I do live in Europe. Thomann is a tad expensive. But your idea is good, im going to buy my controller somewhere where i can return it if i don't like it.

Oh and thanks for sending a German review. I've only read English ones.

 

I find thomann is not expensive ! I bought all my stuff there, sent several times what to repair and the support is great. There is also 3 years warranty. Free shipping.
The company also does not go bankrupt because it is so big. Dee first-class support is already included in the prices.

www.heise.de/preisvergleich/nektar-impact-gxp88-a2236765.html#offerlist
If you scroll down here, you will see a few more user revies:
www.thomann.de/de/nektar_impact_gxp88.htm?utm_source=guenstiger-de&utm_medium=psm&utm_campaign=guenstiger-de

 

Last edited: Mar 1, 2022

I don't really buy stuff from other countries, i imagine sending it back would be bothersome.

 

Yes you are right. I would also buy in the country where I live.

The problem with researching is, there are sites that are in other countries language also in dollars euros or pounds.
Some don't even have translations so you have to use google translator to translate everything.

 

@Banesatis what is your main genre ?

like what will be the main instruments / vst instruments you will use

 

Do you have Amazon in your country ?

Nektar Impact GXP88 | USB MIDI Controller Keyboard with Nektar DAW Integration
https://preise.geizr.de/search/Nektar Impact GXP88

 

Piano, strings, flute, and synths. A bit of everything, really.

 

I have the Nektar T4 which is nice... top (best drum pads ever touched) good keybed (synth 2gen) feels much like the emu xboard (natural less springy) usable AT... i use it over my others when daw'ing (emu,yamaha,studio logic & novation).

 

How do you find playing piano parts on a synth-action keybed? i've heard it's bad and i love me some piano, so it kinda scares me away.

 

What is "Synth Action"?
A type of keyboard action, Synth Action keyboards are typically constructed of plastic keys and use springs, rather than weights, to return the key to its initial position. Synth Action keyboards produce a quicker and lighter feel than weighted keyboards, and they work well for certain types of music and for playing the sounds of instruments other than the piano (which many digital pianos have). Many straight-up synth musicians prefer the feel and playability of a synth action keyboard over a more expensive hammer-weighted action for these reasons.
www.sweetwater.com/insync/synth-action/

What are synth action keys?
John Edmond answered perfectly, but his answer was collapsed.

I’ll try to explain with little more detail. The mechanism inside an acoustic piano is called an “action”. The action is comprised of many moving parts, most notably the felt-tipped “hammers” which strike the piano strings (actually made of different thicknesses and lengths of wire, tuned to a specific pitch) when a piano key is played.

All of these moving parts between your finger playing keys on a piano and the hammers striking the tuned strings have some resistance as they move and interact with each other. Which is the reason each piano “feels” different when you play them. You can feel that the keys on some pianos are “light and bouncy” while the keys of other pianos can feel “heavy and slow”. An inexperienced player might not notice much difference between the feel of different pianos, but an experienced player can easily recognize a difference in feel and tone of various pianos.

On a non-piano keyboard, such as an organ or synthesizer, the action (moving parts) is much different. A most basic example of a “synth action” would be pressing a doorbell button. For the most part, it is basically an “on/off” switch. Compare that to an “acoustic piano action” would be like pulling the rope of a church bell. When you pull on the rope of a bell, you are setting in motion the rope going though a series of pulleys, which swing a bell, which also swings a hammer that strikes the bell. When you press a doorbell button, it is just a button that makes contact with an electric circuit, which activates and electronic “bell” or buzzer. The button itself has a spring inside which returns the button to it’s “off” position. Basically, the same is true for an electronic keyboard / synth / organ.

Manufacturers try hard to make electronic pianos feel like an acoustic piano. This is what could be called “weighted keys” or a “weighted action”.

So, the short answer to your question is - synth action keys are basically the “springy on-off switch” keys of a synth or organ - which are unlike piano action keys in terms of the way they “feel” when played.

www.quora.com/What-are-synth-action-keys

 

I knew that but thanks anyway.

Do you know how the keybeds of old keyboards/digital pianos compare to midi keyboards?
Perhaps it would be cheaper to buy one of these? I saw a LOT of them sold used, but they are old and can't find anything about their keys.

And maybe you know something about the modern "budget" keyboards ? People complain about their sounds and speakers but that wouldn't be a problem if i used them just for midi.

The Yamaha NP32 is quite cheap, any thoughts ?

 

Last edited: Mar 1, 2022

Actually, maybe I should make an entire thread about that...

 

I have a MPK261 for about 2 years. So far good no complaints.

 

Arturia Keylab 61 or 88.

 

Isn't Keylab Essential series synth-action though ?

 

All this is already cheap !

And according to the most modern technology invented and built by the manufacturer. The newer Midi Masterkeyboards are also tuned to the modern Digital Audio Workstations, so that everything works flawlessly. You can not produce quality for so little money. Attached 3 different midi keyboards with the same inner workings but different keys, as you can see a good keyboard costs a lot of money.

 

its decent... soft parts can be more expressive when you set the velo curves to your taste & pads can be used to set the curve the on the fly.

 

I guess it's between
- Komplete Kontrol a61
- M audio oxygen pro 61
- Novation Impulse 61
- Nektar GXP88

any more thoughts on these ?

 

roland a800 pro never fails me since 2012 till now, bought it for $300, mostly for midi recording with reaper and reason, sometimes for live performance with ableton and few sampler and vsti's (before covid). spills coffee few times but still tough, 4 indie album with this baby.

 

Totally agree with you, even I still have a doubt, as I wonder if it's possible to program presets using modwheel correctly for commercial soundsets without having one. But it's a specific need of course.