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You have 1500�(~1700$),What 1st tier board would you choose?


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Hi!

 

Really having a hard time choosing an 88 key main board.

I own a 1st gen kronos 61 that I have done a fair share of programming on, but need a good main board, my budget is ~1700$. Good piano sounds with a fearly light touch is preferrable. Would love a Nord Stage but my budget wont allow it.

 

What would you choose?

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Another possibility: Kurzweil SP6

 

Also, piano sounds may not need to be a high priority, if you like the ones in your Kronos, since all these boards (MODX8, MP7SE, SP6) funcion nicely as MIDI controllers and can trigger Kronos pianos.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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What are you looking for beyond what your Kronos can do? Do you like the Kronos AP patches? If so just get a controller (or a board that has an action you like, that you will just use as a controller).

 

Casio PX-S1000/S3000 for a fraction of your budget looks tempting. USB MIDI will work with Kronos.

 

Edit - I see Scott said something similar above.

 

Cheers, Mike.

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You can MIDI up any number of good action 88k weighted models to the Kronos 61 and share sounds. So Id be inclined to get a stage piano with an action you love and at least a few piano patches you like to use without the Kronos.

 

Lighter actions, I havent played the Kurzweil SP6 - but Ive played Medelli digital pianos - Id say they are lighter feeling. Casio PX-160 through 560. Yamaha has the CP76 worth a try, might be too expensive. If USB MIDI is a go on the Kronos - id definitely give a thumbs up to the Kawai ES-110.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Another option is the Roland FA-08. There's a lot to like, and I think it would complement the Kronos 61 well.

'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo.

 

We need a barfing cat emoticon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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They are all good. I have no idea what is best for you. Some general comments....

 

Roland FA08 - it's a better MIDI slave than a master. The Studio Set architecture is like a 16 space rack of synths. I like the sound library. The built in SP404 sampler is really cool depending on your genre. I use the sampler a lot in the Pop band.

 

MODX8- the command and control is really good. Probably my 2nd favorite but Korg Setlist is better. You will want to run the show from the Kronos. It's lightweight. I'm getting one if I don't retire and I start playing Country again.

 

MP7SE - I like it a lot. The pianos are great and easily editable to work in your mix. But it's heavy but still lighter than a a Kronos2-88. The MP7se is probably my favorite action of your choices .... But you may prefer something different. The Kawai piano technician interface is really cool.

 

Kurz SP6 - I don't know jack about this one.

 

But no one here knows what your best choice is.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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If USB MIDI is a go on the Kronos - id definitely give a thumbs up to the Kawai ES-110.

ES-110 has standard 5-pin MIDI. But the Kronos support for USB does permit direct connection of the new Casios. I haven't played he PX-1000/3000 yet, I'm curious about them.

 

Another option is the Roland FA-08. There's a lot to like, and I think it would complement the Kronos 61 well.

FA-08 and DS-88 both have a lot to recommend them, but I don't know if I would say their actions are on the light side.

 

Roland FA08 - it's a better MIDI slave than a master.

What are its limitations as a master?

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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It sucks. Even something as simple as real time volume control on individual studio set parts is like a monkey trying to f*** a football. Let alone having fader control over all its internal zones let alone external zones. Best bet is just to use the Keyboard as input to the Kronos. The FA is very limited. You can't even assign the pedal to control the volume on the sampler. Just look at the control deck. It sucks ass as a controller. It's best as a slave or a one stop shop.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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It's important to decide now if you want pitch bend and mod wheels or a joystick (either variety), or none at all (just a piano keyboard). Also if you need expression pedal inputs.

 

My favorite keybed for piano playing is by far the Kawai ES8. If all you need is a keybed for pianos, it's great, not terribly heavy, and I dare say "silky" feeling. The pianos are pretty nice as well. Not for you if you need lots of controllers though. That's why I don't have one, plus I run a setup that's essentially the opposite of what you want to do (88/main is the sound source and has most of the controls, upper tier 61 is used as a midi controller for the lower).

 

 

If you need controllers, MODX8 is ok (if you can try-before-you-buy that'd be ideal due to the action); on faith I'd say an SP6 (having never played one) or the MP7SE (never played one). If you could find a New Old Stock Roland RD-800, those are really nice; would have been my runner-up to the ES8.

 

A Korg D1 is a possibility, but like the ES8 there aren't a lot of controllers. Also the Roland FP90. FP60 only has USB midi, but the 90 has 5-pin.

 

Also, don't rule out a nice used high-end board.

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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Oh, by the way, welcome to the Keyboard Corner forum! :)

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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There's an SP6 for sale on the classifieds right now. Not sure what international shipping would be or if the seller would want to ship international.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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Well, you go to Sweetwater or Thomann, fill ib your criteria, scrap the main Korg rompler/workstation, and the rest of the list probably comes out their search engine.

 

Only a bigger keyboard could include (Usb ?) Midi controllers, but apparently there's also a need for additional piano sounds, so there's what to look for then.

 

Second hand offerings might offer a bigger selection, but without additional criteria might be hard to decide on.

 

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It's important to decide now if you want pitch bend and mod wheels or a joystick (either variety), or none at all (just a piano keyboard). Also if you need expression pedal inputs.

 

My favorite keybed for piano playing is by far the Kawai ES8. If all you need is a keybed for pianos, it's great, not terribly heavy, and I dare say "silky" feeling.

 

Yes, expression pedal is important! Also pitch and mod wheel. So I guess ES8 is out of the question. But silky feeling sounds nice... and I have read that mp7se has the same action as ES8; rhIII.

 

Im not that interested in midi controller functionality, takes too much time to set it all up, Id like the two boards to work inddepently.

 

 

Also, being able to layer at least 4 sounds and also a good organ sound is preferrable.

 

I guess it comes down to

 

Roland fa08 (+string resonance, +good organs, +good do it all board, -a bit heavy feeling keybed)

Kawai mp7se (+string resonance, +ok organs, +nice keybed, -weight)

Modx8 (+imo nice feeling keybed, +good do it all board, +weight, +nice synth sounds)

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Any reason for ruling out the SP6? Seems like a good fit.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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Also, being able to layer at least 4 sounds and also a good organ sound is preferrable.

 

I guess it comes down to

 

Roland fa08 (+string resonance, +good organs, +good do it all board, -a bit heavy feeling keybed)

Kawai mp7se (+string resonance, +ok organs, +nice keybed, -weight)

Modx8 (+imo nice feeling keybed, +good do it all board, +weight, +nice synth sounds)

Assuming you intend to use the 88 in conjunction with (rather than instead of) your Kronos, I wouldn't look at organ as an important distinguishing characteristic. None of them have organ as good as Kronos, plus it's better to play organ on your non-hammer action keys, anyway.

 

But since you bring it up, I'd take the Kawai over Roland for organ. Unlike the Roland, the Kawai implements C/V and provides real-time drawbar control (using the 4 sliders, 4 knobs, and a pair of buttons for the ninth), and also supports MIDI drawbar support, and has an action more amenable to organ playing. The only organ advantage I'd give the FA-08 is the Sub Out which gives it more flexibility in adding a Vent or other leslie sim.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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{FA08 as a MID master conroller} sucks. Even something as simple as real time volume control on individual studio set parts is like a monkey trying to f*** a football. Let alone having fader control over all its internal zones let alone external zones.

Yeah, that's a weakness of the FA... not specifically as a MIDI controller, but just in the way the board works, even for is own sounds. I actually hadn't realized that it had the same issue when used as a controller, i.e. that the assignable knobs did not have that level of assignability for external MIDI use either. (The DS is better than the FA at real-time volume adjustments for its own sounds, but it's a weak MIDI controller for other reasons.) Unfortunately, it seems to be pretty easy to find boards that are weak on multi-part volume controls. I think Korg Kross/Krome fall into this category as well, despite flexible 16-zone controller setups. Yamaha CP73/CP88 have good volume control access for internal sounds but not for their 4 external zones. OTOH, some moderately priced boards that provide good real-time volume controls for split/layered sounds (whether internal or external) would be Kawai MP7SE, Kurzweil Artis (and probably SP6), and I think Yamaha MODX (though balancing internal sounds gets complicated when you use their "multi-part single instruments").

 

As for FA being good as a slave, there are some limitations there as well. As I understand it, all zoning must be done by the controller. That is, if you want you external board to split multiple FA sounds (independently of what you're playing on the FA itself), you have to create the zone splits on the controller side, so you can't simply use a "dumb" single channel board as a controller and define the key ranges on the FA. This is similar to the frequent complaint about Montage/MODX were again you need a multi-zoned controller if you want to trigger more than a single Montage/MODX part externally (though the underlying reasons are different). Korg and Kurzweil seem to have a lot more flexibility here.

 

 

 

 

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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