Best 49 Key midi keyboard under 500 EUR?

[chk071]

Native instruments stuff may be good but eventually, they'll drop the support and you're alone with your controller. For example Korg stuff works year after year after year.

Do you have a example for that?

My Arturia keyboard didn't get a new firmware for 4 years now, BTW. It still works of course, because it's class compliant, just like any other keyboard. So, I'm wondering which "support" you're looking for exactly.

[dellboy]

Just pick a controller that integrates best with your DAW.

I was convinced that would solve all my problems so I got a Nektar Panorama P6, and it does integrate beautifully with Cubase and Studio One.

Trouble is I carried on using my PC keyboard because it was nearer and the mouse because I know how to use one.

So the P6 is currently propping up a wall in the corner.

[dellboy]

Native instruments stuff may be good but eventually, they'll drop the support and you're alone with your controller. For example Korg stuff works year after year after year.

Do you have a example for that?

Surely the latest debacle thread has more than enough evidence of that ?

[chk071]

Native instruments stuff may be good but eventually, they'll drop the support and you're alone with your controller. For example Korg stuff works year after year after year.

Do you have a example for that?

Surely the latest debacle thread has more than enough evidence of that ?

Was it about hardware?

And... even if it would have been, as I wrote above, the NI keyboards are class compliant. What does dropping the support refer to, in this case? If it's about warranty, well, same as for any other manufacturer. If it's about drivers... as I mentioned, the keyboards are class compliant, so, there won't be a problem. If it's about firmware, none of the other manufacturers support their keyboards to inifnity as well. My Arturia keyboard has seen the last firmware in mid 2016, my Novation Impulse coincidentally in 2019, but, the last firmware update before that has been ages ago. And, the one in 2019 only came because they discontinued Automap (with emphasis on "discontinued", as you can see, other manufacturers do that too).

[dellboy]

Was it about hardware?

And... even if it would have been, as I wrote above, the NI keyboards are class compliant. What does dropping the support refer to, in this case? If it's about warranty, well, same as for any other manufacturer. If it's about drivers... as I mentioned, the keyboards are class compliant, so, there won't be a problem. If it's about firmware, none of the other manufacturers support their keyboards to inifnity as well. My Arturia keyboard has seen the last firmware in mid 2016, my Novation Impulse coincidentally in 2019, but, the last firmware update before that has been ages ago. And, the one in 2019 only came because they discontinued Automap (with emphasis on "discontinued", as you can see, other manufacturers do that too).

The little I know about NI hardware is that it is often coupled with software and if for some reason you lose the serial number or licence it becomes locked and useless. I saw a Maschine on ebay the other day for peanuts because it could not be unlocked. And what about the whole Kore thing ?

But I must stress I have never owned NI hardware and know only what I have read here and other places so I may be misinformed.

[chk071]

Yeah, I do understand the issues with Kore. But then, it's not class compliant, so, bit of a different affair.

As far as I can see, all of NI's current keyboard controllers are class compliant. So, I really don't see a difference between them and other manufacturers. What I dislike about companies in this business (OK, happens elsewhere too), that the hardware is being sold 2 or 3 years, then another generation of controllers come out, and the older ones get treated stepmotherly. But, OK, I also see the need to make money. You just don't make money when you just maintain your products. So... I guess we all have to live with... planned obsolescence, if you want to call it like that.

[JO512]

The little I know about NI hardware is that it is often coupled with software and if for some reason you lose the serial number or licence it becomes locked and useless.

I had my S25 for a while before I got the S61 and I had no valid software license. It still worked without any software. I was even able to get NI's Controller Editor software to work with it. But I could not use the Komplete Kontrol software. When I got the S61, it came with the software and allowed me to use my Komplete Kontrol license with both controllers. But guess what? Komplete Kontrol is largely shit, in my opinion. And I have better ARP stuff in my DAW than it provides. Things work better for me without it. But I don't use the key LEDs as a scale guide. Those require Komplete Kontrol. I now still operate as though I didn't have a KK license. The devices are standard MIDI controllers. Be aware though that I don't use the transport controls on the controller and don't know if those would work without the software. But the keys work, they sense velocity properly, the encoders work, the touch strips work, the expression pedal input works, and so on. And that's what matters to me.

[kavin2134]

If you use ableton live as your daw, then trust me there's nothing better than the novation sl mk3. Almost ableton push like integration with displays, and all other features to completely control live. There are scripts for other daws too