Studio logic SL88 and Mixface

[WWW]

Is anybody using these? The 88 piano weighted controller seems to be top of class. The Mixface is a bit wonky. If anyone is using either of these or both, I would love to know your thoughts. Thanks

[BRod]

I have the SL73 studio, which is the same action as the 88 studio (not the Grand version).

I normally play a Kurzweil Forte 7 (which is a fantastic keyboard), but decided on a lighter setup for small gigs, including a MacBookPro with Mainstage.

I tried that with an unweighted 61 key midi controller, but missed the weighted action. Thus, I got the SL73 and the Mixface. 25 pounds is manageable.

It has worked extremely well for me for over a year now. I find the action perfectly fine for piano, organ, strings, etc.

Setup is simple - usb from SL73 to Mixface, then Mixface to MBP. The MBP powers the Mixface and the SL73. I use a single sustain pedal to the SL73.

Mainstage allows me to configure the sliders/switches/knobs/transport controls on the Mixface, which I use on every song I play.

I don't really use the zones/functions on the SL73 - only the MBP. I don't really use the joysticks much either.

The Mixface would also work with my DAW (Studio One), but I haven't used it in that manner.

Feel free to PM me with specific questions, or if you'd like some pictures of my setup.

Bobby

[drawback]

I had an SL88 Studio for about a year. Build quality was high â well engineered, solid and clean. I wasn't crazy about the sticks at first, but learned to like them later. The graphic display, neither the design nor the menu-dive, ever worked for me. (there's only so much one should be able to put up with for the sake of minimalism). Enter the Mixface. I really looked at that as the answer, especially with Bluetooth and made-for-SL setup. It was too expensive an item when released in Canada to make it worthwhile, and I felt Studiologic had realized the SL series was so lacking in general control functions, and were in essence charging the customer for their own shortcomings.

 

The action on the Studio was simply the most flubby, bouncy, needlessly heavy I've ever encountered, and the detailed software to customize V Sens & Dynamics did nothing to the fact that no matter how you try to trick your brain, it's still just mechanics.

 

I was in a retailer looking at the Mixface to at least address some of my issues with the controller, and spied the new Arturia Keylab MkII 88. The action felt better than the SL88, even though they are both Fatar TP100. It felt like Arturia's folks had tweaked the mechanics to deliver something more to my liking. Plus, the Keylab had all the dashboard control hardware missing from the SL88, with even better build, smarter GUI, and a massive package of software available just for the heck of it.

 

It was a no-brainer. So I sold my SL88, ordered the Keylab. Was really happy for about a month but realized it really wasn't that much of an improvement in the action, if at all â and once you're down that road, it's not long before seeking Decree Nisi, and I'm done with Fatar weighted keyboards entirely.

 

Certainly there are many here who love the SL88/73 Studio. I believe Arturia makes some of the finest in the world. Their semi weighted controllers are superb but they have to come up with a better supplier of weighted actions.

[davinwv]

I've owned an SL88 Studio for many years, and I am getting ready to sell it because I just bought a Roland A-88MKII. Other than form factor/width, the Roland is superior in every way (as it should be, as it is twice the cost of the SL88 Studio).