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The best keyboard controller 61 notes

T

Trancer

Active Member
Hello,

For the moment I have an Arturia essential 61 notes and I am not very happy with it.

Spacing of the keys not regular and which begins to rub when playing on the keyboard.

Could you give me your opinion on a 61 notes master keyboard with excellent keyboard quality feel and design quality.

Being perfectly integrated for Live 11.

I thank you in advance.
Click to read more...
 
Thanks for your feedback.

The NI S61 mk2 is, according to no users, a really excellent keyboard and a seemingly exceptional keyboard feel.

Regarding the NI, I hesitate for two reasons.

The first, will there not be a version 3 very soon?

In addition, a slight off topic, if like the Maschine Mikro mk3, not compatible with Live 11 and still no update to make Maschine compatible.

So a little suspicious of NI.

the second reason

I use Massive and I plan to take the X version. I have Pigments 3 and soon Dune 3 (Nks) Serum and Sylenth 1 (not Nks).

Apart from that but other Vst not Nks, so is it relevant to take an S61 Mk2 in this case?
 
The Keylab 61mk2 has an excellent synth action and infinitely superior to the Keylab essential (they are in two different universes) and even the S61. I work at a music store in keyboards and have tried both extensively with orchestral VIs
 
Thank you for your feedback.

If I may, since you work in a music store.

You tell me about the Arturia Keylab Mk2, compared to the Akai Mpk 61 for example, which one would you choose?

If you had to advise me another master keyboard than the Keylab, which brand and model would you choose?
 
Thank you for your reply.

I like Novation, I also watched,

But it would be more oriented to drive / control hardware equipment and less optimized for software.

I have no hardware, only software, so looking for a more specifically adapted master keyboard optimized for vst and integration into Live 11.

The Keylab would be rather hybrid on the other hand.
 
Trancer said:
Thank you for your feedback.

If I may, since you work in a music store.

You tell me about the Arturia Keylab Mk2, compared to the Akai Mpk 61 for example, which one would you choose?

If you had to advise me another master keyboard than the Keylab, which brand and model would you choose?
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The MPK series have very stiff action. Right springs with no bounce to them like the Keylab 61 mk2. The Keylab has the same synth action as Arturia’s very expensive Matrixbrute. Aside from the Korg Kronos 61, the Keylab action is my favourite of any semi weighted synth action board out there. I want to like the NI S series but frankly their synth weighted boards are rubbish. They break often and have issues. And they feel cheap. They are housed in a plastic case. The Keylab 61 and 49mk2 are housed in a metal chassis with wood end caps. Class all the way.

I haven’t had a chance to play the new novations yet. Previous ones kinda felt cheap and crappy to me however. But I cannot verify with their latest iteration.
 
Thank you very much for your reply.

So your preference is the Keylab 😊

The Akai has the same spring system as the well understood Keylab.

The quality of the keyboard and the feeling of touch are not the same?

The Keylab is superior?

Concerning the Keylab, I suppose given the rather high price, that there is not the same concern of alignment of the white notes, as I had on the essential 61?

That the space between each note is the same on Keylab 61
 
Trancer said:
Thank you very much for your reply.

So your preference is the Keylab 😊

The Akai has the same spring system as the well understood Keylab.

The quality of the keyboard and the feeling of touch are not the same?

The Keylab is superior?

Concerning the Keylab, I suppose given the rather high price, that there is not the same concern of alignment of the white notes, as I had on the essential 61?

That the space between each note is the same on Keylab 61
Click to expand...
The essential is no where near as good. It shouldn’t even share the name frankly. The keybed on the Akai is very stiff. Not remotely close to the Arturia Keylab 61mk2. As I mentioned the only comparable semi weighted synth action is the Kronos 61 which is $3500.
I had a chance to work with the Keylab 49mk2 for a month and used it when composing orchestral works. I loved it.
Pity I had to return it to the store since I’d gotten it under our employee loner program. I figure I will get a 49 sometime in the future though. I also like how shallow the keybed is. Makes it very comfy sitting on my desk.
 
One final thing- my only dislike of the Keylab mk2 series is that the faders are on the right side while the drum pads are on the left. Arturia was soliciting suggestions for future designs and I recommended they switch those two for better ergonomics since most composers need the faders to be on the left... that’s my only gripe. So I’m waiting to see if future generations will adopt that layout- hence why I’m waiting.
 
Thank you for your answer.

Don't you think an Mk3 version of Keylab is near?

In addition, the black version of the Keylab is splendid 😊
 
I was very impressed with the Keylab MK2 when I tried it.

"more oriented to drive / control hardware equipment and less optimized for software."

But perhaps a Novtion is better as Keylabs are really optimized for AnalogLab. I am quite happy with my LaunchKey. It works with all my hardware and software. I believe the SL2 is the next step up.
 
Thank you very much for your answer.

Each keyboard is specific.

The NI S61 mk2 rather oriented NI products and with third-party Nks.

The Keylab Mk2 rather produced Arturia.

Even though both can fly daws and be configured in a more general way, they still remain quite focused anyway.

It all depends on the universe you choose Arturia V Collection 8 or NI Komplet.

Now if neither of these two universes is chosen, which 61 note master keyboard should you choose?

Is there a generic master keyboard that can be integrated perfectly for example into Live 11 and control vsts or else The NI S61 mk2 or the Keylab 61 Mk2 can, depending on the model, lend itself to it without worry?
 
BradHoyt said:
Im surprised that no one has mentioned the M-Audio Oxygen Pro 61. Anyone have thoughts on that?
Click to expand...
That uses the same keybed as the Keystation 61Mk3. They are nice but not in the same league as the KL61mk2 or S61Mk2.

If one needs the controls on the other two boards, that would inform their decision. I rarely if ever use any controller things like the knobs or transport functions. I'm faster with key commands. But I could see it benefiting other people's work flows so it comes down to which keyboard is more applicable based on the software the user has...

From a purely key bed feel and build quality, I don't think there's much out there that competes with the Arturia Keylab... it's one if not the only controller in this price point that uses an aluminum chasis not plastic. It's semi weighted keybed is directly from their $3000 Matrixbrute..
 
Trancer said:
Thank you very much for your answer.

Each keyboard is specific.

The NI S61 mk2 rather oriented NI products and with third-party Nks.

The Keylab Mk2 rather produced Arturia.

Even though both can fly daws and be configured in a more general way, they still remain quite focused anyway.

It all depends on the universe you choose Arturia V Collection 8 or NI Komplet.

Now if neither of these two universes is chosen, which 61 note master keyboard should you choose?

Is there a generic master keyboard that can be integrated perfectly for example into Live 11 and control vsts or else The NI S61 mk2 or the Keylab 61 Mk2 can, depending on the model, lend itself to it without worry?
Click to expand...
I suspect the business model behind some of those keyboards is to sell the software.

You could look at Roland MIDI controllers.

https://www.roland.com/ca/products/a-800pro/
But I think they will do the same thing as a controller from a company that integrates it with their software. The only difference is you won't get the close integration anymore.
 
Thank you for your answers.

Indeed, the Keylab aluminum frame and it indeed looks very robust and as the keyboard is identical to the flagship of Arturia that is indeed reassuring.

Here it is in a way good to have a dedicated Arturia or NI controller, but on the other hand, for a third party daw or vst other than the brand it is not at all the same.

Hence my question of a generic master controller keyboard.
 
Trancer said:
Here it is in a way good to have a dedicated Arturia or NI controller, but on the other hand, for a third party daw or vst other than the brand it is not at all the same.

Hence my question of a generic master controller keyboard.
Click to expand...
I use the Keylab 88 MKII. The Keylab maintains standard Mackie and HUI protocols. YMMV. I only have Ableton Lite, and in my experience the support is very robust. My main DAW is MOTU DP, and there is no dedicated profile, but using the Mackie protocols I can get about 95% there.
 
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