KVR Audio

Ichigo Kurosaki · Post by **Ichigo Kurosaki** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 1:22 pm

Alright, so I plan on buying another keyboard with 88 keys, and price range is $0 - $500. I want it to be digital, and have USB/MIDI ports. Any you all recommend?

Ichigo Kurosaki · Post by **Ichigo Kurosaki** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:21 pm

Anyone can help a shinigami out?

musikmachine · Post by **musikmachine** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:28 pm

Ichigo Kurosaki wrote:Alright, so I plan on buying another keyboard with 88 keys, and price range is $0 - $500. I want it to be digital, and have USB/MIDI ports. Any you all recommend?

You mean you want a synth on board?If it's a oontroller i like the looks of the cme 88u and if i was in the market for an 88 key controller this would be on the list

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug05/a ... cmeuf8.htm

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 5:25 am

I have the UF8 and I like the feel.
Good dynamics
The price is definitely good.
Feels that it is durable.
Good set of features.

Don't like the height and weight.
Depth and width is OK.

Not sure if it is the fault of the UF8 but it
often losses its signal to Cubase. I need to reboot
to get it working again.

Since I started using it my computer Gigabyte
GA-K8NS Ultra-939 motherboard has failed
twice. This last time I did a restart to get
Cubase to see the UF8 but computer failed to boot.
My local computer man said it was the mobo
that failed. Can a USB connection cause the mobo
to fail?

MelloProg · Post by **MelloProg** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:03 am

i like my (got it used) roland A90-ex. great piano feel.

musikmachine · Post by **musikmachine** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 2:38 pm

Kalamata Kid wrote:I have the UF8 and I like the feel.
Good dynamics
The price is definitely good.
Feels that it is durable.
Good set of features.

Don't like the height and weight.
Depth and width is OK.

Not sure if it is the fault of the UF8 but it
often losses its signal to Cubase. I need to reboot
to get it working again.

Since I started using it my computer Gigabyte
GA-K8NS Ultra-939 motherboard has failed
twice. This last time I did a restart to get
Cubase to see the UF8 but computer failed to boot.
My local computer man said it was the mobo
that failed. Can a USB connection cause the mobo
to fail?

Sounds serious!Did you get to the bottom of it?Wouldn't think a USB device would do that but i don't know..

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:26 pm

Hopefully Gigabyte will allow an RMA
for my motherboard.

If and when I get the mobo back I will
get a pro Computer guy to put everything
together and see if I did something wrong.
I doubt it was my doing as the computer
ran fine for a year.

That the UF8 caused the Mobo failure
through the USB is just a suspicion. On the
other hand if anyone can verify that a usb
cannot cause a mobo failure than I will
dismiss the UF8 as being the culprit.

The problem that the UF8 occasionally
disappears as the input in Cubase still
remains. My other midi keyboard also
did this but less frequently it seems.

Ichigo Kurosaki · Post by **Ichigo Kurosaki** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:19 pm

I need more suggestions, buying one for sure. Or is there a popular 88 key piano? Please recommend guys, oh and hope you find a solution kid.

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:58 pm

You can not go wrong with the Yamaha P70

steveecrane · Post by **steveecrane** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:46 pm

Even though other users have had issues with the CME UF8 from a hardware perspective - and I suffered at the hands of their 1.0.4 driver for FAR too long when using the USB port - the keyboard's action is superb (for me at least).

Then there's the draw-bars - great if you love Hammonds - and the knobs - good for a quick twiddle! The only downside here is the pitiful beta-version editor for the keyboard's on-board controls. Yeuch!!!

I'd suggest using a powered USB-2 hub to counter any MoBo issues.

The v1.0.5 driver is MUCH-improved - the timing and hanging notes issues are better (but still not quite perfect, IMHO) - and the MIDI outs still seem to work just fine, as ever; however, if I leave the keyboard for more than an hour, I have to reboot my ASIO host (either Cubase SX3, Steinberg's VStack, most standalones or Hermann Seib's SAVIHost) as it seems the Windows driver has 'lost' sight of the keyboard! OK'ish in the studio (well, broadly acceptable for now); absolutely shite on-stage!

Good value (especially if you look around - it's end-of-line right now!); reasonably good build quality (t'is bloody heavy!); suspect drivers (which STILL need looking into)!

I have, however, found their Tech Support pretty responsive: they could certainly give some of their European counterparts a run for their money!

Hope this helps ...

musikmachine · Post by **musikmachine** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:04 pm

So is the M-audio a nono then(see what i did there

)

steveecrane · Post by **steveecrane** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:51 pm

The M-Audio KeyStation Pro 88 had a reasonable action ... but I write a lot of instrumental music - Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Chris Franke, Paul Haslinger, Peter Gabriel - and needed Aftertouch, which the M-Audio (and the latest CME keyboards, funnily enough) didn't have.

I'd love all the extra knobs on my CME ... but a Behringer BCR2000 does that for me ... and it's MUCH more useful/flexible and so damned cheap!

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:22 am

Hello Steveecrane,

I know this is slightly off subject but are you saying that the computer need not reboot but simply exit Cubase and restart it. This act is enough to get the UF8 back working? This is usually not enough to get things working again. It would be nice to find a short cut to avoid rebooting.

"lost sight of keyboard" also happens with other keyboards? Is either midi or USB more troublesome in respect to loosing sight of connections?

You said "I'd suggest using a powered USB-2 hub to counter any MoBo issues". So are you saying it is possible that the UF8 through the USB can damage the mobo? And one way to prevent damage to the mobo is to use a powered USB hub?

Peakdesign on April 18, 2007 replied to me:
"if you do lose the connection, disable then re-enable the driver in the Device Manager so you don't have to reboot. " This has only worked on occasion for me.

Gotta say the UF8 does have a very nice feel but slightly sticky at very low velocity.
Another thing I like is that velocity 127 is reached only a very hard strike.

steveecrane · Post by **steveecrane** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:31 am

Keyboard action is personal - all the best pianists don't just like specific manufacturers, but specific models and even a year of manufacture(!), often coupled to their own engineer's tweaking of an instrument (a bit pedantic, but you don't get to be a diva for nothing) - so I'd simply suggest to anyone that they trust their fingers and ignore any advice once a short-list is drawn up!

I agree that the current 1.0.5 driver can result in 'sticky' keys or the odd trill that's lacking notes ... but, as a 'pad' man (and crap pianist) it doesn't worry me too much. Perhaps it should ... but I'm hopefully 1.0.6 will be a big a jump in performance terms as the previous drivers!

On to your other questions/points:

I have never had to reboot the computer to resolve the riddle of the lost USB! Re-starting the app after turning the UF8 on and off is all I've ever needed, thank Heavens!

I rarely use the UF8's MIDI out ... but it has been 100% reliable during the time I have employed it (via my ageing MotU MIDI Express XT parallel port - if I could be bothered to haul more gear around with me, I'd probably go back to MIDI for now!

).

The powered hub solution has been used to resolve many USB-type issues over the years ... and, as it performs a perfunctory way of isolating the MoBo from the UF8, if not completely in electrical terms - there are no mini-transformers in any USB hub I've use yet(!) - so I continue to choose to use it. It also removes that "Power surge on USB hub" message one can sometimes get when powering up already-connected USB hardware. When using it live with my laptop, I try to remember to turn the UF8 on first or at least plug the USB cable in after it's turned on (when I can be bothered).

Hope this helps ...

Kalamata Kid · Post by **Kalamata Kid** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:37 pm

Steveecrane,

Thanks for the detailed info.

To resolve the UF8 disappearing act issue is this you do?
Turn off application
turn off on the UF8
Restart the application

The very slightly sticky keys are on the UF8 at extremely low velocity. I have almost gotten use to it or maybe it has gotten broken into so it is less sticky. This is a very minor issue with me. UF8 is truly a bargain. I may have bought it at twice the price.

I paid $395 brand new in the box from the local music store.

My question can a USB connection damage a mobo? If yes then using a powered USB hub may help prevent damage as you pointed out. I have had major issues with powered USB hubs and wireless USB keyboards and mice, and because of this I try not to use them, though the one in use now on another computer works flawlessly.

Not sure what you mean by "I try to remember to turn the UF8 on first or at least plug the USB cable in after it's turned on (when I can be bothered)." more specifically "or at least plug the USB cable in after it's turned on"?

Recommend Your 88 Keyboards