Kawai K5000 S (1996) Advanced additive synthesizer

 

The K5000 series mix additive synthesis with PCM samples waveforms.

Direct Kawai K5 descendant plus a lot of new features with enhanced technology: simply one of the most intriguing digital synthesizer ever made.

KEYBOARD 61 velocity keys with aftertouch.
Main panel features 240 x 64 dots, 1 data wheels, 58 push button and 12 knobs for real-time parameters On the left side there are 2 wheels for modulation and pitchbender.


Back panel terminal connectors:
- main signal out
- 1 pedalswitch input
- 1 expression pedal input
- 2 assignable pedalswitch inputs
- Midi interface.

VOICE core CPU Risc-32 manage 32 voices polyphony based on DAS - DSP ADVANCED SYNTHESIS (3x ASP Panasonic MN19412A) relative DACs are a Burr-Brown PCM69AU.

A basic k5000 patch is composed by 6 digital oscillators or so-called "elements" and each DAS element can be either a: - PCM sample wave - DSP additive wave

ADDITIVE ELEMENT DSP generates 128 sinewave harmonic that can be summed following the traditional Fourier principle.

The whole sinewaves are split into 2 harmonic groups (each group counts for 1 element): - first harmonic group: from 1 to 64 - second harmonic group: from 64 to 128.

The relative harmonics levels can be set in 4 ways:

- DHL: step by step values entries - DHE: EG envelope - 6 macro harmonic templates: bright, odd, even, octave, 5th and whole-harmonics selection. - Morphing function which is able to record up to 4 harmonics snapshots with progressive interpolation values for a smooth motion.

PCM ELEMENT internal 16 bits ROM contains 123 PCM waveforms split into 2 categories:

- PCM acoustic instruments - PCM transient attack PCM.

PERFORMANCE special MULTIMODE manages 4 parts with individual features:

- mix gain - stereo panning position - zone assign - transpose and tune

ENVELOPE 5 EGs:

- amplitude osc: 4 segments+ 2 levels - pitch osc: 4 segments+ 2 levels - standard filter: 4 segments+ 2 levels - formant filter: variable structure. - harmonic: variable structure every harmonics has its own EG with possible loops scan between decay segments.

FILTER the special filter DCF is multimode:

- highpass (for both PCM+ ADD) - lowpass (for both PCM+ ADD) - formant (only ADD) is a 128 bands resonant comb-model defined by 128 DFL steps, each step contains 2 values for both level and envelope. For quick edit it is possible to fill steps using the macro bands selections (5-10-15-20 or whole ALL).

LFO 4 digital modulators (shapes: triangle, saw, random and square) and 4 destinations:
- LFO to oscillator pitch
- LFO to amplitude
- LFO to filter "standard"
- LFO to filter formant.

EFFECTS fully editable sections includes: reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, leslie, distortion, exciter and overdrive.

MIDI quite all parameters can be controlled by Midi Control Change and K5000S outputs the frontal knobs as standard CC# values.

ARPEGGIATOR

Really complete with adjustable octave range, hold, random notes, gate velocity. The arpeggios are midi-output to other devices and they can be synched to external Midi clock tempo. IMPORT function loads short Midi files into special slots for creative arpeggios edit.

REPAIR & MAINTENANCE no great issues there, with time it might be necessary to replace:

- tact switches - electro-luminescent EL display backlight

MEMORY:

- 256 RAM patches. RAM doubled if special memory expansion model Kawai ME-1 is fitted. Sounds and performances can be saved either to Midi Sysex dump or to internal 1,44 MB disk drive which file system is a standard PC MS-Dos file system.

Disk drive USB upgrade for sale! - out of stock! we have a modern Usb player to replace old disk drive with 4 gb of RAM! Easy to install (with instruction) complete with dozen of free banks on a USB key (included). PRE order for next batch or get info

 

EDITORS some free and commercial third-part external editors for k5000 series:

- k5k cuisinart (old PC, free) PIC - Xaza K5000 editor (java, free) PIC - Sound quest (pc/mac commercial) PIC - Sounddiver (PC out of business) - ctrlr.org control panel PIC - Wavemaker harmonic generator (both k5/k5000 for Atari ST) PIC - Kawai K5000 Controller 1.4 (Max msp) PIC

 

K5000S RELATED MODELS:

	K5000W wavestation bigger wavetable, performance parts, an internal sequencer, but no real time knobs.
	K5000R 2 units rack with no control knobs for edit, but parameters can be accessed with external control change or directly with the Kawai box Macro Control.
	K5 previous additive synth Relative rackmount model is K5m

 

SPECIAL AWARDS: