[linux-audio-user] keyboard recommendations ?

[pX]

somewhere around 08/15/2005 02:35 PM Dave Phillips submitted that:

> Greetings:
>
> I'd like to buy a MIDI keyboard, not a synth, just a keyboard. I'm 
> looking for something with at least these capabilities: 

 > (...)

Yep, IMHO, currently the Novation "remote" line has a *really very good* 
keyboard. KBs feel is crutial for me (but I still suck at KBs, another 
story). I have another old, just-MIDI KB by Novation (mm10X), and it is 
horrible, the feel is light, cheap and heck, I hate it and anyone would. 
And I tried a lot of KBs recently just to get mine.

Honest, here in France, (where the "MIDI controller" offer is strangely 
crowded), in a given store that displays all the currenty offerings, by 
Edirol (Roland is really lowering their stds w/ those, anyway) M-Audio, 
Midiman and friends I have to say that this Novation series had the BEST 
"keyboard feeling" that was present. It feels *a lot* like the (great, 
but another matter of personal taste) Ensoniq EPS Keyboard, that I loved.

Here's the beast
http://www.novationmusic.com/product.asp?id=2&Type=1&bArchive=False

Oh, and it does a bit more than just a MIDI KB, it presents a range of 
various MIDI controls, such as 8 sliders, great to emulate Hammond tone 
weels, or to control the (or just the KBs part) mix table, transport, 
and plenty rotary controls.
I personally love the feeling of the pitch-bend/modulation controller, 
witch is very important to me.

It works either by USB (IN/OUT), or in plain ol' MIDI, or BOTH, witch is 
very handy.

It can work off batteries, but I never tried.

And last but not least, it's heavily Linux-Compatible. Basically plug, 
boot a Deb-based distro and you'll see it listed in the messages, along 
w/ all vendor details, very reassuring indeed.

Don't confuse it w/ the "remote 25 (or another number of notes, there 
are 4, me thinks) *audio*", later renamed "X-station" line, because they 
double as SoundCard, and stand-alone Multi-effect&Synth (K-Station)


One last word : I don't know if it's me but I never saw such price 
differences between stores, and while Novation's site mentioned 
something like 750€ (ouch) I managed to get it for 500€ !??? (keep in 
mind that mine is the AUDIO version, the MIDI-based remote will be WAY 
LESS expensive...Mm... Here 
(http://www.playback.fr/novation-remote_25-3272.html) it's 369 €, still 
pretty stiff for "just" a controller...

Oh, and YES, you guessed it right, I love this machine. My last two 
cents : Get a NOVATION XSTATION 25 
http://www.playback.fr/novation-xstation_25-5380.html and you'll have 
ALL in ONE. Hell, you'll always need it ;)

Rockingly yours

pX

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