Well, that narorws it down to just about anything on the market these days...- full 88 key and weighted keys
- comfortable
- quality piano sound as well as able to have a wide selection of other sounds, e.g., other instruments, syntheizer
- easy to use
- good options for exporting music
- good value
With the Kross 2, you are getting a weighted action. It is a basic weighted action, but it is weighted, nonetheless. I do not find my action sluggish at all. I also have a lady friend and I program some sounds for her on her Kross 2-88 which she bought new recently. I played it and it felt tight, but I suspect that it is because the keyboard was brand new. It will break in a bit and feel pretty good.Thanks. Actually those three are the reviews I've gotten started on. I wasn't familiar - and still really am not - with the 'performance' and 'workstation' roles, but suspect I'd want more 'workstation', no plans for any 'performance'.
The Kross had a lot that sounded very good about it, but two important areas were reviewed as 'ok, not that good', the quality of the included sounds and the feel of the keys, being 'sluggish'. That has me a little worried. It does sound easier to use which is good.
I checked ebay for used ones and didn't really find any, just the same list prices (even for used), there are probably other sites.
For an 88-key hammer action DP with "wide selection of other sounds" in the under $800 category, there's the Casio CDP-S350.DP’s under $800 do tend to have limited onboard sounds and if you were to consider these then :-
Korg D1
Casio PX S1000
Yamaha P125
Roland fp30x
Kawai es110
Sequencer was added in OS 2.0 (and further updated in 2.5)... but it's still not a full linear compositional sequencer as you'd find in the Kross. The MODX does have all the sounds of the Montage, but cuts back in a number of areas, like fewer front panel controls, plastic chassis with external power supply, lesser action with no aftertouch, seamless sound switching limited to sets of 4 parts rather than 8, and so forth.The MODX...is a consdensed down version of the Montage, but has gained footing on its own as a very capable synth. The Superknob is quite cool too, but the MODX lacks an internal sequencer.
Harry's comments have focussed largely on the workstation aspects (comparing the boards based on their sequencer functions, and things like "writing a song from start to finish" and "everything in one box"), but I'm not sure anything in your OP actually indicates a need for that... the closest is "good options for exporting music." Do you intend to use the board to create multitrack, arranged compositions (whether of your own songs, or covers)? By mulitrack I mean, you lay down one part at a time... for example, first you do the piano part, then you add a drum part, then you add a bass part, etc. etc. until you have recorded a complete song? If that's your goal, you want a workstation. If that's not your goal, and "easy to use" is a priority as you put at the top, then I would say you probably do not want a workstation, or even the not-quite-a-workstation boards like Juno DS and MODX, which have lesser sequencers but are still very deep and versatile (and therefore also somewhat complicated) boards. Maybe you can explain a little more about what you're trying to do in terms of "exporting music"? It's possible that something closer to the "digital piano" kind of board than the "workstation" kind of board may be more suitable for you.I wasn't familiar - and still really am not - with the 'performance' and 'workstation' roles, but suspect I'd want more 'workstation', no plans for any 'performance'.
I'm not sure it's about breaking in, I think there may actually be variation in the actions Korg uses. I had a thread about this at http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2692290/korg-kross-vs-krome-actionI do not find my action sluggish at all. I also have a lady friend and I program some sounds for her on her Kross 2-88 which she bought new recently. I played it and it felt tight, but I suspect that it is because the keyboard was brand new. It will break in a bit and feel pretty good.
If someone wants the SP1 feel but with a much stronger sound and feature set, check out the SP6. I'm pretty sure it has the same action. The SP1 is notable, though, in being perhaps the least expensive hammer action 88 with 5-pin MIDI jacks and pitch/mod wheels and any sounds at all. And under 30 lbs. I think anything at or below its price even without sounds is either heavier and/or has a less appealing action. It's too bad the sounds aren't better, it's got an appealing interface. The front panel MIDI controls are a nice touch.When I play live, I use the Kurzweil SP1 and the action is a joy to play as well. The piano sounds on it are terrible, but I use a Kross 1-61 for my main piano sounds anyway and simply MIDI the Kross to the Kurzy and it translates very well.
The Kurzweil appealed to me because it had an interface that very few keyboards have ever had. I am reminded of the GEM models that offered individual control over each 'section' and since I perform live, that was an instant selling point. If it had great pianos, that would have been a bonus because I could have left the Korg Kross at home. Since it does not, I am still bringing the Kross to the gig, but I can use the 61-key model instead of the 88 for the Kross and that helps load-in and load-out. The other sounds on the Kurzy are still good, so if anything, I get even ANOTHER layering opportunity when using the EPs and Strings on the Kurzy AND from the Kross (and whatever else I may have MIDIed to it). The action on the SP1 is a joy and it really works well live. Yeah, 5-pin MIDI still means a lot to me and anything I buy HAS to have that for my needs. I know that we are all different.If someone wants the SP1 feel but with a much stronger sound and feature set, check out the SP6. I'm pretty sure it has the same action. The SP1 is notable, though, in being perhaps the least expensive hammer action 88 with 5-pin MIDI jacks and pitch/mod wheels and any sounds at all. And under 30 lbs. I think anything at or below its price even without sounds is either heavier and/or has a less appealing action. It's too bad the sounds aren't better, it's got an appealing interface. The front panel MIDI controls are a nice touch.
PX-5S is a great board... though for the bullet list in the OP, I think the PX-560 would be a better (and easier to use) choice. For other uses, the PX-5S is better (and cheaper)... it's much better as a MIDI controller, for example. A good comparison is at https://casiomusicgear.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/the-definitive-px-5s-vs-px-560-comparison/Hey Scott? What about a Casio PX-5S? I think they are still in production these days?
Alternatively, use that nice MIDI section of the SP1 control surface to integrate a piano from an iPad (or other iOS device)... There are numerous piano apps, but Korg pianos themselves are available in the Korg Module app, which even includes a couple of optional "Ivory" pianos (from Synthology). You'll probably end up with better-than-Kross pianos and save having to bring a second board at all! Though it's nice to have the backuyp of a second board, just in case of disaster.The Kurzweil appealed to me because it had an interface that very few keyboards have ever had. I am reminded of the GEM models that offered individual control over each 'section' and since I perform live, that was an instant selling point. If it had great pianos, that would have been a bonus because I could have left the Korg Kross at home. Since it does not, I am still bringing the Kross to the gig, but I can use the 61-key model instead of the 88 for the Kross and that helps load-in and load-out.
The PX-560 I mentioned above also has the 5-pin MIDI. And in fact, it has a 16-track linear sequencer, which the PX-5S does not, though not as sophisticated as Korg's. I think the PX-560 hits a particularly nice sweet spot between having a lot of functionality, yet still being a pretty easy board to use. The touchscreen interface is really nice.Part of the reason I have not talked about any Casio products is that very few of them zing me to the point where I would want to recommend one, especially in a professional setting. If I had to recommend one, it would be the PX-5S. It is the only one I would consider placing on stage with me. Most of that has to do with its use of the 5-pin MIDI jacks on board.
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