we OK....not great. For me personally I needed a piano that would not cause me to ever think that I was playing a digital piano....one that felt very natural....and...that is a big shoe to fill for a digital piano...because when you play a real piano there is an immediate sense of connection between your pressing of the keys.....and the feel you get when the sound happens.....and although you do not realize it...it is a very big part of the whole picture. So I tried just about every brand you can think of....and the natural decay of the piano sound was another big factor for me.......When I tried the Kurzweil it felt great right away...in fact....having had it for a year now..I prefer the Kurzweil over the Kawaii grand in our living...says alot huh?
I will cover the sound quality in the next area.

Now....I use this keyboard for a solo "rock n roll" piano sort of oldies act so my situation may be different than many. I picked this keyboard because I am able to set up the 4 zones in just about whatever fashion you would ever need...and am able to pull off some amazing stuff as the sounds work together so well. First off...the piano sounds are great...so...for me...that is 75% of the beauty of it. Many variations of pianos, digital pianos, outta tune old tyme pianos etc. A great example of this keyboard is the song Classical Gas. If you are familiar with this song by Mason Williams(actually)I do not even use a piano sound in the set up;it is a very cool classic piece with classical guitar, bass and orchestra. I heard it on the radio one day and thought...."hmm...bet I could pull that off on the PC2" and worked up a set up which is completely amazing......The onboard effects are really cool but in fact as time goes by...you become more familiar with them and find that certain ones may work for certain sounds better than others...and you wind up switching them around......there is one in particular called " school stairwell' which works great with sax....or gives a piano that Jerry Lee Lewis sound. There is a horn sound called "Stolen Moments" which is so cool for a big band type song like " The Way you Look Tonight" etc...because it really has that swing kinda sound and depending on the way you sustain the notes.....will swell just like a big band really does.....kicks my ass everytime. DRAWBACK....unfortunately I feel there is no sorta "balls-to=the wall" sax solo sound and that seems to be the only drawback I have some across so far...

Can I depend on it? Well.....I have to say that I don;t play out with the kind of schedule I used to so......I can't really say....but would sure like to know myself....It does some weird things upon booting up once in awhile..but I just turn it off and back on and then its OK....like a note sustaining and you are not pressing anything.....ya know? but You have to remember that I am going from a digital piano that had a choice of 4 buttons....to this....so...It could have been something in some set up I created...but I just think it comes with the territory and you find a way around it. I store all the memory on a yamaha midi filer......just in case....but haven;t had to use it yet....but it does make me feel better having it saved both on my home computer and for gigs on a floppy disk.

The customer support from Kurzweil has been PERFECT......you could not ask for a better support system...and you need one because the people at the store to not know sh_t. The support fellow either emails an answer or will call you personally.....and the tutorials available on the Kurzweil website are a must have for anyone who is like me and totally out of the loop with these new keyboards....sorta like PC2 for dummies......but hey..it works.

I think I would buy it again just to have 2. And even before I bought it.....I found a brand new case on Ebay.....specifically for it.
I have been playing music since I saw the Beatles when I was in 7th grade......I am from Cleveland OHIO....played locally for years....here....and at the Cleveland Agora every Wed where just about anyone who is anyone played on Monday nite concerts....where the Raspberries started out every Sunday....and where Eric Carmen picked my band to be his solo band when he quit the Raspberries...and we toured with The Beach Boys, Bob Seeger, Sweet, America, ELO, Hall & Oates, and others.....but I was only in my early 20's then...and I am 52 yrs old now....but if music is in you....it just is....so I work for a school system now....have a great family, great memories from "back in the day" as my son says.....and I still play from time to time....when someone offers me enough money ...lol!! But I am constantly playing this amazing piece of technology....as is my son who it 19 and uses it for his home pro tools studio downstairs......and like I said....it kick my ass everytime I use it.
If you are a piano player you will not find a keyboard that you will enjoy more that this one......in this mans opinion. RR thanks