Kurzweil PC4 vs. PC4 SE

[GigMan]

Looking to replace my 13 yr. Roland RD300GX, which has served me well on hundreds of gigs over the years - 1 keyboard setup gigs. For bigger gigs where I bring 2 keyboards (weddings, banquets, parties - ie, NOT cramped bar gigs), I use a Yamaha MoFX8 & a Korg Kronos 61.

Considering purchase of a Kurzweil PC4 - nice light weight/portability, variety of good sounds, lots of physical controls (faders, "hard buttons," etc.) that eliminates menu-diving for simple tasks (layering, splits, etc.). I am aware that Kurzweil has a reputation for "reliability issues" but I am willing to assume that risk.

I am also eyeing up the Kurzweil PC4 SE as a cheaper but viable alternative - which looks to have the exact same keybed/action and mostly the same sounds? - - for a lot less money (about $800 difference from my vendor).

One MAJOR difference which kind of matters to me is after-touch: the PC4 has it, the PC4 SE does NOT have it. Not sure if should be the tipping point for me or not, as I would ONLY want to employ after-touch on a few sounds here and there... but it is really nice to have when you want to use it.

Looking for opinions - esp. from anyone has played both, or owns one vs. the other (PC4 vs. PC4 SE) - - thx

 

[happyrat1]

Aftertouch is definitely a nice thing to have, I have channel aftertouch on my PC3K8, Prophet Rev2 and Take 5 and key aftertouch on my Hydrasynth.

If I had to make do without it though, there's always the mod wheel and the CC pedal to add some oomph to the mix.

My advice is to test drive both keyboards and see for yourself if it's indispensible or not.

Gary

 

[anotherscott]

In case you didn't see it, here's the chart more fully comparing the PC4 to the PC4 SE... https://kurzweil.com/2021/09/02/comparison-chart-workstations/

 

[delaware dave]

Not sure where your Kurzweil reputation for reliability issues information comes from. I've owned mine for over a decade, it's been through 1000's of gigs and practices and has never let me down once. All functions work, not a single issue.

 

[happyrat1]

Actually Dave, there was the blinking lights of death issue with PC3LE that was never really resolved.

Right now I’m climbing the walls over a MIDI issue which never surfaced until I added the Sequential synths to my rig

Omni/Poly/Multi, local on or off, nothing seems to be working when I try to record MIDI with my trusty old cakewalk where before everything was perfect.

Gary.

 

[delaware dave]

Actually there is a fix for the LE series blinking light issue. A service bulletin was released 5+ years ago which requires to swap out one part to fix it; this only happens on the PC3LE model (one of a couple dozen models that Kurzweil makes). Sometimes things happen but to speak generally of reliability issues is off the mark.

 

[happyrat1]

I was ready to buy one ten years ago but you talked me into a PC3K8.

It took years for that fix to come along.

Gary.

 

[happyrat1]

And I just remembered the old PC3 issue 20 years ago where keyboard weights were dropping off like flies.

If history is any indication, Kurzweil is due for another lemon

Gary

 

[GigMan]

Not sure where your Kurzweil reputation for reliability issues information comes from. I've owned mine for over a decade, it's been through 1000's of gigs and practices and has never let me down once. All functions work, not a single issue.

delaware dave - glad to hear of your solid experiences with Kurzweil.

Truthfully I don't even remember where the "Kurzweils can be flaky" info came from - I know I've read that before but I'm happy to be proven wrong!

 

[GigMan]

In case you didn't see it, here's the chart more fully comparing the PC4 to the PC4 SE... https://kurzweil.com/2021/09/02/comparison-chart-workstations/

anotherscott -

Thanks - good info on that chart, where I can see the PC4 & PC4 SE side by side!

3 key factors for me that appear to be exactly the same on both units the PC4 and the PC4 SE:

• polyphony is the same (256)
• the keybed is the same
• LCD display is the same

Looks like the main differences that matter to me, between the PC4 and the PC4 SE are:

• 9 faders and knobs on the PC4 vs. only 5 faders and knobs on the PC4 SE
• After-touch on the PC4 vs. NO after-touch on the PC4 SE

As I am NOT really a hard-core organ guy, I think the 5 faders would be fine and would give me enough to play with and not feel lacking. And After-touch is nice but if I can save about 800 bucks to live without it, I think I can - live without it!

I definitely have after-touch on my Korg Kronos, which is the board I'd bring to any gig that requires lots of synth-type sounds, which is where the after-touch comes in handy, anyway.

So NOT having after-touch on a Kurzweil PC4 SE is something I could live with... I think? lol

 

[anotherscott]

Looks like the main differences that matter to me, between the PC4 and the PC4 SE are:

• 9 faders and knobs on the PC4 vs. only 5 faders and knobs on the PC4 SE
• After-touch on the PC4 vs. NO after-touch on the PC4 SE

As I am NOT really a hard-core organ guy, I think the 5 faders would be fine and would give me enough to play with and not feel lacking.

The extra faders/knobs/buttons have other uses besides organ. And it also relates to the fact that the SE supports 5 zones instead of 16 zones, if that might matter. Other differences: no user sample memory, no ribbon option, lack of full on-board sound editing (you can still use a computer-based editor), no assignable out, no aux in, one less pedal input. But if the SE does what you need, it does look like a nice board!

After-touch is nice but if I can save about 800 bucks to live without it, I think I can - live without it!

There's also the PC4-7, if you can live with 76 semi-weighted keys instead of 88 hammer action keys. Then the price difference between the two feature sets becomes $300 instead of $800.

 

[GigMan]

Those other differences don't matter much to me & the semi-weighted keys just feel like mush to my fingers when playing piano patches, lol...

Which is too bad because the footprint of the PC4-7 is even smaller and lighter than the PC4 SE - and as I get older (58) I'm somehow playing more and more gigs each year (closing in on 100 this year, while still working a day job) so I've realized... Lighter is Better!! ha ha

Obviously the PC4 SE is heavier cuz it has a fully weighted key bed in it, which makes the whole keyboard heavier than one with a "semi-weighted" key bed.

But I think my fingers recoiled in disgust last time I played Kurzweil's "semi-weighted" action on a PC3-7 or something like that - for piano playing, I just can't do it, it feels nasty! For synth & organ playing - absolutely, a semi-weighted action is the way to go!

But I'm looking to play a lot of acoustic piano/Rhodes/Wurlitzer/Clav sounds on the PC4 SE if I get one - the high quality sounds of the organs & synth patches (which I will definitely use as well) will just be a nice bonus, icing on the cake! The Roland RD-300GX I use now on
single-keyboard gigs really has only a couple decent synth sounds in it and only 3 or 4 passable organ sounds!

WHATEVER the PC4 SE has in the way of organs & synths will be way better than what I've got on the Roland RD-300GX and dealing w/playing the weighted keys for organ sounds is far better than trying to play piano on "semi-weighted" keys.

So really, the PC4 SE would be kind of a "digital piano on steroids" for me - to replace my aging Roland RD-300GX:
something that'd be good for use on "single keyboard" gigs and also a viable alternative to my Yamaha MoXF8 on some occasions for the "2 keyboard gigs" - with my Korg Kronos 61 being the top tier kybd. on those gigs.

 

[GigMan]

- - but I am going to audition the PC4-7 side by side with the PC4 SE, there's a music store that has both - within 1.5 hrs. of my house!

I have a feeling I'll wind up with the PC4 SE - but if I can live with the Semi-Weighted action on the PC4-7, I'll get it - as it is SOOO compact and lightweight.