JeebsFat

What do people think about the Casio px160 as a Yamaha p-45 alternative?

Agreed. A simple and approachable UI is very important. Thanks!

Gotcha, thanks. I'll try to elaborate. Details are just starting points and are still flexible/coming together. The small room will have studio monitors and a hybrid audio interface/mixer, (thinking a tascam model 16 or livetrak l-12 which folks could operate in the small room as a control room or move to the large room to run with the band) So the large room will likely have no speakers, amps, or mixers built in or dedicated to it other than keeping a large but basic Bluetooth speaker for teachers playing examples, play-alongs, what have you. Still, it's probably best that the digital piano has its own built-in speakers for simplicity's sake. Folks recording would be monitoring via headphones through our mixer/interface or via their own amplification. I think the p-45 would be fine, but I'm still hoping to find more than the 10 sounds it has, for the creative person needing more variety. And maybe more than just a headphone output? Thanks again!

Hello! I'm helping to setup a small two-room studio/music space at a new art center that has largely visual art studio spaces but it's setting up two small rooms for music. One room is a ~12ft square, and the other is about ~7x10". The rectangular room will host a studio desk with a computer/monitors/interface/microphones while the square room will have a some seating, music stands, mic stands, space for drums, and will remain somewhat open and modular and partly serve as an additional multitracking room for the console in the smaller room. The square room is getting a digital piano of some kind, for which I'm looking for suggestions. The center has started working with a high school band director who suggested a Yamaha p-45 for $600. I've played these and really am not a fan of their feel, sound, or functionality. They only have a tiny handful of unimpressive sounds. Yes, this space will need a basic digital piano that serves piano teachers, music therapists, small classes, practicing students and choirs and jazz trios. BUT, the space will also be a modest but fully functioning studio used by younger folks, electronic producer types, rappers, DAW kids, folk artists, rock bands and whoever to produce whatever. It seems like a digital piano that has more a full and varied soundset and functionality would go much further than a p-45. We'll have a separate midi controller keyboard for the rectangular room with the computer station, so I'm just asking about what we should put in the larger square room. I would guess 88 keys, fully weighted is a must. I'm trying to present options and so I'm looking for something in the 500-750 range, something in the 750-1100 range, and something in the 1100-2000 range. I'm unconvinced spending more than 2000 will get us anything but diminished returns, and I would bet around 1000 is the sweet spot. Thanks for any and all related or unrelated advice! Cheers!

These kinds of rollouts are frustrating. The Digitakt is in the same boat. Folks have waited for overbridge way past what was promised. The Novation Circuit is in the opposite boat. They promised nothing and have delivered 8 epic updates noone expected, though it has taken a good while.

The numa compact 2x was very high on my list until it came out and I got a better sense of it's functionality and sounds. The EPs, which are crucial to me coming from an sv-1, just didn't stand up. Not did the other sounds. As a midi controller alone, it would probably be great. But it ain't cheap for just that. It also seems like a largely unsupported product. Though, you could say that about the vox as well so far. But, at least it starts with pretty top notch sounds. The Kross 2 actually sounds really good to me, and yeah, maybe as second tier synth focused board, it could work for me. Just wish I had a decent keyboard store here that works have it. The local Guitar Center's keys room looks like the Hall of Justice from Mad Max...

Thanks for all the responses! This has been very helpful. Especially linking those other threads which were interesting to read through. For context if anyone cares toread: I'm in a weird spot with what gear upgrade/replacement I'm looking for. Really trying to lighten my load. I need to replace my dead/dying Korg X50 that I use with my mutli-genre rock band. I have a an SV-1 which I love and use for my jazz bands as well but I hate lugging it. For my rock band, I really only use it for EPs, it's just so heavy and limited. I drag my Behringer Deepmind to my rock band but that is limited in it's own way and pretty hefty as well. I'm considering the Vox Continental for EPs and it's piano-player-friendly semi-weight keys (15lbs - for rock band and jazz band) and throwing a Korg Kross on the top tier (8lbs - for rock band). Both have nice bags and I can just see myself zipping in and out of shows and rehearsals. With a new baby, speed, weight and tidiness are everything. Any thoughts or critics or suggestions are welcome. Cheers!

Can anyone comment on the keybed and feel of the Korg Kross 2 61? Is it that bad? I hate the keys in my old Korg X50 but this is several generations of potential improvement.

Where the heck did you find that price?! I want!

Can anyone comment on the official Vox backpack-style carry case? Anyone using it? How is it? How does it hold the board? How does it protect? How are the shoulder straps? Anyone using a different bag or case? Thanks!

Right, there is definitely a USB connection. According to the manual, the type-A is for saving and loading scenes to a flash drive and type-B is for updating firmware and also exchanging MIDI. So, an editor and new sounds down the road would be very possible. Of course, that doesn't mean it will happen. Too wishful to hope for an announcement at this winter NAMM 2019? I also wonder if they will ever be able to add actual splits in an update. They never did with the SV-1. They just added a few (literally just 2 or 3 I think) preset sounds with the split already baked in to the sound. So it wasn't functional if you wanted anything other than those. A guy can dream (of not shelling out for a Kronos...)

Vox has said no updates? What about Korg? (I know Korg owns Vox. Just wondering where that info is coming from.) I was definitely holding out hope for Korg to release an editor and new sounds down the road like they did with the sv-1.

Quick question for 73 key version owners: What are the dimensions of the flat areas on the top to the left and right off the controls? I'm trying figure out what other gear I can set up there. Thanks!

Someone posted that this was up, but didn't post the link. Here:

I don't own one, but a guy in here or some other VC thread somewhere said he removed it on day one. If I were removing it, I would take it apart to look for screws under/behind it and if there are none, grab the putty knife. And maybe judicious use of a heat gun could help, if you can isolate the metal top any sensitive plastic or electrical components.