M-Audio Keystation 88ES Midi Controller Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm an amateur musician, and I always wanted a big keyboard, something close enough to a piano, but the big keyboards were always so expensive. In top of that, they always come with lots of knobs and features that I never wanted to learn or try. I just wanted a piano-like keyboard to play.
When I saw this keyboard for first time, I loved its 'minimalistic' style: no knobs, no screens, no buttons. Just the 88 keys and the minimum necessary controllers (3 buttons, 2 wheels and 1 slider), all in a beautiful and solid silver case. When I checked its price, I suspected maybe its quality was poor, but I had good references for the M-audio brand. So I decided to give it a chance and I'm still very proud of my purchase: just plugged it into the usb port of my PC and it was inmediately recognized. I was using FL Studio, but right now I'm trying Sonar and it works flawlessly. The keys offer some resistance to pressure, so it almost feel like piano keys.
If you're interested on this keyboard, I strongly recommend it. But if you don't to know that much of keyboards (and you don't want to, anyway), you have to know this keyboard is not a exactly a toy, nor is the kind that comes with lots of sounds and rythms. It is a controller, which means you have to use some kind of software or synth device for it to produce any sound. If you know exactly what you're buying, I don't think you will ever regret of buying this keyboard. It's great!

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If you appreciate the full range of a piano keyboard in a lightweight package, the 88-note Keystation 88es is for you. You get great-feeling, semi-weighted action that's velocity-sensitive, to convey all the nuances of your playing to your computer and most popular music education and studio software. The pitch and modulation wheels plus slider and buttons make it a great controller for playing and programming synths, samplers, drum sounds and more. At just 22 lbs., the Keystation 88es is equally at home on stage and in the studio. Class compliancy with Windows XP, Vista (32 bit), and Mac OS X ensures easy plug-and-play setup. It's even bus-powered, so one simple USB cable is the only connection you need.


88-Key Semi-Weighted USB MIDI Controller

88-note velocity-sensitive, semi-weighted action 88 keys means no constant hitting of an octave switch, an annoyance with smaller controllers. The semi-weighted action gives you a piano feel, and since it's velocity sensitive, your dynamic playing is accurately sent as data.
Pitch bend and modulation wheels These are ideal for controlling synths, samplers, etc.
Volume/assignable control slider Easily assign the control slider to different parameters of sound modules or software, for further control over your sound.
Advanced function button for programming When the Advanced Functions button is pressed, the keyboard goes into "Edit Mode." In Edit Mode, the keys on the keyboard are used for selecting functions and entering data. Black keys are used for selecting functions, while the white keys are used for data entry and channel selection.
Sustain pedal input (pedal sold separately) Add a sustain pedal, such as the M-Audio SP-1, for piano-like pedal control of your notes' duration.
Built-in USB MIDI interface Easily interface with most MIDI software using the built-in USB MIDI interface. The standard MIDI "out" jack routes MIDI signals from the keyboard or computer to your external devices.
USB Powered The 88es grabs power from the USB port on your computer. You can also purchase a 9VDC power adapter.
Mac OS X and Windows XP class compliant Enjoy plug-and-play operation with both Mac OS X and Windows XP. Ableton Live Lite music production software is included, so you can make music right away on either platform.
What's in the Box M-Audio Keystation 88es USB Keyboard, USB Cable, User's Manual

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Yamaha YPG-235 76-key Portable Grand Graded-Action USB Keyboard Review

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(More customer reviews)After having played the Yamaha YPG-535 88-key Portable Grand Piano Keyboard in a showroom and loving it, I was torn, wondering what all I would be missing out on if I went with the more economically priced YPG-235. I now own the 235 and it appears as if I am missing out on twelve keys. That is, I am not experiencing even an ounce of buyer's remorse after opting for the cheaper 235. This is a lovely keyboard with more beautiful voices than I will ever know what to do with and extremely user friendly functionality. Of course, my opinion should be taken with a grain of salt as I will be the first to admit that my experience with other products of this variety is extremely limited. As such, it might be best to say that, for a novice, one could not ask for a better instrument for the price.
So what is the difference between the 235 and the 535? Based on my previous comparative shopping, I have come up with a few differences. First is the obvious fact that the 535 possesses 88 keys, while the 235 has 76. The 535 also includes a stand, sustain pedal, and power adapter, which must be purchased separately for the 235. While I am unaware of the specifics, the 535 also has greater storage capacity and capability as well as a few more voices. Beyond these definitive differences, having now played both models, the 535 also wins out with regard to aesthetics in that it looks and feels to be of a slightly higher quality, from its display to the apparent craftsmanship in assembly.
Why buy the YPG-235? If price is not an issue, go ahead and get he 535, it is a beautiful instrument. However, for those on a budget or for those who simply do not need 88 keys, purchase the 235. Like the 535, the 235 possesses piano style Graded Soft Touch (GST) keys, which are not exactly weighted but occupy that perfect gap between pure synth keys and weighted. The feel is perfect for one who is used to standard synth-style keyboard keys yet longs for a little more control without sacrificing playability. The 235, like the 535, also features USB connectivity and general MIDI compatibility, as well as almost all of the same high quality voices, which separate both the 535 and the 235 from many other models in their price brackets (besides the pianos, the multitude of stringed instrument voices are amazingly realistic). While it is unfortunate that Yamaha decided to not include a power adapter with the 235, the Yamaha Survival Kit D - Accessory Kit for Yamaha YPG-235 & YPG-235 Keyboards which includes a power adaptor, extended warranty, and a couple of other low quality extras can be purchased relatively cheaply. In my opinion, the YPG-235 offers the buyer more bang for their comparative buck. Again, the 235 sounds great, feels great and is hard to beat for the price!


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M-Audio ProKeys Premium Stage Piano Review

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(More customer reviews)The Piano sound is truly the best sound you can find for even under $1000, and this is only $500.
Thats the good news.
The other sounds are ok, the organ sounds being the worst, and the electric piano being the best non-piano sounds. The worst part (and the reason i wouldnt buy it again) is the touch. If you plan on just pounding out chords, itll be fine, but if you play classical, jazz, or even most pop-styles that require a bit of touch, you will hate this piano. They say it is "Hammer-Action" but really they should be called "way-over-weighted". These are the heaviest keys i have ever played, and I wish i would have played it before i bought it online.

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The ProKeys 88 is the premium digital stage piano that doubles as a great MIDI controller. It's loaded with large, realistic samples 14 world-class instruments in all, including split/layer capabilities. We paired those great sounds with an 88-key hammer-action keyboard, delivering a realistic feel to satisfy the most demanding pro. The ProKeys 88 is also a great master controller keyboard, including a built-in USB MIDI interface for easy direct connection to your PC or Mac, MIDI In and Out jacks to communicate with other MIDI gear, pitch and modulation wheels, sequencer controls and more. ProKeys 88 pulls out all the stops in creating the ultimate playing experience in an affordable digital stage piano.


Ultra-Realistic Piano Our goal in designing the ProKeys 88 was to create an extremely musical and realistic piano experience. The caliber of a digital piano is greatly influenced by the quality and the size of the samples, so we started by giving the ProKeys 88 a generous amount of memory. Then, rather than dividing it up amongst a bunch of sounds you're not likely to use, we focused on the 14 sounds that are the bread and butter for many keyboardists--paying special attention to the stereo grand piano.

More Than a Stage Piano The ProKeys 88 delivers all the staple keyboard sounds needed by many musicians. Its flagship stereo grand is supplemented by an alternate grand designed to really cut through in popular music. The ProKeys 88 has electric pianos covered too. And the Clavinet brings one word to mind: "funky." Acoustic and electric basses give you the option of layering a ride cymbal for jazz tunes. Vibes, ensemble strings and an inspiring warm, lush synth pad round out a great sonic palette for the gigging keyboardist.
88-Key Hammer Action Of course, a realistic digital stage piano must have a full 88 keys that are properly weighted. The ProKeys 88's full-range clavier features hammer action that feels just like the real thing. It features three velocity curves tailored to different touches, as well as a fixed velocity for synth work.
Splits and Layers The ProKeys 88 keyboard also features split and layer capabilities. Put a bass in your left hand and keys in your right. Chord with an organ while playing a piano lead. Layer lush strings over a piano. You can even have a split and layer simultaneously for a total of three sounds at once.
Control Your DAW When it comes to communicating with the outside world, most digital stage pianos offer little more than a MIDI jack. In sharp contrast, the ProKeys 88 inherits much from M-Audio's years of experience pioneering mobile MIDI controllers. It incorporates a full USB MIDI interface that communicates with your PC or Mac via a single, simple USB connection--perfect for recording with virtually all MIDI sequencer software on the market. (The instrument features class compliancy with Windows XP and Mac OS X without installation of additional drivers.) You can even control your sequencer remotely via front-panel Start, Stop and Tempo buttons.
MIDI In and Out jacks allow full communication with all standard MIDI gear as well. The ProKeys 88 also features performance controls that are rare on digital stage pianos, including pitch wheel, modulation wheel, two footswitch inputs, and expression pedal input. The three different ranges available via the ProKeys 88's combined split and layer functions can each transmit on a separate MIDI channel as well. You also get dedicated front-panel buttons for program change, channel, bank MSB, bank LSB and local on/off.
Built-in Effects There's no need to mess around with additional gear to add basic effects to your ProKeys 88. On-board EQ lets you easily tweak the tone on the fly. You also get three different built-in reverb spaces that simulate different acoustic environments. Chorus fattens up sounds like the electric pianos and basses. And what's a vintage Wurlitzer electric piano without tremolo? Experiment with different effects on the ProKeys 88 to create signature sounds of your own.
Full Pedal Complement Every digital piano has a sustain pedal jack. But what about the sostenuto pedal (the middle pedal on an acoustic piano)? ProKeys 88 has it. There's also an expression pedal for foot-control of volume. And all three of these pedals serve as MIDI controllers for outboard gear as well.
Headphones and Pro Audio Outputs Ever need to practice privately? ProKeys 88 includes a 1/4-inch stereo headphone jack so you can play without anyone else hearing you--at home or at a sound check. Of course, it wouldn't be an M-Audio product without high-fidelity 1/4-inch unbalanced audio output with specs like 20Hz-20kHz frequency response and 108dB dynamic range.
What's in the Box ProKeys 88, Software Driver CD (drivers and applications), USB cable, Printed User Manual, Power supply (12V DC), Sustain Pedal

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M-Audio Prokeys Sono 61 Review

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(More customer reviews)I got the ProKeys Sono to use during a temp, out-of-town work stint and wanted something I could play by itself (that has its own on-board sounds) and also use to drive the Reason and Sonar software synths on my laptop.
Well, after many months of testing (through real use) I have to say it passed with flying colors (or 'colours' for our 'Commonwealth' friends).
Keyboard features include:
- 61 note keyboard with a very playable semi-weighted action somewhere between synth and hammer keyboards (well, based on the synth and hammer action keyboards I've played)
- 5 higher quality built-in sounds (grand piano, bright piano, electric piano, organ, clav)
- A set of lower quality (but still fairly usable in my book) General MIDI sounds
- 3 Adjustable settings for how the keyboard responds to velocity
- 2 stereo line-ins (RCA jacks) for getting audio into your computer to record
- 1 XLR jack for plugging in a mic
- 1 quarter inch instrument jack
- 2 quarter inch headphone jacks
- 2 quarter inch outs for monitoring the sounds coming out of the computer as well as the built-in sounds from the keyboard
I've mostly used ASIO4ALL drivers prior to buying this keyboard, which gave pretty decent performance and acceptably low latency (the delay between hitting a key on the hardware keyboard controller and hearing any software synth sounds from the computer) for playing. Happily, the ASIO driver for the ProKeys Sono delivered even LOWER latency than the ASIO4ALL drivers I had been using.
So, with the decent construction quality, the playability of the keyboard, and the better driver performance, I admit I'm quite happy with the thing. I also occasionally used the line inputs to record from an external hardware synth module, and had no problems. Some people might whine as the resolution is only 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, but having worked with way-noisy cassette 4-tracks as a teen, CD quality is still fine by me.
The one thing I didn't ever test was plugging a microphone into the thing. I had a Samson G Track USB Microphone (which I've also reviewed on Amazon) and used that exclusively for vocals while I was on the road. Therefore I can't comment on the amp quality.
Lastly, when I just felt like playing a bit, it was nice to tinkle around on the piano without having to turn on the laptop. The piano sound quality is VERY playable, with the only drawback being the 20-note polyphony for the 5 high-quality sounds (the General MIDI sounds have 40 note polyphony).
Negatives? No LCD or LED display for helping change/configure MIDI settings, or selecting the General MIDI sounds. It's workable without the display, but it would definitely help to see the values you've entered. And because of that drawback, the ProKeys Sono really is best mostly for playing soft synths, not controlling a whole soft recording environment
Summary:
Great option for driving soft syths with the added bonus of some on-board sounds and also serving as a PC/laptop audio interface. If you want more hands-on sliders and buttons for controlling your software synths and recording software, I'd go with a different option, but for the niche this keyboard is trying to fill, it does a pretty good job. Though it's probably only a 4-star rating for overall performance, the fact I had ZERO problems using it with my computer (which is RARE nowadays) bumps it up to "barely a 5".


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