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From Kurzweil's Facebook pages:

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Kurzweil is proud to announce our patented new technology, Flash Play™ !

It allows us to play many GBs of samples with extremely low latency and zero loading time.

Introducing, our first instrument with Flash Play™, the Forte:
- 16 GB of sample memory
- Brand new Japanese AND German Grand Pianos, Vintage '77 and '73 Tine Electric Pianos, Wurly, Clav, Harpsichord, Celeste, and much more…
- Twice the FX power we've ever offered
- New UI with widescreen color LCD display
- Sliders with LED ladders
- KORE64, PC3, and Artis series sounds
- Dedicated master EQ and Compressor

See it in action at Frankfurt MusikMesse, Hall 5.1 Booth B90

Stay tuned for more details!

Fatar TP100 action?

Where does this leave the Artis?

James
x

Hmm, this sounds interesting.

I haven't seen any reference to which action they are using.

I assume this will be a higher priced model than the Artis.

Oh wow, it looks like the 2 Ks in the DP industry are battling it out, one with superb actions, and the other with ready-to-play VSTs.

TP100 action ; most probably yes - since it comes in the same form factor as the Artis and Kurzweil has been stuck with Fatar for many , many years. In this case, I hope it's at least the new 3 sensor TP100 with aftertouch. That offers not the most pianistic touch, but overall it would make the board very interesting and allround. I am only afraid the price will match that of the Korg Kronos series, since the Artis is already starting from € 1950 over here. Still happy to see something new from Kurzweil. Let's see/hear what it's really all about.

I believe it's the two-sensor TP40/L.

If this is going to be Kurzweil's new flagship and most expensive model, then it will cost more than $3.5K

It's about time.

http://kurzweil.com/product/forte/specs/

Keyboard: 88 note fully-weighted hammer-action with velocity and aftertouch sensitive keys (Fatar TP/40L)
Display: 480x272 pixel color LCD with front-panel contrast adjust
Polyphony: 128 Voice Polyphony, dynamically allocated
Multitimbral: 16 parts (one per MIDI channel)
Quick Split/Layer: Easy access with adjustable relative volume (up to 4 zones)
Factory Programs: (TBD) Stunning factory Programs featuring the all new Japanese and German Grands, new Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Clav and Harpsichord along with a wide selection of sounds from the acclaimed PC3 and KORE 64™ expansion
User Programs: 256
Factory Multis: (TBD) Factory-crafted Multis - featuring up to 4 independent zones
User Multis: 256
General MIDI: No
Master EQ/Compressor Section: Front-panel 3-band EQ with sweepable mid and on/off switch
Front-panel single-knob master compressor with separate on/off bypass switch
Effects: • Over 1000 complex effect chains, incorporated into programs featuring our award winning effects - reverbs, delays, chorus, flange, phaser, EQs, distortions, rotary speaker simulators, compressors, and more
• 32 total FX units
(editing of FXChains requires use of the Desktop Editor)
Controllers: 1 pitch wheel
1 modulation wheel
9 front panel sliders (w/ LED ladders)
9 KB3 control switches/control/zone mute switches
1 variation switch
1 tap tempo switch
2 transpose switches
3 switch pedal inputs (1 switch/sustain pedal is included)
2 continuous control pedal input
monopressure (aftertouch)
Analog Outputs: • Four (2 pairs) 1/4" balanced TRS analog (24-bit DACs)
Automatic mono switching on both pairs.
• +21dBu maximum output
• 400Ω balanced source impedance
Audio Inputs: One stereo 1/8" back-panel input for connecting your favorite MP3 player or other audio source for accompaniment playback
Headphones: • 1 front panel 1/4" headphone output
• 130mW into 32 ohm headphones
MIDI: In, Thru, Out (w/ Thru/Out switch)
USB: • Two USB ports (one A port / one B port)
• Complete MIDI functionality over USB
• User program/multi file transfer to/from PC/Mac/Flash Drive
• Operating System updates from PC/Mac/Flash Drive

I think you'll find this interesting...

http://patents.com/us-8263849.html

They talk about some of the difficulties of streaming from NAND, and how their patent deals with it.

Very interesting, thank you, Scott. I'm not very technically competent, and I've only skimmed the patent, but I notice that they're allowing for 10.76ms to get all their ducks in a row before the samples are played. In terms of latency I've experienced up to now, anything beyond about 4ms (in terms of VST playback) is noticeable to me. I wonder whether the Forte will have perceptible latency or not.

Interesting definition of latency: the time it takes to quack in sync

I'm not sure the 10.76ms mentioned in the patent can easily be translated into latency. In the patent it says: "Within this time, all the actions required to start, continue, and stop all the voices to be played during that cycle must be accomplished." If I understand correctly, this cycle time is divided up into a fairly large number of smaller time slots in which particular actions such as starting a new voice, calling sample bits from memory, etc. are performed. If this dividing up is done in an intelligent way (and the patent seems to be basically about that) lower latency times might be possible.

So rather than trying to understand "Patentish" we might as well wait and see (or play)...

That's a good find there ....

BTW that German grand is absolutely right up there with the best sampled pianos available on the market but the key action of Kurzweils is usually rubbish ..I mean the Artis is virtually unplayable.

I don't know if I'd call it "difficulties". NAND of course needs buffering, and it gives you a page at a time. But for sample playback you almost certainly need all the data on that page, and in the order presented ("data streaming" is what the interface was designed to do best). They say access is "slow" but that's just in setting up the page read, the actual reading of the data is quite fast after that. They say it can easily support 128 simultaneous voices.

Filed in 2009. This stuff isn't rocket science, and you can apparently patent a ham sandwich.

Anyone know what a Fatar TP/40L is like ?

Yes, it's pretty much **** in my opinion as I had it in the Mark Pro 3i that I once owned. Sold that piano (purchased at $1,798)* for a loss at only $500 to a local high school piano teacher who wanted it for his students.

The keys felt like they had springs (or, something) attached and were not responsive with faster repetitions.

I would not recommend this action.

*Extra note:

The eBay seller I had purchased this from did not have a refund policy since it was "buy as is."

Its always something with these 2nd tier vendors isn't it ? Great sound crap action or Great action crap sound .... hardly a competitor for the Mp11 or RD800 is it ?