Kurzweil PC3LE8 88-Key Synthesizer Keyboard Workstation

No longer available at zZounds
Play Kurzweil's VAST PC3 sound set -- from rich grand pianos and vintage EPs to fat virtual-analog synths -- on 88 fully weighted, aftertouch-sensitive keys.

The Kurzweil PC3LE8 is the music workstation that plays like a piano. Combining an 88-key controller keyboard with Kurzweil's impressive PC3 sound set, expressive controls, and an interactive user interface, the PC3LE8 has just what you need to rock any performance. Performing musicians and studio recordists will have a ton of fun playing through PC3LE8's rich sound set on 88 responsive, weighted keys.

PC3 Sounds and FX

In keeping with Kurzweil's PC3 line of keyboards, the PC3LE8 features a massive set of PC3 sounds and programs powered by advanced chip technology and the V.A.S.T. synthesis engine. When composing, arranging, and performing, trigger hundreds of rich tones, including Kurzweil's renowned grand piano, vintage electric pianos, Clavinets and Mellotrons, Orchestral and Strings collections, VA virtual analog synths, KB3 organs, basses, drums, guitars, percussion, horns, GM sounds, and much more. The V.A.S.T. synthesis engine pairs pristine samples with detailed programming of hundreds of synth and effects parameters, so that every instrument sound you play is as realistic and rich as possible.

Over 700 effects chains are available, each with real-time controllers already assigned to relevant parameters. Reverbs, delays, choruses, flangers, phasers, EQs, distortions, rotary speaker simulators, compressors, and other effects are at your fingertips, instantly ready to polish your sound. The PC3LE8 also provides up to 10 insert effects, which can be distributed among read more 10 channels.

Drums in Demand

The PC3LE8 sports 8 backlit, velocity-sensitive drum pads for triggering sounds, sequences, chords, and arpeggiations on the fly. Rhythm tracks are aways within reach, as each program has a drum kit assigned to the pads. You get more than 100 drum programs in all, covering acoustic brush kits, rock kits, FX-laden techno/electronic kits, and 24 existing kits from the PC3.

The Workstation that Works with You

On this keyboard, it's easy to customize your sound. Just move a controller and hit the Save button -- that's it -- for one-touch sound customization in any given program or effects chain. For even more flexibility, the Parameters page allows you to reassign any controller to any available parameter; you can save up to 1,000 custom sounds to the user bank.

The instrument's interactive user interface always lets you know where you stand with your controls -- every time you move a knob or the mod wheel or any other real-time controller, the PC3LE8's screen will display the controller, its real-time value, and the parameter being affected.

Tailored toward musicians who just want to turn it on and play, the keyboard offers several intuitive modes guaranteed to speed up setup and workflow. Setup Mode turns the instrument into a MIDI controller and provides 16 simultaneous, independent, fully programmable arpeggiators, along with up to 16 simultaneous riffs (sequences that can be triggered by buttons, drum pads, or notes on the keyboard). Likewise, Quick Access Mode lets you create custom banks of 10 sounds that can be accessed by a single button-press. Song Mode puts a 16-track sequencer right where you need it, with powerful editing features such as event editing, swing, controller scaling, input quantize, input filter, and chasing controls.

The Right Connections

The Kurzweil PC3LE8 offers all the connectivity needed to hook it up to everything else running on stage or in the studio. USB host and device ports make it easy to save your user programs, setups, and songs to a USB thumb-drive or directly to a computer, as well as update the OS. This workhorse workstation also offers MIDI I/O, stereo balanced analog outputs, 24-bit DACs, and a 24-bit stereo S/PDIF digital output.

Features:

- 88-key synthesizer keyboard workstation
- Fully-weighted hammer-action Fatar TP-40L keyboard with 88 velocity- and aftertouch-sensitive keys
- Bright backlit LCD with dedicated back panel contrast control
- 64-voice polyphony
- 16 parts multitimbral
- PC3 sound set with over 800 programs, including base ROM, orchestral, classic keys, strings, GM, and over 70 KB3 programs
- 256 factory-programmed MIDI setups and up to 2,560 user programmable MIDI setups, each with 16 independent zones, effects, triggerable pattern-based riffs and arpeggiator settings
- 16-track sequencer with song editing functions and quick set song loop point functions
- 10 insert effects distributed over 10 busses, one auxiliary send
- Over 500 Kurzweil effects, including reverbs, delays, chorus, flange, phaser, EQs, distortions, rotary speaker simulators, compressors, and more
Controllers: Pitch wheel, modulation wheel, 5 front-panel knobs, 7 front-panel switches, 2 switch pedal inputs, 1 continuous control pedal input, and mono pressure
- 8 backlit velocity-sensitive drum pads that can be used to trigger sounds, sequences, chords, and arpeggiations
- 16 independent arpeggiators with multiple latch modes, selectable play order, velocity, duration, tempo, and sync functions, plus pre-recorded beats and musical phrases
- 16 simultaneous riff generators for triggering MIDI sequenced phrases, beats, or complete multi-track arrangements
- 2x 1/4" Balanced TRS analog (24-bit DACs)
- 1/4" headphone output
- 24-bit, stereo S/PDIF outputs at 48K (internal clock)
- MIDI: In/Out/Thru
- USB host port
- Internal AC power supply included
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Keyboard: Fatar TP-40L; 88-note fully-weighted hammer-action with velocity and aftertouch sensitive keys

Display: 240 x 64 backlit LCD with dedicated back panel contrast control

Polyphony: 64 Voice Polyphony, dynamically allocated, lightning fast performance
Multitimbral: 16 parts (one per MIDI channel)

Architecture: PC3 sound engine, complete with anti-aliased VA oscillators and KB3 Mode. Important synth and effects parameters can be accessed and adjusted via the PC3LE's front panel knobs and buttons - user settings can be captured and saved with a single button press. Supports loading PC3 programs
Factory Presets: PC3 sound set, including Base ROM, Orchestral, Classic Keys, String Section, General MIDI set and over 70 KB3 programs with total of over 800 programs

Factory MIDI Setups: 256 factory programmed MIDI setups. Up to 2560 user programmable MIDI setups, each with 16 independent zones, effects, triggerable pattern-based Riffs and arpeggiator settings. Dozens of user-editable patterns for both pitch and velocity

General MIDI: Standard

User Memory: 2560 locations for user created preset programs, songs and setups
Sequencer: 16 tracks; 960 PPQ resolution. Song editing functions include both event and track-based tools like quantize, swing, remap, controller scaling and more. Controller chasing and quick set song loop point functions are also included

Effects: 10 insert effects distributed over 10 busses, one auxiliary send; featuring over 500 of our award winning effects - reverbs, delays, chorus, flange, phaser, EQs, distortions, rotary speaker simulators, compressors, and more

Controllers: Pitch wheel, modulation wheel, 5 front panel knobs (15 virtual knobs with a two-tiered shift button), 7 front panel switches (momentary or toggle, software selectable), 2 switch pedal inputs, 1 continuous control pedal input and mono pressure. Controller values can be captured and stored as part of a program. In addition to all of these, the PCLE6 also features 8 backlit velocity-sensitive drum pads that can be used to trigger sounds, sequences, chords and arpeggiations

Arpeggiator: 16 full-featured independent arpeggiators with multiple latch modes, selectable play order, velocity, duration, tempo, and sync functions as well as pre-recorded beats and musical phrases

Riffs: 16 simultaneous Riff generators (used for triggering MIDI sequenced phrases, beats, or complete multi-track arrangments from notes on the keyboard and/or any on-board physical controller)

Analog Outputs: Two 1/4 inch balanced TRS analog (24-bit DACs)

Headphones: 1 rear panel 1/4 inch headphone output

Digital Outputs: 24-bit, stereo S/PDIF at 48K (internal clock)

MIDI: In, Out, Thru

USB: Host port for connecting a USB thumb-drive and a Device port that allows the PC3LE to load and save data directly to and from a computer, perform OS updates and send/receive MIDI over USB

FREE OS Updates: Flash ROM upgradeable via USB or thumb-drive

Dimensions
Height: (5.00") (12.70 cm)

Depth: (14.50") (36.83 cm)

Length: (56.48") (143.41 cm)

Weight: (54.15 lb.) (24.56 kg)

Automatic selection 90-250V AC operation

Power Supply:Internal AC Power Supply (Included)

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Web: https://kurzweil.com/support/

Kurzweil PC3LE8 88-Key Keyboard

Inspiring creativity, the Kurzweil PC3LE8 88-key performance controller keyboard has fantastic sounds, reliable performance, musical expressiveness and ease of use. The PC3LE8 features a streamlined, intelligent user interface that has amazing sound quality and controller features that are optimized for any type of performance.

Best Sounds

Under the hood, the PC3LE8 features the same groundbreaking chip technology that has made the PC3 the most talked about keyboard in recent years. All of the PC3's sounds are included - the famous Kurzweil grand piano, vintage electric pianos, Clavinets and Mellotrons, dazzling Orchestral and Strings collections, stunning VA virtual analog synths, KB3 organs, realistic basses, drums, guitars, percussion and horns, General MIDI, plus nearly 200 programs developed specifically for the LE; over 1050 programs in all. The method for navigating through such a massive sound set has been improved; programs in the LE can be viewed and selected with a set of Category buttons. Select Leads and you'll see a list of all the synth leads in the machine, grouped together. Same goes for the other 20 categories, everything from Synth Bass to Mallets to Guitars.

These programs take advantage of the V.A.S.T. synthesis engine, using pristine samples paired with detailed programming of literally hundreds of synth and effects parameters. Whether it's the rosin of a bowed string instrument, the resonant harmonics of a piano's damper pedal, or the thumps and squeaks of an electromechanical keyboard, Kurzweil has done their homework and provided a level of detail and realism that can only be found in a Kurzweil. Which means you can focus on the important business of making music.

The PC3LE8 comes equipped with over 700 onboard effects chains from which to choose, all with real-time controllers already assigned to relevant parameters. With world class reverbs that decay into complete silence, warm, classic sounding phasers, flangers and choruses, and burning, saturated distortions, you'll have everything you need to make your music sound like a polished, finished product from the outset. The PC3LE8's architecture provides up to 10 insert effects, which can be distributed among 10 channels, with an available auxiliary effect as well.

Interactive

In the PC3, Kurzweil introduced the Info feature, a soft button-press that allows the user to see which controllers have been assigned to parameters within a program. The LE takes this to the next level, with an interactive user interface that communicates directly with you whenever you move a real-time controller. Turn a knob, hit a button or move a wheel and the LE's screen will display the controller, its real-time value and the parameter being affected. An example would be moving the modwheel on an organ program - you would see the following: Modwheel 79 Distortion Drive. This system never breaks down - you can change effect chains freely and all of this info remains intact, updated to reflect the chain you've selected. Also, this info is transferred seamlessly to Setup Mode - you can see whatever controllers have been assigned to programs used in any zone of a setup.

Customizing Your Sound
Kurzweil wanted to give users the quickest, easiest possible way to adjust the PC3LE8's sounds to suit individual tastes and needs. In any given program or effects chain, the relevant parameters, the ones that you'd want to tweak and adjust, have been assigned real-time controllers. Move a controller and hit the Save button - no menus, no pages with endless parameters - and you get one touch sound customization. Also, flexibility is important when it comes to customizing your sound. Don't want filter frequency control on a knob? Prefer to have it assigned to the modwheel? No problem. The Parameters page allows you to re-assign any controller to any available parameter. You can save your custom sounds to the user bank, with over 1000 ID slots.

A Different Drummer

With the PC3LE8, Kurzweil is introducing a set of dynamic physical controllers - 8 backlit, velocity-sensitive drum pads that can be used to trigger sounds, sequences, chords and arpeggiations. Every program in the machine has a drum kit assigned to the pads, so you'll always have access to a rhythm track when you need it. As a bonus, Kurzweil has included a set of over 100 drum programs, with acoustic brush kits, slammin' rock kits and a number of heavily effected techno/electronic kits, in addition to the 24 existing kits from the PC3. Just as Kurzweil put a great deal of effort into making sure that their keyboard action feels just right, the drum pads were implemented with precision and care, with utmost attention given to how they feel when played. After all, this is a musical instrument and not just a piece of technology.

Everything Else You'd Expect

Complimenting the LE's features are a few old familiar Kurzweil favorites; Setup Mode, Quick Access Mode and Song Mode, all taken directly from the PC3.

Setup Mode enables the LE to act as a powerful MIDI controller as well as providing 16 simultaneous, independent, fully programmable arpeggiators, with factory and user-programmable patterns. On top of that, each setup can have up to 16 simultaneous Riffs - sequences that can be triggered by buttons, drum pads or notes on the keyboard. While Setup Mode, with up to 16 zones each with its own program, is still as powerful as ever, a Split/Layer button has been daeed to make the creation of simple setups quick and easy.

Quick Access Mode allows you to create custom banks of 10 sounds that can be accessed by a single button-press. And Song Mode delivers a full-featured 16 track sequencer with all of the powerful editing features that you'd find in a high end workstation - event editing, swing, controller scaling, input quantize, input filter, and chasing controls. User memory provides over 1000 ID slots each for your own QA banks, Setups and Songs.

Connectivity

Saving, loading and updating the OS are all made easy on the LE with the inclusion of both USB Host and Device ports. You can save your user programs, setups and songs to a USB thumb-drive or directly to a computer. OS updates can be loaded from a thumb-drive or directly from your computer, and of course the LE sends and receives MIDI over USB. Standard MIDI jacks are also included for In, Out and Thru. For audio, the PC3LE8 features high-quality, hum-cancelling, stereo balanced analog outputs, with 24-bit DACs as well as a 24-bit stereo S/PDIF digital output at 48K.

Power Supply:Internal AC Power Supply (Included)