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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:	* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:	Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:	DYPSS1::SCHAFER

Created:	Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:	Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2852
Total number of notes:	33157

2504.0. "Questions on Kurzweil 250." by AIMTEC::SIMPSON_L () Thu Nov 29 1990 13:16

    Hello.
    
    I was in a keyboard store here in Atlanta
    Ga. the other day and was given a demo of the Kurzweil 250.
    I was quite impressed.  It sounded much better than other synths I have
    heard.
    
    Could anyone tell me more about this keyboard?
    
    How does it compare to others as far as ease of use,
    sounds, keyboard piano-like action, etc...
    Also what is a good price for this model keyboard.
    The store here is asking $7500.  Is that reasonable?
    Has anything come out that people think is better from Kurzweil?
    
    Any info would be greatly appreciated.
    
    Thanks.
    
    Laurie

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
2504.1	You could do lots better and save money	KEYS::MOELLER	Forgot 2 pay my gravity bill again	`Thu Nov 29 1990 13:41`	33
	>SH KEY/FULL KURZWEIL >KURZWEIL 2.0, 25.0, 511.0, 1066.0, 1815.0, 1899.0, 1999.0, 2052.0,2057.0, 2090.0, 2169.0, 2218.0, 2309.0 Laurie, as you can see, there's LOTS of notes in here regarding Kurzweil. A few things I can say about the 250 : - it's impressive, especially the grand piano, strings, and choir - it's OLD.. as in "early 1980's" old. - it has 'only' 12-voice polyphony. (newer Kurzweil gear has more) - it has an internal sequencer (do you need one?) - it does digital sampling (do you need to?) - it's pretty expensive clarification : for $7500 you could build a more modular setup that would give you more notes for your bucks, with a REAL sequencer and external effects. - Kurzweil has been bought out by another company and no one has seen anything yet from the reformed company - Kurzweil repackaged the 250's sound-generating capabilities, MINUS digital sampling and internal sequencer in the 1000 series, giving up to TWICE the polyphony (24 voices simultaneously), in either a rack-mount (going for under $700 these days) or keyboard version. Don't know the going prices for the keyboard version... - So the K250 is NOT really current nor cost-effective, in my very humble opinion. You could do a LOT more with your $7500. The k1000 might be a far more reasonable investment - the same piano, strings, choir, 24-note polyphony, with the ability to have over 200 sounds available at the push of a button. If you moved into multitrack sequencing, the K1000 would play multiple parts simultaneously. karl in Tucson
2504.2	On the other hand, Stevie Wonder has (had?) one	DOOLIN::HNELSON	Evolution in action	`Fri Nov 30 1990 11:04`	10
	The K250 also has just two outs, I believe. With $7500, you could probably get about 50-75 outs. (You'd need to spend $7500 on a mixer, though :). I've seen it advertised in the back of the synth mags for $3000-4000. The K250 comes in lots of versions, though; esp. does it have all the sound blocks (A,B,C,D,?). The sampling might be optional too. I saw a used one (briefly owned it, in fact) which had enough use that the center part of the keyboard had become sticky and clacky. In general, I'd suggest NOT. - Hoyt
2504.3	Thanks for the helpful advice.	AIMTEC::SIMPSON_L		`Fri Nov 30 1990 13:30`	12
	Thanks very much Karl and Hoyt for the advice. I'm going to do some looking around at other Kurzweil posibilities which appear to be a good deal cheaper. Maybe the module and an 88-key piano-like keyboard. I really like those Kurzweil sounds much better than any others I've heard so far. Thanks again for the suggestions. Laurie
2504.4		DOPEY::DICKENS	What are you pretending not to know ?	`Thu Dec 06 1990 12:55`	3
	Caveat, Kurzweil module emptor, I have heard some scary stories about problems handling heavy midi traffic. They've probably been discussed here somewhere. Those things were sold off in a real hurry, purportedly because of the problems.