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CME keyboards.Siht or hit?

I'm looking at the CME UF80.

I wanted a relatively decent 88 key keyboard that also had a few rotaries for the odd bit of tweakage.

Looks too good to be true at �400.

It doesn't have to be full on hammer action feel as i'm not really a good enough player anymore to warrant the extra spend.

Both Adam Fielding and me have been using UF60s for about 5 years. One of the keys near the bottom of my keyboard clanks a little bit, but apart from that it's worked perfectly from day one. Adam's not had a problem either. The UF60 can also be operated wirelessly too, which is pretty cool.

There have been numerous instances over the past 8 years or so that I considered buying a weighted 88-key controller and always found myself lusting over the VX8/VX88 due to its specs, features, and layout. But, every time I looked into the CME stuff and read reviews, they all said that CME keyboard action felt great, but the quality is total shite, they're unreliable, don't waste your money, no support, problems with firmware, etc. So, don't take my word for it, since I've never owned or used one, but definitely do a lot of research before buying.

Yeah I think I'll need to do a bit more homework and go fiddle with one at the store. At least we have one vote of confidence so far!

All I really need it to do is play reasonably nicely and have a couple of rotaries that do their job.

Re: CME keyboards.Siht or hit?

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord I'm looking at the CME UF80. I wanted a relatively decent 88 key keyboard that also had a few rotaries for the odd bit of tweakage. Looks too good to be true at �400. It doesn't have to be full on hammer action feel as i'm not really a good enough player anymore to warrant the extra spend.

i used a casio privia for home practice while doing a BA at curtis in piano performance. It took a beating but still lasted 4 years. Often, these keyboards are made in bulk and sell more copies and are able to make better products for rather cheap. The mechanics of a midi keyboard are rather simple for an ok action keyboard. I think it cost me 400$ canadian. It has better action than say a more expensive yamaha KX 88. The only brand i would stay away from is Adagio.

Also. i would buy such things used. You can get a novation twitch for 100$ if you want a controller.

I can't say that i'll ever touch another Novation product again. The last two I had were useless and frustrating piles of shite. I had a Nocturn that refused to work at all on one of my desktops and then an SL49 that had a list of faults as long as the list of manufacturing defects. And that's before I'd gone into a stroke inducing rage over the abomination that is automap.

Anyhoo.


I was thinking about an old Clavinova as well, but I don't really fancy something that large that can't be mounted on a desktop.

For me that UF80 looks ideal, I'm just a little worried at how suspiciously cheap it seems.

Here is one of the many bad reviews that I read about the CME VX8:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec...cles/cmevx8.htm

I based my decision not to buy one more on the reviews from people who actually bought one (e.g., Harmony Central, gearslutz), but the SOS review is particularly telling because I am quite certain that this is the only "bad" product review I've ever read from them and I think it sorta reflects the many complaints about the quality of CME products that I had seen.

That said, their review of the UF80 is much better:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may...les/cmeuf80.htm

Ah yes I do remember hearing that the big red beast was one to avoid. I'm slightly encouraged that it seems to be mainly an over ambitious software issue though, which shouldn't really effect the UF80 quite so much.

I'm hoping that DV will have one in stock for me to prod at. They're also pretty good at taking stuff back when it's just not working so i'm 50/50 on taking the plunge at the moment.

I suspect you'll be waiting eagerly to see how I get on with it

Oh, and I reckon an MC Control will sit nicely on the top panel too

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord I suspect you'll be waiting eagerly to see how I get on with it

No way dude, I went with a Kurzweil PC3X and have no plans of ever parting with it - incredible action, dozens of excellent pianos and every other instrument under the sun, VAST synthesis, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik No way dude, I went with a Kurzweil PC3X and have no plans of ever parting with it - incredible action, dozens of excellent pianos and every other instrument under the sun, VAST synthesis, etc.

Oh of course, I had it in the back of my mind that you were using just the Ti 61.

Scratch this thought anyway. I've just found out there's zero W7-64 compatibility and nothing coming from the manufacturer.

I'm now looking at the Fatar Studiologic Acuna 88

FWIW - I've read good stuff about the Studiologic/Fatar stuff but have no personal experience with it. I'll back Cryo on the CMEs, not that it matters now but for anyone reading... In the short time I played with one at a GC, the 'look' is awesome. Very high end, but to me that's all it is. The feel was to me much cheaper than my Emu X49 by far (Which is really not bad at all for what it is).

But for the price? Not a chance in hell with the rep they have.

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord Scratch this thought anyway. I've just found out there's zero W7-64 compatibility and nothing coming from the manufacturer. I'm now looking at the Fatar Studiologic Acuna 88

I'm not really a good enough player anymore to warrant the extra spend.

there really is no gain in action from an ok digital piano to anything but a decent grand piano. There is no in between.

What i mean is that if you aren't practicing on a medium to full size piano, the way you can control tone is not there, so it doesn't matter. Use a digital, or an upright, a 500 keyboard is as good as anything up to a 20 000 piano.

A controller keyboard with a decent action is still infinitely better than one with a bad action though. My Mum still has the grand piano I learned on as a kid. Maybe i'll nick that and wire it up as a MIDI controller.

But there really is not any improvement once you hit the adequate mark which hovers around 500

True dat

I think i'm just gonna grab a Pro Keys 88 off ebay and then get an LDP8 or something for knobbage.

i got a cme controller keyboard around a year back - beautiful looking thing metallic silver with wireless midi

thing is it plain didn't work out of the box and i had trouble sending it back

never again

quote:

Originally posted by chris marsh i got a cme controller keyboard around a year back - beautiful looking thing metallic silver with wireless midi thing is it plain didn't work out of the box and i had trouble sending it back never again

Sealed the deal for me I think.

I'm gonna go for a nice vanilla M-Audio Prokeys 88 with an Akai LPD8 sitting on top to give me a couple of knobs to tweak with.

Actually, I'm probably going to get a desktop Ti as well, I suppose that could act as a knob tweaking controller?

nice!

im after a Ti desktop too

i got a snow to try it out - was a bit skeptical to start with - and now im hooked and want more voices!

Are you going new or used?

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord Actually, I'm probably going to get a desktop Ti as well,...

I thought you hated the TI?!

Interesting opinion I read on someone's blog:

"Something you wouldn't think of and most people wouldn't think to mention - when you use a keyboard of some substance which has internal speakers, because the sound is created inside the keyboard there is a slight vibration you can feel through the keys as you play them - a sensation which feels a little more natural like the resonance generated by the strings of an acoustic piano."

quote:

Originally posted by chris marsh nice! im after a Ti desktop too i got a snow to try it out - was a bit skeptical to start with - and now im hooked and want more voices! Are you going new or used?

Definitely used. I had one before and they change hands regularly on Ebay for less than �1k, some even closer to �800. I'm in no rush so I can pick a weakling!

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik I thought you hated the TI?!

Nooooo, you misunderstand. I always said I'd buy another one if I had the money to spare, and soon I will.

What I always get frustrated at is the idea that the Virus is special or essential in some way, or the idea that nubs seem to have that it's a holy grail device that will magically transform them into a tarnce God.

I'll probably still sell it again after six weeks like last time though!

quote:

Originally posted by Mel David Interesting opinion I read on someone's blog: "Something you wouldn't think of and most people wouldn't think to mention - when you use a keyboard of some substance which has internal speakers, because the sound is created inside the keyboard there is a slight vibration you can feel through the keys as you play them - a sensation which feels a little more natural like the resonance generated by the strings of an acoustic piano."

I'd file that under snake oil

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord What I always get frustrated at is the idea that the Virus is special or essential in some way, or the idea that nubs seem to have that it's a holy grail device that will magically transform them into a tarnce God.

Wait....what? It's not?! Shit.

Yeah, I hear ya. As a Virus owner, even I get annoyed at that.

the virus suffers from reverse racism, It is a good synth.

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