KVR Audio

Meta4kly2004 · Post by **Meta4kly2004** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 3:43 pm

Good day folks:

Christmas (and boxing day) is right around the corner. Word of advice? Don't treat yourself to this well-hyped piece of garbage by M-Audio. (STICK TO SOUND CARDS BOYS!!)

I tried out two of them (because I thought the first one was just a bum) and they are just the worst thing out there if you're a serious musician with fingers that enjoy a good keyboard. I'm no classical pianist, but anyone with even a modicum of keyboard playing experience (esp. with weighted keys) should be able to tell how unacceptable this is. Yes it has bells and whistles (midi-assignable controllers) galore, but the keypad itself is just impossibly bad.

1. On the first unit I tried, the black keys where louder than the white keys, regardless of velocity curve adjustments and resetting to factory defaults.

2. The black keys literally SINK below the white keys when depressed. They also dip at an awful angle from the back to the front.

3. The black keys are (in height) smaller than any other conventional keypad out there.

4. The velocity curves are bizzare. They are very odd and are either too loud all the way or shoot right up to 127 on a slightly harder key strike.

5. The keys are spongey and wobbly from left to right.

Trust me, if you're thinking that you want a weighted keyboard because you want to play piano thru this, you're barking up the wrong midi-controller.

NOTE: They also have an 88 key semi-weighted controller too for less than half the price and it's keypad is worse than the weighted key version.

M-Audio has been GREAT in helping me out with service issues on my soundcard. Their support (up here in Canada, anyway) is top notch. But they should really have done better designing on this unit before releasing it.

My solution to the problem was a super-duper Korg Home Piano (995.00 Canadian) that was built right and feels like a real piano. The velocity adjustments are all you'd need. The on-board sounds aren't bad, but I use it to trigger the Bosendorfer 290. For contolling things like Pitch Bends and Modulations, I just draw the envelopes as necessary in SONAR.

Take Care folks,

Martin
Uxbridge, Ontario Canada

VicDiesel · Post by **VicDiesel** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 3:52 pm

I didn't try it sa thoroughly as you did, but from just trying the feel in the store I was not impressed. The feel is unnatural. The semi-weighted version is worse by a mile.

V.

luCiPHer · Post by **luCiPHer** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 3:54 pm

hm, so opinions are QUITE different

i am extremely happy with my keystation.
the black keys do not bother me at all and i LIKE the action, for me it's superior to those superweighted controllers out there, it's not as "fake" as non or semiweighted controllers, but it's a lot easier to play than doepfer lmk's for example and that's exactly what i was looking for (i prefer fatar over doepfer keyboards btw).

i have to agree with you on SOME of the velocity curves, i guess only 4-5 of them are actually usable and the diagrams in the guide do NOT really show how they work, but one should try the curves anyway to find his ideal one (nr. 7 in my case).

ZioKiller · Post by **ZioKiller** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:02 pm

Meta4kly2004 wrote: 1. On the first unit I tried, the black keys where louder than the white keys, regardless of velocity curve adjustments and resetting to factory defaults.

2. The black keys literally SINK below the white keys when depressed. They also dip at an awful angle from the back to the front.

3. The black keys are (in height) smaller than any other conventional keypad out there.

4. The velocity curves are bizzare. They are very odd and are either too loud all the way or shoot right up to 127 on a slightly harder key strike.

5. The keys are spongey and wobbly from left to right.

Almost everything is true BUT you must have tried a broken unit because in my Keystation:

1. The black keys DON'T dip at an awful angle from the back to the front.
2. The keys are NOT spongey and wobbly from left to right.

BTW keep in mind that this keyboard has been made to meet even the non-pianist needs. Pick a Studiologic, an Oberheim or a Doepfer and tell me if you can easily play B4 or any other synth with it.

The keystation pro 88 is a middle-way between a good weighted keyboard and a synth keyboard with lots of controls and midi function for studio and live usage. Nothing more, nothing less.
Personally, I'm really happy with it. And the price/quality ratio is unbeatable. I paid it 480 euros new.

seamoss · Post by **seamoss** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:25 pm

hmm.......and I was pretty interested in one of these.

haven't had a chance to check one out yet, though.

anyone else with opinions on this one?

and is there anything better than this at around this price range? of course with the bells and whistles and this m-audio one.

jones-y · Post by **jones-y** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:29 pm

Anybody had a chance to test the new one, the Keystation 88es? Its supposed to be semi-weighted, which is perfect for me. I guess it would have the same keybed as the 61es.

I regret more and more selling my MOTIF. That is absolutely the best set of synth keys my fingers have ever touched.

ZioKiller · Post by **ZioKiller** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:32 pm

Watch and Enjoy!

Aren't they captivating ?

ZioKiller · Post by **ZioKiller** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:45 pm

The best synth keys I ever put my hands on...

VicDiesel · Post by **VicDiesel** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:48 pm

mjones4th wrote:Anybody had a chance to test the new one, the Keystation 88es? Its supposed to be semi-weighted, which is perfect for me.

To me, as a pianist, it feels awful. Nothing remotely like a hammer action. Just some stiffer than usual springs. I was interested in that one as well, since I don't need all the knobs and sliders. And it's *very* affordable.

Salesman: <takes 88es from the shelf>

Victor: <hits one chord>

Victor: Yegghhh!!!

Salesman: Very good, sir.

Salesman: <puts 88es back on the shelf>

V.

luCiPHer · Post by **luCiPHer** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:51 pm

hmm, my mk-249c is rarely in use anymore

(i know that's not a 249c, 461c right?), i use my "big" keystation almost exclusively these days.
becasue, as zionkiller pointed out as well, it works for almost everything.

it's not your superlight sythkeyboard, but you can play synths very well.
it's definately not an hammon-organ-style waterfall keyboard, but at least it's possible to play hammon with this on...might hurt though

and of course this is NOT a piano.
but it's pretty much a rhodes, and hey, i play a LOT of rhodes-type sounds

Stupid American Pig · Post by **Stupid American Pig** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:01 pm

I wonder if there is a quality control issue with these. Admittedly, I only played one for about 10-15 minutes at Guitar center, but damn if I didnt feel the same way about the keystation as Meta4kly2004. Sure since it was a floor model, maybe it was abused- HOWEVER, I played on all of the stage pianos at guitar center and did not notice this problem on *any* of them. I could be spoiled, since I have played many Yamaha hammer action midi keyboards and they all felt like 88 keys of heaven...

Jongleur · Post by **Jongleur** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 2:32 pm

I have 3 complaints about my Pro 88.

1. The black keys go down too far and are too close together.

2. It has a soft kind of a vinyl coating on top which has already been permanently disfigured my K4 sitting on top of it.

3. I don't remember. I guess I counted two things up in number 1.

Moral: Don't buy keyboards without playing them first!

E|V|usic · Post by **E|V|usic** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 7:17 pm

Lucky to read these posts as I'm really looking for an 88 key controller with semiweighted keys.
What other controllers like that do you guys recommend?
Think I'm gonna try the 88 Pro but I'm going in with a suspicious mind now

wtwhite · Post by **wtwhite** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 11:58 pm

the keystation pro88 is the right product from the wrong company. A company with so many different products that literally closes down its tech support for the entire winter holiday is saying something to its customers. Either they can't afford to pay support people cause they are going broke or they soon will go broke because they don't support their customers during a time when many are just buying and installing their new toys.

I hope Edirol or Yamaha come out with a competing product with the quality and support those companies are known for. If our world is evolving toward soft-synths and controllers, surely we'll see a new generation of keyboards from the "pro" companies.

ZioKiller · Post by **ZioKiller** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:18 pm

Meta4kly2004 wrote: 1. On the first unit I tried, the black keys where louder than the white keys, regardless of velocity curve adjustments and resetting to factory defaults.

I contacted the M-Audio support about this matter.

My Question:

Hello, since I bought my Keystation PRO 88 I noticed that the black keys are way more sensible than the white keys, no matter how I set the velocity curve either on the device itself or on the software involved. Is there anything I can do? Am I the only person to report this "weirdness"? Regards, Guido

Their Answer:

Guido,

We have received this report from others and are working to fix it. Please check back with us for an update.

Please let us know if you need further assistance.

Now my doubt is: will this be a software update or shall I replace my hardware unit?

Let's hope for the near future.

M-Audio Keystation Pro 88 - a MUST NOT BUY opportunity