Kurzweil SP2X

It was into this world that Kurzweil brought their 1000PX. It was a composer’s dream: a module with an array of musical, playable sounds, its piano the best among them. Even six years later, when I scored a four-hour National Public Radio drama with solo piano, I picked the 1000PX over all the digital pianos available at the time.

So it was with great anticipation that I unpacked Kurzweil’s brand new stage piano — the SP2X — for review. It’s the descendant of the PC88 and PC2X, both of which spent many years as the default digital pianos named on touring riders. Do its great bloodlines make it stand out from the rest of today’s stage pianos?

OVERVIEW

The SP2X uses an upgraded, 24-bit version of Kurzweil’s triple strike, stereo grand piano sample. I found it to be smoother and more expressive than previous iterations, such as the main piano sound in the PC1X (reviewed Mar. ’04). Keyboard editor in chief Ernie Rideout agreed, commenting, “Wow . . . that’s just beautiful,” as he began to play and, “That’s a superior-sounding digital piano” after he finished.

Four knobs function as MIDI controllers, zone volumes for splits and layers, and effects sends. Sound selection buttons all have inset LEDs to indicate what bank, sound, or function is active, but their labeling can take some getting used to. For example, though sounds are arranged in the familiar “eight banks of eight” fashion, neither row of eight buttons is numbered 1-8 (or A-H). Instead, the first five buttons from both rows are collectively labeled 1 through 0, doubling as a numeric keypad for tasks like assigning MIDI controllers to the knobs. In Program and other modes, this means that which numbered buttons are lit up may be unrelated to the number on the display. To be fair, the buttons do have names for their various sound families and other functions.

The SP2X’s effects surpass competing stage pianos, both in terms of quantity and quality. The dual engines let you double up a reverb block with a multi-effects block. The reverbs are excellent, with the lush, natural tails in the Hall categories really standing out — they add authentic depth and space to the piano sounds. Multi-effects include tons of chorues, delays, flangers, distortions, and a sci-fi flanged echo called Lazerverb.

Rhythm mode provides 60 single-bar drum loops, which are more useful as songwriting aids than live performance tools. Still, the Jazz and World categories are especially musical. For practicing, a metronome with a distinct downbeat sound can count in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8 time. (Sorry, Brubeck fans: no 5/4.)

SOUNDS

Though the very playable main piano sound is the centerpiece, the SP2X serves up a few surprises. The electric pianos are authentic and inspiring, including Stage and Dyno models, and one, aptly named Fagen Phaser, that will take you back to the ’70s even if you weren’t alive then. The church organs are serviceable, but the B-3s are a little thin, even with the rotary effect. There are enough sampled and synth brasses for any cover band gig, and the section strings are just beautiful, whether slowly swelling or urgently marcato. A guitar patch called Jazz Frets even has a stair-stepped pitchbend, so you can almost feel your fingers sliding up that Gibson neck as you move the pitch wheel. Another pleasant find is Dual Marimba, which rivals the top marimbas in my studio library. By default, drums and percussion are not mapped in General MIDI fashion, but in sections: an octave of toms, a few keys worth of snares, and so on. I find this more playable, though you can switch to a GM keymap if you want. The SP2X is not a full General MIDI instrument, though, and the manual cautions that you may not hear the expected sounds if playing a GM, GS, or XG song from a sequencer.

IN USE

Some digital pianos mutate when you put them through different amps, but the SP2X was born to strut the stage. Whether coming out of the Tannoy monitors in my studio, my older Toa PA speakers, or going through my Gallien-Krueger or Barbetta keyboard amps, all the piano sounds stayed true to their best nature. I also noticed that unlike on many other stage pianos, I didn’t have to change sounds when I changed styles: The default piano let me play pop ballads, jazz solos, rock rhythms, salsa montunos, and a Bach prelude. To me, this has always been the selling point of the Kurzweil piano: It stays musical in any context. Technical editor Steve Fortner added, “I seldom have to tweak or EQ Kurzweil pianos, no matter what kind of band or room I’m playing in. There’s a defined, organic midrange that always ‘speaks’ just right in a live situation.” He also pointed out a feature that Kurzweils have had for years, but that many competitors still lack: “patch remain.” Change sounds while holding notes, and the notes from the old sound ring out.

Splitting the keyboard is fast, the split point is adjustable, and you can have a two-part layer in the right-hand part, and one sound in the left (the PC1 and PC2 series allow for a dual-layer left hand, too). Overall, I did reach for the manual more than I expected to with a performance-oriented keyboard, because with all the effects and multi-layer capability, most of the buttons have multiple functions. Overall, the SP2X has the edge over its most direct price competitors (the Yamaha CP33 and Roland RD-300SX) for MIDI controller capability. Each of the four knobs can be programmed to send any MIDI message, including aftertouch, which is cool because the keyboard itself doesn’t sense it. Every sound and setup lets you program each knob separately, a feature you’d expect on a dedicated controller, but not necessarily a stage piano. For studio-oriented folks, local-off mode — usually the first thing you reach for when hooking a controller into your system — has its own button in the Global section.

CONCLUSIONS

After some years of dormancy, Kurzweil is back in the game with a stage piano that sounds a good deal more expensive than it is. It also includes a well-rounded variety of sounds, superior effects (especially the reverbs), basic but capable MIDI controller abilities, and a graded action that will suit serious pianists. It would be a mistake to buy a digital stage piano in the just-over-a-grand range without playing the SP2X. The born-to-gig piano sound and competitive features make it a must-hear.

PROS

Rich, well-balanced piano sound. Robust assortment of electric pianos, basses, and percussion. Built-in rhythm loops. Tap tempo from keyboard. Held notes sustain during patch changes. Competitive array of MIDI controls and performance features.

CONS

Keyboard does not sense aftertouch. B-3 organ sounds are ho-hum. Front panel can be confusing.

$1,390
Kurzweil, www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com

GIMME SOME ACTION

Kurzweil’s weighted keyboards have always had a pleasing key strike-to-music connection, and the SP2X uses a brand-new action whose fully-weighted keys travel a generous 7/16 of an inch before impacting the solid keybed. There’s a bounce that’s a lot of a fun when you dig in on a jazz or rock piano solo, though I found it wore on the fingers after hours of play. Kurzweil has handled this ergonomic challenge by creating some very natural velocity relationships so the piano and EP sounds in particular respond smoothly over the entire key range. The global menu includes seven touch response curves, and the SP2X is one of the only weighted keyboards on which I prefer a lighter curve than the default, not a harder one. I also have a colleague, a Harvard-trained classical player, whose litmus test of a digital piano is key-repeat speed, and the SP2X passed it with flying colors.

CLAIM CHECK

Kurzweil tells us, “With sounds and features that are ideal for everything from live performance to studio recording, the SP2X is designed to please a wide variety of players, including composers, songwriters, gigging pros, students, and teachers. The famous Kurzweil piano sound will be the most important feature to all segments. Pros will appreciate the ease of use in setting up splits, layers and transpositions, as well as dedicated controls for part volumes and effects levels. Composers and songwriters will find inspiration in the SP2X’s impressive sound set, which features world-class electric pianos, strings, synths, guitars, basses, drums, and more. Organs, Take 6 vocals, and high-quality reverbs will appeal to church musicians. Students and teachers alike will find the rhythms and metronome useful. Ruggedly constructed and loaded with the highest quality sounds and performance features, the SP2X is well-suited for all players, from beginners to seasoned pros.”