From: JROSSI@EAGLE.AAMRL.WPAFB.AF.MIL
Newsgroups: rec.music.synth
Subject: Re: K2000 teste drive (vs SY99)
Date: 12 Aug 92 14:37:00 GMT


To answer some of the more simple questions first...

The K2000 allows DSP treatment of samples to a degree unavailable anywhere 
else.  You can use a sample as the root pitch material for any of the 25+
algorithms which allow selection of 'pitch material' (i.e., for some of the
algortihms such as the hard synch algortihms the K2000 uses DSP created
waveforms as the pitch sources).  For the most part, however, you can
subject any sample to any king of VAST treatment you desire.  For some kinds
of things, this is easy to describe.  For example, it is quite easy to
imagine the outcome of subjecting a 'brass' sample to DSP treatment which
amounts to a 24 dB LPF with controlable resonance.  It is much harder, on
the other hand, to describe the sound of a 'grand piano' sample treated with
a DSP algortihm which includes sine wave injection, modulation by spectral
content, and real wave shaping.  Unfortunately, since the factory patches
are intended to demonstrate the usefulness of the instrument to the masses,
you don't get a lot of illustration of these incredible capabilities of the
instrument (actually, that statement isn't really true its is just that unless
you actually take the time to look at how the algorithms are used in the
sounds in the presets, much of the time you are fooled into believing that
the sound you hear is being created by some traditional process [resonance,
for example, when the sound algorithm employs no filters or resonators]).
Also, you have to take the modulation routing scheme in the K2000 into account.
It is the modulation scheme which gives the K2000 its enormous synthesis
power.  You see, for almost every VAST function there are multiple levels of
control (roughly analogous to CV insertion points in a traditional modular
analog synthesizer).  Furthermore, most of these control inputs allow the
control information to come from just about anywhere including (but by no
way limited to): the envlopes and LFOs, the FUNs which specify mathematical
relationships among input sources using either linear or non-linear
equations; things you wouldn't expect including MIDI clock (with phase and
multiplication constants); any controller device on the K2000; and any
MIDI controller information broadcast from anywhere in a MIDI network.  What
all of this allows is an incredible amount of control over the DSP processing
functions.  This kind of control is not available anywhere else except in
a very large (several rooms full) modular synthesizer.

As for the effects processor, it is independent of the DSPs which produce
VAST.  Basically, it is the same effects DSP used in the Digitech DSP 256+.
Now, before you jump to conclusions, the chip is the same as the 256. however,
its integration into the K2000 givves it some advantage over its use in the
Digitech box.  In all, I consider it to be a very usable effects processor.
While it is not comparable to the effects processors on an SY99, a Wavestation,
or even an Ensoniq EPS-16+, it is still a very high quality effects unit
which has quite a lot of flexibility.  In my opinion, there are really only
two shortcommings in the effects processor. (1) There are not enough of them
in the K2000.  When you are in the Multi Mode, you only have one stereo
effects DSP to share among the voices.  A reasonable alternative would be to
have given the K2000 at least 4 effects DSPs. (2)  Some of the long decay
and delay effects add some hiss to the signal.  While the thing is still
about 20 dB quieter than the dry machine being processed by a Quadraverb
would be, the hiss can still be heard in a dead-quiet system.  Of course,
if you have an open Quadraverb anywhere in your audio accessable pathway
the noise issue is of little practical concern.  I have personally gotten to
the point of viewing the effects processor as a little something extra
thrown in as part of the bargain.  I use it for single patches mostly, and
go to outboard effects processors when I am using the K2000 in a multi-
setup.

Speaking of multi setups... Over the past week I had the opportunity to learn
some things about the K2000 multi mode and how the on-board effects can be
used in it.  From time to time, prople have heard Nick Rothwell curse the
multi-mode of the Wavestation in application of effects.  Apparently, the
K2000 is not as brain-dead as the WS is in its ability to use effects in the
multis to some advantegous manner.  However, I do not use the K2000 in any
kind of setting which requires me to worry about such things, so I will await
a further post by somebody who can describe this important feature better
than I can.  As for the rest to the multi system... Basically you have 24
voices which are dynamically located to up to 16 multi programs on up to
16 MIDI channels.  Now, there has been a lot of assertion about the 'true'
polyphony of the K2000.  In actuality, a standard program may contain up to
3 layers of voices (where each voice takes up 1 unit of polyphony of the
available 24).  Another, somewhat flexible drum-kit layer mode allows
layering of as many voices as you want (subject to polyphony considerations).
It seems that a lot of people are concerned with the relative lack of
polyphony in the K2000.  While 24 voices doesn't sound like a lot, to be fair,
the K2000 is a much richer sounding device than most other synthesizers and
all other sample players.  In that regard, the polyphony goes a longer way
since there is less of a necessity to use layered voices to achieve
movement and complexity.  Added to the general superiortiy of the voice
structure, per se, is the waveform injection algorithms which allow the
complexity and fullness of a single voice (one polyphonic unit) to be increased
substantially by the addition of sine, square, and sawtooth waves into the
voice.  Again, it is inportant to remember that the waveform injection
treatments are discrete parts of the algorithms which provide for them. They,
therefore, have full sets of control and modulation routings available to
them.  I know that a lot of this stuff sounds like propaganda to some people.
However, unless you actually play with these things you can have no idea
of what they can do.... Another comment about thhe polyphony of the K2000...
The synth uses an incredibly efficient voice-stealing algorithm which I
think would surprise many people.  Also important, yet not directly related
to polyphony, is the ability of the K2000 to intelligently hold voices
through patch changes.  I have seen no other instrument which accomplishes this
better.

As for the use of a K2000 as a MIDI platform controller, I really know very
little, since I don't use itt in this fashion.  I know that it has a lot of
control for velocity curve programming as well as monophonic aftertouch
programming.  I think that the keyboard can be programmed to send at least
3 separate zones on their own MIDI channels.  Again, since I don't use these
features, I don't know a lot about them.  Perhaps somebody who uses a
K2000 as a controller mya want to comment.  I do, however, have a couple of
comments about the keyboard action and response.  While many people consider
it a bit mushy, several others (including myself) find its touch to be
quite pleasing and generally playable.  Personally, I like the aftertouch
lump in the key travel a lot, however, last week I learned that it really isn't
there under the black keys (bummer?).  One should bear in mind that the whole
area of keyboard 'feel' is quite subjective and what appeals to one person
might be hated by another.

As to the assertion that the front panel provides little in the way of control,
it should be remembered that the device was built with MIDI control in mind.
It will respond to any MIDI controller, and the controllers can be used to
control just about everything in the K2000.  So, if you add a couple of
FaderMasters to its input, you get 16 progrmmable faders which can be used
to control anything from portamento rate (and what a portamento the K2000 will
do) to the amount of envlope control which will be included into a non-
linear FUN controlling filter resonance.  Also, if you are using a sequencer
with the fader capabilities of Performer, you can do some incredible things
in real time during sequence playback, all the while recording the fader
movements into the sequencer.  With unlimited fader ability shuch as that
provided by Performer, you can theoretically control all 200+ control
destinations in real time (somehow, I think that this will bog the MIDI
line, however).

Anyway, I hope that this has answered some of your questions.

John
Newsgroups: rec.music.synth