I own all of these instruments, including a PC2R,
Triton Rack, XV3080 (same as xv88 guts), MOTIF8 and
Trinity rack... here are my observations:
a) The Kurzweil K2600 is simply the finest
"instrument" available, bar none. If you truly "play",
you will appreciate every opportunity this instrument
offers to allow you to express yourself. The sonic
quality is beyond compare. The sounds available are
unrivaled. GIGA offers a wider library now, but their
quality is poor, in my opinion. Plus, it is highly
dependent on the I/O quality of your computer,
D-interface, etc. Also, GIGa's filters suck. There is
no comparison. Strip the TRITON effects away (or play
the sounds in multi-mode) and you will be quickly
disappointed. Korg is great at presets. If you are
only ever going to play presets, then get the regular
TRITON or the XV88, and have fun.
b) For feel, I actually prefer the my MOTIF8 keyboard.
That's actually why I bought it, for a great
controller. I use a Kurzweil K2600 (76 note) which I
find easier to transport, + I play very hard, and
derive comfort from the fact I am not "wailing" on the
most expensive piece of equipment I own. I will wear
out other 88-note boards first, and preserve my gem.
The new TRITON Studio board is actually very good, but
that's a lot of dough for a nice keyboard feel and a
hard drive.
c) For depth, programmability, and expression, the
K2600 is also unmatched. I bought a companion PC2R
with Orchestral ROM (more coming soon) to compensate
for any polyphony envy I may experience (but not
yet!). The PC2R with the K2600 + a TRITON Rack will
give you every musical solution you need from Pop to
film score. Adding modules after that is simply
overkill, or gear greed. My advice is to LEARN your
instrument, not acquire it. The K2600 is a master's in
synthony, for anyone interested in taking the journey.
The TRITON is also very deep, but you will find
yourself disappointed at the ends of lots of roads.
Trust me. I know dozens of folks who brought it back.
d) Finally, it comes down to preference. Don't play it
in Guitar Center or wherever, while the demo dude
wow's you with whatever unit is spiffed this week
(sell #, win a prize). Also, go headphones, as the
in-store mixing system may fool you. Also - don't play
the demo sequences. If you like demo sequences, then
simply by Acid with some loops or go around the corner
to BestBuy, purchase the CD of the group you wish to
emulate, and save a couple grand. Use your fingers,
your brain, and your heart to decide. You will be
paying for it, you will be playing it.... choose an
instrument you can grow with.
If you seek quick, great-sounding patches with loops
built-in, and very little work involved- get a Karma
or Triton. If you want to create sonic masterpieces
and become different than the next Joe-musician (no
offense to any Joe's out there), go Kurzweil. I know
there is a lot of banter about sample format dropping,
etc, with regards to Kurz, but think of it this way:
they sell more Toyotas than Mercedes.... but, you
really want a Mercedes, don't you?
-Christian
www.themeworksmusic.com
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance - Get real-time stock quotes
http://finance.yahoo.com
To QUIT KurzList, send a *blank* message to kurzlist-***@yahoogroups.com
It will take from 24 to 48 hours for Yahoo!Groups to cancel you.
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/