Hi,
I'd like to get some opinions about the M-Audio keystation pro 88 controller. I'm especially interested in its piano like feel. It's important to me, that it feels close to a real piano. So how does the keystation pro 88 compare to a midpriced (around 1000$) e-piano in terms of feeling? How is the key action and hammer action?

Any thoughts are welcome, because I couldn't find any information about the keystation pro 88 regarding that point (except that keys are fully weighted and it includes hammer action) on the web.

Thanks in advance.

It feels nothing like a real piano its a weighted plastic synth action feel to me...that doesn't bother me for what I use one for but it sounds like its going to bother you.
If its a real piano feel you want I'd look at the NUMA controllers from Italy. They are really nice action wise.
NUMA KEYBOARD CONTROLLER

or perhaps the CME or Akai professional controllers. They both make 88 key controllers with nice fully weighted actions.

No the Keystation pro 88 has a weighted hammer action.

Keystation pro 88

I haven't tried it but I have tried the Prokeys 88 which I would guess uses the same weighted action and it's the worst piano action I've tried, it's playable but not pleasant to play.

Edit: Sorry Dr P, I thought you were saying the Keystation pro 88 doesn't have a hammer action but I've just re-read your post and I'm not so sure. Do you mean it is a piano action but feels like a synth action? Either way I disagree, it does feel like a piano action to me but a very cheap and poorly made one.

Maybe you're thinking of the Keystation 88es? That has a semi weighted action that is much more synth like, I quite like it though. M-Audio do use very confusing names!

Thanks for the answers, that ruled the keystation pro 88 out for me. As 1000$ is too much for me for spending on a controller, any recommendations for maybe older controllers with good feel in the 500$ category?

With the tip of looking out for the numa or an akai (thanks dr popper) I found two rather interesting models for me: The Fatar vmk 188 and the akai mpk88. Any thoughts on that models?

The Fatr VMK 188 and Studiologic SL-990xp share the same keybed.

The Fatar/Studiologic VMK-188 Pro is supposed to be a good controller, it's what was going to buy before I found my Korg. Good luck finding one to try though. The price seems to vary a lot, around $700 in the US, £300 in the UK (Dolphin Music) and €450 at Thomannn.

@BazC: What reasons made you choose a Korg Controller instead of the VMK-188 Pro?

I didn't exactly. For the last year or more there has been no UK distributer for Studiologic/Fatar which made them difficult to find - I've never seen one so wasn't going to rush into buying one online. Then I found a secondhand Korg in mint condition for half the price of a new VMK-188. I liked it and it has some built in sounds which the VMK obviously hasn't.

Nothing against the VMK-188 just something cheaper turned up that suited me better!