That's amazing Matt! Appeciate you sharing your history with the K3, sounds like it was a real trooper for you in those early years. Thanks so much for stopping by! :)
Wow... I remember these digital/analogue hybrids were big in 1985/86... I bought a JX8P back then but have to say this sounds way sweeter... can sound both cold and warm... love it.
Another great review and demo of the K3. I really like this synth - despite the limitations, it has a very pure and precise tone and all the 80s vibes you need form DX7 type bells to Juno-esq pads. Reminds me somewhat of an a-Juno. Thanks!
Always loved the Kawai synths, the sounds were always rich powerful and dynamic. Look's like you have a mint example. Thanks for sharing this memory with us! 😎
Yeah I bought my "Kawai K3 and Kawai R-50e Digital Drum Machine", back in1985. I still have them and use them today. Combined with the "Ensoniq EPS Classic, Ensoniq ASR-X Pro, Emu Proteus 2000 and Emu Mo'Phatt". It's a beautiful sounding studio...
Love that machine, I have adopted K3M that used to belong to Junkie XL. Since then used it all around my albums, for scoring etc.. Gorgeous instrument and to mention.. absolutely thunderous bottom ends, unbeatable in that regard by anything else I ever had in my hands. Overall really unique and pleasant sound. Missing mod wheel is all fine for me, aftertouch takes care of that much better and doesnt take away one hand from playing.
Great info. Great delivery. Some excellent sounds in there. I have the “m” version. Has been fun programming it from the front panel of my Jupiter 4 (Hamburgwave MIDI) via the CTRLR editor.
Adding a Stereoping Synth Controller makes a huge difference and really opens up the synth. I use it with my K3m, which I got for 150,- Eur around 2003. It was my first synth together with the Juno1.
My first synthesizer was the K1 from 1988, which was very popular at the time, but for the most part it wasn't what I wanted and in retrospect was a big mistake. However, the K3 was one of the hot alternatives I should have considered, along with the Matrix 6, JX8P, and Juno 60. TH-cam would have been a great help in deciding what to buy, but it didn't exist back then... 😞
@@synth4everIf Kawai were to present a new edition of the K3, it would be a temptation. On the other hand, some hybrid synthesizers have come onto the market in recent years that sound really great (e.g. Waldorf M, 3rd Wave, Behringer Wave). I know that sounds heretical - every device has its own sound and sweet spot. But for this kind of sound you don't necessarily have to buy a device that's almost 40 years old... :-) I love old hardware synthesizers, but I don't have the time or motivation to fix malfunctions. However, I'm still hoping for a reissue of Prophet VS and Matrix 12...
I really like mine. I always felt that digital or DCOs pumped through analog filters was a great hybrid approach. Seems like a resurgence of hybrids, with the Novation Peak/Summit and the forthcoming B. PPG clone. Shame the K3 was in the era of going knobless, killing a lot of desire to develop patches. I must commend Kawai for their tank-like builds with nice keybeds. Thanks for the comprehensive vid!
Thanks for watching and the comment! Glad you still have your K3. It's interesting that hybrids are making a comeback, too. More knobs would've been nice but thankfully there are 3rd-party controllers now to make real-time editing much easier.
En el min 21:20 se parece mucho al sonido nativo que tiene el tema "Right Between The Eyes - WAX" que acompaña a casi toda la canción... Aglo así como una marimba sintetizada...
Ive always liked Kawaii. My first synth was a Kawaii sx-240 synth. A great sounding machine. My next kawaii was a k5000s. A very unique sounding synth.
Yea the K3, SX-210 and SX-240 seem to share similar editing philosophies (single dial to edit parameters) depsite the difference in oscillators (digital vs analog). Great synths though!
When I tried to program user wave, and set all harmonics levels to zero with Erase button (counter showed 0 active harmonics), I suppose there should be a silence. But there is still some sound containing harmonics, it doesn't sound like sine wave. I'm not aware of any mistake in my editing - OSC2 is on zero, OSC1 has selected programmable wave 32... Could you please check how does your instrument behave here? I'd like to know if it is general behavior caused by OS bug or if it is some problem in my instrument. Thank you.
I'll have to check into this next time I fire it up. TBH I find the additive waveform programming complex and not intuitive, half the time it doesn't even change the tone. Probably user error on my part.
Kawai buyed their synth chasis to the same manufacturer that Yamaha used for their DX and KX keyboard series. It was a very capable synthesizer, but the big mistake of Kawai was not to give their customers with a big pallet of sound patches.
I had this synth when I was about 18 and used it as my only synth for a few years. Under rated synth for sure!
That's amazing Matt! Appeciate you sharing your history with the K3, sounds like it was a real trooper for you in those early years. Thanks so much for stopping by! :)
Wow... I remember these digital/analogue hybrids were big in 1985/86... I bought a JX8P back then but have to say this sounds way sweeter... can sound both cold and warm... love it.
Yes, the digital oscillators have a unique tone and more possibilities than just basic waveshapes. :)
Another great review and demo of the K3. I really like this synth - despite the limitations, it has a very pure and precise tone and all the 80s vibes you need form DX7 type bells to Juno-esq pads. Reminds me somewhat of an a-Juno. Thanks!
Thanks Johnny! Agreed, it is quite versatile for those 80s sounds. It also flies under the radar a lot, but that's starting to change!
Always loved the Kawai synths, the sounds were always rich powerful and dynamic. Look's like you have a mint example. Thanks for sharing this memory with us! 😎
I know people who swear by the K3 to this day.
Thanks for watching! The K3 has a nice sound and it's in pretty great shape :)
Yeah I bought my "Kawai K3 and Kawai R-50e Digital Drum Machine", back in1985. I still have them and use them today. Combined with the "Ensoniq EPS Classic, Ensoniq ASR-X Pro, Emu Proteus 2000 and Emu Mo'Phatt". It's a beautiful sounding studio...
Great synth with many possibilities for its age !
Thanks to sharing that wonderful antique gear !
Thank you for watching. K3 is still useful today.
Love that machine, I have adopted K3M that used to belong to Junkie XL. Since then used it all around my albums, for scoring etc.. Gorgeous instrument and to mention.. absolutely thunderous bottom ends, unbeatable in that regard by anything else I ever had in my hands. Overall really unique and pleasant sound.
Missing mod wheel is all fine for me, aftertouch takes care of that much better and doesnt take away one hand from playing.
Congrats on acquiring Junkie XL's K3M! Great history there. Agreed on the bottom end, its massive. Glad you are still enjoy this synth!
Great info. Great delivery. Some excellent sounds in there. I have the “m” version. Has been fun programming it from the front panel of my Jupiter 4 (Hamburgwave MIDI) via the CTRLR editor.
Thanks! Must be nice to program with an external controller!
Thanks, bro!
Thanks for watching!
Fantastic synth! Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
Adding a Stereoping Synth Controller makes a huge difference and really opens up the synth. I use it with my K3m, which I got for 150,- Eur around 2003. It was my first synth together with the Juno1.
Great K3 deal and the Stereoping sounds like a great option for real-time controls!
My first synthesizer was the K1 from 1988, which was very popular at the time, but for the most part it wasn't what I wanted and in retrospect was a big mistake.
However, the K3 was one of the hot alternatives I should have considered, along with the Matrix 6, JX8P, and Juno 60.
TH-cam would have been a great help in deciding what to buy, but it didn't exist back then... 😞
TH-cam would've been a lot of help back in the 80s :) Haven't tried the K1 but if you have your eyes on the K3 maybe worth picking one up now?
@@synth4everIf Kawai were to present a new edition of the K3, it would be a temptation.
On the other hand, some hybrid synthesizers have come onto the market in recent years that sound really great (e.g. Waldorf M, 3rd Wave, Behringer Wave).
I know that sounds heretical - every device has its own sound and sweet spot.
But for this kind of sound you don't necessarily have to buy a device that's almost 40 years old... :-)
I love old hardware synthesizers, but I don't have the time or motivation to fix malfunctions.
However, I'm still hoping for a reissue of Prophet VS and Matrix 12...
I really like mine. I always felt that digital or DCOs pumped through analog filters was a great hybrid approach. Seems like a resurgence of hybrids, with the Novation Peak/Summit and the forthcoming B. PPG clone. Shame the K3 was in the era of going knobless, killing a lot of desire to develop patches. I must commend Kawai for their tank-like builds with nice keybeds. Thanks for the comprehensive vid!
Thanks for watching and the comment! Glad you still have your K3. It's interesting that hybrids are making a comeback, too. More knobs would've been nice but thankfully there are 3rd-party controllers now to make real-time editing much easier.
i bought the K1 back in the day
Nice, how do you like it?
En el min 21:20 se parece mucho al sonido nativo que tiene el tema "Right Between The Eyes - WAX" que acompaña a casi toda la canción... Aglo así como una marimba sintetizada...
Aftertouch sensitivity and offset can be set by two variable resistors, see Service manual page 9, left corner down.
Thanks for the insights!
I have a K1 & K4 but the K3 really is a peach.
I'd like to try some of the other Kawais someday. How do you like K1 and K4?
Ive always liked Kawaii. My first synth was a Kawaii sx-240 synth. A great sounding machine. My next kawaii was a k5000s. A very unique sounding synth.
Those are some great Kawai synths. K5000s can make some crazy sounds with additive synthesis!
Could you make a video about the Access Virus (model doesn't really matter)?
Suer, if someone wants to lend me one! I sold my Access Virus B and C long ago.
Oh the filter! Wish id never sold it
SSM filters are lovely!
Reminds me of my sx 240 in many aspects
Yea the K3, SX-210 and SX-240 seem to share similar editing philosophies (single dial to edit parameters) depsite the difference in oscillators (digital vs analog). Great synths though!
@synth4ever does the k3 the same self oscillate res from 80 onwards?
@@hdsubstance1 Pretty much, self oscillates at max.
When I tried to program user wave, and set all harmonics levels to zero with Erase button (counter showed 0 active harmonics), I suppose there should be a silence. But there is still some sound containing harmonics, it doesn't sound like sine wave.
I'm not aware of any mistake in my editing - OSC2 is on zero, OSC1 has selected programmable wave 32...
Could you please check how does your instrument behave here? I'd like to know if it is general behavior caused by OS bug or if it is some problem in my instrument. Thank you.
I'll have to check into this next time I fire it up. TBH I find the additive waveform programming complex and not intuitive, half the time it doesn't even change the tone. Probably user error on my part.
Kawai buyed their synth chasis to the same manufacturer that Yamaha used for their DX and KX keyboard series. It was a very capable synthesizer, but the big mistake of Kawai was not to give their customers with a big pallet of sound patches.
That's cool they used similar chasis as Yamaha DX range! Moer patch storage would be nice too.
Do u wanna be doug demuro?
Yes, its a fun synth! And sounds pretty cool too.
I started with a K1 as a synthplayer for a coverband.... Pfff
We all start somewhere! :)
sorry, but you speak much too slow for me
@ 😇