Kurzweil K2000. The Kurzweil K2000 is a digital synthesizer and music workstation produced by Kurzweil Music Systems between 1991 and 2000 in a variety of standard configurations, including rack-mountable versions and models that came with 16-bit user sampling.

The K2000 features a complex digital synthesis architecture dubbed V.A.S.T., which stands for "Variable Architecture Synthesis Technology", Kurzweil's marketing term for the digital signal processing (DSP) sound processing system used in the K2000 and other members of its K2xxx series.

Features and specifications

Variable Architecture Synthesis Technology (V.A.S.T.)

V.A.S.T. stands for variable-architecture synthesis technology. It is variable in that the user can select different signal paths, which contain different DSP functions, for use in creating and shaping a sound. V.A.S.T. also includes an extensive modulation system, similar in concept to that of analog modular synthesizers. A wide array of modulation sources can be assigned to various parameters within a signal path, and modulation sources can be combined to create new modulation sources.

Expansion options 
 Sampling A/D input & digital I/O
 Orchestral and/or Contemporary PCM ROM blocks
 P-RAM Program memory expansion
 Sample RAM up to 64MB (30-pin SIMMs)
 Internal hard drive

Models
 K2000 - Original keyboard version with a total of six audio outputs, configured as a main stereo pair and four assignable outputs. 
 K2000R - Rackmount version of the K2000 with a total of ten audio outputs, configured as a main stereo pair and eight assignable outputs.  The K2000R can accept the same P/RAM and ROM expansion boards as the keyboard, although a different option board is required to add sampling capabilities.  
 K2000S and K2000RS - Same as the standard keyboard and rackmount versions,  but also shipped with the sampling option and 2Mb of sample RAM from the factory.
 K2vx (US $3,495) - A fully optioned version of the K2000 keyboard that included an expanded ROM sample set (incorporating the Orchestral and Contemporary ROM blocks) made up of 24 MB total (vs. 8 MB on a stock K2000), a factory-installed P/RAM expansion and new ROM presets (based on those in the Kurzweil K2500). The K2vxS (US $4,195) added the sampling option and 2Mb of sample RAM from the factory.
 K2000VP and K2000VPR (US $1,995 / $1,795) - "VP" stands for "V.A.S.T. Player" - Base models with the then-latest OS v3.54 and new presets based on those in the K2500. They had 2Mb of sample RAM, though the sampling option was not included but could be added.

Notable users
 Robert Miles on Children
 Rick Wright of Pink Floyd from the 1987 Momentary Lapse of Reason tour onwards
 Jean-Michel Jarre on Chronologie
 Jordan Rudess
 Depeche Mode
 Hardfloor
 Tori Amos
 Stevie Wonder
 Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran)
 Bon Harris (Nitzer Ebb)
 Wumpscut
 Front Line Assembly
 KMFDM
 Mark Van Hoen
 LTJ Bukem
 Nine Inch Nails
 Massive Attack
 Vangelis
 The Wiggles
 Tangerine Dream
 Laurent Garnier
 Luther Vandross
 Lito Vitale
 Josh Silver  (Type O Negative)
The Postal Service
Paul Shaffer (for the theme and music of the Late Show with David Letterman)
 Jay Frog

References

Further reading

External links
 Kurzweil's official website: http://www.kurzweil.com/
 K2000 user manual: http://kurzweil.com/content/migration/downloads/pub/Kurzweil/Pro_Products/K2000-K2vx-K2500/K2000-K2vx/Documentation/K2KMAN.ZIP
 

K2000
Digital synthesizers
Music workstations
Polyphonic synthesizers
Samplers (musical instrument)