NosPup Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 After about 20 years, I think its time to retire my original Apex keyboard stand. It has worked well but I see many people online talking about the K&M Spider being much better and worth the additional cost. I'm not sure whether I should get a new Apex or a Spider. I typically use 2 keyboards and the connected mic stand on my apex. Does anybody have experience with both who would could give me some opinions? I can't find the Spider anywhere local so it would have to be purchased online without seeing it. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyd Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I have both and find the Spider alot more stable, and the ability to tilt the upper tier is a big plus for me. The Spider is quite a bit more cash,but the build quality is really good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theGman Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I own a Spider, been around the Apex, and I find ^^^ true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetrocker Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I had an Apex for 20+ years. Moved to a Spider 5 years ago and would never go back. Tilt top tier, adjustable arm lengths, gobs of room under stand for pedals, boom arm right on top, black or silver your choice, much more room and stagger possible between keyboards (or not if you prefer), looks great. Worth every penny. My 2 pennys worth... Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NosPup Posted December 1, 2014 Author Share Posted December 1, 2014 Thanks for the responses. It sounds like the Spider is the easy winner. I'd rather spend a few extra bucks and be really happy with something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainbird Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Another former Apex owner chimes in with raves about the Spider. Such an upgrade! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NosPup Posted December 1, 2014 Author Share Posted December 1, 2014 Has anyone had an issue with the microphone connection breaking? I saw a few people online complaining about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theGman Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I have never had an issue, but that mic connection (it's in the plastic top piece) looks like it's ready to break before you've ever used it. I never really tighten the mic mount very snug to it. I use one of those goosenecks about 20" long, so you can bend into any shape. I believe that a while back I saw someone post about mounting a more secure connection on the top, but I can't find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetrocker Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Replace the donut like o-ring on the top threaded bolt with a flat washer and then a C-clip around the last thread at the bottom. Much better. Be SURE to hold on to the threaded post when you take off the oring or it will slip into the stand and you have to fish it out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richforman Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Same here, moving to the Spider Pro a few years ago (on my second one now) after decades of using the Apex stands has been a joy, imo it's much better. More stable, better looking, tilted upper tier, nothing getting in the way of your pedals, very cool looking on stage. My favorite advantage I think is the way the arms are part of the unit and fold right back into it, rather than having to detach and re-attach them every time, store them inside the column and fish them out as with the Apex, plus eventually the top lid inevitably breaks off and then you have to carry the arms in your gig bag instead. The cable clips break off eventually too, never has happened on my Spider. Easier to adjust the tier heights and they stay level as you move them. Now, I think it was me being referred to above, I did have problems with two of the boom mic attachments, they or the mechanism that holds them, broke on me pretty quickly; and given my love of the stand overall, I just gave up and resigned to using a separate boom mic stand, the Hercules is excellent I think, doesn't add to my stage footprint or get in the way of anything (with its tripod stand rather than the circular weight) and the squeeze-trigger for adjusting the height is really clever I think. Rich Forman Yamaha MOXF8, Korg Kronos 2-61, Roland Fantom X7, Ferrofish B4000+ organ module, Roland VR-09, EV ZLX12P, K&M Spider Pro stand, Yamaha S80, Korg Trinity Plus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Does anybody have the Spider's Laptop stand accessory? Would it be usable as a 3rd tier for something like a SH-101 or SH-01 Gaia etc.... If you wanted to try it. I also need to see how it would work with a pedalcase. Use two different rigs with each band.... have some gigs where I have to open for myself this summer. This should be interesting. [video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnUBwzRqzNc "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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Use two different rigs with each band.... have some gigs where I have to open for myself this summer. This should be interesting. Two words: Costume. Change. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Defintely. They are outdoor tent gigs. Might bring 3 or 4 shirts depending on the temps and humidity. "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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogholic Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Great thread! Wanted to ask the same. So Spider is better than Apex. Check! 1. Is the Spider stable enough for a PC3X or any heavier 88-note weighted board? 2. Got some gigs where I play standing. Since I´m relatively tall, problem was always that X-stands were too short. When I use my two tier Quik-Lok (stable as hell) I have to put the PC3X on top of its flight case to get a comfortable height. It works totally OK, but looks terrible on stage. So, if I were to use the Spider when playing standing, I would have rise the lower tier pretty high up, might not even have room for the 2nd tier but that´s OK. So the question is if the lower tier is set pretty high and since the stand is tilting forward by nature, will the playing position be a bit akward and/or the legs of the Spider get in the way of my feet? All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. Arthur Schopenhauer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Burgess Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I've gone thru 3 SpiderPros over the years. One I left behind when I kinda emigrated. Next one died thru fatigue with the Alu bending at a leg joint. Next one still works but my custom rack is better. Nice looking, light, small things but when I got the Stage2, it was just a couple of inches short. Think they're great, though. The mic thread did fail on my last one so repaired it with bits of mic stands. Apex doesn't compare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 The biggest selling point for me on the Spider Pro over another Apex is the space under your feet. Standing play or seated play, I've always hated that I can't place my pedals where I need them to be with the Apex. They have to be either in front or behind the feet that go left and right of the tube. So the feet on the Spider being off the ground in the center is major. They've also improved the design with a larger and easier to turn locking mechanism on the movable brackets. I also have the table type 18810 with the second tier attachments, the laptop arm, and the sheet music arm. As well as one of their Mic stands. I couldn't be happier. The build quality and design is excellent. Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 OK. I've seen the light. This is a pretty cool stand. http://www.simonevignola.net/test/foto3.jpg "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theGman Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Ref the tall guy playing standing up, I am 6'2" and play standing up always the Spider Pro with 2 73ish key boards, and have still about 4 or 5 inches of space left above top board position. True, my boards aren't the heaviest (Electro 3 and Jupiter 50), but I have never had a problem; but, then again, I am easy on equipment too, which can't hurt. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorayM Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 OK. I've seen the light. This is a pretty cool stand. http://www.simonevignola.net/test/foto3.jpg (Need to do something about that cable management though! ) North Haverbrook - Godsticks - SoundCloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogholic Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 OK. I've seen the light. This is a pretty cool stand. http://www.simonevignola.net/test/foto3.jpg OK, let´s say I place my PC3X about the same height (probably a little lower) as the 2nd keyboard in this picture albeit not angled, as it would be my 1st tier. Would I get too close to the legs? All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. Arthur Schopenhauer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 OK, let´s say I place my PC3X about the same height (probably a little lower) as the 2nd keyboard in this picture albeit not angled, as it would be my 1st tier. Would I get too close to the legs? Standing or seated playing? Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazerkeys Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 ITGITC ... ? .. I have 3 boards also .. PC1x, and then (new style) cx-3 that I place a nord lead 2 on top of (double tier x-stand) .. did you just order another set of arms to get you 3 tiers on the spider ?? - thanks !! PC1x, Hammond XK1c, Deep Mind 6, MS500 (gig rig) Kurz PC4, Mini Moog Model D, Little Phatty, Hammond M3, Leslie 145, viscount op-3, Behringer model D, Roland GAIA.. (home studio) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cphollis Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 My only potential criticism of the Spider is that it supports the keyboard weight near the center of the board. That means if I get carried away pounding low or high (as is sometimes the case when doing APs on an 88-key rig), you can get a few inches of up-and-down motion. Nothing too extreme, and the board is in no danger of flying off -- but it can be a bit concerning when it happens. Other than that, love the stand. Want to make your band better? Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I wonder if a 24"x 16" pedalboard would slide between the two legs. "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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogholic Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 OK, let´s say I place my PC3X about the same height (probably a little lower) as the 2nd keyboard in this picture albeit not angled, as it would be my 1st tier. Would I get too close to the legs? Standing or seated playing? Standing All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. Arthur Schopenhauer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 No, I don't think so. If you look at the recent picture above. This particular player has placed his pedals in what I presume is the ideal spot for him and it's clearly in front of the legs. There is empty space between the Spider's legs and the main tube is deep under the lowest tier board. Seated, it's definitely and improvement over the standard Apex design, but not near as roomy or as much free space as a table stand or A frame (which I don't see often anymore). Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogholic Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 No, I don't think so. If you look at the recent picture above. This particular player has placed his pedals in what I presume is the ideal spot for him and it's clearly in front of the legs. There is empty space between the Spider's legs and the main tube is deep under the lowest tier board. Seated, it's definitely and improvement over the standard Apex design, but not near as roomy or as much free space as a table stand or A frame (which I don't see often anymore). Agreed. But since I would have my first tier about where the second tier is in the picture and the stand is tilted forward, I would get closer to the legs. Question if I will get too close All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. Arthur Schopenhauer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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