I am rather underwhelmed by the SP6 which I received earllier this week.The plastic casing squeeked ad creeked when I unboxed it and put it on a keyboard stand. Never experienced that with other plastic casings like CP4 or PX5S. In contrast my PC3X or the Artis 7 are built like tanks.
Then I played the SP6 next to my PC3X. By direct comparison the Medeli keyboard felt heavier and somehow doughy to me. And it is way more noisy which is due to the plastic casing I guess. While still quite playable I didnt like the keybed. Then I played the SP6 from the PC3 via Midi. It immediately became apparent to me how much better the TP40L is. No comparison. The SP6s sounds played from the PC3 are a real pleasure, Daves soundset in particular (thanks again!). But I missed an EQ with the APs. Some sounds like the Rhodes programs have a "built-in" EQ. In contrast the APs do not have any EQ. This should be fixed in a future update.
All in all, the SP6 said to me: "what you pay is what you get." It is a compromise. A powerful sound engine on the cheap. Great sounds combined with a not so great keybed in a cheap casing. The higher price of the Forte SE is more than justified in my opinion. Kurzweil should put the SP6 engine into a desktop or rack module and offer it for under a grand. I bet that it would be a hot seller.
Very interesting comment, I think the same, what is your opinion about PC3LE?
Kurzweil SP6
in The Keyboard Corner
Posted
Very interesting comment, I think the same, what is your opinion about PC3LE?