Also expanding the rig (unfortunately). Small board needed.

[Dr88s]

I really like my NS2 compact (73).

 

It's light and portable, and the action doesn't even really bother me to play piano on.

 

For strings and especially brass, though, the sample library does a pretty good job in terms of orchestral stuff, but leaves something to be desired for Rock / cover stuff. As well, given the small keyboard size and the fixed split points, sometimes there just isn't enough physical real estate to have enough keys for each different instrument's zone.

 

For those cases, I'm looking for a small second board. It would not be used often, so plastic is ok atnd the light weight would even be desirable. I don't really care about the acoustic or electric pianos, clavs, or organs as those are more than adequately covered on the Nord.

 

I'd like something on the less expensive side, say, 700 or under.

 

I am not averse to buying used, but given importation charges, I am captive to what is available in Canada, with slim pickings few and far between. New would be ideal.

 

Offhand I am thinking something along the lines of the Yamaha MX 49 or 61, or the Casio XWP1. Does anyone have any experience with these boards in terms of quality of the 'extra' sounds for typical Rock covers? Any other suggestions?

[AnotherScott]

MX49/61 was the first thing that came to my mind.

 

XWP1 out-does the MX in the organ and synth you don't need (with your Nord), but lags behind Yamaha in acoustic instruments like strings/winds/brass.

 

Roland DS61 could be another possibility. I haven't played that one.

[MAJUSCULE]

Could you play your PX-5S extra sounds from your NS2? You'd save a lot of money by only buying a cable or two...

[MAJUSCULE]

Otherwise, MX series was also my first thought.

[backtokeys]

kurzweil sp4-7

 

[AnotherScott]

Yes, the SP4-7 could be another good choice, though it takes a little effort to load alternate sounds into it, and while not a particularly heavy board, it weighs more than the other options (or the Nord). A nice option if one might want the 76 keys, too...

[CEB]

Am I correct in thinking that even though the MX has 16 part multi timbres only two can be layered and played from the keyboard in a performance?

 

It makes a difference. For Pop and Rock Motif brass and strings rule but to get really good stuff I layer velo falls with a ensemble voice plus a solo voice or two. A two voice layer limited would make me want to try to swing a used MOX or may something else that would let you layer 4 zones.

 

However if the MX61 will do 4 voice layers in performance mode then it is a no brainier to me.

[AnotherScott]

Am I correct in thinking that even though the MX has 16 part multi timbres only two can be layered and played from the keyboard in a performance?

 

It makes a difference. For Pop and Rock Motif brass and strings rule but to get really good stuff I layer velo falls with a ensemble voice plus a solo voice or two. A two voice layer limited would make me want to try to swing a used MOX or may something else that would let you layer 4 zones.

 

However if the MX61 will do 4 voice layers in performance mode then it is a no brainier to me.

From the front panel, you can only layer two sounds, but using the free Vycro MX Editor, you can layer up to 16 sounds.

 

BTW, the MX only has one mode. And while they refer to each set of sounds as a Performance, its one mode is closer to what a MOX user would call Mixing mode (i.e. a set of 16 sounds, assignable to different MIDI channels, and selectable for playing without having the sounds cut off when switching from one to another).

[CowboyNQ]

I'll provide a contrary opinion on the SP4-7. I used to own one and really liked it (light weight, 76 keys, nice semi-weighted action), but I ONLY used it for AP and EP, with a teeny tiny bit of organ.

 

It's a really nice sounding 'board and does what it does really well, but it's not particularly versatile if you're wanting it for "extra" sounds as OP suggests.

[AnotherScott]

I'll provide a contrary opinion on the SP4-7. I used to own one and really liked it (light weight, 76 keys, nice semi-weighted action), but I ONLY used it for AP and EP, with a teeny tiny bit of organ.

 

It's a really nice sounding 'board and does what it does really well, but it's not particularly versatile if you're wanting it for "extra" sounds as OP suggests.

The key is to download the (free) optional sounds. IIRC, you can load 64 sounds into it, out of (almost) any of the sounds that are in the PC3 series (pre KORE64). And you can store 64 recallable setups that split/layer them 4 ways. So that gives you a pretty decent selection of the kinds of sounds the OP is after, I think.

 

There was a lot I really liked about the SP4-7 but I think it was a bit hamstrung by some questionable decisions when it came to interface, the selection of the stock sounds, and the "unobviousness" of how to fully customize the sound set. But once you do, it goes further than you'd expect.

[Dr88s]

Thanks for the well thought out answers.

 

The Kurz looks nice but is expensive and overkill for what I need.

 

Right now the best choices are

MX49 new - equivalent of $450 USD

MOX6 used on local craigslist - equivalent of $490 USD.

 

Seems like a no brainier for the MOX, other than rolling the dice on used gear, no?

[CowboyNQ]

I'll provide a contrary opinion on the SP4-7. I used to own one and really liked it (light weight, 76 keys, nice semi-weighted action), but I ONLY used it for AP and EP, with a teeny tiny bit of organ.

 

It's a really nice sounding 'board and does what it does really well, but it's not particularly versatile if you're wanting it for "extra" sounds as OP suggests.

The key is to download the (free) optional sounds. IIRC, you can load 64 sounds into it, out of (almost) any of the sounds that are in the PC3 series (pre KORE64). And you can store 64 recallable setups that split/layer them 4 ways. So that gives you a pretty decent selection of the kinds of sounds the OP is after, I think.

 

Yep all that's acknowledged Scott, plus you can muck around with the SoundTower editor too. Sadly the free downloads can be a bit glitchy - well they were on my unit anyway.

 

But even with the above considered, (for me) all that would be way too much stuffing around if the only thing you wanted out of the 'board would be the "extra" stuff.

 

I'm not down on the SP4-7 in any way, it's a nice bit of gear that sounds great. However as a very regular user of the 'board over a period of three years I wanted to provide an honest assessment of it, warts and all.

[Dr88s]

Could you play your PX-5S extra sounds from your NS2? You'd save a lot of money by only buying a cable or two...

 

I don't remember being impressed with the 'extras' on the PX either and haven't used it for much other than AP/EP. I guess that before unloading $$$ on something new I owe it to myself to listen through those sounds again.

[AnotherScott]

The Kurz looks nice but is expensive and overkill for what I need.

Yeah, I see it's $1k around here at the moment, I thought it had come down more than that. And as I said, a bit heavy by your standards, since you don't need its 76 keys.

 

Right now the best choices are

MX49 new - equivalent of $450 USD

MOX6 used on local craigslist - equivalent of $490 USD.

 

Seems like a no brainier for the MOX, other than rolling the dice on used gear, no?

Yeah, pretty much. The MX49 has the advantage of being smaller and lighter, and you may initially find your way around it a bit more quickly (basically since there's just not as much to it), but overall, the MOX is much more capable. As far as ease of use goes, I don't think it's really any more complicated to do MX things on the MOX than it is on the the MX... it's just that it can take longer to figure out how to do those things in the first place!

[jpdale]

Might a Korg Kross be a contender for this? Incredibly light, about as small as you can get for a 61 key board, broad palette of sounds. Terrible keyboard action, but you presumably wouldn't be needing it for much more than pads and stabs.

[AnotherScott]

Yes, Kross could be another possibility, though I'd give the Yamaha the edge on most acoustic instrument tones (i.e. strings/winds/brass).

[backtokeys]

well i suggested the Kurzweil sp4-7 because it has very nice string sounds, costs about 650 EURO (over here in Germany), and weight is only 11 kg. If the sounds meet your needs - i don't know...

[Dr88s]

Might a Korg Kross be a contender for this? Incredibly light, about as small as you can get for a 61 key board, broad palette of sounds. Terrible keyboard action, but you presumably wouldn't be needing it for much more than pads and stabs.

 

It certainly might. I used to have an M50 and liked the extras very much.

Have to check on the local prices for new. They don't come up used often at all locally.

[AnotherScott]

There is a lot of personal taste to this, of course. I used to use an M50-73 as a second tier on some gigs because there was no such thing as a MOX7, and I wanted more than 61 keys up there for the gigs where I was doing LH bass. I didn't like the M50 sounds as much as the MOX, but I really liked having a small and light 73!

[agitato]

Any thoughts on a korg microstation?

[AnotherScott]

Could you play your PX-5S extra sounds from your NS2? You'd save a lot of money by only buying a cable or two...

 

I don't remember being impressed with the 'extras' on the PX either and haven't used it for much other than AP/EP. I guess that before unloading $$$ on something new I owe it to myself to listen through those sounds again.

There's a lot I like about the PX5S, but I don't think it's brass/strings etc. are strong. Definitely not in Yamaha league.

 

Any thoughts on a korg microstation?

Can't beat the portability! Hard to find now, as it's been discontinued. Acoustic instrument sounds are okay... I'd say better than Casio, though again, not as good as Yamaha, overall.

[MAJUSCULE]

I wouldn't either put them in Yamaha league, but they do the job for skinny budget/skinny arm me.