This is an A/B test over several different types of patches.
The "A" version is a stereo signal from INDIVIDUAL OUTS 1&2 going into a board under a normal line level with a flat EQ and the "B" version is the settings I described earlier, with the increase in trim gain, Cut in the high EQ, boost in the mids, and boost in the lows. I adjusted the volumes of the A and B sections so they matched more in perceptual volume.
The results? After listening to this in several speakers and headphones, I can easily hear that I over-did it! I found it doesn't have to be quite as harsh a change! I think the color of my PA speakers was tricking my ears the most, and I really over-processed the sound!
So, here's what I think so far:
-The highs can generally use a little bit of roll-off to reduce the aliasing noise. You can hear it does give a smoother quality to the sound, but when I cut it all the way down, we do lose way too much brightness.
-The mids can be boosted a little, but now I think this is adjusted more to taste. When I viewed the waveforms in a spectrum analyzer I could see that the K5 has a rock-solid flat response. Messing with the mids a little can make it a little more non-linear in the EQ, You might like it.
-Increase in Bass should be discerned carefully. Most patches could probably use a little bass, but in the demo, you can hear that I over-did it.
-As for the gain increase on the board, I also made another audio test where on both the A and B sections the EQ is flat, with only the trim gain changed. I was expecting a huge change, but in reality, there was not a whole lot of difference. There may be some slight compression or analog distortion, but in close comparison, it just did not change much at all!
WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS SIMPLY ADJUST THE SOUND ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. Some patches are programmed with different sound in mind. What works for a flute patch may not work for a bass or a bell sound. And the synth has a lot of variance between the sounds. Luckily, the K5 has the Digital Formant Filter which can shape the EQ for each patch.