Need advice for buying weighted keyboard

djanogil · 21st August 2011

I'm looking to buy a budget Master Keyboard, with at least 76 keys, midi, ideally USB, and built speakers with basic sounds, for being able to practice without turning the whole studio on.

I'm looking for good action, and if the sounds are decent and can be recorded through stereo outs, that would be a plus.

I was looking at the Yamaha NP 30 which is quite cheap and light, but I heard that the action wasn't very good.
The KORG SP-170 has a rather usable Rhodes sound, but according to reviews has also a bad action..

I figured I'd get a better quality kbd, by getting a compact piano, rather than
a dedicated Midi controller Keyboard.

Any opinions or recommendations?

Cheers

pabscm · 23rd August 2011

If you want the very basic in weighted keyboard you're going to start with a Yamaha P95. A very cheap weight(yet 10x better than any NP model) and sounds to match.

If you want a DECENT weight like many do, and samples that actually sound like the instruments they represent, the Roland FP-4 is the bottom line.

It really comes down to how much you want to spend on the keyboard.

djanogil · 23rd August 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by pabscm

If you want the very basic in weighted keyboard you're going to start with a Yamaha P95. A very cheap weight(yet 10x better than any NP model) and sounds to match.

If you want a DECENT weight like many do, and samples that actually sound like the instruments they represent, the Roland FP-4 is the bottom line.

It really comes down to how much you want to spend on the keyboard.

So the NP 30 would really be that bad?
Probably better than my KeyRig 49 I guess!

Anyway, I'll go to a store today that have all these and try them.
But then again, I'm no pianist, I use the Piano to compose, find ideas.

I have to get rid of my upright, and as I have decent piano libraries, I wanted a keyboard to match.

Thanks

djanogil · 23rd August 2011

I just got back from the shop, indeed the NP30 is out of the game now, as the action is no better than a regular cheap controller like I already have.

I tried the SP-170 by Korg, a Casio (can't remember which one), and the Yamaha P95.
I'm set on the P95 as it has good action and built in sounds.
Still its around 500€, so for that money I'm gonna have a look at Studio controllers like the Studiologic Numa Nano, and see how they compare.

21st August 2011	#1
djanogil Lives for gear Joined: May 2005 Location: Paris Posts: 955 Thread Starter	Need advice for buying weighted keyboard I'm looking to buy a budget Master Keyboard, with at least 76 keys, midi, ideally USB, and built speakers with basic sounds, for being able to practice without turning the whole studio on. I'm looking for good action, and if the sounds are decent and can be recorded through stereo outs, that would be a plus. I was looking at the Yamaha NP 30 which is quite cheap and light, but I heard that the action wasn't very good. The KORG SP-170 has a rather usable Rhodes sound, but according to reviews has also a bad action.. I figured I'd get a better quality kbd, by getting a compact piano, rather than a dedicated Midi controller Keyboard. Any opinions or recommendations? Cheers __________________ http://www.myspace.com/jeangillet

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23rd August 2011	#2
pabscm Gear interested Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 1	If you want the very basic in weighted keyboard you're going to start with a Yamaha P95. A very cheap weight(yet 10x better than any NP model) and sounds to match. If you want a DECENT weight like many do, and samples that actually sound like the instruments they represent, the Roland FP-4 is the bottom line. It really comes down to how much you want to spend on the keyboard.