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Description
Dive into a world of sonic possibilities with the Kurzweil K250, a renowned piece of DJ gear that reshaped the audio sampler landscape. This instrument is celebrated for its innovative sampling technology, which was revolutionary at the time of its debut. As one of the earliest digital samplers, the K250 offers a unique blend of advanced sound synthesis and sampling capabilities, allowing musicians to explore a diverse array of sounds with precision.
Originally designed to replicate the intricate nuances of acoustic instruments, the K250 boasts a powerful sound engine that continues to impress modern musicians and producers. Its ability to capture and reproduce high-quality samples makes it an ideal choice for DJs and audio engineers who demand both versatility and authenticity in their performances. With its user-friendly interface, the K250 simplifies complex sound design, making it accessible to both novice and seasoned users.
Whether you're remixing tracks or creating original compositions, the Kurzweil K250 provides a reliable platform that delivers high-fidelity audio and creative freedom. Its enduring reputation is a testament to its robust engineering and the rich, expressive sound palette it offers.
Key Features:
- Innovative digital sampling technology for authentic sound reproduction
- Powerful sound engine designed for high-quality audio output
- User-friendly interface suitable for both beginners and professionals
- Versatile sound palette for diverse musical styles
- Ideal for DJs, producers, and audio engineers seeking reliable performance
Videos
Synthasy2000
Kurzweil K250 Digital Synth Sampler
Kurzweil K250 Digital Synth Sampler
Synthasy2000
Kurzweil K250
SynthMania
KURZWEIL K250 | STAGE PIANO
Synth Cloud
Grégoire plays Yann Tiersen on Kurzweil K250
MuStudio
Exploring the Kurzweil K250 at the Museum of Making Music
Museum of Making Music
Reviews
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Kurzweil K250.
Build quality
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The K250 is noted for its all-wooden keybed, which adds to its perceived value despite age-related issues like rotting key contacts.
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Features and functionality
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Despite being one of the oldest sample-based keyboards, it still delivers surprisingly good piano sounds.
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The K250's pedal controls are integrated with the power supply, creating dependency on a single unit for full functionality.
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The Kurzweil K250 RMX offers a 19" rack form factor, which some find charming yet challenging compared to traditional keyboard models.
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Value and pricing
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It's challenging to sell due to size and weight, making local platforms like Facebook Marketplace potentially more effective than shipping.
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Use cases and applications
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The K250 is historically significant as an early rompler with analog roots, offering superior acoustic piano sounds compared to other 80s gear like the DX7.
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Other
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The power supply jack is considered complicated or unusual, which could present challenges in locating the correct replacement.
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Comparisons
User experience
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Owners note that without the power supply, the K250 becomes a non-functional "boat anchor," underscoring the importance of this component.
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Historical pricing once reached $10k, highlighting the K250's past prestige and current collector's value.
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Difficulty in sourcing a user manual specifically for the RMX version highlights potential challenges in learning patch navigation and preset storage.
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5.0 out of 5
Based on 2 Reviews and 4 Ratings
55
Groundbreaking workstation!
The K250 - in all of its incarnations is still a world-class sounding instrument, limited only by its sample memory and polyphony. The quality and warmth of the resident samples still outshines many ROMplers made 40 years later. One of the true samplers that sounds amazing without a myriad of effects. It's a deep, DEEP instrument for only those who dare to venture through its cavernous and almost endless levels of programming menus. For example, envelope generators with up to 256 segments???? If this had even 24 voices, it would still be in use today by many producers, composers and arrangers. I'm proud to own an Expander and an RMX. Will never sell them.
Preferred Settings + Usage:
The brass falls, choirs, marimba, vibes, acoustic bass and "Endless Glissando" are among my favs!
call the movers!
this thing is heavy, don't do it, just call the movers.
Artist usage
Add artist
Patrick was one of the first artists to use the groundbreaking synth which was used on The Other Side of Life & Sur La Mer albums.
At 8:59 in this video, Paul Shaffer can be seen playing his Kurzweil K250.
"Phase 2 began with Big Trouble In Little China. I had a new house and built a studio in the garage out back, which I called Electric Melody Studios, and where I had an Ampex MM1100 24-track instead of the Stephens. I added a Kurzweil 250 synth and a Prophet VS, both of which became main pieces, and also got the Linn Drum LM2 and an E-mu SP12 Drumulator. I started getting into computer-based sequencers as well. The first one I got was MOTU Performer on the Mac Plus. But the crown jewel which we got in 1986 was a Synclavier system. It was so expensive that I bought it on payments, it was like buying a house! I decided to go for the Synclavier rather than the Fairlight because it had added a Macintosh as its interface."
In this user-uploaded photo, John Harrison is seen using the Kurzweil K250, likely during the creation of the "Day of the Dead" score in 1985.
In the article the write states "...It was even more amazing to discover that all of the arrangements were produced and recorded using only one instrument (aside from Phil’s trumpet) – the Kurzweil 250."
As Keff mentioned in his website.
Equipment used on the Dr. Who sessions was:
Prophet V Synthesizer Emulator Sampling Keyboard Kurzweil Sampling Keyboard Roland S-50 Sampling Keyboard Linn Drum Machine Fender Stratocaster Guitar Atari 1040ste Computer Cubase Sequencing Software
(Also hinting of owning a Kurzweil K250 since it was a sampling keyboard in the 80s.)
STRUMENTI E VINTAGE KEYBOARDS Pianoforte YAMAHA C3 CONSERVATORY mezza coda (Disklavier) Piano elettrico FENDER RHODES 88 tasti Piano Digitale YAMAHA P-60 HAMMOND B3 – HAMMOND C3 – HAMMOND T-500 – LESLIE 122 – LESLIE 147 Basso elettrico GIBSON RIPPER Chitarra elettrica GRETSCH BATTERIA PEARL con rullante LUDWIG e piatti PAISTE e ZILDJIAN CONGAS – PERCUSSIONI di vario genere VINTAGE KEYBOARDS MINIMOOG KURZWEIL K250 KURZWEIL RMX 250 KORG M1 KORG Trinity ROLAND D50 Linear Synthesizer ROLAND D550 Linear Synthesizer YAMAHA DX7 FDII ENSONIQ SQ80 Analog Sinthesizer ROLAND D-110 ROLAND U-110 EMULATOR III EMULATOR III XP 2 EMULATOR IV E6400 OBERHEIM Matrix 1000 KAWAI K1m BOSS Drums Machine YAMAHA RX5 Drums Machine
(All from the website)
Album Usage
The Kurzweil K250 has been featured on the following albums:
Doctor Who - Time and The Rani (Original Television Soundtrack)
Keff McCulloch (2023)
Day of the Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
John Harrison (2014)
Pulse (Live)
Pink Floyd (1995)
Doctor Who: Ghost Light (Original Television Soundtrack)
Mark Ayres & Keff McCulloch (1989)
Sur La Mer
The Moody Blues (1988)
Perfect Machine (Expanded Edition)
Herbie Hancock (1988)
A Momentary Lapse of Reason
Pink Floyd (1987)
The Celts
Enya (1987)
The Other Side Of Life
The Moody Blues (1986)
Parade - Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon
Prince & Prince (1986)
5150 (2023 Remaster)
Van Halen (1986)
A Kind of Magic
Queen (1986)
Around The World In A Day
Prince & Prince (1985)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Kurzweil K250, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
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