Kurzweil PC3X

All top-line synths can be a bit of a struggle to use straight off the mark, but if you don't have short-term memory loss, you'll be using the PC3x without any temper tantrums very quickly.

I'm currently using software version 1.21 and there are no issues with crashes, glitches or poltergeists ;oP

Once you know where you are in the O/S, editing patches is very intuitive and logical. Envelope times are in seconds, LFOs are in hertz, amplitude is in decibels... makes sense!

The manual is constantly growing and you can trust Kurzweil to keep things updated frequently.

There are heaps of sliders (user-assignable) and lots of controller inputs - you'd run out of feet before you run out of controllers.

All in all, the learning curve's not the shortest, but worth it.

The machine has 128-note polyphony but you can cheat a bit! For example, you could have a thick detuned sawtooth patch using only 1 osc/note by using a sawtooth sample and one of the VA1 non-aliasing alorgithms running at the same time - two sounds for the price of one (note) ;oP

Each program/patch can have up to 32 layers with any velocity switching/note range that you care to choose. There's buckets of ways to modulate almost any parameter. 3 envelopes with 3 attack portions, 1 decay, 3 release portions and the envelopes can be looped. ASRs (simplified envelope... like older synths), 4 FUNs (mathematical functions), aftertouch, lots of sliders, the list goes on.

The built-in effects are very nice indeed. I won't babble on about them but you're probably not going to have to compromise on effect choice when programming new sounds.

There's room for 2 ROM expansion boards. It's Sept 08 and I don't think any have been released, but they won't be dissapointing if the internal sounds are anything to go by.

I could mention more, but everybody else already has so I won't rehash the same info.

Phwooaarr!!! Corr blimey!! Stone the crows!!! Well, almost. Despite a very few sounds that aren't utterly brilliant, the PC3x is inspiring to play.

Piano - sounds really really nice except the loops aren't going to embarrass the competition. Basically, the piano is great and sounds fantastic in any context. Go play one and judge for yourself. There are a large number of variations, each with different dynamics, sound, presence.. listen and you'll get what I mean.

Strings - wow wow wow WOW wow. The ensemble strings sounds are to die for. Luckily you don't have to die to get some for yourself. Very expressive programs allow you to play almost any style of music and you don't have to hide them in buckets of reverb or under layers of other instruments.

Orchestral - only 3 wows, but who cares. All useful, very hard to find any average sounds. No lemons.

Pads - I felt that there was a *slight* shortage of pads in the factory soundset, but the ones that are in there are really rich and full sounding. This machine can be made to make almost any pad sound you've already heard if you wanted to program it yourself. 2.5 wows.

Synth - heaps of wow but I don't think the you could ever fear not being able to emulate almost any analog machine. Seriously - the sound engine is huge and a savvy programmer could make insane noises with this thing!

Guitar - electric guitars are very respectable and the effects finish the package. You could do truly gut-wrenching rhythm guitar parts with this and ear-bleeding leads. The acoustic guitars are slightly bland in my opinion but I'm hoping an expansion ROM will change my mind.

Basses - no complaints at all. All great, all expressive, very playable.

Organs - KB3 hammond emulation is just great and can only be made even better with future software releases.... but it rocks now :o)

Electric pianos - 8 wows. Just fantastic. So many variations. Puts other 'boards to shame.

Percussion/drums - Mostly perfect. Drum programs are extremely well made ie closed hi-hat at low velocity, foot pedal at high velocity, very natural sounding. Unfortunately there seems to be less kicks and snares than I've heard in software synths but I'm crossing my fingers for some more in the ROM board(s).

Overall, this 'board has extremley playable, inuitive, musical programs which don't sound like you're playing a static soundset. It responds to your touch like you'd expect a musical instrument should and it can be used for just about any musical application without being laughed at by people that think they play 'real instruments'.

Not one problem. Weighs a tonne. Ewoks would swing this thing from trees to knock over those long-legged robots in a Star Wars battle.

The sounds are reliable in that you can trust they'll sound good in any context or situation. They're not too loud. There's no unusual EQ. Nothing has to be bathed in reverb to make it sound better. There are no sounds that would make people cringe or laugh at you.

Kurzweil update software frequently so you won't need to worry about it becoming obselete in a hurry.

The team at Kurzweil are right there in the trenches - check out the popular Kurzweil forums and you'll see what I mean.

It seems that they actually want to hear from customers and seem totally proud of the product - flaws aren't avoided and problems are resolved. Very rare indeed!

If my PC3x were lost or stolen, I'd cry for a few weeks and then go buy another one (assuming my insurance company hadn't already found me a new one).

Love: Sounds are rich, expressive, expensive-sounding and natural to play. Keyboard action is wonderful. Lots of modulation/controller options. Lots of support from Kurzweil. Huge synth engine. Wonderful effects.

Not-love: acoustic guitar sounds aren't the best, but not the worst. Piano loops could be better. Really heavy (but I'm a weakling). Doesn't cook breakfast.

It's a shame you can't load your own samples via USB and the screen could be a bit nicer, but neither of those are a burden or disincentive.

A really fantastic synth that won't dissapoint.

Have used the instrument for five months. Version 1.11.8388. I have not edited any patches, nor used the sequencer. The manual is available online and is comprehensive.

The PC3X has 128 voice polyphony. Its weighted key action feels top-flight, firm and very comfortable to play. There are many built-in effects, but I have not explored manipulating them yet since the presets on each patch have been sufficient for my tastes. There is an xD card slot for storage and sockets for ROM expansion cards. MIDI is there, as well as pressure-sensitivity. There is an on-board sequencer that I have not yet used.

The PC3X contains over 800 magnificent patches. They range from spot-on, realistic replications to the far out space-age turf.

The pianos display a wide breadth of styles - aggressive, sedate or genre specific. Combined with the keyboard???s solid feel, the pianos are very pleasurable to work with and feel about as close to playing a real acoustic as an electronic instrument can get.

Organs abound, sound thrilling, and are easily tweakable with the front panel sliders.

Orchestral instruments are, for the most part, pristinely executed. Most are presented as both soloed and in ensemble for various applications within an arrangement. String patches are numerous and often breath-taking, ranging from thinner chamber tones to thick and aggressive full orchestra applications. Brass and woodwinds are very realistic in a mix. There are many patches that blend various combinations of strings, winds, and percussion for a fast tutti fix. Percussion instruments are practically faultless ??? tympani, gongs, mallets, cymbals and most of the rest are immediately gratifying. (The oboes leave me irked with their odd and strident timbre ??? however, I compensate by using the English horn patch, which is shockingly gorgeous. Saxes are fine in ensemble patches, but with one exception ??? a soloed tenor ??? I want for some better solo sax tones, a must for cool jazz usage.)

Drumsets range from standard rockers to hip-hoppy variants. Those I have used sat well in the mix and complimented the recording.

Synths and pads have a sophisticated quality. A large gambit is run here, from in-your-face vintage synth basses to ethereal, floating delicacies. Nothing ... nothing sounds cheesy, except when intended, and even that is executed towards useful purpose.

The vintage keyboards are numerous. Many seem to tweak a memory of having been heard on a recording somewhere, and would certainly find a place in a mix when that particular sound is desired.

The nine sliders and mod wheel allow for a fast adjustment to any patch. You can quickly modify the depth of the preset effect, adjust the brightness and timbre of the tone, manipulate the balance of multiple instruments on a single patch, or morph the variations of ???whatever??? on the more esoteric synths and pads.

The keyboard reacts quite well to velocity and aftertouch. This instrument is a good match for most musical styles due to its large variety of competent sounds. Classical, jazz, rock, pop, old school and new school are well represented.

Build quality is stout. This is a heavy, metal instrument. Sliders and buttons work well. It seems as trustworthy in construction as any other keyboard I???ve encountered. I don???t gig at this time, but would certainly trust it in a live situation. I have not yet had an operational glitch occur.

I haven???t needed support during the five months I???ve owned it. Kurzweil releases continual updates on the operating system and I???ve downloaded one without incident so far. There is a PC3X forum at Sonikmatter.com which provides answers to questions from a user community. Several of Kurzweil???s engineers make daily appearances in this forum with information from a very friendly horse???s mouth.

I have been playing for 50 years. I currently am using the PC3X as my anchor keyboard. I also use a Moog Voyager and Prophet ???08. At this point I am a studio user and do not play live, so I have not addressed that facet in this review. I bought the PC3X strictly for its grab-and-go sounds and have not been disappointed.

A great strength of this keyboard is that its sounds seem custom-made to sit well in a recording. It is very much of a Swiss Army knife tool, possessing myriad tones for quality results. I haven???t explored the sequencer or sound-building capabilities, but the presets and keyboard feel alone justify the price tag to me. I have suffered no buyer???s remorse and always look forward to the next power-up.

The PC3X is a beautiful sounding instrument and a joy to play.

The user interface itself is very straight-forward and (for the most part) intuitive. There is a 2 point deduct here because of the fact that the manual and editing software are still in development.

The polyphony is more than adequate for most applications. Effects are what you have come to expect from Kurzweil, highly-usable and musical. The expansion capabilities are as of yet unknown, as there is not yet product to expand the PC3x. The onboard sequencer is a very straight-ahead piece. Remember, this is not intended to be a Korg Oasys.

This is one of the few electronic instruments that makes me want to sit and play for hours. The sounds can be described as organic, full and musical. The sounds do not suffer from the tons of compression that you will hear in many of the instruments from the major keyboard manufacturers. They will sit well in a mix or a recording. The pianos are as good or better than in any hardware piece with which I am familiar and certainly better than anything in its price range in terms of organic sounding approximations of real instruments. To get piano sounds that are better without question or argument would require a large-sample set software piece. If you want a collection of authentic sounding "meat and potatoes" sounds, the PC3x(IMHO) can not be bested by anything residing in its price range and it is superior to many instruments that are more expensive.

In addition to the organic sounds, there are other "goodies" in the Kurz. You will find some very interesting analog textures from the VA-1 component, some very lush pads, DX-style FM electric pianos, great Rhodes sounds, Wurlis, Clavs galore, basses, guitars, voices, excellent orchestral sounds, assorted drums, guitars, and a few things from the "effect" category.

I would not be afraid of taking this keyboard on a gig, but have not done so. It is in use in my studio setup as a controller and sound source. The feel is that of being well constructed. Reliability is a matter of time and this unit is still new.

The people who design, build and market this instrument are top-notch. I have had occasion to communicate with them on several occasions and they are professional, courteous and are interested in their customer.

If this unit were stolen, I would turn around and replace it with another one without even considering another produce. Go to a Kurz dealer and demo one. Make sure that the dealer has it connected IN STEREO to some reasonable speakers and live it up. A/B it against the Roland and Yamaha product in its market and see what you think. I'm willing to bet the PC3x will open your eyes to some of the flaws in the sounds of the competitors' sounds.

<b>I'm currently using V 1.20.</b>

The presets on the PC3x for the most part sound amazing. The pianos sound nice, the strings are almost untouchable by other boards, the orchestral sounds are fantastic, the choir sounds are really good, the synth sounds are great, and the Classic Keys are very, very reminiscent of the classic sounds they emulate. 95% of the sounds on this board are fantastic. The brass sounds are rather weak, especially compared to how great all of the other sounds are. Last week I would have included the organs in the brass category, but the latest OS has improved the KB3 Mode immensely and now they are very well done.

I've only done minor editing so far, since a completed manual wasn't available until this week. Without the manual, the editing options being very robust were too daunting for me to play around with. From browsing the new manual though (available online), I'm a little more comfortable at attempting to make some of my own sounds. The software editor is supposed to be available by the end of September and by the looks of the screenshots released, my score of 7 will probably go up to a 9. Be that as it may, as it stands, a 7 it is for now.

The new completed manual is very well written and helpful in learning to program, use the sequencer, use the Set-up mode, etc.

The polyphony is 128 and not like the 128 I've seen on other boards where there should be an (*) after it. I haven't run into any situation where I've asked too much of the PC3's sound engine.

I absolutely love the feel of the keys, nice balance of weight and smoothness when playing, and nice sensitivity.

There are 2 slots for ROM expansion cards for future use, a USB connection so you can update the firmware and object files, or save your files onto your computer's HDD. Unfortunately, Kurzweil chose the xD card format for removable storage as you can only use Type S cards which aren't as easy to find as say SD cards.

The onboard sequencer is pretty decent, the basics of using it were pretty easy to figure out without the manual. It is a 16 track sequencer and you can have up to 16 effects parts assigned to your Programs. Keep in mind, some sounds use more than one effect, a couple of sounds I've seen use 10 effects! However, you can also assign an AUX effect to your Programs so if there's a particular effect you're going to share amongst your programs, you can choose a program with the effect you want, place it in Track 1 and use its effect as an AUX effect on the other Programs to get your 16 effects to go a lot further.

<b>Best Sounding Board In This Price Range</b>

I have never owned a board before that has inspired me to play nearly as much as the PC3x. There's an over abundance of USABLE sounds, which I haven't seen on other boards. Usually, the program count is high, but I'd be lucky to find half of them fun to use. The PC3x does so many different sounds so well, I want to play them all. Yeah, the brass section is a little weak, but the PC3 does so many other sounds so well, it more than makes up for that one point.

The synth sounds are incredible, especially the new Supersaw from the latest OS update. And the Classic Keys selections are very close to what they're emulating, closer than any other board I've played with.

The Orchestral and Strings sections are very, very well done, the best out of box sounds in these categories by far.

It's really easy to get expressive with the sounds as the aftertouch of the keybed is done very well, the typical mod and pitch wheels are put to good use in the out of box programming, there are 9 sliders that can further enhance the sound you're using which also double as drawbars in KB3 Mode. On all programs, there's a section on the screen that says "Info" that when you select it will tell you what each button assigned to the program does; the LFO modulation, the pitch, the filter effect, enable/disable layers, etc. Also, when browsing through all of the sounds you can press the "Play" button to hear a brief demo of the program to see if it's what you're looking for at the time, very helpful feature.

If you're looking for a new keyboard, I highly suggest considering the Kurzweil PC3x because its sounds are amazing and will really bring your music and compositions to a whole new level. Make sure that when you demo one, it has at least Version 1.20 installed as this OS has cleaned up most of the bugs and incredibly improved the KB3 Mode. The manual is now available and very accessible to help you learn the more advanced features of the PC3.

If it weren't for the weak brass, I'd give this a 10 easy. Don't get me wrong, the brass sounds are on par with the comparable boards, though I'd put it in last place but not by much. However, since the rest of the sounds are so good, they seem weaker than they are.

I haven't had any mechanical or software failures yet, although I've only owned the PC3 for a couple of months. I knocked off one point for a key combination problem my unit had which I'll get more in-depth on below.

Kurzweil is by the far the most accessible company I've ever dealt with. They regularly participate in forums and use user feedback to improve their products, by fixing reported bugs (in a timely manner I might add) or improving performance (the aforementioned KB3 Mode). Since I purchased an early unit I had many questions about some of the more advanced features (no manual) and the software guys were very helpful in getting me to where I needed to be and all of my e-mails were answered promptly. I really don't see how anyone could have a problem with Kurzweil customer support.

Also, the very early units had a key problem where a couple of different key combinations wouldn't sound, and Kurzweil took care of the problem quickly with an add-on resistor that the music shop I bought my PC3 from installed in 5 minutes. I was very pleased with the quick response to the key problem. The newer units don't suffer from this problem. Such is the risk of buying a pre-release unit.

Most of what should be included in this section I've already stated. I can't say enough good things about the PC3 and how it inspires me to just play and play and play. The problems listed in the previous reviews were true of earlier iterations of the PC3 as it wasn't a completed unit, but now with the latest OS (V 1.20) it's safe to say this unit is now a safe buy. There's also another update coming in September to add a couple of other features that still haven't been implemented, and also the software editor will be released which will greatly improve the Ease of Use category.

I would definitely buy this again knowing what I know.

As I said earlier, at least give this board a play to see how great and expressive it really is.

1.21 software. The presets are not as 'glossy' sounding as, say, a Fantom or a Motif, but very playable and work really well in a mix. This is my first Kurzweil, and there's a bit of a learning curve - but I've dealt with much more difficult equipment. I learned the basics in a day or so, even without a dedicated manual. Lots of functions are the same as in the K2600, that manual has been very helpful.

Polyphony isn't an issue, I have made setups with 8-9 internal sounds as well as triggering external sounds via USB and MIDI, and there's no stopping the PC3, the timing is impeccable and the sounds are well defined. The controller capacity is vast (pun intended), and it's really easy to make complicated setups. Having all sliders, switches and other controllers assignable per patch is unmatched and extremely helpful. Playing the PC3 is like having a third hand, it's actually quite amazing. I haven't tried the sequencer, - I'm a Logic kind of guy - and I don't use the KB3 mode.

This relates to the category above; I would rate the internal sounds as 7-8/10 and the MIDI capacity as a 12/10, and it's indeed called a performance controller. Velocity has selectable curves and ranges, and I'd say it's hard to make it sound bad. If you can program it, it's a real beast. Other synths may sound biggger out of the box, but won't work as well when there are other instruments involved.

I had one crash on an older OS, now it seems solid. Almost every single synth I've had has crashed in one way or the other.

Along with DSI, probably the best support in the business. These guys really go out of the way to make us customers happy. Upgrades are regular and add functions and bug fixes, and new sounds. Upgrades via USB are a breeze.

I couldn't replace it with anything else. As a performance controller, it's the best out there - period. There are other synths out there with newer sound rom, flashy expansions and sample ram, but if you want a REAL performance controller, look no further. I used to have a Roland A-90, nothing ever reached their class when it comes to control - until now. I wish it had sample ram, but then again it's not a 'K' series synth, it's a PC. I have too many synths to list, but I can mention a M3-73, Motif ESr, Fantom Xr, PEK+PER, Nord Stage 88+Compact, Nord C1, Leslie, Andromeda, Moog LP, Roland JX3P, Vari-OS. And a couple more. :)

Very easy to navigate, the separate category buttons are a boon and once you know your fave presets, you can dial them in numerically. Elegant and adaptable.

Simply the best sounding ROMpler available today. I sold my Triton Extreme 88 to finance buying the PC3X and while I loved my Korg, the Kurzweil blows it out of the water. Immensely playable.

Patch editing is logically laid out and follows on from previous Kurzweils so great if you're an experienced user. For a newbie, the forthcoming Patch Editor will help.

Mine only came with a very brief preliminary manual but there is a proper one on the site now as a PDF download.

128-note polyphony, Dynamic VAST architecture *plus* Kurzweil's VA-1 virtual analogue thrown in too. I'm in the UK so I have the TP40-L keyboard and I love the action on it. Very smooth to play and just amazing for the piano presets.

The quality of the built-in effects are superb. Lovely ambiences from the reverbs, very gritty distortions and a host of other thick effects. I would say they easily compare / surpass my Lexicon MPX-1.

The sequencer, like all onboard sequencers I've used, is a little arcane if you're used to DAW sequencing. But if you've ever used any Korg or Yamaha onboard sequencers, you'll get to grips with it fairly quickly. In this instance, I missed the Korg's touchscreen and extra pixels.

In terms of sound quality - put it this way, I don't use most of my sample libraries any more! There is a tendency when talking about sample-based sounds to go for a 'never mind the quality, feel the width'-type argument. Obviously, the Kurzweil has less sample memory to chuck at its pianos than a dedicated multi-gigabyte library. But it's the way the presets are programmed that makes them come alive, the articulation of the samples. I have the PC3X, the 88-note version, and it is simply the most inspiring instrument I've played in a long while. It feels like I'm playing an acoustic instrument, it's that expressive.

The pianos are complemented with equally stunning orchestral, string, brass and percussion sections. The dedicated organ emulation easily beats Logic's built-in softorgan and I'd say it bests Native Instruments' effort too.

And an added cherry on the top - the Mellotron sounds in the Classic Keys bank. Wow.

If I had to say a current weakness it would be that the pure synthy side isn't as well served in the presets. The VA-1 sounds great but it's obvious that Kurzweil have aimed their presets at the more bread'n'butter player side rather than wacky synth presets. Therefore, it's not even trying to compete with the Virus TI. Which is fine, as I already have one. I would say that if you wanted it to, you could program those kind of patches in as the engine is capable of some fine tones.

Sooo... if you're making music that needs great pianos, lush strings, thundering choirs etc, the PC3(X) is a no-brainer. If you're making wild-*** dubstep or glitch, it might not be your go-to keyboard.

Never had a single crash, never had to reboot. No build-quality or finish issues either. Beautiful instrument.

This is where Kurzweil soar so far past any of their other competitors. They're present on a couple of forums I know and they respond promptly and efficiently to every user bug, issue or request. Where you get the corporate blank wall of silence from Apple, you get real, helpful, FRIENDLY humans at Kurzweil.

This is the antithesis of most major music corps nowadays. I have been so impressed by the outstanding level of service that I've recommend the Kurzweil to every player I know. That a keyboard that sounds this fabulous also has this kind of backup is simply unheard of.

I would rate this area higher than ten if I could.

This is my central master and composing keyboard now. I'm even thinking of getting a 76-note PC3 for my live room now, as I like it so much.

I've been playing synths since 1978, gigging since 1982. Professional musician since 1997. Other synths I own:
Alesis Andromeda, Memorymoog, Rogue, Source, JP8, JX-3P, Doepfer modular, Elektron MD + MM, Yamaha VL1 and more.

If I had a fantasy wish list for the Kurzweil... I wish it had:
Big, colour touchscreen to make onboard patch editing easier
Was made out of some fantasy material that would make it lighter as I have a bad back but want those 88-keys :-)

Well, since the manual won't be released until late August, I took mine back because I couldn't figure out how to use it. I got a Motif XS and it blows away the PC3x in terms of being a production powerhouse! Back to the *yawwwn* PC3x...It's not one of those keyboards where you can just start pushing buttons and start sequencing songs. The presents do sound nice-for the most part...more on that later. Editing the patches requires knowledge of advanced synthesis...not for me! Again, can't comment on the manual since there isn't one!

Polyphony is the standard 128 note. Keyboard action is good except for the physical defect that is on all of the earlier shipped units preventing one key from sounding when a certain chord group is pressed.
Apparently, according to Kurzweil, their effects are the best in the business, but the reverbs I heard were mediocre at best. I'm seriously beginning to think that Kurzweil's best at marketing only-not synth programming-like they claim...It takes 2 expansion ROM cards and it's storage is by xD cards type S, which unfortunately are going out of production for good. Sequencer is NOT umlimited tracks like what is mentioned on the website and the resolution is NOT 1500 + ppqn-again, false advertising. The sequencer res is 480 ppqn. No step sequencer.

Strings sound great, pianos are not bad, orchestral sounds not bad-except for timpanis, organs are quite well emulated and guitars are nicely done. The BRASS IS HORRIBLE on this thing to say the least. Probably some of the worst brass patch programming I have EVER heard...This board is good for churches and session players but pretty much USELESS for production, yet it's labeled as a 'Full Blown Music Production Workstation'. THAT is an outright LIE. Kurzweil ain't what it used to be...

Not reliable, I've read horror stories of it locking up during live performances...can you imagine?!! Plus the defective units are just unacceptable in my opinion. They should have been thoroughly tested before going out the door. Common sense right?!

At first, very helpful, but they don't like to be reminded of their many mistakes and they can't understand why people are miffed having been waiting for a manual for almost 3 months now?!!

I own a Motif XS (AMAZING) an MPC 4000 (AMAZING) and an ASR 10 (AMAZING). The PC3x will undoubtably be looked at as Kurzweil's first big mistake since almost going bankrupt a few years ago. Plain and simple, they're charging $1000.00 too much for it.

Version 1.1.1
Old fashion LCD display but the PC3x is conceived to be played right out of the box. There are plenty of editing capabilities but, until the promised soft editor will be released, you have to do the tweaking by means of a quite poor interface.
Presets are very good and Rock/Blues oriented. The manual is clear but not so complete.

128 notes polyphony. 88 piano-like keys with aftertouch. The action is a little softer than Yamaha or Korg equivalents. You have multi-effect with routing capability but I have still not gone too deep in that. There is a xD Card slot for saving of program, settings and songs. A USB port can be used for midi transmission and for load/save of files on a PC or MAC. There are some Expansion slots for ROM samples but at the moment no option is available on the Kurzweil website. The PC3x has full midi controller capabilites with 9 sliders (read drawbars too) and many buttons. The sequencer is also there and it can work in combination with the arpeggiator to trigger riffs or full songs from Program or Setup mode

As Kurzweil's owner know the top sounds are the acoustic and electric pianos. These really shine if you think the total ROM is only 64Mb!! The KB3 organ simulation is also very realistic and playable. Orchestral sounds are not so bad either. I would say that the focus is on the sound of the 70s but what is most important is the playability of the presets. This is a keyboard that makes you want to play!!

I have it since 1 week so no real feedback on this. Nevertheless it is well built and it has already stand a trip of 900Km on the backseats of my car

I have upgraded the OS from the Kurzweil site and it worked very good.

At the moment I'm very happy of this unit. I was evaluating the purchase of a Korg M3 or a Yamaha Motif XS8 but I think this PC3x has everything I need. I'm a longtime KORG user and I can notice the difference in the sound. It is not a matter of pure audio quality. It is the character of the sound that is richer and warm. I love Korg instruments for their power, user interface and ergonomy but if you're looking for a musical instrument this one is for you. You can get much higher quality and ergonomy with a DAW if you need it. Only regret is on the lack of possibility for loading some user samples. Let's hope for the future expansions