Kurzweil PC4vsKurzweil SP8
Summary
Kurzweil PC4 and Kurzweil SP8: 2 Kurzweil multi-function keyboards compared side by side. They differ on 6 of 14 compared specifications.
Key differences
- Drawbars: Physical on the PC4 and None on the SP8.
- Released: 2019 on the PC4 and 2026 on the SP8.
- Aftertouch: Monophonic on the PC4 and None on the SP8.
- Keybed: 88-note RPHA (Real Piano Hammer Action), fully weighted, velocity and aftertouch sensitive on the PC4 and 88-note fully weighted four-zone graded hammer action (H1 Ivory GT), velocity sensitive on the SP8.
- Sound engine: Dynamic VAST: a programmable synthesis engine where each layer is a chain of DSP blocks you can rewire, with a 6-operator FM engine and the VA1 virtual-analogue oscillators alongside it, plus the KB3 tonewheel organ engine and gigabytes of factory samples. 2 GB of factory samples plus 2 GB of user flash. on the PC4 and VAST with Flash-Play: 2 GB of factory samples that load instantly, including the German D and Triple Strike pianos and tine electric pianos on the SP8.
Both are the same on keys (88), key action (Hammer-action) and sections (Piano, Electric piano, Organ, Synth, Sample playback).
| 2 items |  Kurzweil PC4Current |  Kurzweil SP8New |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Manufacturer | Kurzweil | Kurzweil |
| Status | Current | Current |
| Released | 2019 | 2026 |
| Keyboard | ||
| Keys | 88 | 88 |
| Key action | Hammer-action | Hammer-action |
| Aftertouch | Monophonic | None |
| Keybed | 88-note RPHA (Real Piano Hammer Action), fully weighted, velocity and aftertouch sensitive | 88-note fully weighted four-zone graded hammer action (H1 Ivory GT), velocity sensitive |
| Sounds | ||
| Sections | Piano, Electric piano, Organ, Synth, Sample playback | Piano, Electric piano, Organ, Synth, Sample playback |
| Drawbars | Physical | None |
| Sound engine | Dynamic VAST: a programmable synthesis engine where each layer is a chain of DSP blocks you can rewire, with a 6-operator FM engine and the VA1 virtual-analogue oscillators alongside it, plus the KB3 tonewheel organ engine and gigabytes of factory samples. 2 GB of factory samples plus 2 GB of user flash. | VAST with Flash-Play: 2 GB of factory samples that load instantly, including the German D and Triple Strike pianos and tine electric pianos |
| Organ models | KB3 tonewheel modelling | KB3 tonewheel modelling |
| Polyphony | 256 notes, dynamically allocated | 256 notes, dynamically allocated |
| Connections | ||
| Outputs | 1/4-inch balanced, Headphones | 1/4-inch balanced, Headphones |
| MIDI ports | DIN in, DIN out, USB | DIN in, DIN out, USB |
| Pedal inputs | Sustain, Expression | Sustain, Expression |
| Features | ||
| Features | Dynamic VAST with user-programmable DSP, Cascade Mode, up to 32 layers deep, 6-operator FM engine, VA1 virtual-analogue oscillators, KB3 tonewheel organ with nine sliders as drawbars, 1,000+ factory programs, 4,096 user, 16-part multitimbral, 32 effect units | Flash-Play, no loading time, 2 GB factory samples, 1,000 factory programs, 200+ multis, Loads VAST programs from older Kurzweils, KB3 organ engine, Graded hammer action |