Korg or Kurzweil?

[FunkyDigits]

Triton Extreme or K2600 as a fully expanded workstation base? I'ma buy one or the other and start groovin' with it as the main board. Also have the V-Synth, an old Alesis QS8, some sound modules of various sorts, a mfx processor, and am running it through Carvin's big keyboard rig. :P

Anyway, I know the pros and cons of each board, for the most part... but I'd like some outside opinion.

[Deceit]

Well...First of all, I'll let you know I envy you so much for the V-Synth. I consider it an innovative, wonderful board, even if not multitimbral (hey guys, a lot of music history as we know it today has been written with monotimbral synths!), and the direct hold over the sample is simply too fun! As for the Alesis, nice choice, it works good as a controller.
As I know your gear is somewhat huge...well, if I had personally to play I'd put a Triton Extreme 76 under a V-Synth and wouldn't need anything else while playing live (DAMN COOL SETUP, I WANT IT SOOO BAD :twisted: \m/). Of course you have also a nice 88 key controller :D.
But my comment is not really outside...I've grown up in synths (it hasn't been long, I'm indeed ignorant) as a Korg user and built any patch I ever needed (I covered a lot of I&W and Awake (DT) songs with my bandmates, and the sounds are really basic yet good on those albums)...
The only impartial thing I can actually say is that I have now experience of both VAST (through my K2000) and HI (through my Triton Le). The first synthesis system opens WAY more possibilities to patch creation and sound design than any other (but, considering that you already own probably the most innovative sound designing tool of this year...), the approach is much more scientific and complex. Korg is much more user friendly (as of interface, ease of use) yet can stand a chance against VAST. The best would be linking your Alesis to a Triton Rack and a K2600R probably - if you're not obsessed with the ribbon and don't wanna play Jordan on LSFNY :). If you can't afford both, I'd go for a Triton Extreme 76, but just because my fingers have been untrained for far too long. And, hey, you have an 88 key controller so you could just pick up a 61 and link it to the QS8...you see, you have a lot of choices, it depends on how many boards you want to carry around, if you're going to play live, if you have a studio and plan only studio use. And, most of all, how much can you afford to spend?
Deceit.

[FunkyDigits]

The V-Synth does some amazing things. Whenever my band members get lazy I can just turn on those wicked rythymn loops with that awesome Rolland arpeggiator and just go. But like you said, I really want something multitimbral and new and shiny. I wish I could afford both. My setup has taken me many a good year to finalize. Now the final piece must fall into position. I figure if I get a Kurzweil I will prolly end up looking for a tube preamp. Any suggestions on that?

[Tusker]

Triton Extreme or K2600 as a fully expanded workstation base? I'ma buy one or the other and start groovin' with it as the main board. Also have the V-Synth, an old Alesis QS8, some sound modules of various sorts, a mfx processor, and am running it through Carvin's big keyboard rig. :P


That's a cool rig. What do you expect to get from an expanded workstation that your current rig doesn't give you? Do you gig, play in a studio or both? Do you carry all your stuff with you when you gig? How do you like the advanced programming possibilities in the V-synth? Use them much? What kinds of sounds are you getting out of the rig currently, and how would you like the sounds to change? Do you feel you have adequate control of your setup (patch selection, dynamics, performance controls like pitch and timbre). Finally do you have a preference between wheels, pads, ribbons and joysticks?

Sometimes there's more value in questions than answers. :)


Anyway, I know the pros and cons of each board, for the most part... but I'd like some outside opinion.

Yup, you really don't need us to help you make this decision. So will you satisfy my curiousity? How come the Fantom X and he Motif EX are not in your list? :wink:

Best,

Jerry

[Deceit]

IMHO, you should first of all understand all the programming capabilities the V-Synth gives you. I hate all the arpeggiator things (except for solo accompainment pads, which is the only real use I can think for the whole auto arpeggio thing). You have alternate programming structures. You have a TimeTrip pad waiting to be used to alter LFOs and the sample itself. You can get hold of time itself in your hands. I told you what I'd do if I had money.
Oh and, I think Fantom X isn't what you're looking for (maybe some waveforms and patches are the same as the V-Synth - I don't remember that well, I tried both at an exhibition extensively and got totally WOW for the big V), and Motif ES is...well, I don't like it, if you want to consider it then don't ask me :).
Also, I think you're pretty synth-loaded so you'd like some overall board near the QS (which is indeed overall, but...well, it's clear the QS can't stand comparison to a Triton Extreme...at least the tube @_@ :lol: )...
In other words, if you want the Tube option I guess Triton Extreme (which has a way better basic soundset (the samples are recent and top quality)) is the answer. Now these are the options:
-You are a studio player, you want a TEx61 for the sounds and you're going to control it remotely from the QS.
-You are a studio player with money to waste and in some way you want to get TEx88 or TEx76. If you get the 88 version, you might consider to get rid of the QS.
-You are a live player, you're gonna carry 3 boards around, and you're gonna control remotely a TEx61 from the QS - which isn't cool :D.
-You're a live player, you're gonna carry two fucking cool brand flaming shiny new boards and play them tilt like Derek in 2 board mode (Nord Lead 2X+Triton Pro) (:lol:), with lavalamps and shades and leather pants and biker boots, and maybe an Armani t-shirt. This means you get a TEx76.
These are the options I might consider, if you have money to waste then there are another 3 or four...
Anyway, IMHO, consider buying a Mic200 for your V-Synth any way. It's really cheap and sounds AWESOME.
Deceit.

[Feltronc]

hi everybody, i have another question related to what you're talking about.
i saw a k2600 at the same prize of an extreme61. Considering i have no keyboard, what synth would you recommend me of the two i mentioned before to use it as my main and only board? is it THAT hard to create sounds on a kurz?

[Deceit]

It's hard but not impossible. The Triton Extreme is really user friendly, as all the Triton line. If I had to choose one of these two, hey, K2600 has weighted keys (is it the XS? I guess it isn't...), and looking ahead it's the best choice because you can really get sounds Korg dreams about once you master VAST - and once you can build sounds on VAST, you can do almost ANYTHING on ANY board.
It's a hard choice I wouldn't like to face :).
Anyway Best of Vast library and ProgSounds board (www.albertorizzoschettino.com/~progsounds/) have a lot of useful sound libraries so if you just want to play, let's say, a piano, or a nice lead, or a B3 organ, the K2600 wouldn't be so hard. And there are some nice VAST tutorials around so, if I had to own only one board, it would be for sure the K2600, choosing between the two we're talking about. If I had the third choice (Triton Extreme 88), I'd go for that. How about saving some more and getting the flagship Triton model?
Deceit.

[FunkyDigits]

Tusker-

I was asking because I've never owned either board... and some of you have. There's a big difference between knowing what each board is all about, and having spent years playing on a board. (although, I suppose it's impossible to have spent quite that long on the Extreme, as yet :P )

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Otherwise, yeah, I've tricked out the setup on the V-Synth for all of my solo work. The arpeggiator is actually really nice. Not the default settings of the factory presets, no, but it can do some wicked things if I program it beforehand and then just let it go while I shred away with my Alesis and sound modules. When my band gets into an improv jam, I really love to use the pad and knobs on it to really trip everyone it. Like I said, it does some amazing things.

I don't like the FantomX simply because as a fully loaded workstation it doesn't cut it for me. The sounds don't really compare to the Korg and Kurzweil libraries to my ears... especially on the "synth" end of it. I like my leads in your face and my grooves trippy as I can get them (V-Synth real-time controls allow me to make any adjustment I could possibly want, right on the fly). So, aside from it's compatibility with the V-Synth, I don't really see a reason for getting it. I can sample just as easily through my software. I don't need no stinking button.

The Motif has some GREAT accustic sounds, but it lacks in the other departments for me. It's got a pretty good deal of real-time control options on it, but I already have the V-Synth and I would like something I can program my own sequences and sound samples on beforehand to balance out the ticket. It is also, quite possibly, even less user-friendly than Kurzweil. :P

In the end, I think I'ma use the Alesis only strictly when needed (Studio work and controlling my modules, it really does make a great controller, and it even has a lot of really nice abilities for its price, including some nice FX busses). The two new pretty shiny boards sound like a good setup for writing some new material with.

[Over The Edge]

Yamaha provides some of the best product support
for their instruments, especially the Motif series.

Check out

[Deceit]

In fact it would be great if you wouldn't actually *need* support. Everyone here has noticed I'm not very much into Yamaha, so I guess I won't go on with my personal tastes on synths. It's just that, hey, the piano sample is good (and Yamaha is a good grand piano builder, as much as I know) and some presets as well, but it can't simply stand against the bite Korg has and the complexity Kurzweil offers.
Anyway, going totally OT, I just got DiscoDSP Discovery and as soon as I get back in my home studio/bedroom :lol: I'm gonna rock it the fu*k out!
Deceit.