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« Good Workstation »
Published on 03/18/13 at 03:50This is a shot of the admiral workstation PC361 in a light version but build quality almost worthy of a premium.
In this sense, it has the same engine (VAST) the premium (PC3 and PC3K) but with half the polyphony and fewer effects simultaneously. Rom is 64MB with a thousand presets. It has a powerful multi-effects, arpeggiators simultanéments 16, 8 velocity-sensitive pads and fully programmable, 5 knobs control, analog output symmetrized (!) 24-bit, etc ...
It has a Program mode with 2560 locations sound (!), A setup mode which is a combination of sounds (up to 32 tones) with 2560 locations (!) Song mode (sequencer, Master mode ( for the basic setting of the machine), Quick Access mode (for direct access to the sounds uttered, great for live) and a way for media access to the USB drive (to save or read its presets). A publisher external (surcharge) is available. Connectivity is archi-complete with a coaxial digital output (something that is rare in this range of keyboard today).
The machine is very complete and is not restricted. Frankly nothing that level number of dun Setup (combination mode), he eats the head to the set of all workstation market. When you see a Motif XF with 3 banks use combinations when it proposes PC3LE 20 (!), We understand why the "modest" Kurzweil happens to offer much better then the monster Yamaha is stingy in this area. Kurzweil thank you not to follow this philosophy ...
UTILIZATION
The machine has a small screen in front of the competition, not look but I find fared too badly in terms of editing, it comes with some effort to master a little silly, but the publisher can really be useful for the manual is correct, especially since it is available in French in PDF format.
The edition is generally not the easiest worstations market, especially in terms of effects because it has access to channels of effects (more than 1000) that are not specifically listed by type, which is especially annoying when you just want to put a delay or tremolo quickly must scroll through the presets to find happiness, and can be reached but it is less simple than that traditionally found.
At programming sounds themselves what is frustrating is not just shaping the sound easily. Let me explain a pattern, you want to adjust the attack or release a sound, just run two pots and the result is immediate. On the Kurzweil, since the VAST synthesis is super full, we have 3 types of attack and release 3 types of this profusion of possibilities and prevents simple access to basic parameters must get their hands dirty really and sometimes it is surprising not to get the desired result. It's frustrating. This is a machine that really demand a minimum investment staff.
SOUNDS
Overall, the sounds are very good to excellent, There is not a single register which is bad. Legal section for example where acoustic sets violins and choirs are above the competition (even large Motif XF and Korg Kronos). It has really sounds fun to hear and fun to play. The pianos are not great, but we found on the net piano well beyond those programmed original (and even better than that found on the Motif XS). The electric pianos are very good, in all orchestral sounds are really good, way above the competition (especially for strings which I repeat, are wonderful). KB3 mode I was not convinced at the Hammond B3, it seems from what I've read on the web that this mode is another register of high-end versions (PC3 and PC3k) who has made highly realistic.
Synthetic sounds are back to me, but I can confirm that properly programmed, the machine can deliver big sound. For example, I downloaded a free sound bank 50 which takes advantage of the VA synthesis is the killing, we arrive at the competition. Against by filters do not sound extraordinary, they do their job but nothing more.
The effects section is excellent and varied, and can offer a number of interesting parameters (clearly seen when using publisher), we find happiness but must spend some time there.
Fatar keyboard is really well suited to control finesse the sounds of pianos and is a really interesting quality with aftertouch. It is very far from the trend of poor keyboards worstation mid-range of time (Yamaha or Korg Krome MOX6).
The origins SetUp (combinations of sounds) are the number of 256 are interesting to me is music. I find that with the exception of twenty presets, the rest is not level combinations found on a Motif XS for example. It's a shame, because with 16 arpeggiators simultaneously, 32 sounds simultaneously, there were material to do great things ... shame ...
OVERALL OPINION
I have this machine since January 2013. I previously had a lot of other worstations and synths (Korg Triton, Motif ES, Korg Tr, Korg X50, Korg M50, ...).
This is a great machine that does not look at the start because combinations less impressive than Korg or Yamaha. Yet the sound level and ability, it is very efficient.
Most:
- Very good Fatar keyboard with aftertouch
- Large amount of memory users at all levels (competition should take a leaf)
- Sounds Acoustic overall high stolen
- VA synthesis which, although programmed synth offers really good
- Robust construction that inspires confidence
- Analog outputs very good and balanced
- Coaxial digital output
- Great programming options
- Section of various effects and quality
- Compatible with more or less the PC3 series (a lot of presets findable on the net)
- Editor PC / MAC (surcharge)
Cons:
- Complicated access to basic parameters in shaping the sound (attack, release, for example) that are easier on other workstations competitors.
- Setting effects is not simple because there is no classification by genre, and no one has access to chains of effects and not to each effect individually.
- The SetUp (combinations of sounds) are less interesting than those found in the competition, often little musical and usable in my opinion.
- Filters do the job but are not great (those of the Motif XS sound better I think)
- Pianos origins are not great, you must make the effort to find well programmed on the net and there is happiness.
- Hammond sounds (by the way KB3) I was not convinced
Today I hesitate with a Motif XS, but still significantly more expensive used (I paid 700 euros PC3LE must add 300/400 more for the reason that XS has the advantage of still propose sampling), but ultimately I care because despite its few flaws, it has qualities that are not found on the Motif XS.
The quality / price ratio has no equal, well above the mid-range workstations like Yamaha MOX6 and other Korg keyboards with their Krome FisherPrice.
In this sense, it has the same engine (VAST) the premium (PC3 and PC3K) but with half the polyphony and fewer effects simultaneously. Rom is 64MB with a thousand presets. It has a powerful multi-effects, arpeggiators simultanéments 16, 8 velocity-sensitive pads and fully programmable, 5 knobs control, analog output symmetrized (!) 24-bit, etc ...
It has a Program mode with 2560 locations sound (!), A setup mode which is a combination of sounds (up to 32 tones) with 2560 locations (!) Song mode (sequencer, Master mode ( for the basic setting of the machine), Quick Access mode (for direct access to the sounds uttered, great for live) and a way for media access to the USB drive (to save or read its presets). A publisher external (surcharge) is available. Connectivity is archi-complete with a coaxial digital output (something that is rare in this range of keyboard today).
The machine is very complete and is not restricted. Frankly nothing that level number of dun Setup (combination mode), he eats the head to the set of all workstation market. When you see a Motif XF with 3 banks use combinations when it proposes PC3LE 20 (!), We understand why the "modest" Kurzweil happens to offer much better then the monster Yamaha is stingy in this area. Kurzweil thank you not to follow this philosophy ...
UTILIZATION
The machine has a small screen in front of the competition, not look but I find fared too badly in terms of editing, it comes with some effort to master a little silly, but the publisher can really be useful for the manual is correct, especially since it is available in French in PDF format.
The edition is generally not the easiest worstations market, especially in terms of effects because it has access to channels of effects (more than 1000) that are not specifically listed by type, which is especially annoying when you just want to put a delay or tremolo quickly must scroll through the presets to find happiness, and can be reached but it is less simple than that traditionally found.
At programming sounds themselves what is frustrating is not just shaping the sound easily. Let me explain a pattern, you want to adjust the attack or release a sound, just run two pots and the result is immediate. On the Kurzweil, since the VAST synthesis is super full, we have 3 types of attack and release 3 types of this profusion of possibilities and prevents simple access to basic parameters must get their hands dirty really and sometimes it is surprising not to get the desired result. It's frustrating. This is a machine that really demand a minimum investment staff.
SOUNDS
Overall, the sounds are very good to excellent, There is not a single register which is bad. Legal section for example where acoustic sets violins and choirs are above the competition (even large Motif XF and Korg Kronos). It has really sounds fun to hear and fun to play. The pianos are not great, but we found on the net piano well beyond those programmed original (and even better than that found on the Motif XS). The electric pianos are very good, in all orchestral sounds are really good, way above the competition (especially for strings which I repeat, are wonderful). KB3 mode I was not convinced at the Hammond B3, it seems from what I've read on the web that this mode is another register of high-end versions (PC3 and PC3k) who has made highly realistic.
Synthetic sounds are back to me, but I can confirm that properly programmed, the machine can deliver big sound. For example, I downloaded a free sound bank 50 which takes advantage of the VA synthesis is the killing, we arrive at the competition. Against by filters do not sound extraordinary, they do their job but nothing more.
The effects section is excellent and varied, and can offer a number of interesting parameters (clearly seen when using publisher), we find happiness but must spend some time there.
Fatar keyboard is really well suited to control finesse the sounds of pianos and is a really interesting quality with aftertouch. It is very far from the trend of poor keyboards worstation mid-range of time (Yamaha or Korg Krome MOX6).
The origins SetUp (combinations of sounds) are the number of 256 are interesting to me is music. I find that with the exception of twenty presets, the rest is not level combinations found on a Motif XS for example. It's a shame, because with 16 arpeggiators simultaneously, 32 sounds simultaneously, there were material to do great things ... shame ...
OVERALL OPINION
I have this machine since January 2013. I previously had a lot of other worstations and synths (Korg Triton, Motif ES, Korg Tr, Korg X50, Korg M50, ...).
This is a great machine that does not look at the start because combinations less impressive than Korg or Yamaha. Yet the sound level and ability, it is very efficient.
Most:
- Very good Fatar keyboard with aftertouch
- Large amount of memory users at all levels (competition should take a leaf)
- Sounds Acoustic overall high stolen
- VA synthesis which, although programmed synth offers really good
- Robust construction that inspires confidence
- Analog outputs very good and balanced
- Coaxial digital output
- Great programming options
- Section of various effects and quality
- Compatible with more or less the PC3 series (a lot of presets findable on the net)
- Editor PC / MAC (surcharge)
Cons:
- Complicated access to basic parameters in shaping the sound (attack, release, for example) that are easier on other workstations competitors.
- Setting effects is not simple because there is no classification by genre, and no one has access to chains of effects and not to each effect individually.
- The SetUp (combinations of sounds) are less interesting than those found in the competition, often little musical and usable in my opinion.
- Filters do the job but are not great (those of the Motif XS sound better I think)
- Pianos origins are not great, you must make the effort to find well programmed on the net and there is happiness.
- Hammond sounds (by the way KB3) I was not convinced
Today I hesitate with a Motif XS, but still significantly more expensive used (I paid 700 euros PC3LE must add 300/400 more for the reason that XS has the advantage of still propose sampling), but ultimately I care because despite its few flaws, it has qualities that are not found on the Motif XS.
The quality / price ratio has no equal, well above the mid-range workstations like Yamaha MOX6 and other Korg keyboards with their Krome FisherPrice.