CME Xkey 37 to list at $200???

[David Emm]

 

I am eager for the longer model, as I love the 2-octave version, but if its going to be $100 MORE for that one added octave, I'm gone. I was thinking about $130-140 seemed right, but $200 is overkill. Its proven very useful, but that'd be a deal-breaker for me. The alleged release date was this month, but I had to really dig to find even this much information. Can anyone confirm or deny, thank ye very much?

 

 

[DulceLabs.com]

I am eager for the longer model, as I love the 2-octave version, but if its going to be $100 MORE for that one added octave, I'm gone. I was thinking about $130-140 seemed right, but $200 is overkill. Its proven very useful, but that'd be a deal-breaker for me. The alleged release date was this month, but I had to really dig to find even this much information. Can anyone confirm or deny, thank ye very much?

 

 

I do see it listed at Hollywood Guitar for $199. It is worth nothing that the XKey 37 also has support for sustain and expression pedals via a thing called "Xport". Not exactly sure how that works, but I am guessing the included xport cable has a 1/4 jack on one end and some kind of proprietary plug on the other.

 

Anyway, it does have added functionality over the 25 - whether it's worth the premium I guess depends on what you need.

 

[David Emm]

Dulce, TY for the tip. There has been little info on it so far. I have to 'grudgingly' accept that those added soft-jacks make perfect sense and boost its merits. It'll depend on how they're implemented, but the added aluminum and features take the sting out. I was just a bit sticker-shocked for a mo'. I don't mind a higher price for a better range of function. I've been using the 2-octave model for a year and its still 100%. I've spoken well of it before and I'll reiterate that view now. Its an odd fish, but also best-in-class for mini-controllers.

[DulceLabs.com]

X-KEY 37 Update:

 

"Dear all friends,

Many people asked about XKey37 schedule, first I am sorry for the delay. Previously we planned to start the mass production around the end of Oct and deliver it in Nov, let me try to give you some updates here:

 

Xkey is a very precision musical keyboard compare to conventional design, in its 3.6mm slim body there are 8 layers including the high sensitive pressure sensor. So the matching between new tooling and electronic are really critical, even 0.01mm tolerance will bring big difference of the performance.

 

That is why it took us longer time than we expected, we need to make many different samples for testing and then make sure every part works perfectly.

 

Our experienced operation team is working hard to push it forward, next week we will receive another new sample from the factory, if everything is fine, we can just start the real production finally.

 

So we will try our best to ship the first Xkey37 before Christmas, wish we have good luck."

[Ashville.Guru]

It is worth nothing that the XKey 37 also has support for sustain and expression pedals via a thing called "Xport".

...

Anyway, it does have added functionality over the 25 - whether it's worth the premium I guess depends on what you need.

I don't see the pedal jacks being tremendous value add. I can't think of a use case scenario where there isn't any other way to get pedal inputs into the computer.

 

The XKeys aren't typically a one-board solution, to begin with. If there's another board, those pedal inputs can be used. And for those who want to gig with only an XKey and a laptop ( ), a $49 MidiExpression thingie will add the same functionality.

 

The XKey fills a unique niche, and does what nothing else does. Sad to see CME trying to make be something that it's not meant to be, and doesn't need to be.

 

- Guru

[DulceLabs.com]

You are looking at this through a professional, gigging musician's eyes. The majority of the current XKey market are iPad musicians who are casual or serious hobbyists that don't really gig.

 

Many are coming to the XKey NEVER having played a physical keyboard before - up until then they were using the iPad's touch screen. So there is no laptop, there is no other MIDI keyboard to run a sustain or expression pedal into. And AFAIK, there is no bluetooth sustain pedals or synth apps that would support them.

 

In the Ipad musician community there is a huge interest in the XKey37 as the extra octave and sustain input adds lot of functionality.

[AnotherScott]

I agree. For an iPad user, adding a pedal if the board doesn't have a jack for it is not a simple or obvious procedure. And even if it's being used as a second board, there are times you want to sustain what you're playing on your bottom board but not your top, or vice vera, and the simplest way to do that is to have a pedal input on each board.

[Ashville.Guru]

The majority of the current XKey market are iPad musicians who are casual or serious hobbyists that don't really gig.

 

Many are coming to the XKey NEVER having played a physical keyboard before - up until then they were using the iPad's touch screen.

I completely discounted the 'iPad musician' category. My bad.

 

- Guru

[Heinrich-MariaB]

Hello,

just logged in to comment on this blog i found and I hope that they will read this.

I'm a CME user since the early days of them and already loved their UF-Series a lot.

That were solid build low priced masterkeyboards that were just fantastic.

I also fell in love with the new CME xKey 25-Key Version. But what they're going to try now is just a BIG SHAME!!!

It's the mirror of all those greedy, capitalistic businessing and marketing people who are just trying to bring it nearest to the boil as possible. I mean, come on:

DOUBLE THE PRIZE (=200%) FOR CALCULATED 48% MORE KEYS?

100% 25 Keys

148% 37 Keys

ARE YOU SERIOUS? WHY ARE YOU FOOLING WITH US THAT WAY?

Congratulations for beeing that game changers, that are making this world a more worse place!! For real.

KMB

[AnotherScott]

It also adds MIDI Out, sustain pedal jack, and expression pedal jack. I think it's worth it. Heck, if 25 keys is enough for someone, I don't think it would have been unreasonable to ask $149 for the 25. (That's what the QuNexus costs.) Which then would have made $199 for the 37 a bargain. ;-)

[DulceLabs.com]

But what they're going to try now is just a BIG SHAME!!!

It's the mirror of all those greedy, capitalistic businessing and marketing people who are just trying to bring it nearest to the boil as possible. I mean, come on:

DOUBLE THE PRIZE (=200%) FOR CALCULATED 48% MORE KEYS?

100% 25 Keys

148% 37 Keys

ARE YOU SERIOUS? WHY ARE YOU FOOLING WITH US THAT WAY?

Congratulations for beeing that game changers, that are making this world a more worse place!! For real.

KMB

 

Oh FFS.

[Dr88s]

It's the mirror of all those greedy, capitalistic businessing and marketing people who are just trying to bring it nearest to the boil as possible.

Congratulations for beeing that game changers, that are making this world a more worse place!! For real.

KMB

 

Must be what they're teaching those types in 'businessing' school...

 

...And clearly it's those ruthless keyboard manufacturers who are singlehandedly destroying the fabric of our society.

 

 

Oh FFS.

 

Amen.

[brenner13]

I've always been intrigued by the X-Key, but just can't deal with only 25 keys. Im sure CME has heard this very complaint over and over and kudos to them for offering a solution.

 

As a recovering synth-app addict, I'm nearly sold on the 37-key especially with them adding pedal connections and MIDI out is bonus. I think it is a fair asking price considering the reported build-quality and the fact that CME delayed the release to ensure the thing goes into production functioning properly and bug-free. If I find one for 179, I'll not likely be able to resist.

[DulceLabs.com]

I will be getting the 37 to use around the house, but man, the 25 sure is handy to take with. For doing sound design, working on chords/melodies or just messing about, it is perfect!

 

Need to kill time at the DMV, waiting for an appt, etc? So much fun....

 

http://oi60.tinypic.com/2qb9ljb.jpg

[David Emm]

The only issue I have with it is that the pitch-bend and mod buttons are too on-off. It would almost surely demand a different housing if they were to offer much more play, which would violate the 3mm key throw that makes it so useful in every other way. I'll really use the Sustain jack and the thing will get more playing time. Its an odd fish, but its a great compliment to my more traditional 'boards. Its a tidy little tool for soloing when its above my main instrument, as well. I'm so keen on the 37, I'm amused by it.

 

[Heinrich-MariaB]

why they don't just built in a kind of sensor sensitive "modwheel-touch-strip" and a kind of "pitch-strip" like the KORGNanoPad uses it on their XY-Pad?

That's what I do mean if there would be a kind of more innovation grade in all this company's it would work fine for me with the 200 bucks. But just adding those extra value on top to pay off Mr. Jordass Annoying Rudess for his marketing messages makes me feel sick about society and all those so professional people here defending a manufacturing company fooling on people:

2 MUCH BLABLA TO LESS INNOVATION THESE DAYS!!!

Look back at times people invented things like complex synth hardware and men fly to the moon, but nowadays most of all the things out there are just some kind of rip-offs of something that already has been there several times

[AnotherScott]

Ribbon for pitch bend would have been nice. Maybe some kind of slider for mod. Especially on a board with aftertouch, I'd want a mod control that could be left in some position rather than springing back.

 

My perfect version of this would have all the controls moved to the top (so that the low C was right at the left edge), and then there would be available add-on octaves (C to B) with no controls, that could be added to the left, as many as you'd like.

[DulceLabs.com]

Look back at times people invented things like complex synth hardware and men fly to the moon, but nowadays most of all the things out there are just some kind of rip-offs of something that already has been there several times

 

 

 

The moon landing was a hoax. Right, Brettymike?

http://board.dailyflix.net/public/style_emoticons/default/tinfoil.gif

 

 

[mate stubb]

RANT RANT ALL CAPS RANT!!!!!!!!!!! SUPERFLOUS EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!! ! ! ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Usually around here, you don't get to graduate to curmudgeon until you've been around for awhile.

[DulceLabs.com]

RANT RANT ALL CAPS RANT!!!!!!!!!!! SUPERFLOUS EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!! ! ! ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Usually around here, you don't get to graduate to curmudgeon until you've been around for awhile.

 

[Heinrich-MariaB]

Completely agree, ribbon would be killer, and I think nowadays it shouldn't be a problem to make those ribbon touch controllers "relative sensitive" so they'll rest at their last value when touched.

And to place everything at the top would of course make sense. Yamaha's CS80 had that setup too.

 

Preview:

http://i58.tinypic.com/15bpxx.png

[Heinrich-MariaB]

Or what about the same with a 37 key version?

you can tile each one to the next one and build your own 6-octaves-version (or more ).

on the top are 80s style ribbon controllers that will interact intelligent, so that it stays in value position when you let go and when pinched in again they start from last value increasing or decreasing depending on your movement. in addition you can map/customize that sliders also to custom CC's or other key functions because they're customizable as function keys (sections), 0-127 faders or even +/ 50% pitch bend style touch ribbons. to give them also some more depth they also can have each a secondary functions (e.g. DAW transport) trough triggering the shift function next to them. the possibilities are endless

 

that would be worth that 200 bucks, or what do you think?

 

Preview:

http://i59.tinypic.com/16c2knl.png

[Dr88s]

why they don't just built in a kind of {cut for brevity}

That's what I do mean if there would be a kind of more innovation grade in all this company's it would work fine for me with the 200 bucks. But just adding those extra value on top to pay off Mr. Jordass Annoying Rudess for his marketing messages makes me feel sick about society and all those so professional people here defending a manufacturing company fooling on people:

2 MUCH BLABLA TO LESS INNOVATION THESE DAYS!!!

Look back at times people invented things like complex synth hardware and men fly to the moon, but nowadays most of all the things out there are just some kind of rip-offs of something that already has been there several times

 

You are the answer to your own question. Innovation takes time and money. Research and development, prototypes, talent with fresh ideas, etc. all COST THE COMPANIES MONEY.

 

If their market (read: you) is going to bellyache at the extra price tag and buy the competition's same-old same-old product because it's 200 cheaper, they receive no return on investment, hence there is no incentive to innovate.

 

Boutique companies do this all the time and this is why their products are so (often prohibitively) expensive.

 

[GovernorSilver]

I'd like to get one, primarily for the poly aftertouch. I'd probably find a use for the pedal jacks too.

 

I'd use with iPad and Korg M3 alike. I think my Emu Command Station also supports poly aftertouch but I have to get it repaired first.