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I would agree with Surface Pro 7 or better, i5 and 16GB ram. Plus 512GB SSD or more. Obviously if budget permits. For those with more constrained budgets a Surface Go 3 with the fastest available chip can do a reasonable job I wouldn't bother with a Surface Dock 2 . It is extremely overpriced and the graphics chips are unreliable. Mine died inside 18 months, only came with a 12 month warranty. Look for a generic USB hub for a quarter of the price with 1 or 2 Usb-C / hdmi / dvi / display port connections to suit your monitor(s). Or thunderbolt if you get the latest surface pro.

It will run anything that supports Windows and provides VSTs. I have a few Arturia plugins like the Moog mini and CS80. They run perfectly, even on my Surface Go 2, the baby of the Surface family.

I don't have this issue, my PC is always ready for use straight away. Have you checked device drivers and disabled setting to "let Windows manage power to this device"? Do this for USB controllers/hubs, network cards etc. Goto device manager and right click each device and select properties to find thus setting. It does sound like a certain hardware driver powering down. Can you be a bit more specific about the exact symptoms when you try and resume a program? Is the entire pc unresponsive or just the program? Does start menu still work, and can you load new programs? If the basic program is still running, has it just lost audio connections, midi connections or is the whole program unresponsive? Happy to try and help troubleshoot if you want. Maybe direct msg me and we can do it outside the forum to not bore everyone else.

For Windows tablets on a budget, the top spec Surface Go 3 would be probably be sufficient. My Surface go 2 can handle the majority of Omnisphere\Keyscape presets. A few of the most demanding can cause dropouts but can be manipulated to work. Could hold off for the Go 4 which is due soon. You may be able to get a top end Go 3 (tablet + laptop combined) on sale for the same price as the current gen iPad (tablet only) . Don't worry about the low storage specs. The surface Go includes an SD card slot and I've found a fast SD card is fine to extend the storgate to 1TB+. Battery life isnt wonderful, about 4 hours when powering an audio interface too. Probably not use on a gig unless plugged in - but has a separate charging port so no iPad dongle nonsense here. The Surface Go runs full Windows so has many 1000s more sound libraries and instruments to choose from compared to iPads. However If you are looking to build layers, use multis or multi GB orchestral samples this may be a stretch too far for the humble Go. A 2 in 1 laptop would give you better performance for the same money but with the compromise of folding over the keyboard rather than a true tablet form with detached keyboard. Lenovo yoga style. Getting into Macbook pricing territory, both Lenovo and Dell offer a Surface Pro style tablet, maybe slightly cheaper than the Microsoft version. All seem decent. I have a Microsoft Surface Pro 7 i7 and love it. The battery lasts 8 hours plus and will run without the fans on for a lot of stuff. Even if fans are on, they aren't very loud. These are proper high performance laptops and will comfortably handle what you can throw at them. If you are focused more around performance than studio mixing/production (and on an iPad thread that surely must be the case), an i5 chip will give great performance, run cooler and keep the fans off longer than an i7. Saves a few bucks too. And whilst these are premium priced, you can reflect that you are saving money compared to having to buy a Macbook and and iPad for similar functionality. From my experience of Surface Pros, you don't need to be an IT genius to use them for audio and get Windows to behave. A few minutes work to set the power profiles and stop non essential apps running in the background and they are good to go. I would highly recommended for anyone looking at iPads but not happy with the limited choice of instruments and sound libraries. Let the iPad users browse their store looking for that one good sound app. I prefer having an entire world of choice that a full laptop offers and in tablet format too. You actually can have everything.

I don't see the value of the A-88 as a mere controller when the RD-88 is similar priced but a full stage piano with a full library of 4000 sounds plus Zen-core integration with Zenology Pro. The A-88 has a huge premium on price against it's competition. If Nord did MIDI controllers, this would be it.

I am struggling to visualise what such an interface would look like. The cloud contains emulations of multiple different synths / romplers, and drum machines. Some rack modules. And then there is the Zenology Pro Synth and its expansion models of synths too. Are you thinking that a controller would morph into the selected synth interface? Would this be all touch screen or would it need knobs, sliders and pads with dynamic labels and automatic layout maps? How about some kind of on board browser / librarian function to navigate, tag and organise the various sound libraries? Am I on the right lines?

There are 3 variations of the PHA-4 action if I remember correctly. The A88 has a higher spec than the RD-88 which is the one reason for the weight difference. Additionally, I would speculate that there is very little competition in the market for a top quality 88 note controller with proper weighted keyboard. Hence Roland can charge a premium price for the A88 Whereas the market for 88 note lightweight piano / stage piano with weighted keyboard is much more competitive so commercial pressures mean the RD-88 is sold at a much lower price point. Whatever the reasons, I think the A88 way over priced and the RD-88 fantastic value.

I'm sticking with my RD-88. It strikes the right balance for me between a good weighted keyboard, a large range of sounds, full synth capabilities when used with Zenology Pro yet nice and light for gigging and doesn't cost silly money (looking at you Nord).

Hi @Reezekeys, You clearly have an advanced setup that has been battle hardened. It sounds pretty complex. For someone wanting to put together a full iPad based rig, with say 6 - 10 instruments covering usual bases of pianos, organs and some synths and maybe use some backing tracks, are they going to have to find their way through AUM, Midiflow and learn some scripting or is there a simpler solution? It sounds quite the learning curve compared to the equivalent setup via a laptop with something like Mainstage or gig performer. I've some friends who are thinking about using an iPad and expecting me to help them work it out but this seems quite intimidating. Especially as I'm not very experienced in iOS land.

Yes it does.

This isn't necessarily true. Whilst not an iPad, I have every scene from my RD-88 replicated on my laptop, using Zenology Pro and Steinberg's VST Live. I can select scenes/songs directly from my keyboard via midi and they load instantly. My laptop has far more sounds available because I can setup other instruments like Omnisphere too. VST Live lets me build a full setlist and preload every virtual instrument (currently 30+ songs). It even does continous sound where the current sounds remain whilst the new song is loaded. New songs load instantly when I press a button on the keyboard, just as fast as hardware boards. Similar setups are possible on an iPad too. Whilst the exact cables, need for a separate interface, usb hub may vary, this does not take long to sort out. Once you have the correct setup, like everything else in a band, practice and repetition are the key. Practice till you can do it blindfolded, repeat for every gig. Once you have done the nesessary prep, using an iPad or laptop live is no more complicated or risky than playing with a 2nd board. Setup time is around the same but your gear is a fraction of the weight and fits in a small bag.

No, there is no need to sample or export most sounds. I'm not even sure whether sampling is supported. The RD-88's PR-B/C/D/E and CMN sound banks are already in Zenology Pro, labelled PRST_B - PRST-F. This is the vast majority of sounds (nearly 3,500). If I'm using these, I can edit as required in Zenology then export to a sound bank file (SVD) and import to the user banks in the RD-88. The main omission from Zenology Pro are the RD-88s supernatural sounds. They are not compatible with the Zen-Core sound engine that underlies Zenology. Additionally, there are some new sounds (500) added in v2 of Zenology Pro that are not currently available to the RD-88. Hopefully these will be made available to the RD-88 via a firmware update or (probably more likely) in an an EXZ expansion pack soon.

One other huge bonus of using Zenology Pro. It has allowed me to create a virtual copy of my RD-88 keyboard on my PC. Whilst Roland does not provide a virtual instrument copy of the RD-88 or even a basic scene editor/librarian app (that would be too easy), using Zenology Pro with a VST Host does the job. I've found Steinberg's VST Live perfect for this. It has taken a little work but I now have my complete setlist re-created in VST Live. I can do a full gig via any 61 note midi controller and my computer. All songs and patch changes are controllable via midi and pre-loaded for instant recall. Makes a much lighter backup rig than a 2nd RD-88!

I am getting more and more into Zenology Pro. My background is a keyboard player who stuck mainly to stage pianos. It was mainly around the acoustic and electric piano sounds with a few nice pad presets when feeling more adventurous. In the last 18 months I've been playing with an originals band that play indie pop and light rock style. We are developing our own sound that has some 90s/2000s influence such as Muse. We are only amateurs gigging weekends but having a lot of fun. Having always liked the Roland sound, I bought an RD-88 to replace my ancient RD-300sx. I wanted a single lightweight board with 88 note weighted keys and a good selection of sounds and this fitted the bill perfectly. At the time of purchase synthesis was something others did and I was purely on presets. Discovering Zenology Pro has begun a whole new journey for me. From discovering that [nearly] all the RD-88 sounds are in Zenology Pro and starting to tweak a few things, I am now diving fully in and slowly learning "proper" synthesis and building up my own sounds. Being able to download these straight into the RD-88 is brilliant. I now have my safe space of a digital stage piano coupled with a powerful synth that is comparable to some of the best out there. It includes a library of nearly 4000 base sounds, a lot being the classic Roland stuff I love, a whole lot more brand new samples/waveforms and a stack of presets to launch from. Plus I can dive right in as far as I want to go and edit and create to my hearts content. Whilst I enjoy other synths including Omnisphere / Keyscape and a new toy - the mini Moog from Arturia, a recent birthday present for myself, Zenology Pro has so much depth and unexplored territory, it more than suffices for my band on its own. I don't see me using anything else in our sound palette in the near future.

I think that there is a lot of potential here. My Sonys work well when I attend gigs and help protect my ears. I've yet to test them out when actually playing but I don't see why they wouldn't work there too. I would love to try the newest version, that have just been released but the price needs to drop a lot first. I'm not getting to worked up about the details of whether the Sonys do noise cancelling or active processing when passing ambient sound through. Having not tried the air pods I don't know what difference their adaptive transparency makes or how it compares. From multiple pages of discussion it appears there are some issues with Air pods lack of flexibility and limited options to control. On paper the Sonys provide better controls but lack a limiter. I don't think there is a perfect answer yet. Ear buds are still improving and maybe we will see these items addressed in future versions. Maybe every ear bud will have limiters in a few years and fully featured noise cancelling and ambient \ transparent sound. Till then, we still have some good stuff now worth giving a go.

The iPad may beat hardware boards (not always true in my opinion) but it can't compete with a laptop. There are many people considering other options in place of heavy, bulky hardware rigs but the discussions seem to lean heavily to iPads as opposed to laptops. In some cases as if this is the only alternative. Having the best and largest range of available instruments doesn't appear to be a significant concern.

This is the thing that puzzles me on all these iPad threads. What about the sounds? People spend huge amounts of time discussing the best pianos, the best Hammonds, the best Leslie, the best Rhodes etc. Then the same people say they are moving to an iPad. Which has none of the best sounds of anything. Why is the quality of sounds so often ignored in iPad discussions, what is the magic that iPad offers for which audio quality is irrelevant?

This is the best advice there is. Do nothing. What you have is pretty decent already. For the sake of a couple of minutes start up time, is it really worth spending more? Dream, read reviews, watch demo videos and if you can find a local shop, go try out some new hardware. But keep your money in your pocket.

It's not just you.

A few ideas, 1. Get a cheap iPad for a near instant on and the Pianoteq app for a decent piano. Still going to need external speakers. Cost £400+ new, 2nd hand should be available and cheaper. 2. look at a Microsoft Surface Go3 or 2nd hand surface Pro for an equivalent windows tablet - but one that can run your Keyscape library. You may have to thin out a few patches on the Go3, don't get anything less than the top spec core i3 model. Similar cost to iPad. you don't need to buy Pianoteq but still needs speakers and interface to get low enough latency. 3. Trade your Arturia controller for an 88 note digital piano. You should be able to pick up a decent 2nd hand Roland/Yamaha/Casio/Kawai digital piano with built in sounds and speakers for a similar price to what you will get for yours. Will also work as a midi controller keyboard to continue using Keyscape. Cheapest option, maybe the best for you. 4. If you wanted to explore other sounds, consider a Roland Boutique Synth like the JD-08 or another desktop synth. Can get them without a keyboard, just use your Arturia via midi. Lots of fun sounds but will struggle to find something with a decent piano & elec piano without spending big.

Having Zenology Pro to enable full editing of all sounds and the ability to load those back into a hardware board chosen from a range of synths and stage pianos is a powerful combination. I'm making frequent use of this with my RD-88, and it's 4000 or so presets. Getting all the synth plugins on top is a tempting offer.

I meant to last week but forgot to pack them (the case is twice the size of the Airpods ) . Will be a few weeks till we are all together again, some band members taking liberties by booking holidays that don't include any gigs or touring. Mind you, mine are 3 years old now. The XM5s are out. There's a good review on the Verge, https://www.theverge.com/23803374/sony-wf-1000xm5-earbuds-review Still no active transparency. Not sure whether that is a good or bad thing.

Is there a need for the limiter? This is essential in normal IEM use, as there is the risk of a huge input if someone drops the mic for example. Limiters are not usually expected to be called upon to stop the user turning the volume up too high. If working off ambient sound, the potential for a huge sound overload is much reduced. Dropping a mic doesn't send the same peak through a PA as it does to a poor soul wearing IEMs at that moment. Therefore is the reason a limiter is being added to help with having the volume up too loud, as a general safety feature? As far as I am aware, no buds have done this before now. They have relied on the user not turning the volume up full whack. If the Airpods Pro transparency turns out not to be suitable for use in stage, would the lack of limiter really be a showstopper to trying other buds?

Mind the output current. Most guitar pedals take a lower current than keyboards, typically 500mA. Keyboards will usually be greater than 1A.

Would these articles be referring to the use of ear buds/headphones in place of proper ear defenders? They are right in so much as saying none have been certified for ear protection. That doesn't mean that earbuds cannot offer some levels of sound reduction which will offer some level of protection. My personal experience is that I find mine helpful. I would never attend a gig wearing a pair of industrial ear defenders. So some unquantified reduction in sound is better than nothing.