Kawai K4r

$15.97 Price Tier: Budget

4.0 (12)

3 Reviews

Find out who is using Kawai K4r

1 community setup

5 wishlisted

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Page last updated Feb 20, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated June 23, 2025.

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Price

$15.97

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Average Price: $16

Budget/Beginner

$500

$1501+

Price Tier

In the Synthesizers category, Kawai K4r is priced in the Budget/Beginner range. This is great gear to get started with or for creators on a budget.

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High-end

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Description

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The Kawai K4 is a synthesizer manufactured in 1989 by Kawai. It contains several features beyond those offered on Kawai's K1, adding resonant filters and a DAC PCM wavetable. The K4 incorporated a new type of synthesis called Digital Multi Spectrum.

A 2U rack mounted module (pictured) was also produced by Kawai. It has six separate audio outputs in addition to standard left/right stereo outs and a headphone socket. The effects are removed in the rack mounted version as it is presumed outboard effects will be used with the unit.

Videos

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wolfgang S vukan

Kawai K4 (K4r) - 64 SynthCorner Presets Demo (NEW)

wolfgang S vukan

KAWAI K4R (1989) Digital Synthesizer Part 1

Nacho Marty Meyer

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #48: Kawai K4r - Song 1

Christian's Sonic Spaces

"Melancholia" (raw ambient demo) Kawai K4r synthesizer

Kawai K4r Fan

Reviews

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Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Kawai K4r.

Features and functionality

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The Kawai K4r is noted for its distinctive "industrial" and "cold" sound, attributed to its filter, making it popular for dance music production in its era.
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The K4r's effects can vary significantly between patches; settings like 1-5 for reverb and 10-11 for distortion can drastically alter patch sounds.
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Software and compatibility

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Edisyn is a recommended patch editor for the K4/K4r, offering single, multimode, drum, and effects patches to simplify programming challenges.
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Loading a full patch bank via Sysex, including single, multi, drum, and effects, is crucial to avoid mismatched effects causing patches to sound incorrect.
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Correct MIDI settings are vital: SYSTEM/MIDI= RCC, MIDI RCV EXEC= ON, and MIDI OMNI= OFF, ensuring proper communication with external devices.
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Use the K4INT.SYX file via Sysex for restoring original presets and effects, ensuring full functionality and authentic sound reproduction.
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Use cases and applications

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The K4r was historically recommended by magazines for dance music production, highlighting its suitability for genres requiring unique, synthetic sounds.
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User experience

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The K4r is not the easiest to program directly, but many sound banks are available online, particularly useful when combined with Sysex for expanded sound options.
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Users often experience initial setup challenges with the K4r, but troubleshooting common issues like effect mismatches is considered a right of passage.
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Value and pricing

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The K4r can often be found at an affordable price point, appealing to those looking for a budget-friendly synth with a nostalgic or unique sound profile.
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Setup and maintenance

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Replacing the RAM battery (CR 2032) is a common maintenance task for the K4r, essential for preserving memory and ensuring proper functionality.
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4.0 out of 5

Based on 3 Reviews and 12 Ratings

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maranaspacemarine

257

over 1 year ago

Very nice and unique sound, but extremely hard to use

Bought it after seeing a demo video of it. Sounds really good, but the user interface is exremely hard to understand and use.

Roles:

Music Producer

Genres:

Trance Uplifting trance Eurodance

From Gear Setup

quantumdylan

121

about 9 years ago

Nice and fuzzy sounding

This is a very difficult machine to use, but man is it worth it. The wavetable for this synth has some great harmonics and percussive sounds, and lets you dial in some pretty cool outputs. The filter is the strangest thing, with a bizarre resonance stage. Lots of fun to be had messing with this.

Be careful with very low envelope attacks, they will definitely make some potentially unpleasant popping. A little too fast of an envelope in some cases.

deepsignalstudios

493

over 10 years ago

Great for bizarre digital sounds

In the 90's I made some patches that I am still proud of today. It is easy to make it sounds cheesey but with a little work you can get some otherworldly sounds. Not a synth with a great filter.

Roles:

Composer Music Producer Audio Engineer

Genres:

Electronic Techno Ambient