Here at Sweetwater, we have sold so many Kurzweil PC88s that we've literally lost track. When a company designs an instrument this good, word gets out fast and we often had a hard time keeping up with the demand. But now Kurzweil has introduced what it's calling "the next generation Performance Controller," the PC2.
Building upon the already advanced design of their award winning PC88, the PC2 features outstanding sound and impressive master controller capabilities. A new Easy Split and Layer feature makes it both fast and easy to quickly create layers and splits. The PC2 series comes in both the PC2 76-note ($2,650 list) and PC2X 88-note ($3,150 list) keyboard configurations.
The PC2 features many incredible sounds not found on any previous Kurzweil instruments, including a triple strike stereo grand piano, lush stereo strings, newly recorded multi-strike classic electric pianos (both Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer), brass sections, acoustic and electric guitars and basses, drums, percussion, voices (featuring Kurzweil's outstanding Take 6 vocal samples), and more. It also features Kurzweil's KB-3 modelled tone wheel organ mode, giving you ultra-realistic tone wheel organ programs. Additional sounds include mallet percussion, clavinet, harpsichord, synths and yes, much more.
The PC2 comes with 144 fantastic sounding preset programs (128 regular programs and 16 KB3 programs). All programs can be edited, allowing for changes to timbre, envelopes, and LFOs. They can then be stored to any of the 256 user locations (128 for regular programs and 128 for KB3 programs).Two additional ROM blocks can be added to the PC2 (to be released in the future), each of which will add 128 more preset programs. And with 64 voices of polyphony, expandable to 128 voices, you'll never run out of polyphony for playing all of the marvelous sounds.
Of course, every keyboard worth owning these days comes with some exceptional digital effects. The PC2 includes dual effects processors which feature preset effects of the same quality as found in their highly regarded KDFX for the K2500/K2600 series instruments. Multiple bus architecture allows separate send levels per MIDI channel for an effect level and a reverb level. Effects include reverb, chorus, delays, distortion, rotary, phaser, flanging, dynamics processing, and more.
But while it's loaded with great sounds, the PC2 will make a great master controller for your entire studio or performing rig. Hmm, is it a controller with terrific built-in sounds or a synth that also makes a terrific controller? Umm, who cares? What's important is that this is truly a killer instrument!
Any PC2 MIDI Setup can have up to four zones, sending on up to four different MIDI channels. A large number of physical controllers can be programmed on a per zone basis, allowing you to send any MIDI controller message on any zone. Physical controllers include: four sliders, two wheels, three footswitch pedal inputs, two CC pedal inputs, a Breath Controller input, 600 mm Ribbon Input (for use with Kurzweil's Ribbon Controller), Mono-pressure and 5 programmable panel switches. Each zone can be set to play the PC2's own sounds or an external MIDI device or both. Of course, you can set the note range for each zone to create splits and layers, as well as customizing velocity response per zone. All controllers can be scaled both positively and negatively and can have offset values as well as entry and exit values to set their "state" upon program or setup selection.
Remember the first time you heard an arpeggiator? Wow, what a great effect! Then everyone suddenly decided that arpeggiators were somehow "cheating" and companies stopped building them into their instruments. But today, they are hot again (thank goodness!) and the PC2's full-featured arpeggiator can be synced to an external MIDI clock and includes many different latch modes and play orders. This flexibility allows for the creation of endless varieties of arpeggios and percussion patterns.
The PC2 comes with 32 great sounding Setups and has room for 128 user-created Setups. Each of the additional ROM blocks will add more preset Setups. What's more, the PC2 gives you pristine quality audio, with both analog and digital audio output. Digital audio is sent at a rate of 48kHz. It can be switched between Pro (AES/EBU) and Consumer (S/PDIF) formats and can be switched between 16, 18, 20, and 24 bit resolution. Optional Accessories include the KFP-2M Double Piano Style Footswitch, CC-1 Continuous Control Pedal and the PCMDS Music Rack.
If you're looking for a great keyboard for studio or stage that has incredible sounds and effects built-in and is also a fantastic MIDI controller, you're bound to fall in love with the PC2. With its combination of a great-feeling weighted keyboard and all those Kurzweil quality sounds - and expansion capabilities - odds are good that you're going to want a PC2 or PC2X of your own. And who could blame you? Either would be a great instrument to build an entire studio or stage setup around. And wait until you talk to your Sales Engineer and get your special low Sweetwater pricing. Well, don't wait another minute: Call Sweetwater right now for more information and pricing on the incredible Kurzweil PC2.