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(More customer reviews)Previously, the Kurz SP-76 was the handiest of all quality, professional performer's keyboards, so small that I could carry it to a big band job strapped over a shoulder with an amp in one hand. Its limitation was the absence of any splits, making it necessary to have another keyboard or tone generator on the job for left-hand bass. Moreover, the keyboard was simply time-consuming and frustrating (like many Kurzweils I've owned) to MIDI with another device. The Kurzweil SP2 appeared to be the solution, but it's frankly proven an unexciting instrument to play. The sounds are too few, they lack brilliance and life, some of the sounds--e.g. organ--are too weak to be useful, and the inclusion of "Take 6" sounds is a joke from a performer's (and other musicians') point of view. Moreover, it's a rather cumbersome axe, twice as heavy as the SP76, and prone to misfire when set-ups are switched in the middle of a beat. Finally, I have not been able to get a decent, ringing ride cymbal sound layered to the bass--a feature that has vanished or diminished since my K1000 from 20 years ago, when Kurzweils were still made in Japan (they were bought out by the giant Korean piano maker, Young Chang).
Except for the added cost (the SP-76 would occasionally be as low as $500), the SP4-7 is far closer than any other current Kurzweil to the original SP-76 in size and weight, and it offers the advantage of splits and layering, plus more and better sounds (e.g. vibes), and a full bank's worth of 128 presets (the SP2 had only 64; the SP76, 32). Given the inevitable difficulty of programming even Kurzweil's most basic keyboard (the company has yet to produce a manual of instructions worth its weight), the doubling of preset sounds is in itself a major improvement. It certainly makes me wish I'd waited longer before picking up an SP2.
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Kurzweil SP4-7 76 Note Digital Stage Piano, Semi Weighted Keys, 128 Programs, 64 Split Polyphony, Split Layer, Setup Mode, 24 Bit DSP Technology, BlackKurzweil's SP4-7 is the modern successor to the best selling SP76, which famously combined world-class Kurzweil sound quality with previously unheard of affordability. The updated SP4-7 makes available to more players than ever the same sound set featured in the successful PC3 line of professional keyboards, in an instrument that is slim, lightweight and extremely easy to use. The SP4-7's enclosure is slender, elegant and easy to lift; once set up it leaves the smallest possible footprint, which means that you, not your keyboard, will be in the spotlight. Featuring a user interface that's intelligently designed, allowing you to create splits and layers with the touch of a button; select presets and setups from easy to access category and program buttons; quickly adjust effects parameters; everything is laid out so you can be up and running and making music right out of the box. The keyboard has 128 hand-picked programs taken directly from the PC3 line, it delivers the best in every category of sound, with the renowned Triple Strike Grand Piano, classic electric pianos, lush strings and orchestral instruments, along with top notch basses, guitars, winds, brass, percussion and drums. Its 16-part multi-timbral architecture makes the SP4-7 a powerful tool for writing and recording music in conjunction with an external sequencer or Desktop Audio Workstation. It has everything from flawless concert hall reverbs and crisp delays to powerful distortion and amp simulation effects add another layer of depth and realism that can only be found in a Kurzweil. The most relevant effects parameters have been mapped to the timbre knob, so you can customize your sound without having to dive into menus or manuals.
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