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SP6


Coker

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Nice feel, good tones, (piano, KB3, EP & Clav),

simple, easy to program, super light,

easy to carry and fit in a car.

 

For a single board solution under $1,300

it was a very viable option for me, so I bought one.

Most of my gigs I am playing both keys and guitar,

So I am hauling a lot of gear.

 

Does anyone know how this model, SP6,

is actually selling, globally? Stateside?

 

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Ok - I got some time with a Kurzweil SP-6 today - very nice unit. Not too heavy to carry, and the keyboard action was quite good. It felt like there was real mass in the keys. The amount of effort to press down was -slightly- more than I would like, but i much prefer that to those with a light touch (too easy to brush a key you don't want to). I think the action compared well to my K2500X. The sounds were also awesome - clearly all 16b Kurzweil quality. Seems like it has everything one needs, without too much of anything. It could replace most of my gear (including the 2500X) Starting to lean this way big time :-)
K2500X, SP-6, various K1xxx, Kurz MicroPiano
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Tuesday I set up my CP4 next to my SP6, and using 2 ZXA1 speakers did a little A-B ing. My overall impressions are:

 

First, APs: the CP4 adds some overtones to notes when struck harder. The SP6 (using one of Dave Weisers programs) keeps a more even tone when struck harder. I am torn about which I prefer. Both sound great at normal velocities.

 

Rhodes: the CP4 has a longer decay, and I thought a little richer sound.

 

Keybed: I honestly kept trying to make the CP4 feel better to me, because of the investment, but the jury is still out on this one. Kurzweil / Medelli has done an amazing job on this keybed, even ignoring its lower weight and price.

 

B3: I didnt bother with this comparison to the CP4, because I already knew the Kurzweil is in a different (superior) class. However, I happened to have a Nord Stage 2 HA76 nearby and compared their organs. First, control of organs is hugely easier on the Nord. Sound-wise, Id have to give it to the Kurzweil, though. As for keyboard control, the Nord is better; repeatedly playing the same note with rapidly alternating fingers 2 and 3 can be done without a missed note on the Nord, and not so much on the Kurzweil.

 

So far I have continued to use the CP4 for small group jazz gigs, it have switched over to the Kurz for all others. It may only be psychological, but I think I improv better on the CP4. Time will tell.

 

Sorry that I didnt do a more scientific test. Perhaps in the future...

CA93, MODX8, YC88, K8.2
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I'm on the fence regarding the SP6 mainly because I cannot find one to test drive. I value the kind folks on this forum and read carefully every post on this instrument. From the youtube demos, it appears the KB3 is a bit weak. Re: cp4, it's high time Yamaha updated there organ sounds across their entire keyboard stage line.
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Just one man's opinion, the marketING department at the major keyboard manufactures are "asleep". Majority of folks want a reasonably priced 76/88 note keyboard that can do all the bread-and-butter sounds.Last time I looked, the Roland VRxxx had over a hundred of posts on this forum. Demand is there! Imagine taking one keyboard to rehearsal/gig/open jam night. Could set up faster than the guitar player and have time to grab a beer at the bar....well almost. I have my hopes up for the SP6. Yamaha, with your extraordinary technical staff , "where are you"! Again just one man's opinion....
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Although I didn't find one in NYC yesterday- I did see a Medeli SP4200 at Sam Ash and was wondering if it was the same action- it felt decent - I would say perhaps in between GHS and the ES110 (which I just returned for a P125).

Also i am wondering how the SP would sound in mono.

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Majority of folks want a reasonably priced 76/88 note keyboard that can do all the bread-and-butter sounds.Last time I looked, the Roland VRxxx had over a hundred of posts on this forum. Demand is there! Imagine taking one keyboard to rehearsal/gig/open jam night. Could set up faster than the guitar player and have time to grab a beer at the bar....well almost. I have my hopes up for the SP6. Yamaha, with your extraordinary technical staff , "where are you"!

I think Yamaha thinks they have that covered with the MX88/MOXF8. Though it would be interesting to see an alternative step-up from the MX88 that, instead of adding the MOXF8 advanced workstation capabilities, added the Reface CS/YC organ and synth capabilities. And 76 key versions would be nice, too.

 

If you want real-time synth and organ controls, the Artis 7 gives you more than the SP6. If you don't need the real-time organ controls, the Roland FA generally beats the VR.

 

I did see a Medeli SP4200 at Sam Ash and was wondering if it was the same action

Almost certainly yes. I doubt Medeli is making more than one lightweight 88 hammer action.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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In the last week I was lucky enough to play an SP6 and a Medeli SP4200. They felt different to me. The SP4200 was, for lack of a better term, "mushier" (i.e., it didn't have a hard bottom), while the SP-6 was much more like a piano action, even to the point that I noticed I needed a little extra effort to hit the keys. I liked the SP6 much better.

 

BTW - has anyone been able to compare to an SL88? (i'm also thinking about the SL73 when it comes out sometime in August). - thanks!

 

K2500X, SP-6, various K1xxx, Kurz MicroPiano
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Question for SP-6 owners - is it true that you can't assign the SW2 pedal to DataInc/DataDec except in global override mode? One thing I do on my K2500X and PC2R is set SW2 on one setup to SetupInc, but not on the next higher numbered one - that way if I accidentally hit the pedal twice nothing bad happened - Can I config this way on SP-6?

 

Thanks!

/j

K2500X, SP-6, various K1xxx, Kurz MicroPiano
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Also - from the manual - it looks like, by using the Layer/Split page, each program can be (in K2500 terminology) a 4-zone setup, so using multi's you can build 16-zone setup? - am I right? Or what am I misunderstanding?

 

Thanks!

K2500X, SP-6, various K1xxx, Kurz MicroPiano
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I would love to know if that is true, I haven't begun on the multi breakdown yet...

 

Also - from the manual - it looks like, by using the Layer/Split page, each program can be (in K2500 terminology) a 4-zone setup, so using multi's you can build 16-zone setup? - am I right? Or what am I misunderstanding?

 

Thanks!

 CP-50, YC 73,  FP-80, PX5-S, NE-5d61, Kurzweil SP6, XK-3, CX-3, Hammond XK-3, Yamaha YUX Upright, '66 B3/Leslie 145/122

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You can load programs from other Kurzweil boards. Im still unclear whether these are samples or settings for synthesized sounds. Regarding multis, you can set up only 4 zones at a time.
CA93, MODX8, YC88, K8.2
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There is no user-loading of samples. However, the Programs from other boards may make use of samples that are resident on the SP6 but not currently used for the native SP6 programs.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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So there -is- program editing? Perhaps using the PC SW?

 

Also - from the manual - it looks like, by using the Layer/Split page, each program can be (in K2500 terminology) a 4-zone setup, so using multi's you can build 16-zone setup? - am I right? Or what am I misunderstanding?

 

K2500X, SP-6, various K1xxx, Kurz MicroPiano
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No, one program has only one zone, so a multi, whic( has up to four programs, can have four zones.

 

Yes, you can edit programs using Kurzweils PC, Mac, or IOS based editor.

CA93, MODX8, YC88, K8.2
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what does the Split/Layer in the program editing buy you?

At least from the board, you can't Split/Layer in a Program. As soon as you invoke the Split/Layer function, you are creating a Multi (which can have up to 4 sounds/zones). As the manual says, "The Split and Layer functions allow you to quickly create Multis without using Multi Edit."

 

I can have multiple sounds spread in a zone? (assuming they share all other parameters?)

Now, as to whether deep (app-based) editing would allow you to assign waveforms from different sampled instruments to various key ranges within a Program, I don't know, maybe. I haven't seen the editor, but it's not impossible. On the boards that permit that, that's a level of editing beyond what most non-programming oriented players venture into.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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p.s. - in the same price range of the SP6 (actually less), if you want sample loading and 16-zone setups, you could look at the Roland DS88. However it does not have a tonewheel organ engine (just some rompler-based organ presets) or a real VA synth engine, and it's a bit tubbier at 35.75 lbs. Kurz probably has the edge in the quality of the sounds (YMMV) and supports more simultaneous effects, I'd give Roland the advantage in operational flexibility (things like patch recall, knob assignments, on-board editing).

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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If you go to the Kurzweil /SP6 website, you can download the SP6 editor and play with it. You can do editing in it to the default programs and multis, but wont get to hear your result or save without an SP6 attached.
CA93, MODX8, YC88, K8.2
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Thanks Coker and Scott - Thanks for the mention of the DS88, but weight is a big issue for me and I'm pushing my limit on the SP-6 (also, I always lean toward keyboards where I contributed to the development ;-) ). If I really want to do deep editing I can use my K2500X - I was just curious because the SP-6 manual mentioned splits/multis in the Program section as well as the Multi section. Thanks!
K2500X, SP-6, various K1xxx, Kurz MicroPiano
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Hmmmm - a closer read of the manual indicates they just mention the Splits/Layers section twice - no stacking :-(

 

As we've been discussing all along...

 

Program: one sound

Multi: up to 4 sounds split/layered

 

For most purposes, it really is that simple.

 

But f you really want to have it do more tricks, I mentioned earlier that you may be able to assemble programs wth the Editor that, themselves, contain the sounds of more than one instrument... and in fact, that is supported. I found in the manual, "Programs typically contain a single instrument sound, although some Programs may contain multiple instrument sounds." So it is part of the architecture. You'd have to play with the editor to see how much control they give you in this respect.

 

There is also the 16 channel multi-timbral operation, where it looks like you can assign 16 programs simultaneously, one per MIDI channel. AFAIK, you can still only play 4 from the internal keys, but you should be able to trigger the other sounds from another keyboard via MIDI.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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