Kurzweil SP-88

Mostly simple to use. Some people don't like the hassle ofprograming the ribbon controllers. Very straight forward.

Its good for a stage piano. That means no expansion, no sequencer, basic poli. Action is good, a little less heavy than a piano action. It is a little bulky compared to others (P80, SP100).

Ok, here I'll disagree with some other posts. I checked it against Korg SP100, Yamaha P80, Yamaha S80, etc. I believed my ears (took the care to test under same conditions, amp, speakers, etc). SP100: don't like the pianos (unrealistic). P80: a little tood dark (almost dull), no matter how much brilliance you added, eps not so good. S80: well this is apples and oranges, but lets say S80 is very good but I liked the Kurz pianos better. The Kurz cuts much better through a mix. The only contender (to my ears) in the piano/action arena was the XV88, but that one costs more than twice than the SP88.

Well, I heard stories about previous models but I think they have improved. Looks and feels very sturdy.

No need yet, and expect not to have to.

Lost or stolen, I think I'll get it again. Have been playing for 12 years. Spent a lot of time listening what was available and could not find anything as good within the price range, even if I added $600 more. Probably the workstations (K2600, Triton expanded, Motif) may sound better (I wonder how much better) but would end up more paying more than twice the price for a truckload of features I don't need. That would not be wise.

Playing the presets is very easy but as soon as you dig into programming midi setups to use the SP88 as midi controller it can be quite confusing.

Keyboard action is a quite light-weighted action but I like it very much. Effects are not that great but you can get along with them.
Midi setups can be used to control external synth modules.

I'm using the SP 88 and Yamaha Motif 7 live on stage and the SP 88 controls some rack synths. One problem is that you cannot send a midi bank select event (only program change). That can be very annoying from time to time.

Programmable ribbons are a very cool feature!!

Pianos are good (Motif's are a little better), EPs are great, rest is OK. All the sounds are based on Kurzweil's Micropiano!

I use it mainly as a controller but it is a great sounding board if you consider its price!!

No problems yet, looks very reliable, feels good BUT has an external power supply - and I hate those ;-)

no problems yet

I like the SP88 very much as a controller keyboard. The action is great for me but not very good if you compare it to a real piano action. I can use the ribbons to control Motif 7 which unfortunately hasn't got ribbon controllers!

Negative:

- external power supply
- only one foot control input
- 3 digit LED display only

I bought the SP88 from my local music store at a very special price and I would certainly miss it if was stolen or lost.

The SP-88 is very easy to use strait out of the box. My only complaint is that editing the patches can be a task without reading a lot of the manual. The buttons can also be cumbersom at times.

The keyboard action is fantastic. This modle has 32 note polyphony. The built in effects can be lacking at times, but are decent for the most part. The SP-88 makes a great MIDI controller.

The grand piano is very realistic when put through quality speakers. The EPs are exelent. Organs aren't the best, but can still be used. Strings are also very good on this unit.

Very reliable and sturdy.

Nothing has ever gone wrong, so I've never dealt with kurzweil.

I very much enjoy this unit and i would replace it if it were lost or stolen.

TURN IT ON AND PLAY JUST DON'T TOUCH ANY PADS WHEN RED LIGHTS ARE BLINKING UNLESS YOU HAVE READ THE MANUAL
I LIKE A DEEPER SOUND I TRANSPOSE IT -12 FOR MY PIANO SOUNDS
CHECK OUT THE KURZWEIL WEB SITE FOR TUTURIOL HELP !!!!
THANKS KUIRZWEIL FOR THAT THE MANUAL STINKS
THE EFFECTS LEVELS NEED TO BE TURNED DOWN ON EACH SOUND

CONTROLER CAPABILITIES BUT HAVE TO BE PROGRAMED AS A SETUP
THE ACTION CAN BE CHANGED AS A GLOBAL FUNCTION I FOUND THE #2 SETTING MORE TO MY LIKING
THE EFFECTS COULD BE A LOT BETTER BUT ARE USEABLE WHEN THE WET DRY LEVEL IS LOWERED

PIANOS,EPS,STRINGS (GOOD) REALLY GOOD JUST PLAY THEM THROUGH A REALLY GOOD AMP OR A GOOD PA
I USE A CRATE KX220 AND PEAVEY KB300 ANYTHING LESS IN THE AMP DEPARTMENT WILL LEAVE YOU DISATISFIED
I LEFT THE ORGANS OUT ON PURPOSE YOU READ BETWEEN THE LINES
VELOCITY NO AFTERTOUCH

NO PROBLEMS
MY SUSTAIN SOMETIMES DOES NOT SUSTAIN AS IT SHOULD AND CUT OF MUCH TO QUICKLY

KURZWEIL DOES ADDRESS IT MANUALS SHORTCOMING ON IT WED SITE

I CAN RUN TO THE MUSIC STORE WITH THIS KEYBOARD UNDER MY ARM AND STILL HAVE ENOUGH BREATH TO TALK TO A SALES PERSON. IT IS WORTH THE PRICE. THE SETUPS TAKE SOME TIME TO SET UP RIGHT AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE SUSTAIN BUG ME BUT THE MORE I PLAY IT THE MORE I LIKE IT
I'VE OWNED IT ALMOST A YEAR THIS IS MY SECOND REVIEW
WHEN I PLAY THE SP WITH MY KORG N364 I FIND THE SENDS ARE NOT AS HOT
AS THE 364 AND HAS TO BE COMPINSATED FOR. THE S80 YAMAHA IS THE ONLY BOARD I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AS A REPLACEMENT IF THEY MADE IT IN A LIGHTER PACKAGE THE S30 DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME SOUND OR SOUNDS AS THE S80

Easy to use, great preset control over external modules. I think this is a great low-cost controller for the money I paid for i new.

A perfect board to take out. Great semi-weighted action in a reasonably light and compact unit (considering that it's 88 keys)

Again, IMHO great unit for controlling external modules. Somebody else said they didn't know if they'd like the ribbon controllers (unit doesn't have actual wheels), but found that they really did. Me too, never used them before now - totally cool. Great action for its price, good transmitted MIDI velocity response, allowing fine expression when using external modules.

2 zones, with overlapping ability, for external modules. Can transpose each zone independently. etc etc.. Assign up to 32 "presets" for performances like this. Again, for the money a GREAT controller.

I have to say that I almost rarely disagree with the consensus opinion of the reviews in Harmony Central (when there are more than one or two responses), but I just can't see all of you good folks saying such good things about this thing's sounds. C'mon you guys, give me a break! All of its sounds blow. BUT- I am happy to know that they're there as a "disaster recovery" fallback should either of my two main external modules fail in any way. I've got a 12 year old Roland U220 module (that uses 12/16 bit samples) that kicks the crap out of this thing's sounds. If I had to fallback to the SP88's internal sounds, I'd hear about it later from the rest of the band. Hmmmm......

Can't say yet

No experience

I've been thinking about buying a second one as a backup. I got mine for $475 US (NEW!). If you can, get one - at anywhere within a $450 - 500 price range, because you will not (!) find a better controller in or anywhere near that range. But, you best have some of your own external sound modules...

Changing patches is quick and easy. Editing seems a bit cryptic at first but after 10 mintues with it you'll be flipping thru it like a breeze. I didn't know if i'd like the ribbon controllers but i love them! Very respnsive and intuitive.

I have the 88X with weighted action. 32 note poly, chorus, reverb, pianos, epianos, organs, strings... you know the list by now. This board is made for piano players, not for knob twiddlers, so has just what it needs to do that well.

The 2 main reasons I bought this were a) piano sounds and b) action. I've been playing a PC88 at church for the past few years and fell in love with its tight, quick action and great pianos. Since I didn't need all the PC's MIDI functions I went with the SP. The piano sounds are THE best, period, hands down, make no mistake. Any other reviews here that say otherwise are probly running the SP thru a two-bit, dime-store amplifier or headphones. All of the paino sounds are sonically rich but it takes a decent amp or sound system to bring it out. I've been playing for 30 years, electronics and the real deal alike and nothing touches the Kurz piano sounds. The SP88 patches are a subset of the PC88's. Same samples are used on both. (this verified twice by Kurz). The elec pianos are superb and cover a wide array of types. You already know the acoustic pianos are tops...

Also, a couple reviews mention the samples being short, with short decay times. All i can say to that is... H U H ? ? If your SP is short on decay time, you'd better get either it or your ears in for service because that is simply insane. Does it resonate as long as a real acoustic piano? Of course not! But the decay is so long that it's more than any human would need or want anyway.

Given the above 2 facts plus a full set of velocity/effort (touch) ratios, the SP, like the PC88 is unbeatable for expressive playing. The action is quick and solid. The heaviest hand to the most subtle nuance can be captured. The patches respond perfectly to your touch.

If I had to complain, it would be about the organ and string patches and a bit on the FX. The organ samples are usable but could be a bit better. The string samples are a bit raspy and unreal to me, but are again very usable. The chourus effect could use a bit more savvy than just wet/dry and the reverbs are a bit on the cheap side. The 'room' verbs are quite good though, and all the verbs in general are usable.

Ask me again in a year or 5.

n/a

For the money, you flat out will not find a better board. Actually, for 3 times the money, you're gonna be hard pressed to beat it for simple, playable functionality. If you need industrial strength MIDI control, get PC88 or PC2. If you are a piano player and not a knob tweaker, want great sounds and great action, this board fits the bill.

the presets are good and easy to navigate, editing is easier than ensoniq, which I owned before.
the manual is short and consise.

when I do glisando it failes the polifony....
I use the effects for editing some pianos that sound a little thin
it ghas no sequencer and the keys are ok.

the acoustic pianos are thin, but if you give them a little of chorus they get better

the incredible thing about this keyboard is the weight only 13 Kg.
I owned an Ensoniq TS 12, (great but very heavy) and difficult to transporte. the Kurzweil SP 88 is only 7 cm. longer than the ensoniq,and wheights half of it.

I thought it was pretty easy to figure out the layout; it's all presets with a couple of splits and layers, and you can also set the wet/dry on the effects. I own a Kurz K2000, so this was pretty simple comparatively. The manual tells you all you need to know. Some folks complained about the LED readout. Chances are that once you've saved a couple re-edited patches, you won't be doing a lot of editing at the gig. Basically, if you can drive a car...blah, blah, blah.

To answer an earlier reviewer, the polyphony is 32 voices. I've never run out of voices. I love the action on this keyboard and it's the main reason I bought it. I gig a lot and do a lot of switching from Hammond to piano. The semi-weighted action makes the transition a lot easier and it still has enough spring to let you know you're playing a piano. Full-weighted pianos tire me out after a 4 hour gig (I know, whahhh!) There aren't a lot of 88-note semi-weighted's out there - this might be the only one. Overall, I think it feels pretty damn good for a piano that weighs ONLY 30 LBS.!!! 2 independant MIDI outs and 3 ribbons (God, I love ribbons); not too bad for a medium priced controller. The effects are merely OK; if you're a purist you'll want to use something outboard.

I think the pianos sound good; the EP's are especially good. I used to use a Kurzweil MicroPiano module, which I liked. Kurzweil basically took the MicroPiano and tweeked the sounds and then added a keyboard for the SP76/88. Sure, I have 32Mg sampled pianos on my K2000 that are sonically better, but the SP88 seems mainly designed for Rock & Jazz performance. Classical musicians, as a rule, aren't looking for pianos they can tuck under their arm and throw in the back of their Honda. All the sounds are the usual high Kurzweil quality. I have to wonder what kind of amps some of the other reviewers were playing through.

It's got a metal shell. 'Nuff said.

I've always had a good relationship with Kurzweil and Sweetwater Sound. No complaints.

I'd certainly buy another one. I've been playing 25 years; I started out bloodying my fingers on Fender Rhodes action and since then I've owned 'em all (MiniMoogs, Hammond C3, Yamaha CS80, Wurlitzers, DX7, etc.) Currently I gig with my SP88 and a loaded Kurzweil K2VP played through a Barbetta Sona 32c.
I think that this piano does an excellent job of doing what it's designed to do. A lot of the above complaints seemed like the SP88 was being compared to keyboards that were not in it's league. Kurzweil themselves make better controllers (PC2), but of course they cost more. All of these things being subjectable, there are better piano sounds available and maybe better actions, but you'd be hard pressed to find them on an 88-note heyboard that only costs around $700. Did I mention that it only weighs 30 lbs.?

It only took a day to get into most of the workings. As a stand alone it is simple- just choose your preset, and set the effects if desired. It seems like all the midi controller functions are present, but it can be a real click-a-rama to get to them all. The manual is clear and sufficient for the more experienced, but a midi beginner will have to get more info elsewhere. The 8 rating is due to the use of the 7 segment numeric LED display for alphabetic info, necessitating one to grok cryptic glyphs. It seems like a 60's atavism. Although it is easy to see in the dark, it couldn't have been that much more costly to incorporate an alpha display.

The action is standard plastic-fantastic synth keyboard. I have played acoustic piano mainly, but don't require a keyboard that is not an acoustic piano to feel like one. The use of weighted action is, in my opinion, over-rated, especially if you intend to lug 88 of them around. This one weighs only 30 lbs. The licks and chops come through just fine as it stands, with plenty of sensitivity.

The sound module is not multitimbral when controlled by a sequencer.

As a controller, one can split the keyboard into overlapping layers. One feature that I found interesting, was the possibility to cross fade velocity controller information between two layers. This should make it possible for anyone to get precisely the feel they want. For most uses, it should have all the midi features needed. There are 32 programable midi setup locations, each one easily accessed in performance.

The effects are reverb and chorus, which can be set to any level for any preset, and saved for the future. There is no option for any expansion. There are three ribbon controllers that can be sent to any location, although the internal sounds do not respond to pitch bend.

Overall, very good quality. I did an A-B test in the store with a PC88MX, and found the two to be virtually identical in piano sounds. Again, as an acoustic player, I know there is no way to recreate the effect of 400 pounds of a Yamaha Conservatory's wood and steel. The piano sounds like a good recording of a piano. It will demand the best speakers to make the best results.

The rest of the voices are like a class reunion for all the keyboards I have owned in the past. The Hammond sounds are great, the Fender Rhodes is excellent, and the DX-7 ep also. Strings are good. Happily, no harpsichord 8>), but they stuck in a tack hammer piano instead |>( . For the 32 presets, there are only a few that I would never bother with, which is a high percentage in my experience.

The velocity control is quite sensitive, and is also user adjustable.

Just got it, so can't say. My only concern is that it is made in Korea.

It is definitely worth the going price. I paid a bit more out here in the Pacific. I got into electronic pianos when the first Yamaha Clavinova came out, as there was difficulty keeping up my acoustic. I quit the Clavinova after a short time as it ended up sounding like buzz saws- very fatiguing. Same goes for the DX-7. The FM synthesis I find to be generally tiresome, save for the Rhodes-like patches. So far the SP88, while not a concert grand, is very clean sounding to my ear. It doesn't pay to be too critical however, because everything will have a flaw that can be made to stand out.

Initially I was going to go the controller/module route, but after playing this one in the store, I found I liked the sound and the light weight sufficiently to walk out with it. I looked at Yamaha also, but the price on the SP88 was lower.

It makes for a good musical experience, especially the Rhodes preset. I will be getting a sound module of some sort, and with that it should provide all I need for the jazz/fusion style I play.

Well if you are just using the internal settings and patches its pretty easy to use. If you are trying to figure out the midi patching its a little more complex, but after a day I figured out the logic behind it and it made more sense. Still the 3 led display is a bit slim on info and looks like its written in klingon at first glance.

It has lots of polyphony and the keyboard action is between synth action and piano. Its like a stiff synth action keyboard. If you're a piano player you won't like it. The effects basically run from less reverb/chorus to more reverb/chorus. But then again its a stage piano.

The organ, strings and electric piano sounds are standard. They sound good but are overused. The acoustic piano sounds are the real drawback to this thing. basically there is very limited sustain/release. It feels as if they sampled middle c and didn't bother to add any looping to the high end to keep the sustain/rel going. It just cuts off after about 4 seconds. Granted this is not a real piano on which a note will sound for a good 10 seconds or more, but come guys. Ram for storing samples is cheap these days... add some to sustain to the notes. I find it amazing that a Kurzweil, the maker of some of the finest synths and keyboards in the world, would put out something this limiting. If you are a composer or pianist you will hate this keyboard. Infact for any serious composition it's just plain useless. I supose its fine for a midi controller, with the exception of the lack of actual control wheels, but its more expensive than the 88 key Fatar controller. Buy the Korg piano or buy the fatar and a good piano module.

Seem reliable and rugged. The case is metal and its nice and sturdy.

Do no buy this keyboard for anything other than a midi controller or electric piano/organ. I own a korg polysix and a korg ms2000r and a basic midi controller keyboard currently. Not good for composition or playing as a piano.