The more I play my Kn5000 the more I like it. It has a strong sound with drums and the bass out in front. I was surprised when I plugged my microphone in, it had the same strong life-like sound without adjusting. If there were a way to add a storage system like a stick drive the keyboard would out there with the best. Is there any possibility to do something like this?

A while back some of the people on this forum were kind enough to send me some styles, much appreciated. If there are any past or present Kn5000 owners who would like to share some styles with me I thank you in advance.

John C.

Hi John,

I can't see any way to add a 'Stick Drive' to a KN5000 - the only storage alternative to the Floppy Disk, is a Hard drive. The hardware and operating system is just not capable of supporting any other option.

I had a hard drive in my KN5000 and found it very useful. However, they were ridiculously expensive and nowadays you might be hard pressed to find a compatible unit. Unfortunately, you cannot just fit a standard PC hard drive to the KN5000 - it requires a special module which was only available from a firm in Europe. I have seen the odd one on eBay......

Great machines...Rog

Bill and Rog, thank you. I like the Kn5000 and I do not give up easily, although I did give up when the floppy drive on my Kn2000 went bad. As you said Bill, I cured it by buying another Kn2000.

John C.

There can be not doubt, the KN5000 was at the time by far the best and most advanced keyboard on the market. The long waiting lists showed that clearly. I think I waited six month for mine. Time has passed and it still is nowadays a wonderful instrument I adore playing whenever I get a chance when visiting my Swiss base.
In Spain I enjoy the mighty KN7000 with number one expansion board. These two keyboards are IMHO absolute top.

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If I weren't a superstitious person I would say that while there is some documented evidence that some people had problems with the kn6000, I for one never experienced a moment of difficulty ... but being a superstitious person, I wouldn't DARE to say that ... ...
I am still gigging with and enjoying my kn6000 ...
I hope to soon post a link to a number of my songs ...
t.

Hi Tony
This is a good ideal for all the Technics members to post your link for some songs
Thanks

Yes, I too loved the 5K.... gave mine to my daughter when I got my 6K....Then I bought a 6K for her when I got my first 7K....
Still thought about and remembered the quality of the 5K and all it's great attributes....

When I got my second 7K and retired my 6K from gigging.... really wanted that 5K back to gig with again (it does not weigh so much)..... My daughter would not trade it back to me for a 2nd 6K!

Does anyone else want to make a trade?...your 5K for my 6K????? Elizabeth wants to know....

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Tony, Your opinion is based on your Kn6000 and that, as it should be. Three members of my local keyboard group had Kn6000 I was the only one that had problems. After 10 trips to Miami, 110 round trip, and many phone calls and lots of aggravation – and letters to the higher ups, they made good by sending a new Kn6500. No charge for the keyboard or shipping. Wow, even I was surprised.

Two of my friends still have their Kn6000 and no problems have occurred.

Elizabeth, you missed a Kn5000 on Ebay that sold for in the lower two hundreds. I feel that had to be the best buy ever – beyond Casio or Yamaha from the Psr3000 and back. I still do not understand what they did to the keyboard to make my mic. sound so clear, so real, great.

John C.

Wow! Sorry I missed that one John! It is rare that I look at ebay!

Maybe someone will let me know if there is a KN5000 for sale somewhere...U.S. preferably.... Of course would prefer to trade my 6K....for a 5K....

Elizabeth

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Elizabeth ... what is it about the kn5000 that you prefer it to the kn6000 - just wondering ...
thnx,
t.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tony mads usa:
[B]Elizabeth ... what is it about the kn5000 that you prefer it to the kn6000 - just wondering ...
thnx,

Me too Elizabeth, what is it?? When you tell me then I give you my opinion.

John C.

It has been quite a few years since I have even seen a KN5000, much less played one!

What stands out in my mind about that particular model is the variety of rhythms and the great sounds it offers, and the quality of the overall sound, not to mention that it weighs less than those that followed! I could carry it all by myself!
Of course I was younger then too!

The 5K, in my experience, is more comparable to the AWESOME 7K than the two KN's between them.

The only rhythm that comes to mind that is available on the 5K and not on the 6 or7K, is the "Gentle Swing".... If anyone knows where to find that on the 7K, please let me know??? (I do have the Gentle Swing on several floppy discs....somewhere????)

Actually, I do not remember any other specifics about the 5K beyond the above... Your turn John...

Elizabeth

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Hi Elizabeth,

I've got all the KN5000 styles on an SD Card and having searched through them, I can't find a 'Gentle Swing'. There is a 'Simple Swing' and if that's the one you are looking for, I can email it to you....

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bill Norrie:
[B]Hi Elizabeth,

I've got all the KN5000 styles on an SD Card and having searched through them, I can't find a 'Gentle Swing'. There is a 'Simple Swing' and if that's the one you are looking for, I can email it to you...


Bill, Are these the styles that are in the Kn5000 keyboard? I would love to have any styles additional styles to add to my Kn5000 if available.
John C.

Elizabeth,
These opinions come from two musicians who have owned all the Kn keyboards since the Kn1000, but -- they are still only opinions.

After having the Kn5000 for three months – and turning away and deciding to sell it my friend and I plugged a Kn7000 and a Kn5000 into my new Bose Compact PA. Here are our thoughts, which I might add were the same in all areas.
1-The Kn5 is no match for the Kn7 in the overall (quality) sound.
2-The pads on the Kn5 left a great deal to be desired.
3-The Kn5 is not as heavy as the Kn7 the difference is not that great, not a good enough to make a change.

4-The Kn5 in sound was closer to my Tyros3 than the Kn7. If I were trying to full a dance floor with the sound of my keyboard, (the rhythm/style) the Kn5 would certainly stand out. The bass and drums are out in front in the Kn5 but not as much as my Tyros3 making it a great choice for my type of music. (Big Band - Sinatra ect.)

If dollars were not considered I would have a Kn7 alongside of my Tyros3. (Ideal, the best of two worlds) But the Kn5 price is well below that of a Kn7, the Kn7 is about 5 to 6 times the price. Much more of a keyboard but still about $400 compared to $2,000 to $2,400 for the Kn7.

I have some laid back jobs, meaning that they do not require me being the best-of-the-best, so I am trying to decide if I should take my Ty3 or my Kn5. Not an easy decision, basically they ARE pretty close in a few important areas. For me personally when dollars allow I will sell the Kn5 to purchase a kn7.

Elizabeth, I hope this gives you a better picture – If I can help with a specific
question let me know.

John C.

Hi John,

The styles I mentioned are in KN7000 format - having benn converted from KN5000 by our good friend Alec. They are the ones which were originally on the Panasonic KN7000 website before it folded. As such, they are not compatible with the KN5000, but you already have them anyway

Thanks Bill, John C.

This is because the total of the 5k samples were actually not that new in relative terms and used many samples from the KN3000 era albeit with double the wave rom. The superior sound of the 5k was mainly due to the vastly improved speaker/amp system with the built in sub-woofer.

The 6k used many newer and more sophisticated samples - again in relative terms, one aspect of this advance seen in the newer soloist sounds. This was built on and expanded in the 6k5 and 7k which thus represented a step change in overall voice quality compared to the earlier generations.

Technicsplayer,

Would the improved amplification system and the sub-woofer have any effect when hooked directly to my Bose Compact PA and the an insert put into the headphone jack?

John C.

All these comments are great! BILL...Your website is a wealth of info... It is one of my Fave's.. I do have all the 5K programs in my stack of floppies and SD's...It is a big stack!
ALEX...Thanks for your input comparing the machines.
JOHN C...Reading the opinions of your two musician friends...Having never heard a Tyros-3 in person, just on YouTube, comparing it to a 7K just does not cut it for me...
Sometimes when creating a new folder for SD card with newly "tweaked" rhythms and sounds,and Panel Memory banks, sometimes the ABC memories, and the file title are lost in the up or download. I've not figured out why they get lost! I am very very careful to have everything set to "yes" to avoid the losses... Is there a process that I am missing?
I suppose it is possible that the "Gentle Swing" rhythm exists on th 3K or even maybe the 1K. I'm pretty sure it is not on either the 6K or the 7K. I have owned and played the 1K,3K,5K,6K and the awesome 7K.
Guess I will have to do a search of my floppies and SD's.... I know I have that "Gentle Swing" somewhere...will also look for the "Simple Swing"....

Thanks for all the great comments! This forum is the best!

Happy playing!
Elizabeth



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Elizabeth,

I've looked through all the past styles of the 2K,3K,5K,6K for 'Gentle Swing' and it does not appear in any of them. Maybe it was in the KN1000? I don't have any of them...

not really, since those define the sound of the stand-alone keyboard. If the output is at line level the external speakers/amp/equalisation mainly affect the subjective sound balance.

Elizabeth, I am not sure what you meant by this,
"JOHN C...Reading the opinions of your two musician friends...Having never heard a Tyros-3 in person, just on You Tube, comparing it to a 7K just does not cut it for me..."

If you are referring to the test I did with my Bose Compact PA -- The two musicians were myself another another man and we had a Tyros 3 and a Kn7000 present. The comparison was made so that we might learn. We both love and understand the differences between both keyboards, each offers somethin different.

John C.

Sorry I forgot to add that I own a Tyros 3 and a Kn5000 and the other man owns a Kn7000.

JOHN C....My comments were in reference to yours above in which you cited opinions "...from two musicians who have owned all the kn keyboards since the 1000..."

BILL... The "Gentle Swing".... Maybe that is what I named a rhythm I created??? When I find it, I will let you know the answer to this mystery!

Elizabeth

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