Keyboards recommendations to replace a Casio CKT 6200

[AW84]

Hi, I have a friend who's looking for a new keyboard to replace her Casio CTK-6200.
She's after something that's got high quality sounds (espeacially synth wave, 80's synth style sounds), Built in speakers and easy to use and navigate.
She was looking at a Roland Juno or the ROLI Seaboard, but they don't have built in speakers and she needs the sound to come from the keyboard

I make music with her using Ableton as a hobby, and I would like it if the keyboard has MIDI, and if possible either some way of transferring the sounds from the keyboard onto Ableton via MIDI or a sound pack that allows me to apply the sounds from the keyboard to our mixes.

Can anyone recommend a keyboard that would meet these specs / needs please?

Thanks

 

[vipiweto]

I have a recommendation a keyboard that would meet these specs, I think you should seek ergonomic keyboard right now.

 

[Biggles]

Casio X3000

Yamaha PSR SX700

Korg PA 70

 

[AW84]

Casio X3000

Yamaha PSR SX700

Korg PA 70

Nice one mate, that very helpfull.
Thanks

 

[anotherscott]

Hi, I have a friend who's looking for a new keyboard to replace her Casio CTK-6200.

What's the budget?

What are the specific things that she wants to see her improved from her Casio? e.g. does she want better speakers, or higher qualiaty sounds (which ones?), or more (or different feeling) keys, or the ability to edit the sounds, or an interface that makes certain kind of things easier to do (which?), or...? Or maybe she was perfectly happy with her CTK-6200 and you're replacing it becase it failed?

You mentioned needing "synth wave, 80's synth style sounds" but is there any need for non-synth sounds? For example, do you care about having piano sounds, or other acoustic instrument sounds (strings, brass, winds, guitars, etc.)? Or are these things you pretty much never used in your Casio and wouldn't miss?

I would like it if the keyboard has MIDI

Virtually everything has MIDI, whether via a USB connection, a 5-pin MIDI connection (which can easily be adapted to USB as well), or both. So that's an easy one!

and if possible either some way of transferring the sounds from the keyboard onto Ableton via MIDI or a sound pack that allows me to apply the sounds from the keyboard to our mixes.

MIDI is for transferring data, not for transferring sounds. But while you can't transfer the sounds from the keyboard into Ableton, you can use Ableton to play the sounds from the keyboard, as long as the keyboard remains attached to the computer via MIDI. IOW, you don't transfer the sounds from keyboard to computer, you transfer data from the computer to the keyboard and that data causes the keyboard to play the sounds.

If you actually wanted the sounds in your computer (so ableton could play them when the keyboard was not attached), that's a lot more complicated and often means a lot of work for not so great results (sampling). At that point, you're better off acquiring sounds that are designed to be played from within the computer in the first place, there are tons of them. And they can still be easily played from the keyboard as well (again, as long as the keyboard remains attached to the computer via MIDI).

 

[Biggles]

Addendum to my prior

PA70 should read PA700.

Additionally with the Korg there is a host of free additional Styles, Sounds and Registrations that are freely available. Amongst the Sounds available is the full Triton set.