Kawai K3m rare Digital/Analog Hybrid Rackmount Synthesizer

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"It features a programmable digital waveform where you can specify the harmonic content of a waveform allowing for added flexibility and range of sounds. What's really neat about the K3 is that (unlike the K1) it has analog filters and envelopes! So although the sound may be digital at first, it sure does get warmed going through the filters. The low pass resonant filter even has its own envelope generator.

There's also a high pass filter, a highly flexible LFO and a fat Unison mode. The K3 is an interesting synth, nicely bridging the gap between the analog and digital domain of vintage synthesizers. It is further complemented by a lush stereo chorus with seven different settings.

The programming interface is a joy in that each parameter has a separate selection button on the front panel, for every edit function possible - no scrolling through menus. It easy to program, and also a great learning tool due to this system.

The K3m is a thing of beauty. It can sound like a PPG or an analogue poly, plus with some nice quirky features. The bass end can be trouser-shakingly boomy if you want, if not then the high cut filter comes to the rescue. Also bass sounds in Mono mode are enormous. You'll love the strange ethereal chord patches the machine produces, and the velocity controlled oscillator balance is a great feature, when playing “live” as expression or when using repetitive sequencer lines with random velocity parameters. The K3 keyboard was enormous, but this synth is a svelte 2 space rack mount and the power supply is internal.

You'll have fun with this box, it's a blast to use..."