M Audio Hammer88 Review

[Fleer]

I know. Those buttons, eh?
I'm pretty much in love with my PC4, so if you can stretch your budget, it's an incredible master controller as well if you want lots of controls.
Some Kurz people tend to prefer Fatar actions to the Medeli ones, but I'm definitely not among them. Also, those Fatars are much heavier, so if you want to keep the weight down ...

 

[TintoL]

I know. Those buttons, eh?
I'm pretty much in love with my PC4, so if you can stretch your budget, it's an incredible master controller as well if you want lots of controls.
Some Kurz people tend to prefer Fatar actions to the Medeli ones, but I'm definitely not among them. Also, those Fatars are much heavier, so if you want to keep the weight down ...

This info is super valuable. Thanks a lot. I want to keep the weight down without getting into synth area.

I am considering the PC4, but, I am also considering the Roland RD2000. But, without testing them, it's a hard choice.

Seriously, the only thing stopping me now from the hammer pro is the buttons.. Last night my wife asked me what I was doing, she told me to keep it quiet..... was the buttons....hahha wow.....

 

[dcoscina]

This info is super valuable. Thanks a lot. I want to keep the weight down without getting into synth area.

I am considering the PC4, but, I am also considering the Roland RD2000. But, without testing them, it's a hard choice.

Seriously, the only thing stopping me now from the hammer pro is the buttons.. Last night my wife asked me what I was doing, she told me to keep it quiet..... was the buttons....hahha wow.....

The RD2000 is a heavier action than the PC4. Of any modern controller I've played, I prefer the PC4 as my next controller coming from a Kurzweil PC3x.

 

[Fleer]

Same here.
Actually, I was also going for the RD2000 but jumped at the RD88 as soon as I could. Amazing board for the price, superb action with escapement and three sensors without too much ivory texture (which I prefer). But it's less of a controller when compared to the PC4. That one must be the best workstation controller around.

 

[TintoL]

The RD2000 is a heavier action than the PC4. Of any modern controller I've played, I prefer the PC4 as my next controller coming from a Kurzweil PC3x.

Same here.
Actually, I was also going for the RD2000 but jumped at the RD88 as soon as I could. Amazing board for the price, superb action with escapement and three sensors without too much ivory texture (which I prefer). But it's less of a controller when compared to the PC4. That one must be the best workstation controller around.

AAAHHHH man,...... another heavy action. Thanks to both for such valuable information. I want to stay away from excessively heavy actions. The VPC 1 experience showed me that.

But, isn't the RD88 too tall? I was interested on that one as at least has the wheels, but I checked and it's like 15. something centimeters....?? Way too tall for me.

AAAAND, just checked that the PC4 is even bigger... 16.5. I think 12 to 13 is the max for me I think.

Man, this is so hard, thus why appreciate this reviews and info from you guys.

 

[Fleer]

Yeah, the RD88 is tall (or high) because of the speakers, tweeters above and woofers underneath. Perfect height for me.
The PC4 actually isn’t that tall “in person”, it just has a steep slant, which I really like.

 

[dcoscina]

Yeah, the RD88 is tall (or high) because of the speakers, tweeters above and woofers underneath. Perfect height for me.
The PC4 actually isn’t that tall “in person”, it just has a steep slant, which I really like.

yes the PC4 isn't a deep set keybed like the Roland RD88 or A88mk2. It's not quite as low profile as the PC3X but it's not egregious. Odd that the KM88 is set in a deep frame... weird.

 

[TintoL]

Yeah, the RD88 is tall (or high) because of the speakers, tweeters above and woofers underneath. Perfect height for me.
The PC4 actually isn’t that tall “in person”, it just has a steep slant, which I really like.

yes the PC4 isn't a deep set keybed like the Roland RD88 or A88mk2. It's not quite as low profile as the PC3X but it's not egregious. Odd that the KM88 is set in a deep frame... weird.

I like the steep slant actually helps on accessing the controls easier. But, for me, I wouldn't put the inclination of the control panel before the haight of the keyboard.

I have been also considering A88mk2. It's limited from the control point of view, but, it has the haight on it's side to at least add a nanokontrol. But, I am not sure how stiff and heavy is the keybed.

I was hoping to find a board similar to the studiologic 2x with the faders and the small profile. But they added this tiny mega small joysticks......

I think, that it will be hard to beat the hammer pro. Price, all controls......and not use the buttons..

The PC4 is awesome, but, it is overpriced if you look at all the sounds and onboard audio features I will not be using at all......

Any other contender for a master keyboard I might be missing? That PC3K is awesome......are those the old versions of the pc4?

 

[dcoscina]

I like the steep slant actually helps on accessing the controls easier. But, for me, I wouldn't put the inclination of the control panel before the haight of the keyboard.

I have been also considering A88mk2. It's limited from the control point of view, but, it has the haight on it's side to at least add a nanokontrol. But, I am not sure how stiff and heavy is the keybed.

I was hoping to find a board similar to the studiologic 2x with the faders and the small profile. But they added this tiny mega small joysticks......

I think, that it will be hard to beat the hammer pro. Price, all controls......and not use the buttons..

The PC4 is awesome, but, it is overpriced if you look at all the sounds and onboard audio features I will not be using at all......

Any other contender for a master keyboard I might be missing? That PC3K is awesome......are those the old versions of the pc4?

The PC3x and 3K have different Fatar keybeds actually

 

[hag01]

The one thing that sucks for me on many keyboards, is that the back of the black keys always feels heavier, and thus makes it hard to really dig in deep, but this is not the case. The back of the keys are just as easy to press as the front. Great for me also, because I have large hands. And the spacing is as expected...my fingers do not get stuck in between the black keys either...and again, I have large hands.

I opened up my MIDI Monitor app, and with ease, I was able to trigger the lowest velocity of (1), and with minimal force (127), so I am very happy about that, and I want to mention...this is straight out of the box, ZERO fussing with any velocity curves whatsoever.

I think I'm going to buy the M-Audio Hammer 88 soon, solely based on its specs and this review, since it's the only keyboard on the market that has the specs I'm looking for and this is the only review I've found on the web that targeted the main concerns I have about a keyboard I can't test, and I can't test this keyboard.

I quoted the most important details, while the MIDI velocity behavior is important mainly in a MIDI keyboard, the other details are always a concern for me when I want to buy a keyboard only based on specs, online demonstrations and reviews.

Just one thing, I saw in other internet forums that the M-Audio Hammer 88 doesn't send note-off velocity. Can some please confirm or deny that?

If it's true, I'm still going to buy it, because it's still the best choice for what I'm looking for, but it is a real bummer.

I just have to wait a bit until the acoustic insulation and acoustic treatment will be prepared in my new home studio room, then I'm going to order a custom studio desktop from a carpentry shop, and then I can order the Hammer 88, which is perfect for my ergonomic plan I have for my new home studio.

 

[hag01]

I already ordered a Hammer 88. After ordering I read in this review:

M-Audio Hammer 88

M-Audio’s Hammer 88 is a fully weighted 88-note keyboard with a very attractive price tag.

www.soundonsound.com

It says you can't use its MIDI editor at the same time that the DAW is open, I.E when I work with the Hammer 88 on Cubase, and I want to use the MIDI editor for reassign the MOD-Wheel or the expression pedal to different MIDI CCs, I have to quite Cubase first, reassign with the MIDI editor, and then enter Cubase again.
Is it true?
Because I chose the Hammer 88 over other MIDI keyboards mainly because of the convenient editor.
If I knew it has such a problem I would have not ordered it.
This review is very old so I hope it was just software problem and not a hardware limitation, so M-Audio fixed it since then.
But if anyone con confirm that there is such a problem with the Hammer 88 then please do, so I'll cancel my order as soon as possible.