KVR Audio

Dasheesh · Post by **Dasheesh** » Fri Oct 11, 2019 10:37 pm

How bad is it? Akai is notorious for having cheap keybeds. I've heard this one was a slight upgrade. anyone using one? how cheap is it? Does it feel cheap? is it light weight plastic clicky keys that don't have a lot of movement? etc. Does it feel like a cheap toy?

Ryan99 · Post by **Ryan99** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 2:03 am

Dasheesh wrote: ↑Fri Oct 11, 2019 10:37 pm How bad is it? Akai is notorious for having cheap keybeds. I've heard this one was a slight upgrade. anyone using one? how cheap is it? Does it feel cheap? is it light weight plastic clicky keys that don't have a lot of movement? etc. Does it feel like a cheap toy?

No it's not cheap. It's my main keyboard for many years and I really love it.

clangorous · Post by **clangorous** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 3:30 am

Just the opposite for me. I tried every keyboard in the store and found Akai was the only one that did NOT feel cheap. I first bought the MPK225 and loved it. Then the Advance61, which to me was expensive but I loved it also (I think they have the same keybed). I would have bought the Advance49 but had enough for the larger one and the space for it.

I don't like the VIP mapping software, so I just use midi map in my softsynths, or midi map to my vst controls in Studio One.

Well made, and both feel like a synth keyboard should to me (not weighted like a piano keyboard). Overall construction feels solid on both.

Dasheesh · Post by **Dasheesh** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 12:18 pm

i'm looking around at some of these new midi keyboards. it's been a long time since i bought a new one. was waiting for software side to get better. i was liking what i saw from the VIP software, but i've always hated the akai keybeds. they were always so cheap. i did heard this one was built better tho. i'm really ticked off the alesis version is no longer available. that's really what i want. did alesis sell the tech to akai?

K-Bee · Post by **K-Bee** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:22 pm

The board is pretty good although the keybed is a bit spongy to me. Build quality is decent enough and overall it doesn't feel cheap. The main reason NOT to get this is the terrible software and lack of support from Akai. It feels like the product is discontinued but no ones telling.
I still have mine but don't use it anymore. I went for Komplete Kontrol MK2 instead. It has a (for me) suitable keybed and way more reliable software.

Ryan99 · Post by **Ryan99** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:49 pm

Akai made many updates on the VIP software over the years, but it's a long period of time between each updates.

clangorous · Post by **clangorous** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:51 pm

Yep, keyboards are an instrument and that's a highly personal thing. One must try them in person to decide.

I haven't had any issues leaving their software out of the picture. I just load the driver.

While I haven't heard anything about product discontinuation, I did have a good supoort experience. I was able to get a live person on the phone.

kfraser · Post by **kfraser** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 4:35 pm

I have the Advance 61 and it was the best feeling semi-weighted keybed that I tried. I liked it a lot better than anything I tried by Alesis. I don't use the VIP software.

Dasheesh · Post by **Dasheesh** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 7:22 pm

I liked the Alesis boards before Akai took it over. Those were perfect. Guess I missed out on those, just wasn't looking at the time. I like the current alesis keys a lot, but I'm hearing that the pads on the new units are a problem. They take a lot of force, and are prone to double triggering. Over all, I'm just not vibing with their current offering. I'm not interested in the NI one, for a lot of reasons: the keys look like the smallest on any controller out there (made for 20 something Brooklyn types), you have to use a power supply (not usb powered), and I have no NI software, and I'm not interested in installing that crazy bloatware just for a controller. I'm liking the Nektar impact LX, looks like where I'm headed right now, but I heard someone say the keys on that one were pretty noisy, not sure if it was just because they were using the pre LX version or what, but it will be something I will be checking out more. I am also considering the novation launchkey... it's made for ableton (blah, blah, blah....) but It should be compatible with other DAWs, they have this "icontrol" software, but not sure if it would work well with Reaper... so I got to find out what the icontrol actually does. The big SL "mothership" they are offering is dope, but huge... i don't have a whole side of my house set up as a studio like I use to... don't have use for a tank anymore.

DJ Warmonger · Post by **DJ Warmonger** » Thu Oct 17, 2019 10:55 am

Advance 49 has decent keyboard that I really like. It's a solid piece of hardware overall, unlike any cheap MIDI keyboards.

However, all this VIP thing was poor to begin with and is now abandoned tech.

Dasheesh · Post by **Dasheesh** » Thu Oct 17, 2019 11:06 am

well, the whole point of getting a new controller was for the software. i wanted to be able to control my vsts from the controller. the samson graphite 49 is catching my eye. http://www.samsontech.com/samson/produc ... raphite49/

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Thu Oct 17, 2019 11:09 am

DJ Warmonger wrote: ↑Thu Oct 17, 2019 10:55 am However, all this VIP thing was poor to begin with and is now abandoned tech.

Yep.

K-Bee · Post by **K-Bee** » Fri Oct 18, 2019 11:28 am

Leading european retailers like Thomann and Gear4music as well as Kraft Music in the US no longer have the Advance products listed. I think it's safe to say they aren't really making them anymore.

clangorous · Post by **clangorous** » Fri Oct 18, 2019 1:04 pm

Ah good to know!

K-Bee · Post by **K-Bee** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 1:58 pm

Sweetwater doesn't have it either. It has been abandoned.

Akai advanced 49