Members quicksilverXP Posted February 22, 2008 Members Share Posted February 22, 2008 I need to find a better keyboard stand for my Korg Radias, and also to hold a laptop and a small 25 key midi controller. Right now the only thing I could think of is getting an Ultimate Apex because I could lay a shelf on the top tier flat and place the midi controller and laptop on the shelf, and then place the Radias on the bottom tier. All the other keyboard stands I've seen have the top tier at a slanted angle. My only question is how long are the arms on the Ultimate Apex, straight from the column to the front (not the actual length of the arms). The Radias is a pretty beastly synth for bein gonly 49 keys... it's depth is almost 16 inches. Just wanted to know if the Apex would support it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members llamastorm Posted February 23, 2008 Members Share Posted February 23, 2008 I don't have the regular bars installed now -- I ended up buying the longer arms and "super clamp" (what a racket!) to support my Moog LP. It's much less wobby and precariously mounted -- the thing is, the arms and the clamp are sold seperately, so it ends up being like an extra $40 when they should have been included with the stand. The top tier is too wobbly for a second synth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xmlguy Posted February 23, 2008 Members Share Posted February 23, 2008 Ultimate V might work better for you. The second tier arms can both be rotated inward for smaller keys down to 7" wide, and a separate laptop shelf is an accessory. The second tier and shelf can be tilted or not, depending on your preference, without sliding. The tiers are much deeper than average, and your Radias should easily fit. I took a close look at the Ultimate Apex and I wouldn't ever buy one because it's an accident just waiting to happen for any wide or deep keys. The angled tier supports and the lack of support footing in front of the keys are a recipe for a tipover. Hell, put a heavy, deep 88 on it like a CME VX88 and it will tip over with no help at all. God forbid anyone touch the back corners of a keyboard on that stand, lest you see a keyboard catapulted half way across the room. It's built like a friggen seesaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ivorycj Posted February 23, 2008 Members Share Posted February 23, 2008 Ultimate V might work better for you. The second tier arms can both be rotated inward for smaller keys down to 7" wide, and a separate laptop shelf is an accessory. The second tier and shelf can be tilted or not, depending on your preference, without sliding. The tiers are much deeper than average, and your Radias should easily fit. I took a close look at the Ultimate Apex and I wouldn't ever buy one because it's an accident just waiting to happen for any wide or deep keys. The angled tier supports and the lack of support footing in front of the keys are a recipe for a tipover. Hell, put a heavy, deep 88 on it like a CME VX88 and it will tip over with no help at all. God forbid anyone touch the back corners of a keyboard on that stand, lest you see a keyboard catapulted half way across the room. It's built like a friggen seesaw. xmi (all), Although I agree the V-Stand may be a better choice for quicksilver, the Apex YOU used may have been a. missing parts, or b. ESO error (equipment superior to operator) Evidence: I used an Apex with a K2600XS + PC2-O for a long time with no problems whatsoever, and I tend to play...dynamically, let's say. There is a '4th foot' option (a little plasticy thing that slides down the column in the front) for added stability on the Apex that dramatically improves its footing. Now, I'll be the first to admit that 1 Apex wasn't the sturdiest stand out there, but a see saw?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ivorycj Posted February 23, 2008 Members Share Posted February 23, 2008 FYI, quicksilver, the tiers are 13" and 18" respectively. If you get a CMP485 (Super Clamp), it will accommodate both types of tiers, but the regular clamp (CMP480) will only accommodate the shorter, 13" ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xmlguy Posted February 23, 2008 Members Share Posted February 23, 2008 I'm not only referring to the base/floor support of the stand itself, but the tier support upon which the keyboard itself rests. The tier is shaped like a V with the V starting in the center and spreading out towards the front. On the Apex, where the back of the keyboard rests, what is the total width of support in inches at the centerpoint of the column, at the Super Clamp where the V support starts, not where the V extends to the front of the keyboard? It's only the width of the clamp - which has got to be only about 3 or 4 inches wide. That's a friggen seesaw if I ever saw one. I don't see any additional support accessories listed. Just tribars, clamp, totebag, and Mic boom. There's also no manual online for it. The Apex also gives only a 13.5" depth for keyboard from the center column to the front edge of the keys (because the 18" supports are at a 45 deg. angle from the centerpoint). With the 13" supports, the depth is less than 10". And the base doesn't extend in front of that, so the center of gravity is going to be well outside the front of the base - very unstable. If you put a long foot out in front of the column in an attempt to regain stability, now that would be idiotic. With the Ultimate V, the V floor support extends well beyond the depth of the keyboard tier (which is 15.5" deep). So it can handle deeper keyboards and is more stable as the keyboards get heavier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members quicksilverXP Posted February 23, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 23, 2008 Wow... thanks so much for everyone's help. That saved me some shipping fees. I really need a good stand in the event I start gigging again (when and if I have time). Don't really have the money to just "try" out stands, so these measurements and opinions are extremely helpful. I'd like a stand with the least amount of setup time and parts to carry, so the Apex look like it fit the bill... but it doesn't look nearly good enough to support the Radias. The V-Stand looks like a good option, but the only problem is that I can no longer place a shelf to make room for a 25 key midi controller and a laptop, unless the optional top tier for the V Stand is ABSOLUTELY flat. I say this because I have owned many two tier stands where the top tier is adjustable, but there was no guarantee that the two arms would be level with each other. The music stand accessory looks good too, but it just looks to risky to hold a 15.4" laptop with only the second tier as a support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MarkShovel2 Posted February 23, 2008 Members Share Posted February 23, 2008 I've got a V-Stand. I do not have the adaptor brackets for the second tier. I have used it with my Fantom X8. It is great for sitting position at a desk chair. I find it too unstable to standing position. I'm using a double braced X stand to get suitable stability for standing. Using a pair of three tier stands with the Fantom X8 across both bottom levels is another extremely stable configuration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members quicksilverXP Posted February 27, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 27, 2008 Man... I'm now 80% sure on buying the Ultimate APEX plus, just because it comes with a mic boom that would be good for the occasional vocoder. I'm looking at the following three stands. Ultimate Apex Plus (comes with extended arms and Mic boom)Ultimate VS80 stand with 2nd tier (adding mic boom)Quiklok 726 and adding a laptop shelf and mic boom I'll be playing standing up... so I'm not sure about the V-stand based on Mark's description. Right now I'm looking at getting the Ultimate Apex Plus and adding a shelf to hold my laptop and midi controller... or the QuikLok 726 stand and adding the optional laptop shelf. My only issue is setup time... do the QuikLok Z-stands take awhile to set up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members theextremist04 Posted February 27, 2008 Members Share Posted February 27, 2008 http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/OnStage-Stands-Pro-Platform-Keyboard-Stand?sku=450384 You could get something like that and lay something flat on top. Plus, it expands really freaking wide- wider than my 88 key fusion! craziness. And the height is easily adjustable, and folds up flat still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members quicksilverXP Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 I'd go that route but I need a second tier. I've decided on getting the Standtastic 3 tier stand. I'm hoping I'll find one with the utility shelf, but I can't seem to find that accessory add-on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WDMcM Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Excellent choice on the Standtastic stand. I just found this thread or I would have pointed that one out earlier. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bozak Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 I use an Apex with a 3rd tier, I bought it separately and got the short arms, it's rock solid and so quick to setup, even more important- quick and easy break down. I think even a small top tier kit would hold the Radius just fine, so the standard big bottom one would certainly hold it. Also you mentioned the slanted angle tiers-I hate that to no end, that was the primary reason I switched to the Apex and I couldn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members quicksilverXP Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Damn you Bozak... now you go me changing my mind. My friends are split... some say one time his Apex tilted, but only because it was on carpet. We'll see... my local Guitar Center has an Apex and I just ordered the Standtastic so I'll try both out for good measure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bozak Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Tilted? not by normal use, it's very sturdy, I guess if somebody slammed into it. I think the Standtastic looks nice but I prefer a smaller width top tier, the Apex levels are small enough at the center to even put a laptop on without any other hardware like a board, yet they branch out wide enough to handle something wider like a keyboard, I just hack-sawed the arms of the top tier to the perfect length for my R3 and it's good to go. One thing is the Apex and a 3rd tier is pricey, I think I paid like $5o just for the additional level, but it's really well made stuff, well worth it I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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