Technics KN-6000

Version 6. Plus expansion chip for additional sounds.
Presets are great.
Editing is fine.
Manual is OK, but only really helpful after you have learned about the machine!

keyboard action is great and built in effects fine. New expansion chip is Ok in everything except vocal products - limited to a single octave (but this is not obvious until you ask the help desk!)

Instuments are realistic enough and easy to use. Works well for all types of music - very good list of arrangments for eraa and music types.

Very dependable. Don't do gigs, but would have thought it OK without a backup.

Help desk fine but only working days 9 to 5.

Upgrade easy to get and insert yourself - simple plug in chip (but not cheap - #199)

Would buy it again or newer version - better than Yamaha 9000. Like the impressive sounds and ease of use. Wish it would record microphone on disk. Certainly helps to make music - even if you couldn't really play.

I have not yet updated the system from 4.0, but have noticed only
minor glitches (e.g., buttons getting stuck depending on the mode
you're in). As I am computer literate, I anticipate no difficulty
updating to 5.0. The instructions for updating the system are both
straightforward and complete. As for the presets, I am very
impressed. I had a KN-3000 until getting the KN-6000, and so I am
not necessarily in a position to adequately say how things compare.
However, I will note that the piano quality seems to be a little
less robust than what I got from my KN-3000, which surprised me.
Still, the editor is great; very 'friendly' and 'intuitive'. The
manual is decent, but more of an introduction to keyboards would
have been welcome.

64-key polyphony is quite enough for home/intermediate use. I'm not
doing high-end symphonic compositions, so I am not really in need of
more than 64 simultaneous notes! I can say that the weight of the
keys is nearly perfect for my tastes; not too heavy -- no pretending
to be a 'real piano', but no sense of 'hollow keys' either. I have
no idea how well Technics will fulfill users' need for expansion.
MIDI/NX capabilities are very good, but I need more of a reason to
use them explicitly before I can comment on them. The after-touch
key feature is very nice indeed. The sequencer is outstanding and
easy to use even for a newbie/novice like myself.

The sheer variety of instruments and settings is enough to justify
buying the KN-6000. After tinkering with other keyboards, I can say
that Technics really has their eye on the ball regarding the kind of
music being made out there in the real world today. I am very
demanding, and the KN-6000 is very friendly to me. From techno to
experimental music, I have had no problem configuring things the way
I want them to be, and the playability has been exquisite in
virtually ever aspect.

The KN-6000 is high quality, obviously. Considering the MSRP, it
would have to be! I would trust it to do the job in a live situation
as easily as in a 'home alone' scenario.

I have had no reason to contact customer support. There seems to be
a healthy online community with all the answers and downloads I can
handle.

If it were lost or stolen, well, I would just cry. I could not
afford another one. Yes: it would be the one I'd buy again. I have
a lot of trust in Technics. The KN-6000 has made me realize that my
dreams just might come true.

OS version 5.00 is presently loaded, upgraded by me. The procedure is very easy and does not require any acknowledgment in computer area.
The preset sound are in my opinion the very best available on the market.
The KN6000 is overall very userfriendly.
I'm french, and I get a french manual. It is a mix-up of french and english, also because the OS is translated in french only for the Help feature and not for the functions. Anyway, the manual assumes that you know everything about keyboard technology. It's greatly missing a tutorial manual for those like me who are not confident with electronical musical instrument.

Polyphony = 10/10
Keyboard action = 10/10
Built in effects = many digital and DSP effects available. All parameters can be modified to create a new effect. Very easy to use... when you know the meaning of the parameters !
Expansion = hard disk drive, but in owner format (= very expensive).
Pedals, micro, midi connection, host to PC, etc...
I couldn't find, even if I asked it to Techmusic (=french branch), the extension memory capabilities.
MIDI capabilities are great in read mode ; I have not yet tested in write mode.
The sequencer seems to be very ease of use. Nevertheless, I prefer to use a PC software like Cakewalk for this particular task.

Sounds are the best quality I never heard. I immediately falled in love of the KN6000 when I hear it from the first time. It remains in my opinion the best one.
200 stylist with 4 variation for each plus 2 fill-in/ending plus to "breaks". This is not the best choice on the market in term of numerous (Solton X1 has much more) but their quality is perfect and fullfit my use. The 4 variations allow a professional-look of the interpretation.
The onboard effects are very nice.
The reactivity is excellent : no wait. I never had any problem with the velocity. The aftertouch can me modified to fullfit your way of playing.

I will organize very soon a karaoke gig.
I'm very confident to depend on it.

Customer support is very reactive unless they have no solution.
I asked for a technical documentation. Perhaps they do not have it, I don't know, anyway I haven't got any answer until now. Except that, I asked for many, many items. I always obtained from the Technics team a correct answer and a solution to my problem.

I love this keyboard, and I can't imagine to do without it.
I'm using it from +/- one month. I already owned a Technics GN3 for years with no problem.
I love preset sounds and rythms. When I use this keyboard, I spend my time to have great fun playing and not wasting it with barbarian and abstract setup keys.

I am currently using rom v5 and most of the bugs have been taken care of. The manual is easy to read. And updating the rom is a piece of cake.Almost everything on this keyboard can be customised right down to the large colour LCD display. with over a 1000 sounds acceable via music stylist to make tings even easier. this keyboad excells at user frendlyness

Whilst the keyboard only comes with 64 note polyphony this will be more than enough for home users.The Keyboard comes with as DSP module which alow you to make load of changes to the overall sound and comes with both GM2 and technics own and better NX sound output through the standard midi port at the back of the keyboard. A HD is already avalable and rumours are flying about a new exp board with extra sounds / rhythms etc.
and in following with the keyboards user fredlyness the sequencer ( 16 track approx 40000 ) is a very easy to use but can do amazing things

The piano sounds are second to none as are the soloist sounds the strings are a bit weak but you can modify that. works really well with most types of music especially jazz with a nice feel to the keys with good aftertouch

I have not used my keyboard on gigs ( home player ). But I have not experenced any problems

Panasonic UK are not very helpfull and know little about the keyboard . ( they also tend to cut you off when transfering you to the technics dept 3* out of 3 ). But technote and other forums are very frendly and helpfull as is my local dealer Gamlins in Cardiff UK

Could not live without it now after 3 months. looked at Yamaha psr9000 nice keyboard but not a patch on the Kn6000