Any users of Arturia KeyLab Essential?

[Zexila]

Especially this one, price seems right, anyone have any experience with it?
https://www.arturia.com/keylab-essential-61/overview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaLQi-YPb8A

[Zexila]

Nice review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Irpc86id_lk

[aMUSEd]

The Arturia and DAW integration is excellent and for the price it's a good beginners/portable keyboard but I wouldn't use it as my main keyboard due to the lack of aftertouch.

[Zexila]

Thanks for chiming in.

[chk071]

The keyboard seems quite interesting. I'm lending more and more towards cheaper keyboards, TBH. I never make use of aftertouch anyway, and, i do think that you better either buy cheap, or expensive, because features like aftertouch, and the endless encoders are probably better on more expensive keyboards anyway, so, a lack of them on a cheap keyboard won't be so severe. Really, i especially have the endless encoders messing up regularly after few months, and very moderate use. Better buy a cheaper keyboard without them, or go for a more expensive one, which has better encoders, and usable aftertouch.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

The tight integration with 'Analog Lab' is definitely a huge temptation for someone who is content with preset-surfing, and tweaking.

I already have a 61-key board, but I'm tempted by the Minilab2

[aMUSEd]

I'd love one without keys altogether actually - just the screen, transport and knobs (and integration)

[Zexila]

The keyboard seems quite interesting. I'm lending more and more towards cheaper keyboards, TBH. I never make use of aftertouch anyway, and, i do think that you better either buy cheap, or expensive, because features like aftertouch, and the endless encoders are probably better on more expensive keyboards anyway, so, a lack of them on a cheap keyboard won't be so severe. Really, i especially have the endless encoders messing up regularly after few months, and very moderate use. Better buy a cheaper keyboard without them, or go for a more expensive one, which has better encoders, and usable aftertouch.

That's my policy too, buy cheap and don't feel sorry or buy expensive, I don't like that middle where you feel sorry you wasted money and for the not so much you could get something better.

Think this Arturia perfectly fits that middle-gonna-regret-it-for-sure kind judging by non endorsed user opinions on their other (more expensive) keyboards, so yeah, having said that, want to replace my old Roland PC-180 with something that have knobs/sliders/pads, really don't plan to spend much, if I change my mind I'm going for Roland A800, but for now narrowed down my choice to Nektar Impact LX61+ or Behringer UMX-610, both go for the same price right now, around 150 euros, leaning towards Nektar because of better DAW integration, but two of my buddies got Behringers and they really did good job with the keys, almost the same quality as my Roland.

Choices choices.

[chk071]

Oh, i was under the impression that the Keylab Essential is quite cheap too. Ok, 200 € is sort of in the middle between the entry level stuff, and a bit more expensive stuff. But, if you get a OK keybed, and the sliders and encoders area also alright, it should be fine, i think. Guess, if you want to go for it, you always can send it back, if it's not to your liking.

BTW, i love that big patch selection knob in the middle.

[Zexila]

Oh, i was under the impression that the Keylab Essential is quite cheap too. Ok, 200 € is sort of in the middle between the entry level stuff, and a bit more expensive stuff. But, if you get a OK keybed, and the sliders and encoders area also alright, it should be fine, i think. Guess, if you want to go for it, you always can send it back, if it's not to your liking.

BTW, i love that big patch selection knob in the middle.

Arturia goes for 250 locally, A800 for 350, Nektar and Behringer for 150, it's 100 buck remorse, but knowing how actually good Behringer is, kinda spoils anything between him and A800 for me, Nektar on other hand is probably the same deal as Arturia, M-Audio, cheaper Novation and etc, but have all the bells and whistles Behringer doesn't, but for that price, I don't feel robbed... also got playable Casio 61 key arranger at my disposal, so yeah, think I decided, Nektar, I will probably go for Bitwig also, Nektar integrates well with it, case closed.

[sprnva]

I've heard complaints down through the years about Arturia's keyboards. Even the high end ones can have issues with faulty keys and whatnot. So I've tended to avoid them. Feature-wise they're spot-on, it's just their build quality that lets them down.

[chk071]

Oh, i was under the impression that the Keylab Essential is quite cheap too. Ok, 200 € is sort of in the middle between the entry level stuff, and a bit more expensive stuff. But, if you get a OK keybed, and the sliders and encoders area also alright, it should be fine, i think. Guess, if you want to go for it, you always can send it back, if it's not to your liking.

BTW, i love that big patch selection knob in the middle.

Arturia goes for 250 locally, A800 for 350, Nektar and Behringer for 150, it's 100 buck remorse, but knowing how actually good Behringer is, kinda spoils anything between him and A800 for me, Nektar on other hand is probably the same deal as Arturia, M-Audio, cheaper Novation and etc, but have all the bells and whistles Behringer doesn't, but for that price, I don't feel robbed... also got playable Casio 61 key arranger at my disposal, so yeah, think I decided, Nektar, I will probably go for Bitwig also, Nektar integrates well with it, case closed.

Alright, fair enough. The Nektar should be ok i think. I wouldn't have gone for Behringer either, i think their cheaper controller keyboards aren't that great.

[Zexila]

I've heard complaints down through the years about Arturia's keyboards. Even the high end ones can have issues with faulty keys and whatnot. So I've tended to avoid them. Feature-wise they're spot-on, it's just their build quality that lets them down.

Yeah, that's what I read too, so much endorsed reviews these days that only do praises in return, luckily we have places like this to put things in perspective.

Alright, fair enough. The Nektar should be ok i think. I wouldn't have gone for Behringer either, i think their cheaper controller keyboards aren't that great.

Tastes and all that, I found it as good as my Roland, guess I just want all bells&whistles in front of me for a change.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

I've heard complaints down through the years about Arturia's keyboards. Even the high end ones can have issues with faulty keys and whatnot. So I've tended to avoid them. Feature-wise they're spot-on, it's just their build quality that lets them down.

Yeah, that's what I read too, so much endorsed reviews these days that only do praises in return, luckily we have places like this to put things in perspective.

I'd read that, also. However, I just assumed that these issues would have been ironed out by now. Maybe not.

I do already have a Nektar 61, but wanted to replace my dead Akai LPK25 with the Minilab, which is the perfect small controller for me - 16 knobs, 8 pads, mod/pitch control, sustain pedal input, works with iPad with no extra power source, and comes with Analog Lite (can apparently be upgrade to 'full' for a small fee)...for under 100 euros. Of course, it means nothing if they suffer from flakey quality control

[Zexila]

I'd read that, also. However, I just assumed that these issues would have been ironed out by now. Maybe not.

I do already have a Nektar 61, but wanted to replace my dead Akai LPK25 with the Minilab, which is the perfect small controller for me - 16 knobs, 8 pads, mod/pitch control, sustain pedal input, works with iPad with no extra power source, and comes with Analog Lite (can apparently be upgrade to 'full' for a small fee)...for under 100 euros. Of course, it means nothing if they suffer from flakey quality control

How do you find Nektar?

Yeah, I wanted something small too and was thinking between MPK Mini Mk2 or MiniLab, was leaning towards MiniLab, but bad user experience ruined it for me, same goes for Novation Launchkey...