Couch board: besides Casiotone / Go Keys?

[Fleer]

I got a Korg i3 for some more couch fun.

[uhoh7]

I got a Korg i3 for some more couch fun.

 

9.3 lbs that is good. How is the keybed, do we know what bed is used, I've lost the updated list.

 

I now hear the Roland A-49 has Identical keys to A500-pro- which I already have and while usable, I don't love them. Just quite plasticy.

 

Can anyone verify that?

 

Here's another couch candiate

 

[video:youtube]

 

That might be actually too light for lap playing!

 

If you want something with a high quality build, 15lbs, 49 key would be a Blofeld or it's new sister, the STVC, which is $200 cheaper:

 

[video:youtube]

 

This appears to be same action as Blofeld, which might be the best 49 key synth action right now. Fatar TP9s weighted and "encapsulated". Many rave about the blofeld action.

 

I wonder what the Osmose is going to weigh in at.....they respond to the question: "same as most other boards of this size".

[Fleer]

The new Korg i3 keybed is pretty good for such a low priced board. And it looks the part, kinda reminding me of the original M1.

[uhoh7]

The new Korg i3 keybed is pretty good for such a low priced board. And it looks the part, kinda reminding me of the original M1.

 

I had a hard look at that one. I put myself out of my misery tonite....for a time anyway:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/353308290140

 

Seller took 60 off and I caved. Novation SL61 "remote" aka MK1. Fatar TP/9S semi/encaped I think. 13 lbs. Brand new. I will just run a USB to it as I have MainStage available in all the comfortable rooms wired to pretty good speakers already.

 

Never was such a crappy player so picky about keys LOL. Many like the Impulse, which has 9 faders....the obviously correct number. But while that one has a decent bed, it's not as good. I will put a nice review of it below. One of the best values for just a controller, maybe.

 

 

I love this guy, he is a real OMB gigger, and loves the Ketron SD90. Check out his videos on that thing.

[video:youtube]

 

He did a great video on the SL61 MKIII and you will see he does not hold back about his feelings:

[video:youtube]

 

I first found him researching the Genos a year ago. I managed to restrain myself on that one,

[ajstan]

I received the CT-X700 as a Christmas gift and I am impressed with the value delivered for $174.

 

My primary use cases are learning/practicing songs, just noodling around for fun, and being able to immediately play wherever I want to - whether it be the couch, floor, bedroom, deck, around the fire pit, etc.

 

Here are my initial observations - most of them were very pleasant surprises:

- Quick start-up time. 5 seconds from pressing the power button to being ready to play.

- Sounds. The featured piano is very nice. There are a couple of EPs I like, and the guitars and strings are fun along with the synth programs.

- Keybed. Comfortable to play and the black keys are playable almost all the way to the back.

- Speakers. Better than I expected in both volume and quality. Bass is enhanced if the unit is sitting on the floor, on a table or on my lap. The overall sound thinner on an x-stand.

- 1/4' TRS jack provides both great headphone sound and clean stereo output to my Key Largo mixer with a TRS to L/R 2-TS cable. Good mono output to my Bose S1 Pro with a TS/TS cable, even for the stereo pianos.

- 6 AA batteries last several hours. I"m using the Eneloop rechargeables. Haven"t needed the AC power adapter yet, but it"s nice to have and I"m glad it"s included.

- The 32 Registration slots are a bonus. I can save and select my favorite sounds quickly.

- I haven"t done much with splits and layers, other than try it out to see how it works. You can have up to 3 sounds at once if you split the keyboard and then layer one of the split sections.

- I don"t have much to say about the rhythms, songs, or recording features since I haven"t gotten into them yet.

- The size is slightly bigger than I"d like, but it doesn"t appear that much could be done outside of reducing the speaker size and/or the number of keys. The light weight is great feature.

 

For me, the additional portability and smaller size of the Casiotone S300 don"t outweigh the sounds and features of the CT-X700, but I can see how others could feel differently if maximum portability is the priority.