E-mu PK-6 Proteus Key (1996)
The E-mu PK-6, introduced in 1996, is the keys version of the Proteus line — essentially the rackmount XK-6 sound module paired with a six-octave keyboard. Inside is the same 32 MB of ROM and full sound set as the best-selling Proteus 2000, which made it an attractive option for players who wanted the Proteus library without needing a separate controller.
Under the hood, the PK-6 uses E-mu's ZKZ (Zero-Keyswitch-Zero) synthesis architecture, a sample-based approach that avoids keyboard-switched multi-samples entirely by employing wave-cascading techniques. It offers 64-voice polyphony (32 voices in stereo), three LFOs, three envelopes, multimode filters, a flexible routing matrix, and a single stereo effects processor. There are four audio outputs, MIDI In/Out/Thru, a floppy disk drive for storage, and two expansion slots for adding more sounds. The front panel includes an LCD, and the keyboard spans six octaves.
Documentation on the PK-6 is thin — no official E-mu manual specs, dimensions, or weight have surfaced in the archive. What the period record shows is limited, though EQ Magazine (March 2002, p.52) covered the PK-6 alongside other E-mu instruments of the era, noting its 64 voices, 16 real-time controls, and expandable memory in the context of the broader Proteus family. Contemporary user reports are generally positive: owners describe it as a great-sounding machine with a decent keybed and solid as a controller, though it's now somewhat hard to find. One user notes the related Proteus LE variant was buggy, but that's a separate model.
Pricing history is a bit muddled — the original price appears in sources as both $995 and $1495 new in 1996, and the discrepancy is unresolved. On the current used market, units have been listed around $300.
Known Specs
- 32 MB wave ROM (full Proteus 2000 sound set)
- 64-voice polyphony (32 stereo)
- ZKZ (Zero-Keyswitch-Zero) synthesis architecture
- 3 LFOs, 3 envelopes, multimode filters
- 1 stereo effects processor
- 4 audio outputs
- MIDI In/Out/Thru
- Floppy disk drive, 2 expansion slots
- 6-octave keyboard with LCD
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