Home | Reviews | Interviews | Wiki | Forum | Store

Kurzweil:FAQ

From Sonikmatter

Main Page : Documentation : FAQ : DSP Blocks : KDFX : Algorithms

Here is a list of frequently asked questions on the Kurzweil K-series. Many of these are taken from the sonikmatter forums. More FAQ's for Kurzweil synths are available from Kurzweil's Website and from the Dead Letters Office.

Contents

[edit]

Kurzweil Newbie

Questions - I'm about to buy a Kurzweil, or have just received one. What do I need to know?

Answer - Read our Kurzweil 101 article.

[edit]

Expansion ROMs

Question - Can I use my ROM's from my K2000 in my K2500, K2600 or K2661?

Answer - Yes you can, though you will need a new daughterboard for the new model. The daughter board's are different between each model to allow you change these ROM's between the different hardware. For the K2000 the option is the RMB-K, for the K2500, the daughterboard is RMB-P2 and the K2600 is option RMB-26. The K2661 does not require an additional daughterboard to fit the ROMs, and comes fitted with the Orchestral and Contemporary ROMs.

  • The Orchestral and Contemporary ROM's can be fitted to the K2000, K2500 and K2600 series of synths.
    • The Orchestral ROM is ROM 1 and must be fitted into the ROM 1 slot. It is keyed, so it won't fit into the ROM 2 slot. It takes up ID's 900-999. For the K2000 the Setup EEPROM's need to be changed to get the additional programs. On all later models, the objects are available as a download from Kurzweil's Website
    • The Contemporary ROM is ROM 2 and must be fitted into the ROM 2 slot. It is keyed, so it won't fit into the ROM 1 slot. It takes up ID's 800-899. For the K2000 the Setup EEPROM's need to be changed to get the additional programs. On all later models, the objects are available as a download from Kurzweil's Website
    • If you have both of the above ROMs on the K2000, then you must have a set of Setup EEPROM's that supports both of the ROMs. There are Setup EEPROMs for the Orchestral ROM alone, the Contemporary ROM alone, and for Both ROMs together.
      • EEPROM version 1.3 is the Setup EEPROM's for the standard objects (with no ROMs installed)
      • EEPROM version 1.0 is the Setup EEPROM's for Standard Objects plus the Orchestral ROM
      • EEPROM version 3.0 is the Setup EEPROM's for Standard Objects plus the Contemporary ROM
      • EEPROM version 4.0 is the Setup EEPROM's for the Standard Objects plus both ROMS.
      • EEPROM version 5.0 is the Setup EEPROM's for the K2000VX with both ROMs and the K2500 program list.
      • EEPROM version 6.0 is the Setup EEPROM's for the K2000VP which doesn't have the ROM's but has the K2500 program list.
  • The single strike piano ROM is not available on the K2000 and comes on the daughterboard of the K2500. This is included on the motherboard of the K2600 series. This ROM takes up ID 770-799.
  • The triple strike piano ROM is not available for the K2000, or the K2500. On the K2600 and K2661 it takes up ID's 700-729.
  • The Vintage Electric Piano ROM is only available for the K2600 and the K2661, as is the GM ROM, though you can only have one of these two installed into ROM slot 4.

More information can be found on Kurzweil's website, or on the Sonikmatter Forums or with this topic

[edit]

Source 2 V Depth Control

Question - What is the difference between Src2 and DptCtl?

Answer - Probably the best way to explain the difference is to look at the equation used to evaluate the controller.

The equation is: Src2 x (((MaxDpt-MinDpt) x DptCtl) + MinDpt).

Intuitively we can see that if Src2 is a Unipolar control source, then the maximum range of control will be 0 to MaxDpt. If, on the other hand, Src2 is set to ON then the maximum range of control will be MinDpt to MaxDpt.

Src2 is really the on/off switch for the controller, and DptCtl is the actual control. Of course both of these can be Modulated for maximum flexibility.

[edit]

Disk Partitioning

Questions - I've heard that the K2600 supports up to 4 x 2GB Paritions. How can I partition my disk?

Answer - This is covered on page 13-76 of the K2661 Musician's Guide.


WARNING - THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE WILL DELETE ALL DATA FROM THE HARD DRIVE

[edit]

Hard Format

  • Press Disk
  • Select the Disk you wish to partition using the Alpha Wheel
  • Press the Up and Down s at the same time
  • Answer "Yes" to all of the prompts
  • Wait for the K2600 to finish
[edit]

Partitioning

  • Press Disk
  • Select the Disk that you wish to partition using the Alpha Wheel
  • Press the "more>" Soft Button until "Format" is displayed
  • Press the "Format" Soft Button
  • When the K2600 asks you if you want to create partitions, select "Yes"
  • Answer "Yes" to all of the prompts
  • Wait for the K2600 to finish
[edit]

Accessing Partitions

  • Press Disk
  • Select the partitioned disk, using the Alpha Wheel
  • Type in a number (0-3) for the desired partition. The K2600 treats each partition like a directory in it's file structure.
[edit]

Kurzweil Memory

[edit]

RAM v pRAM

Question - What is the difference between RAM and pRAM and why do my samples disappear when I turn off my Kurzweil?

Answer - pRAM (or parameter RAM) is special battery powered memory within the Kurzweil that stores such data as Program's, Master settings, Song Mode data and other control objects. The amount of pRAM in the Kurzweil synths is relatively small (< 2MB) and the memory access times are relatively slow (compared to normal RAM). The battery ensures that the pRAM remembers these settings even when the keyboard is off. Samples cannot be stored in pRAM.

The RAM in the Kurzweil is also called Sample RAM and is where samples are stored. This memory is used for nothing else except for samples, and sample editing. The K2000 could have up to 64MB or Sample RAM, and the later versions, up to 128 MB of RAM. This RAM is also used for RAM Tracks (which is really just a special sampling mode).

This memory is only powered when the Kurzweil is on. When the Kurzweil is turned off the memory loses all data that is stored in it, so it is important that all samples in the RAM is saved to disk or memory card before the Kurzweil is turned off, otherwise the data will be lost.

[edit]

RAM Specs

Question - What sample RAM does my Kurzweil use?

Answer - Different models need different memory.

[edit]

K2000

The K2000, K2VX and K2VP use 30 pin SIMMS that are 8 bit (non-parity). Kurzweil recommend non-composite SIMMS and 1MB, 4MB and 16MB SIMMS can be used. 256k SIMMS can also be used. 8MB SIMMS aren't officially supported, as they are composite.

The RAM for a K2000 must be 120 ns access time, or less.

The RAM must be installed in matched pairs either in the Inside 2 slots or outside 2 slots. Each pair can be different, but each SIMM in the pair must be the same (eg you could have 2 x 16MB SIMMS in the inside slots and 2 x 4MB SIMMS in the outside slots.

The K2000 can support a maximum of 64 MB of memory.

[edit]

K2500

The K2500 can take either 30 pin SIMMS or 72 pin SIMMS depending upon the mainboard revision. If the serial number of your K2500 has a "Z" as the 7th character, then it takes the 72 pin SIMMS, otherwise it takes the 30 pin SIMMS as used in the K2000, except that either 8 bit or 9 bit simms are supported, and the access time must be 80ns or faster.

The K2500 can take up to 128 MB of RAM, and SIMMS are installed in adjacent pairs (ie 1+2, 3+4, 5+6, 7+8)

The 72 pin SIMMS can be either 32 bit or 36 bit and must be 80ns or faster. 4 MB, 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB, and 128 MB SIMMS can be used, but if you use a 8MB, 32 MB or 128 MB SIMM, you can only use one slot (so you can only have one SIMM installed if these sizes are used.) The 4MB, 16MB and 64MB can be paired with another 4MB, 16MB or 64MB SIMM. For these K2500's there are only 2 SIMM slots.

The K2500 that uses 72 pin SIMMS can only use 5V SIMMS.

[edit]

K2600

The K2600 and use 72 pin SIMMS as per the later K2500 versions, except that they can also use 3.3V SIMMS (though a jumper must be changed, and all of the SIMMS must be of the same voltage.) The jumper is set to 5V by default.

Both EDO and Fastpage memory is acceptable for all Kurzweil synths. EDO RAM supports the older Fastpage memory format which the Kurzweil's use.

More information is available from Kurzweil's Support Page

[edit]

SCSI Drives

Question - What SCSI Hard Drives and CD-Roms can I use with my K2 synth?

Answer - The latest version of the K2000 supports a single 2048MB Partition on a HDD, while K2500's and K2600's support the first 4 2048MB Partition's on a HDD. Attention should be paid to the maximum power requirements, especially with the K2000 who's power supply wasn't designed with a lot of headroom.

Earlier versions of the K2000 OS, than 3.51, had a range of incompatible drives that are listed at the K2000 Launch Pad

Most external SCSI drives can be used on all K2 series synths with the latest OS's, as can most CD-Roms. NEC CD-Rom drives have been known to cause problems in the past, so are probably best avoided.

[edit]

Digital Outputs

Question - How do I use my sampling option to get a digital output from my K2 series synth?

Answer - Do the following

  • Press Master
  • Press Sample
  • Change Input to Digital
  • Change Cable to Coax (or Optical)
  • Change Format to AES-EBU (or SPDIF if you use this standard).
  • Note that by using a digital input cable attached to the port specified above, the sampling option will sync to an external digital clock.
  • Ensure Mode is Stereo
  • Turn Threshold OFF
  • On a K2600 set the Out parameter to A/D (if the DIO Option is fitted) Dir will use the DIO-26 Option instead and will be locked to 48 kHz
  • Change Input to Analog (this is important as leaving it in digital will sample the digital input, not the Kurzweils analog outputs)
  • Turn Mon to OFF
  • Turn Src to Int
  • Adjust Gain (though 0dB works well for me)
  • Select Rate to you desired sampling rate
  • Change Mode to Stereo
  • Ensure that there is nothing plugged into the Analog Sampling Inputs.
[edit]

Foot Switch to Change Programs

Question - How do I program a foot switch to go to the next (or previous) program?

Answer - You need to change this in your control setup, because this is where all of the controller configuration for program mode is stored.

  • Press Setup
  • Type 97 <Enter>
  • Press Edit
  • Press More> until FootSw is displayed above the soft buttons
  • Press FootSw
  • Select the foot switch that you want for scrolling and type in 96 <Enter> into the destination. It should say DataInc. 97 is DataDec.
  • Press Exit
  • Press Yes when prompted to save, and save over #97, or to a new location. If you want to set this as the control setup then Press MIDI and XMit and set the Control Setup parameter to the new Setup

If you want this to work in Setup mode, then all of your Setup's that you wish to scroll from must have the Foot switch's set. You can set a second foot switch to decrement the program if you wish, so that there is one pedal for going up and one for coming down. You can also set this to any other controller that you wish, though switch controllers work best.

The Puppeteer 23:20, 18 Jul 2005 (EDT)

Main Page : Documentation : FAQ : DSP Blocks : KDFX : Algorithms
Retrieved from "http://sonikmatter.com/wiki/Kurzweil:FAQ"