# Kurzweil 1000PX

The 1000PX is the rack mount version of the K1000.  The 1000Px was replaced
by the 1000PX Plus about 1.5 years ago.  Basically the 1000PX Plus is
identical to the 1000PX except that it has the PXA soundblock installed and
some better sounding programs.  The two machines are essentially identical
if the PXA block is added to the 1000PX.  I believe that the PX+ is the
currently available rack mount.  The K1000 is not available anymore, I
don't think.  It was replaced some time ago with the K1200, which is esentially
a K1000 with an 88 key, somewhat more pianolike keyboard and, I think, the
PX+ voice architecture.  At sometime there was a device called the
K1000 SE, I'm not sure how that differed from a K1000.  Anyway, each of the
K/PX family can be upgraded to essentially identical devices (using PXA and
PXB soundblocks [called KXA and KXB for the K series]).  I can highly
recommend Kurzweil modules to anybody who is looking for some sampled
sounds, in a very elegant package to boot.  Also, contrary to what some
people believe, the Kurzweil 1000/1200 series devices are capable of some
very serious synthesis.  Now, there are no resonant filters for sweeping,
however there are some number of hundred parameters of each voice which are
controlable or mappable or both.  There is a very flexible control routing
system and some sophisticated envlos and amplifr tricks.  Actually,
you can probably do anything with a Kurz you can do with an M1, or maybe
even a D50 (since the almost nonexistant D50 filter can be easily simulated
with the Kurz).  So, not only do you get some incredible samples (the piano
is still to be beat, in my opinion), you actually get a very flexible
synthesizer (sans filters, but many people who read this stuff obviously
don't care and wouldn't know what to do with one, anyway) as well.  Nick,
nonwithstanding, the Kurz 1000 series are synths.

John