Kawai K3
Released: 1986
MSRP: $1095US
Synopsis:
Kawai's third generation of analog synths begins their additive synthesis legacy. The K3 is refined into a typical hybrid synthesizer architecture of the day, although it adds an additive twist and wavetables, similar to Ensoniq's ESQ line.
Architecture Class: Conventional (subtractive).
Ebay Description:
The Kawai K3 is a 61 key (velocity and pressure sensitive) 6 voice synthesizer, featuring dual oscillators (additive or 32 waveforms), a resonant low pass analog filter, a high pass filter, dedicated VCF/VCA ADSR envelopes, an LFO (saw/triangle/square/random waveforms), portamento/glissando, 50 presets, MIDI, and chorus.
Physical
Form Factor
Dimensions
Weight
Audio Input
Audio Output
Communication Port
Control Input
Control Output
Switch Input
Power
61 keys
W:964mm
D:373mm
H:118mm
15kg
no
stereo
MIDI IN OUT THRU
MIDI
MIDI
program:inc
sustain
wired (38W)
Interface
Compatibility
Multitimbral Memory
Program Memory
External Storage
External Programming
UI Input
UI Output
K3
K3m
N/A
user:50
cartridge:50
MIDI SysEx
Cartridge (RC-2 and Dolittle B-25 Turbo Ram, providing 2 banks, 2 levels)
no
dedicated buttons
LEDs
LED display
Architecture
Multitimbral
Polyphony
Unison
Architecture
no
6
no
DCO1+DCO2->VCF->VCA->HPF
Output
Effects
Pan Modulator
Volume Modulator
Headphone
chorus:4
tremolo
delay
no
pressure
key
LFO
MIDI-CC7
VCA-EG
velocity
yes
Control
Arpeggiator
Arpeggiator External
Sequencer
Sequencer Memory
Sequencer External
Continuous
Program Change
no
N/A
no
N/A
N/A
BendWheel
MIDIPitchBend
MIDI-CC1
MIDI-CC5
MIDI-CC7
MIDI-CC64
MIDI-CC65
MIDI
pedal
Keyboard
Key Pressure
Chord Memory
External Control
External Sustain
Key Scaling
Velocity Curves
channel
no
MIDI
MIDI
pedal
variable linear slope
1
Source
Name
Signal Class
Waveform
Octave Range
Amplitude Modulator
Harmonics Modulator
Pitch Modulator
Wave Assign Modulator
DCO1
digital
31
additive
(32
of
128
harmonics)
noise:white
4'
8'
16'
balance:pressure
PWM:LFO
auto-bend
BendWheel
LFO
MIDI:PitchBend
glissando
portamento
no
DCO2
digital
square
4'
8'
16'
balance:pressure
no
auto-bend
BendWheel
LFO
MIDI:PitchBend
glissando
portamento
no
Filter
Name
Signal Class
IC
Resonant
Shape
Frequency Modulator
Resonance Modulator
Shape Modulator
VCF
analog
SSM2044
yes
low pass
pressure
key
LFO
VCF-EG
velocity
no
no
HPF
analog
discrete?
no
high pass
no
no
no
Envelope
Name
Level
Rate
Loop
Polarity
Trigger
Level Modulator
Rate Modulator
VCF-EG
sustain
attack
decay
release
no
no
key
no
no
VCA-EG
sustain
attack
decay
release
no
no
key
no
no
LFO
Name
Waveform
Delay
Polarity
Sync
Delay Modulator
Level Modulator
Rate Modulator
LFO
chromatic
random
saw:up
square
triangle
yes
yes
no
no
MIDI-CC7
vibrato:pressure
no
