I have the chance of getting a used Kn5000 keyboard for £250 is it still a good workhorse for a second keyboard ?

technics was always ahead of the curve with their boards ... I never had the kn5000 but I still have the kn6000 and THAT is still a very good board ... at that price, depending on condition, I don't think you can go wrong ... your only problem might be finding someone to make repairs if you need any ...
Best of luck with it ...

I never really liked the sound of the kn5000 . It sounded like it was being played through a paper bag . Especially the drums . Have a good play before you buy .

Next to the sound, which is a personal thing, you really need to testdrive it extensively to make sure everything is still working, after all its more then a decade old

I have a kn5000 (isn't it about 20 years old now?!)
it does things that were so far ahead of its time, it seems like the newer keyboards are finally catching up.
a couple of examples that come to mind
1) the msp pads actually sync to your tempo (when I played with a tyros 4 I couldn't get it to do that---neither could the salesperson)
2) you can split the keyboard in many places and have different instuments
3) incredibly easy to adjust sounds to your liking (I didn't like the trumpet on it....I made some minor adjustments and I feel it rivals the real thing)
this is as close to a "prosumer" keyboard as you will get.
they didn't hold anything back (keyboard companies now want you to get expansion packs and modules)

I enjoyed the Kn5000 when I used one many years ago on stage,bought it from Don M
But in NO WAY does it compare to my S-950 I use today.



I never had that problem with multipads on a Yamaha unit please explain further?

I did like the Kn5k tilt display, speakers and multipads and many of the styles which I still have but dont convert well to Yamaha.



This I would have to disagree with, to Rival a
"Real Trumpet" I would have to hear a demo for sure.
I guess for it's time it was a super arranger Kb ......
but like many older units technology has surpassed them by....good luck.

I had a Kn5000 before I bought a Kn7000. I agree that the board has great features and sound(IMO), but my floppy drive went out, and without SD capability, I had to sell it.

The floppy drive has a proprietary system, and an OEM drive will not work.

A good deal if it is in good shape.
Bernie

I never liked the KN7000 just for the fact that the
"SUNKEN KEYBED" hindered my playing being BOXED IN finger wise on both ends

speaker system was great !