I'm an ableton user looking for a new set of keys! I got sucked into buying a M-Audio a while back and I've been cursing it ever since, DAMN, M-Audio, even the name is BAD!

I'm tossing up between these 4.

Most important features to me will be high quality key bed, good pads, solid build and functionality with of ableton and other DAWs

which is better

1. Akai Professional MPK261

2. Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2

3. Akai Advance 61 Keyboard

4. Roland A-800PRO


Other suggestions welcome! especially those with great keys.

Thanks in Advance friends

P.S. I don't really get the whole Kontrol/Advance little screen implementation gimmick as I am quite happy staring at one screen on my PC! Why would I need to look at that tiny little screen to see a thumbnail and a few presets? Having said that I do like some of the other feature of these keyboards though particularly appregiators, one key Chords and Scales.

 

As a piano player i have never come closer to the real thing only with Alesis Q88 works fine with Ableton also

 

@Ted Smithton you might also want to consider this :

 

Wouldn't do Arturia (I've had a couple and the keybeds are crappy). I have an M-Audio Axiom mkII I like a lot. The M-Audio Code's and the Nektar Panorama's might also be considered. The Roland is pretty nice.

But for great keys, I use a hammer action digital piano.

 

Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2 all day long

 

from personal experience :
the arturia minilab mk1 & its keys where junk so plastic & cheap,
the arturia keystep for its price is a very good controller with good quality keys & also the arturia minilab mk2
^i'm saying this because i think that arturia recently changed its quaility of keys so the Arturia keylab essential 61 for its price has a very good quality keybed
i agree for nektar too i have personal experience with that too & price/perfomance of keys & features is very good
to the op you might also consider the alesis v & vi series & their keybeds,
at the end
always play/touch the keyboard before you buy if you can in person,hope this info helps you

 

I have a Novation SL MkII. Great keybed. The keyboard is all plastic, but it makes it light. I also liked the keybed of NI Komplete Kontrol, but it was too expensive for me.

 

Yes. I forgot about the Novation. A very viable option as well.

 

Consider Arturia ( I have a Keylab 88 which is very nice) or the NI control series. Both are good value for the money

 

Get the Roland A-800Pro and then forget about midi controllers for a while.

You'll get bored of it before it gets tired of you abusing it. She's not sexy, sometimes she over-complicates simple things but you just have to learn how to talk to her - get down deep in those menus, she doesn't have all the shinny lights and stuff you want but don't need... but she'll be there for you when you need her and she'll wait for you without going to pieces if you don't.

 

I've heard that sadly Novation have discontinued the SL line

 

Be aware that Novation uses a special program to make any plugin compatible with their Keyboards. Which sounds good, but this program creates a new version of each plugin, so at the end all your plugins are double. Not to speak about the ones that have conflict with this program or get uncracked...

 

for the novation line....
the sl 61 is good & has a fatar keyboard(i've had it the past)
Olymoon is right they had a novation kind of program/script to connect with various daws
the mid range of novation keybeds is not good so stay away from them (talking about the launchkey 49,61)
the sl series is very good but wait,it is been very long since novation refreshed this keyboards

 

I own an Akai MPK88 for a little over 4 years now. Fully weighted, hammer-action keyboard, a little stiff though but got used to it pretty fast.
You get plenty of controls and pads. I changed the pads though to get more sensitivity (bought the pads from mpcstuff.com).
IMHO it is a great controller considering the features & price.
http://www.akaipro.com/products/legacy/mpk-88

 

Thanks @spyfx I was seriously considering picking up a 2nd hand SL61 that is for sale near me for $200 just for the fatar keybed but I'm highly reluctant. But yeah that's the serious playability I'm looking for, it's really important to be inspired by an instrument not want to throw it in the dumpster.

 

If you "play" your keyboard a lot so you really use the keys and not much the controller part get yourself a used 88 hammer action keyboard and separate controllers if you need them. Like a used sl 990 for example.

 

But the Essential line does not have aftertouch...

 

yes i agree , but the Essential line has chord memory function,drum pads,intergration with ableton live as the op wants & a good price (imho)

 

Been using this one for the past four years. Not one complaint from me. The only slight downside are the number of keys.

 

only MIDI "keyboard" you definitely won't regret in 2018 is ROLI Seaboard Rise 49