Maybe someone can help me in my decision. I have the small home studio w/ PC and Roland G-1000. I'm planning to buy one more synth, because I can't customize sounds with my own samples in G-1000. I think about Kurzweil and I hope it would be a definitive solution for me.
- My first question is: Does Kurzweil K2500 have all the posibilities to do major functions of the NordLead, Roland JP-8000 and other analog synthesizers? Can I import looped samples in .WAV format from PC?
- What's major difference between K2500 and K2600?
- About RAM memory expansion... Are the SIMMs for K2500's memory expansion same as regular 72pin SIMMs for PC? Is parity required?
- Does anybody knows app. price of used K2500 in Germany (or other countries in Europe)?

Thanks in advance.

The K2500 and K2600 both do analog emulations very well. The K2600 is superior in this regard due to the latest OS feature called Triple Modular Processing.

The K2500 and K2600 can both load .wav files.

http://kurzweilmusicsystems.com/html/k2500_k2600_comparison.html
http://kurzweilmusicsystems.com/html/triple_modular_processing.html

Those two links should explain the differences. Again Triple Mode is only available on the K2600 series.

Here is a link on SIMMs specifications for the K2500 and K2600 series.
http://kurzweilmusicsystems.com/html/simms_specs.html


------------------
Mike Martin
Kurzweil Music Systems

Visit the Kurzweil Connection
http://members.aol.com/kurzconnection
and KeySolutions Sample Libraries
http://members.aol.com/keysolutns

[This message has been edited by Kurzrep (edited 11-01-2000).]

OK, Thank you very much. In meantime, I got enough of informations for my decision. I am planning to buy the next configuration:

- Kurzweil K2500
- KDFX Board
- Piano, Orchestral & Contemporary Sound Blocks
- 128MB Sample Ram
- Some internal HDD or external SCSI CD-ROM

I have just a few questions more about this.

1. I read somewhere that K2500 accepts all MAC-compatible SIMMs. Are there some incompatible models of this memory? Can I use the 72pin SIMMs from PC?

2. Is the resonable to buy only external SCSI CD-ROM instead of HDD, for saving money? How quick is loading of entire 128MB from CD-ROM?

3. When I buy some sample CDs, can I combine my favourite programs from disks and my own-made programs and record this compilation with my CD Writer on ONE CD-ROM disk, then load into the K2500 before the performance?

4. Can I configure K2500's Portamento so I can hear the gliss ONLY when I play legato (not every note)?

5. Can I find contents of the Sound Blocks (Piano, Contemporary, Orchestral) on some CD-ROMs? Must I buy these modules (instead of CDs), if I want to have it's samples?

6. Is the Fan Kit included in all newer YoungChang-made K2500s ?

1. It depends on the age of the K2500 that you are looking to buy. If it has a Z in the serial number it takes two 72pin SIMMs. If it does not have a Z then it has eight 30pin SIMM slots. For SIMM specifications visit the Kurzweil website. www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com

2. Don't forget you can't WRITE any data to a CD-ROM drive, so in this respect a hard drive is a better choice. However if you want access to libraries, you'll probably want a CD-ROM drive too. How quick does it load 128MB from a CD-ROM drive? It depends on the speed of the drive. But I expect it would be about 2 minutes.

3. Your computer won't be able to read Kurzweil formatted CD-ROMs. So in order to make this compilation you would need to save the files to a hard drive first. Then you could connect that hard drive to the computer and burn a CD. The K2500 will read Windows formatted CDs.

4. If I understand your question properly, then YES.

5. These are listed on the Kurzweil website. No you don't have to buy them to load sounds from sample libraries. You'll just need plenty of sample RAM.

6. The fan is included on ALL K2500s. It was the K2000 series which did not include the fan.

------------------
Mike Martin
Kurzweil Music Systems

Visit the Kurzweil Connection
http://members.aol.com/kurzconnection
and KeySolutions Sample Libraries
http://members.aol.com/keysolutns

Sorry, but you didn't understood my 5th question. I asked you this: Can I find so good samples on CD-ROMs that are similar like these in ROM Blocks? This is because I would like to have good orchestral and piano samples, for example, but the total sum of prices of all this equipment I must have(K2500, RAM, CD, HDD, KDFX, HDC-25K plus Rom Blocks...) is too expansive for me. I think that CDs could be a less expansive solution. Or, am I wrong?