Hi all.

I realise I'm not going to get a perfect piano style weighted keyboard for my budget which is around the £500 - £600 mark, but wondered if any of you had any experience with the various midi controller keyboards in that sort of price range?

I have Native Instruments Komplete 8 so have ample sounds, hence just need a controller keyboard.

I've seen a few

Akai MPK88
Icon Inspire 8PS Air
Studio logic
M audio
CME

The Akai MPK88 is my favourite so far from what I've read, and it will also control my software nicely.

I realise that the best thing to do is to try them out, but when there's only one largish shop within a reasonable driving distance, and they only have one of my choices, it kind of limits that as a viable option.

I've also seen a 2nd hand Roland A90 for £499 that looks really nice and has good reviews, but of course there's no indication of how old it is etc.

I appreciate that the advice most will want to give is something way out of my budget, but I am constrained by it, so I have to make the best of it.

So, my main requirements are full sized and weighted.

Many thanks

Joe

You can't go wrong with the Akai but check out the new(ish) m-audio Oxygen 88 it's not too bad.
If you can find one 2nd had the best controller ever made (and still) is the Yamaha KX88 but they are discontinued and quite sort after as a result.

I made a similar thread about a month ago regarding midi controllers. My requirements were a bit different, but I ultimately just wanted weighted keys and controller functions minus all the sliders and knobs and gadgets. It pretty much came down to one of the Studiologics (Numa, Numa Nero, Nano). A Numa White is within your budget and is, imo, superior to the ones on your list.

Might want to check out the privia px130/135 as it has a usb midi option as well.

Many thanks.

It seems that in the UK, retailers don't have any sort of selection on display. My local largish music store has the Akai MPK88 in stock that they are willing to unbox for me to try out.

The next closest shop is 90 miles away and is a very large well known hi tec music company.

I sent them this email

-------------------
Hi

I wondered if you had a selection of 88 note weighted midi controllers on display please?

For example

M-Audio Oxygen 88
Icon Inspire 8PS Air 88
Akai MPK88

many thanks
------------------

They responded

------------------
Unfortunately I don't have any 88 note controller keyboards on display in store, got plenty of digital & stage pianos but the controllers don't get out of their boxes to often.

Out of the list you've requested we only have stock on the company of the Akai model.

I could get one of these across from my warehouse for you to have a look at if you'd like but I won't be able to get it here until mid-next
week..
--------------------

So it seems that unless I'm willing to buy blind, there's nowhere where I can go and try a few out and pick the best one.

Due to that, I think I'll try the Akia out and if I like it, go that route.

Thanks again

Joe

Hello Joe,

I'm not terribly familiar with MIDI controllers (it's an area that I will have to research in greater detail in the future), however I get the impression that there are two types:

- those with just a keyboard action and minimal interface
- those with a keyboard action, buttons, knobs, sliders, etc.

Assuming that you are chiefly interested in piano playing (and therefore want the most realistic keyboard action possible), I would stick with the first type. The Akai looks pretty impressive for the money, but with all those buttons, knobs, and big LCD, I have to wonder how much of that £500-£600 is actually going on the action (admittedly, I've never actually tried one...).

Conversely, something like the Casio PX-130 is pretty basic in terms of interface. Yes, it has built-in speakers and onboard sounds (that you won't be using), but the interface is very minimal, and the action is surprisingly good.

The other option is that second-hand Roland A90 - could be worth checking-out, depending on how far away the seller is.

As for stores (in Norwich), your best bet is probably PMS in Anglia Square, but it may be worth popping into Jack Whites on St. Benedicts Street, just to ask if they have any recommendations, or possibly something second hand.

Anyway, best of luck with your search (from a fellow Norfolk dumpling)!

Cheers,
James
x

Thanks James am off to Norwich in a few mins

It's not just piano playing I'm interested in, I own the Komplete 8 package from Native instruments and Cubase 6, hence I want to be able to control the software too.

The A90 is a 400 mile round trip, with the cost of petrol and that it could be 16 years old, I'm going off that idea. Chances are it will need servicing in the not to distant future.

Will stroll down the many shops in Benedicts street to see what they have.

PMT have the MPK88 that they are willing to unbox and let me try.

Next nearest is Digital Village in Cambridge (I live in Gorleston) and they're the ones that don't have any on display or in stock in their store as per the above quoted email.

I Ojustaboo,

I have started out with mainly the same requirements that yours.
However, after some time, I came to realize that currently, none of the big players (who can build good actions) is selling selling a proper controller.

(I am not sure about the reason, but I guess they might think they can get a much better price (and hence, bigger profit), if they just add some sound, too.)

It would sure be great if Kawai released a controller with RH or even RM3 action, Yamaha would release a GH and a GH3 controller, etc... but they don't. (And I hate that.)

So, one is forced to get an inferior controller*, or to get a full DP - including the sound that is not needed.

I took the second path.

A quick check shows that the Kawai CL-26 (with AHA-IV-F action) is currently GBP 567 at Thomann. That's a pretty good action, and is inside your budget. (Thomann is a big international dealer, operating out from Germany; you would be probably better off with a local dealer - but I can not help you finding those.)

I encourage you to check out this path, too.

(Downsides: A) the interface of the CL-26 is totally minimal, you don't get any extra controls; B) you must pay for the totally unnecessary (and frankly, really, really, outdated) built-in sound engine, too.)

* * *

Still, it's worth considering, too.

Best wishes:

Kristof

*: some consider the action of the Numa or the Akai controllers grate. Others think they are terrible. The quality of the actions of the Yamaha, Roland and Kawai DPs are generally considered good, by almost everyone. (Of course everyone has a different favorite.)

Many thanks

Too late though

I'm now the proud owner of the Akai MPK88

I took James advice and visited Jack Whites, to be 100% honest, I tried a lot of digital pianos there and none under about £1500 felt any better to me than the Akai, infact a lot seemed worse.

In PMT while they were fetching the Akai for me to try, I also tried out various DPs in there, same thing (Did fall in love with the Korg Kronos, but way out of my price range at the moment).

But I am no expert, bit like asking an amateur to tell the difference between hifi speakers, someone that's an expert will tell the difference a mile away, someone whose not, probably wont.

Anyway, I've made my decision I'm very very happy at the moment, whether I will still be in a years time remains to be seen

Thanks for all your help.

Joe

Congrats Joe!

It sounds like the Akai was the best choice after all!

All the best,
James
x

be glad you didn't pick up a studiologic vmk-188 plus

i just bought one and one of the keys (middle c) doesn't work

now i have to bring it back to the store

Well my happiness was short lived

There's a VERY annoying rattle that come from the buttons on the MPK88, depending on how you play, they resonate against the case.

Sometimes it doesn't happen for 20 odd mins of playing, then it starts again with a vengeance.

Doing a quick google on MPK88 and rattle, it appears many owners have this problem, someone has a youtube vid showing the exact thing I'm seeing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQxjsd3hWaA

So on reflection, buying it was a bad idea. Trying to get the controller and a good keyboard for the price is asking too much I fear.

Having it for a week also showed up how the controller part of it probably is a bit of a waste of time for home use. I still have to constantly use the mouse in things like Komplete 8 and while I can set each slider to say a channel volume in Cubase, there's so many other things that need adjusting in Cubase that I might as well use the mouse/PC Keyboard anyway.

There's also numerous posts about opening the MPK88 up and using sticky tape to make the drum pads respond correctly, that also rings alarm bells.

So based on all that, I contacted the store I brought it from and they are happy to let me exchange it for something else. The Korg sp250 is only £30 more than I paid for this and I will probably go that route. Only thing it lacks which all DPs in my price range lack is aftertouch as in for synth use when pressing hard down on a key might say introduce vibrato.

But I mainly only use this effect when playing around, not when playing anything seriously, and if I did ever need it on a particular sound, I could always add it from within cubase.

What I have found in the short time I've had a weighted keyboard is how much better I seem to be learning. I can play scales etc with much more control having to actually press the keys rather than lightly touch them on my non weighted keyboard. So I think a proper DP is the way to go and as money is tight, the SP250 looks to be the best buy in my price bracket (plus I'm limited somewhat by what the particular store sells)

If at some point down the road I did really want drum pads etc, I could always buy a midi controller without a keyboard such as Native Instruments Maschine.

best

Joe



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