NAMM 2008: Kurzweil's most powerful synth engine ever

PC3x keyboard will debut in January

The MusicRadar Team, Fri 21 Dec 2007, 3:27 pm UTC

Kurzweil believes that the PC3x will make it a serious player in the cutting-edge synth market once again.

Kurzweil will use the 2008 Winter NAMM show to unveil its PC3x performance controller keyboard. This, we're assured, contains the company's most powerful synthesis engine ever.

Known as Dynamic V.A.S.T., this is an evolution of the existing V.A.S.T. technology. It enables up to 32 layers to be used per program, which should make for bigger and more detailed sounds.

Thanks to Dynamic V.A.S.T., users can create and store their own DSP algorithms, while each layer in a program can be run through the DSP of any other layer.

Kurzweil are keen to point out that the synthesis engine from their VA-1 synth is included, too.

The PC3x incorporates an 88-note, fully-weighted hammer-action keyboard and offers 128 notes of polyphony. A sequencer is onboard, as are 300 effects, four arpeggiators and a dedicated organ mode.

The PC3x will retail for $3033/£1799. Further details can be found on the Kurzweil website.