MIDI Keyboard Controllers

[Kenneth R.]

I'm in the market for a cheap $100-$200ish MIDI Keyboard Controller. My research leads me to believe M Audio has the best deal, but I'll throw the question out there. Any other recommendations?

My requirements are:
At least 40 keys (none of this 25 BS)
Some kind of weighted reaction. Semi Weighted, Full Weighted. Doesn't matter. Not synth action.
Some kind of pressure sensitivity. Aftertouch and/or velocity sensitivity.
Your standard mod wheels, one or two.

I'm going to use the controller to input parts for VST instruments faster than my current method of hand-programming every note in Cubase. I want it to improve speed as well as expressiveness - pitch bends and so on.

So far I'm looking at the M Audio Axiom 49 and 61. Both are a bit out of my price range but that's where e-bay and used gear comes in.

 

[razoredge]

you know I cant help you, even then my answer would be something stupid like get a baby grand or a Hammond..........

 

[Kenneth R.]

I wish I could afford a Steinway.

 

[rockmanxpr]

I'm in the market for a cheap $100-$200ish MIDI Keyboard Controller. My research leads me to believe M Audio has the best deal, but I'll throw the question out there. Any other recommendations?

My requirements are:
At least 40 keys (none of this 25 BS)
Some kind of weighted reaction. Semi Weighted, Full Weighted. Doesn't matter. Not synth action.
Some kind of pressure sensitivity. Aftertouch and/or velocity sensitivity.
Your standard mod wheels, one or two.

I'm going to use the controller to input parts for VST instruments faster than my current method of hand-programming every note in Cubase. I want it to improve speed as well as expressiveness - pitch bends and so on.

So far I'm looking at the M Audio Axiom 49 and 61. Both are a bit out of my price range but that's where e-bay and used gear comes in.

Hey Kenneth, I just bought a M-Audio 88PRo es, nothing fancy just 88 keys and wheels, simple midi and USB outs, $200 at Musicians Friend
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Keystation88es-main.html

Using it with Reason 4.0 and PT

 

[anacrucix]

ive been using an maudio axiom 49 since september, works well with any software, has real size keys and allows for expression and aftertouch. The sheer amount of knobs and slidey-things you can assign to different things are amazing, and its all prety simple to use.

 

[Kenneth R.]

Think I'll have to save a couple weeks and get that one.

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

Edirol makes cheap/decent stuff. Not as good as M-Audio, but it's just a controller, so it's worth looking into.

 

[Marwen]

I'm going to buy one myself, and I decided I'm gonna go with an M-Audio Keystation 88es.

A good choice if you need the whole 88 keys but have a limited budget.

 

[Kenneth R.]

I'm bidding on an M-Audio Axiom 61 on ebay.

 

[Fredrik Park]

Edirol makes cheap/decent stuff. Not as good as M-Audio, but it's just a controller, so it's worth looking into.

In a local music store that I visited a month ago, the salesman in the studio gear section told me that Edirol is the only common MIDI keyboard brand that actually has genuine 64 bits drivers available right now. I have an M-Audio Radium 49, and it´s fine, but some day, I´d want to go with 64 bits operative system.
(M-Audio´s tech support gave me the answer that 64 bit drivers are coming up for there keyboards in the future, though. If so, I think I´d like to buy a 88-keys M-Audio keyboard.) Occupied space in the apartment is an issue to...

Does anyone has experience with 64 bit OS and a MIDI keyboard without 64 bit drivers? It´s supposed to be some chance that it might work, as a generic MIDI input device, but not for sure. Also, any keyboard software controlled functions would be lost, I guess.
And what about input latency...?