Trend price : 200€
Module expander of the famous VA synthesizer KS4/KS5, derived from previous K-station and module A-Station.
Company: Novation
Model: KS RACK
Class: Synth Module
Dates: 2003
Display: 2 x 20 LCD
Synthesis: hybrid
V.A. waveforms: 7 shapes
N. waves: 24 PCM
Polyphony: 16 voices
Multitimbric: 4 parts
Filter: LPF / HPF / BPF
LFO: 2 modulators
Envelope: 2 EGs
Effects: 7
Memory: 200 slots
Arpeggiator: yes
Sync: Midi
Demo: 1
Video: 1
Review: 1
DOWNLOAD: user manual
Overview
MODULE rackmountable.
Main panel features a 2 x 20 LCD display, 25 pots, 49 push buttons and 8 sliders subdivided into several logic macro zones.
Back panel terminal connectors:
- main stereo out
-
assignable aux out
- Midi interface
- sustain pedal input
- expression pedal input
- headphones
- audio input
Voice
16 digital voices polyphony .
A basic KS patch is composed by 3 detunable and crossmodulable oscillators in 4 octave heights.
The KS engine features 2 synthesis family generators :
- wavetable PCM
-
analog modeling
Wavetable
24 PCM waveforms organized into 2 families:
-
9 cycled harmonics waves from electromechanical and electronic piano instruments e.g Hammond organ, Rhodes, Clavinet and Wurlitzer.
-
15 one-shot percussions
Analogue modeling
internal DSP creates typical analog waveforms:
-
square
-
sawtooth
-
pulse with variable width
-
triangle
-
sinewave
-
hypersaw with special "doublemode"
-
noises: 3 different kinds
Filter
digital resonant filter with 2 or 4 poles slope and 4 modes:
- lowpass
-
highpass
- bandpass
-
OVEDRIVE function saturates the filter
TIP : external sources can be filtered
LFO
2 delayed modulators (0 Hz to 1Khz range)
- LFO1 modulates oscillators pitch
-
LFO2 modulates filter cutoff
Both modulators feature 6 different shapes with variable polarity offset: sine, triangle, saw, square, sample & hold and random.
Envelope
2 EGs based on a 4-segments ADSR structure:
-
EG1 is hardwired to amplitude
-
EG2 is freely assignable to pulse width, cutoff, oscillator pitch or amplitude
Performance
up to 4 parts available with variable functions:
-
volume
-
split zones
-
pitch tuning
- indipendent
Midi channels
- 2 polyphonic modes
-
special monophonic mode glide portamento.
- oscillators unison
- 4 arpeggiator engines
Effects
7 effects: reverb, distortion, chorus / phaser, panning, 16-bands vocoder and EQ
Memory
- ROM 200 programs + 50 performances +100 drum sounds
- RAM 200 programs + 100 drum programs+ 50 performances
Review
OK: knobs / arpeggiator
NOT : sounds like other novation
"KS rack has a lot of power indeed, but it sounds like many Nova products. Nothing really new. "
Text , review, special demos copyright polynominal.com / Eric Pochesci
