Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Hey everyone. I'm between 3, 88-key weighted controllers under $1K: CasioPrivia Pro PX-5S Studiologic SL88 GRAND Komplete Kontrol S88 Out of all I've tested, these feel the best to me. Although I have many plugins, I mainly run Komplete 10, OMNISPHERE 2, Arturia V, and Ravenscroft 275. The board will be used for controlling my rig when gigging and/or studio work. I'm leaning more towards the Privia as its lighter, has great stock sounds and I can leave my laptop and interface behind if needed. I know many of you have more hands on experience with one or all of these and I would like to know your pros and cons. Thx in advance for your expertise! Darrell Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainUnderpant Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 From my prospective it comes down to priority. My priority is key bed feel and quality. So I would pick the Studiologic. If your priority is a good compromise (weight, internal sounds and key bed feel) and value the internal sounds then the Privia is the winner. If you value interconnectivity and mapping your controller to your VST's then maybe the Komplete would be your pick, although I have not personally tried it. What is your priority? Yamaha S90XS, Studiologic VMk-161 Organ Small/powerful (i7, 32GB, M.2 SSD) PC controlled by 10" Touch Screen Cantabile, Ravenscroft 275, Keyscape, OPX-II, Omnisphere 2, VB3, Chris Hein Horns, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George88 Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 What is your work around for pitch/mod wheel on the StudioLogic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 You know the PX-5s has no expression pedal inputs. You will need some sort of work around doo-dads. "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...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 From my prospective it comes down to priority. My priority is key bed feel and quality. So I would pick the Studiologic. If your priority is a good compromise (weight, internal sounds and key bed feel) and value the internal sounds then the Privia is the winner. If you value interconnectivity and mapping your controller to your VST's then maybe the Komplete would be your pick, although I have not personally tried it. What is your priority? Primarily feel! I have a Remote SL Zero that I can use as well. Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 You know the PX-5s has no expression pedal inputs. You will need some sort of work around doo-dads. Yeah I thought about that. However a pedal usb/midi interface expression box will take care of that Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 What is your work around for pitch/mod wheel on the StudioLogic? . That's a good question although I don't plan on bending the sounds I'm using it for. Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 You'll be good then. "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...
AnotherScott Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 What is your priority? Primarily feel! For feel, I know I'd have definite preferences, but since you like the feel of all three, once they pass that threshold for you, maybe other parameters then become more important.... built-in sounds, travel weight, other features... You know the PX-5s has no expression pedal inputs. You will need some sort of work around doo-dads. Yeah I thought about that. However a pedal usb/midi interface expression box will take care of that For controlling external sounds, this looks like an easy, clean, flexible and reasonably priced solution... http://www.audiofront.net/MIDIExpression.php Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 What is your priority? Primarily feel! For feel, I know I'd have definite preferences, but since you like the feel of all three, once they pass that threshold for you, maybe other parameters then become more important.... built-in sounds, travel weight, other features... You know the PX-5s has no expression pedal inputs. You will need some sort of work around doo-dads. Yeah I thought about that. However a pedal usb/midi interface expression box will take care of that For controlling external sounds, this looks like an easy, clean, flexible and reasonably priced solution... http://www.audiofront.net/MIDIExpression.php Wow!! That's the exact box I'm looking at if I get the Privia!! Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miden Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Also check out the Arturia Keylab 88 There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence... Time is the final arbiter for all things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 The PX-560 has a lot from the PX-5S onboard with the addition of expression pedal input as well as a touch screen UI. The touch screen is no iPad or tablet style touch screen, but it works and makes use easier. Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 Also check out the Arturia Keylab 88 Loved the features, HATED the TP100 keybed! Too light and not enough key travel for me. As long as I waited for that board, I tried to make myself like it. I even put down a deposit on it. But in the end, I just couldn't do the keybed Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 The PX-560 has a lot from the PX-5S onboard with the addition of expression pedal input as well as a touch screen UI. The touch screen is no iPad or tablet style touch screen, but it works and makes use easier. I'll pass on the 560. I'm more interested in the controller functions. The color screen is nice but not a prerequisite Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miden Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Also check out the Arturia Keylab 88 Loved the features, HATED the TP100 keybed! Too light and not enough key travel for me. As long as I waited for that board, I tried to make myself like it. I even put down a deposit on it. But in the end, I just couldn't do the keybed Well there you go, just shows how much personal thoughts a feelings come in to it...I have owned all of your choices in the OP, but found the KL88 to be the best in the keybed department haha! Not by much though, but that added to the depth and number of controllers, well it was a no brainer really. For me at least There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence... Time is the final arbiter for all things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 The key travel didn't bother you? Being a pianist first, key travel and feel are important to me. When it arrived in GC, four others and myself all had the same opinions. Even the salesman stated that others even said the same thing before our group tried it Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 The PX-560 has a lot from the PX-5S onboard with the addition of expression pedal input as well as a touch screen UI. The touch screen is no iPad or tablet style touch screen, but it works and makes use easier. The touch screen UI makes things easier for working with the internal sounds, but the PX560 has only minimal functionality as a controller. For controlling a softsynth setup, you can add the expression pedal to the PX5S easily. You can't so easily add all the other MIDI functionality of the PX5S to the PX560... a bunch of well-placed patch-definable knobs and sliders, 4 zones with independent MIDI assignments for each and front panel patch recall of all those MIDI setups. Also, it's not in the under $1k range of the others. That said, I like the PX560 a lot, and will probably use it instead of the PX5S personally. There are definitely trade-offs though. One I've run into that I haven't seen mentioned is that, for those times you must cover some organ from your 88, the PX560 leslie effect is awful. The PX5S is no Ventilator, but it's much better than the PX560. Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Also check out the Arturia Keylab 88 Loved the features, HATED the TP100 keybed! I haven't played the Komplete Kontrol S88 but I thought I read that it used the TP100. But you found that it felt noticeably better than the Arturia? Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miden Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 The key travel didn't bother you? Being a pianist first, key travel and feel are important to me. When it arrived in GC, four others and myself all had the same opinions. Even the salesman stated that others even said the same thing before our group tried it TBH, no not really...the key travel differences are in the millimetre range (and even then only by a few) and did not faze me. Being someone with a light touch (probs from accordion days haha!) My personal test for a keybed (non-acoustic) is the ease with which repetitive notes can be played, as in a single note not sequential notes. This then translates, for me, into meaning those little grace notes one plays and faster runs tend to "flow" much better without the need for extra focus on fingering to "make it happen". The keybed in the KL does this, and as I wrote, the extent of the hardware controllers - even to the nine sliders which co-relate beautifully to VB3 - swung the decision to it. The controls are pretty smooth and solid so far. The ONLY real criticism is it can still only transmit MIDI over two channels (at the one time) - Perhaps Arturia will address this in future firmware updates?? In any case I have figured work-arounds using Cantabile states that goes some way to making it a non-issue. Not criticising your choices at all haha, as I said it really shows that one persons trash is anothers treasure!! Hope you find what works for you..as I have done There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence... Time is the final arbiter for all things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 Also check out the Arturia Keylab 88 Loved the features, HATED the TP100 keybed! I haven't played the Komplete Kontrol S88 but I thought I read that it used the TP100. But you found that it felt noticeably better than the Arturia? TP100?!?! Well I'm definitely out!! Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 Miden, it's all good! I can be a hard player at times and need stiffer action. I didn't think you were criticizing my choices. We all have our unique preferences! I even called Arturia and asked if the keybed could be changed. lol. Thanks for your input! Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 Well the S88 is out! Don't like the TP100 keybed! Too soft for me and don't like the key travel. But the one I played seemed stiffer. Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miden Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Miden, it's all good! I can be a hard player at times and need stiffer action. I didn't think you were criticizing my choices. We all have our unique preferences! I even called Arturia and asked if the keybed could be changed. lol. Thanks for your input! There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence... Time is the final arbiter for all things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 I think Imma go ahead and pull the trigger on the Privia. Anyone else with any playing time on the SL88 as a master controller? Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Sounds like a good plan to me. At under $1000, 10 years ago I personally would probably lean towards a MPK88 but its heavy. There are a pair of MPK88s on Atlanta Craigslist for $500 and less. But they are heavy. Today I would bite the bullet at $1895 and get a Physis K4-88 if the Controller was my main prinary instrument. It is the best controller available today. It is worth it for the pedal IO alone. "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...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 Sounds like a good plan to me. At under $1000, 10 years ago I personally would probably lean towards a MPK88 but its heavy. There are a pair of MPK88s on Atlanta Craigslist for $500 and less. But they are heavy. Today I would bite the bullet at $1895 and get a Physis K4-88 if the Controller was my main prinary instrument. It is the best controller available today. It is worth it for the pedal IO alone. I second that motion on the Physis K4!! It's just waaaay more than I want to spend right now. Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 I love that editor on the SL88 Grand though. Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DulceLabs.com Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 I've been using the PX-5S as both a sound source and a VST controller for several years and have been very happy with it. Very easy to map the controllers to softsynths and save the set-ups for each one. We have a Facebook support group with over 2,700 memebers ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/Casio.Px5s/ ) and an online forum where you can download new sound ( http://CasioMusicForums.com ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcity Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 I've been using the PX-5S as both a sound source and a VST controller for several years and have been very happy with it. Very easy to map the controllers to softsynths and save the set-ups for each one. We have a Facebook support group with over 2,700 memebers ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/Casio.Px5s/ ) and an online forum where you can download new sound ( http://CasioMusicForums.com ) Is there another way to edit besides the tiny screen? Yamaha MODX8, Korg Kronos 2 61, Hammond B3, Novation 61SL MKII, Impulse 61, Roland D-550, Proteus 2000, etc......to name a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DulceLabs.com Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 I've been using the PX-5S as both a sound source and a VST controller for several years and have been very happy with it. Very easy to map the controllers to softsynths and save the set-ups for each one. We have a Facebook support group with over 2,700 memebers ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/Casio.Px5s/ ) and an online forum where you can download new sound ( http://CasioMusicForums.com ) Is there another way to edit besides the tiny screen? Yep - there's a free PC/MAC data editor you can download. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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