Inexpensive 61- or 88-key MIDI controller that doesn't suck?

[bill5]

I'd like to hear from people who have used these and what they did/didn't like about it. As for what I'm looking for more specifically:

- Semi-weighted or synth action keybed, respectable quality (doesn't have to be amazing)
- Speaking of which, fairly QUIET keys - no loud thunking/clunking
- FULL transport controls i.e. including rewind (this knocks most Novation and M Audios out of the running)
- If 61 key, must have octave button
- On/off switch (this knocks Arturia out of the running)

I don't care about bells and whistles like drum pads, faders, etc.

 

[Biggles]

Roland A series, includes all you seek and the velocity sensitive keyboard has channel aftertouch.

I had an A800 for a while and the keybed was certainly the best I tried at its price point. Setting it up on a Mac can be problematic if you do not no how to assign pathways but on my Windows PC it worked great but my old steam powered laptop suffered latency issues that I could not resolve so I exchanged it for a Studiologic Numa Compact 2X which is great and if you had a bigger budget I would suggest this keyboard plus an SL Mixface to give you the transport controls.

 

[OldTimerBill]

Hi ... would you recommend the Studiologic Numa Compact 2X over the Compact 2? It looks like the organ drawbar faders are the main difference. The OP was asking about a midi controller and this would be my main use but I would also like a board with some built in sounds. I like what I have read about the Studiologic boards.

 

[Biggles]

I wonder if Bill5 is another who came, asked, was given a suggestion and _ _ _ _ _ _ off without so much as a thank you.

 

[delaware dave]

I wonder if Bill5 is another who came, asked, was given a suggestion and _ _ _ _ _ _ off without so much as a thank you.

Ya think?

"..FULL transport controls i.e. including rewind .." WTF is rewind? My cassette deck had rewind; so did my 8 track player; so does my VHS player now that I think of it; and my CD player, my DVD player .............

 

[anotherscott]

Hi ... would you recommend the Studiologic Numa Compact 2X over the Compact 2? It looks like the organ drawbar faders are the main difference. The OP was asking about a midi controller and this would be my main use but I would also like a board with some built in sounds. I like what I have read about the Studiologic boards.

Numa Compact 2X adds the 9-drawbar clonewheel organ engine, a basic virtual analog syntheszier (where the same 9 sliders can be filter/envelope controls), and more MIDI functions (where the same 9 sliders can send definable MIDI CCs).