vArranger Forums

The manual is here : http://www.ketron.it/images/ketron/manualiPdf/SD1000_web.pdf

Let's compare it with the SD2 ...

An extra patch bank (D) but still not able to be powered via USB...two things that stand out. The rest seems pretty much the same as the SD2. Even the crappy RCA unbalanced outputs!!

It's too bad if it's not usb powered.. !
The USB/MIDI port in the SD4 was not so stable. I hope the SD1000 will be better.

Agreed. It certainly was flaky!!

But the extra voice bank looks nice, plus all the audio loops
Although the RCA outs turn me right off. They were noisy on the SD2 and I guess Ketron are using the same AD/DA's on the SD1000 to save costs, in which case the actual audio will again not match the quality of the soundbanks.

It's a shame, as Ketron could have made this a total "killer" had they addressed those issues.

I think the units need too much power for USB?
Is RCA outputs any worse that 1/4" jack plug outputs that Tyros use?
I dont think any other midi module/keyboard uses any other output apart from 1/4" jack plugs? 
jon

Yes Tyros,are better as  (afaik) they use balanced outputs, if they are not balanced then you are correct they are the same. But as I say I am pretty sure they are not mono jacks

ok thanks Dennis

looking forward to hear how the multivoice and stereo samples sound. Also I'm sure the user effects will make for some interesting sounds. Dan do you think it will be a lot of work for you to bring the sd1000 up and running on Varranger

I do not think anything in the ketron line has balanced outs. Often noisy problems is more due to a crappy power supply than using unbalanced outs. Are you sure that the sd1000 has both a/d and d/a converters. Where would it convert analog to digital. You are right though you want good converters you have to pay the bucks.

As soon as I get the price verified I'm shipping one into Canada. Thanks Paolo for the price.

The SD4 had 9V power supply like the SD1000, and USB powering was possible.
So... wait and see...
RCA is not pro for synth, but unbalanced jack or rca will result to the same sound. I bought a long rca to jack cable for my SD2.
A soon as I get mine, I will start working on the SD1000 for vArranger

But if they do not provide a proprietary USB midi driver and rely on the Class Compliant Windows OS driver, then it will be as flaky as ever, AND still only USB 1.1!!

And I really cannot see Ketron providing such a driver, they never have before...I would also hazard a guess that the SD1000 has exactly the same single PCB board inside of the SD2 (as does the SD4) plus  the same audio circuitry and all that has been added is maybe an additional ROM chip for the extra bank, but even that I doubt...I think it is a "tricked" up SD2 and designed to make money and use up existing base stock parts...

Just a hunch and thoughts, not saying it is so

USB 1.1 for MIDI is OK
Class Compliant driver is OK too in most of case
But they have to send midi events over usb in a stable and fast timing.

I think they used a this new chip inside :

This new chip does not own the drawbars / fm sounds, so they are not in the SD1000

The good news is better polyphony, more memory, more and better FX routing, better sound quality (if they put correct D/A converters)...

Yeah Dan I agree for the most part - the MIDI implementation will be critical.

The rest does look promising, I have to say..

I run usb to my rme ucx, and simply midi out from the rme. The rme runs in asynchrnous mode usb 2.0. I would imagine that the issues with the ketron  usbsd1000 have been bypassed.

DanI am looking for the thread to the atmel dream chip, can you repost.

sent to your email

The grooves are up on the site for the sd1000. I saw a date of 2006 on the files (introduction of the sd2). Would be interesting to see if the grooves play with the sd2. Let me know if anyone tries it out before I do.

Most of them are working perfectly with the SD2.
Only a few are using new LIVE DRUMS present on the SD1000 (Audya?) and not on the SD2

Dan, marcello had told me a while back that about 10% of the drum kits sounds were from the Audya. When you put Audya in quotes, are you saying it plays properly on the Audya.

Have to try it.

Dan with these grooves, lets say they are an improvement, can you basically change them in the styles of  Varranger.

The sd1000 for varranger styles is basically going to be an improved sd2. How improved we have to see. Is that correct Dan, or am I interpreting it incorrectly.

What are we meant to do with the grooves.
I dont understand ?
jon

from what I understand, the old grooves are basically your percussion track in the styles. These are the new grooves that you can put into your styles, midifiles etc. We have to wait to hear how these grooves sound with the sd1000 to see what kind of improvement we have over the grooves of the sd2.

The SD1000 grooves from Ketron website are midifiles with one track of drums/perc.

They are drums/perc track extracted from the Ketron styles that you already know for most (Ketron SD5).

I care about the quality of the styles. If it is the same rythms as the 2006 grooves, but the sounds are all improved (greater illusion of live musicians) then it is a hit. Remember that is Ketron's raison d'etre, not to sound like a mastered studio recording, but to have the illusion of a live band.

Dan I posted my message before I read yours, so it is not ananswer to your message

So Dan basically what we are hoping for in the sd1000 is an improvement in sound, because the grooves are all from 2006.

Already started to work on the sound list of the SD1000 for vArranger

you're amazing Dan!!!!!!

Thats great Dan
jon