Members ElectricPuppy Posted October 27, 2010 Members Share Posted October 27, 2010 Anyone have one of these yet? I'm wondering how the action and velocity curves feel. I'm seriously considering one for playing softies real-time. What little info I've seen on them touts quality of the action, so... I are intrigued. Linkie: http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/controllers.asp Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mildbill Posted October 27, 2010 Members Share Posted October 27, 2010 They look almost the same as the Edirol PCR boards, and they're both listed together here: http://www.rolandus.com/products/productlist.php?ParentId=19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members McHale Posted October 27, 2010 Members Share Posted October 27, 2010 I had 2 of the Edirol 61 key controllers and both had to be taken back because of {censored}ty build quality. One was a replacement for the other. They were both bad out of the box. On the first one, the main knob had a short in it so without touching it, it would go forward or backwards or jump. On the second one, when I hit a specific trigger pad, it would short out the whole unit and power flash it off and on. I'm afraid to buy the new Cakewalk ones because I had such horrible experience with the Edirols (as well as Roland products in general. If I thought the Cakewalk A-Pro would last a while, I'd pick one up but I just don't trust them anymore. -Mc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Metrosonus Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 I was just going to say it's the same thing as your edirol... same company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zzzxtreme Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 ElectricPuppy, better get old keyboards made in japan (such as the casio FZ1, korg m1, dx7 etc...) to use as controller. better quality Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted October 28, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 I was just going to say it's the same thing as your edirol... same company. Yeah, I figured, but they've clearly been redesigned, and they make a point of pitching the action, which is my primary focus. I'm probably gonna cross my fingers and pick one up. I'll give a full report if I do. On a related note: Anyone want a PCR-300 or a ReMOTE SL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Plink Floyd Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 Have you considered this one? Pluse: I like the semi-weighted keybed on these. I think most piano guys would like it. It has twice as many pads as the Cakewalk model, and they're of the same quality as the MPCs. $10 bucks less (plus free gift at MF). Minus: Wheels. Don't like em, levers for me, pls. Eight sliders/knobs whereas the Cakewalker has nine. Nine are needed for tonewheeling. If I suddenly had to go on tour, I'd seriously consider the Akai 88. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members McHale Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 My only real complaint on the Akai is it's short 1 slider. 9 sliders, I'd have it already. I've been keeping an eye on the Axiom Pro 61. Less pads but the 9th slider is more important to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Plink Floyd Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 Yeah, I wish all the mfgrs would count the drawbars on a Hammond. The Axioms 'feel' well built. I guess if you needed more pads you could get an MPD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Metrosonus Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 My only real complaint on the Akai is it's short 1 slider. 9 sliders I've noticed that allot too. I think most controllers these days whether it's advertised or not, are meant to work with Live. 8 sliders, 8 columns, 1 slider, 1 master. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted October 28, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 Have you considered this one? I have, and one of the reasons I'm ruling it out is because the control surface is too deep; I want to put a little platform with my PC keyboard and mouse on it behind it, and I think they'd be annoyingly far with the Akai and others like it. The Cakewalk one I'm looking at is narrow keys-only A-500S thingy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Metrosonus Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 when controllers first started coming out, they made several that were very thin but with good action. They all disappeared though when the "sitting at starbucks" thing fell through. I wish they made more like that again and in larger sizes than 25. most of the current ones are just as thick as any other keyboard and take up too much space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted October 28, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 It strkes me that controllers lately are all about, "hey we've got knobs and sliders and buttons and blinky lights... oh, and here, we'll toss some crap keys on it, too." The action is really important to me, and most controller just don't cut it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Metrosonus Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 that's why i gave up my eridol. 1. i dont want knobs on the thing, I'd rather have a controller separate so I can use it without the keys. 2. I must have had a bad one, but all it did was knock when I played it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted October 28, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 For that sitch, it seems like the Novation Remote Zero is a good idea, BUT: The controls on my Remote don't feel good, particularly the buttons. They feel exactly like TV remote control buttons, with the same half-hearted "squish" when you press them. You can't just lightly touch them, you have to kinda crush them. Yes, I'm picky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Metrosonus Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 that's how my nonokontrol is, but the size, price and function, you can't do no better. i'm tempted like hell to get a novation nocturn. but i wonder if one of the older, maudio boxes wouldn't be cheaper / more effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members big thing Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 I got a Roland / Cakewalk A-800 PRO two weeks ago, after having returned 2 Novation SL MkII's due to unbelievable horrific build quality / QC. About the Cakewalk: Positive: The overall build quality is ok: knobs and sliders are exact and have the right resistance. Good pitch bend stick, feels very precise. Software works, and is easy to implement. Negative: The keyboard isn't 100 % straight. (The middle rubber button on the underside doesn't touch my table, so when I press harder in the middle, the whole keyboard bends downwards. Well, it's easily enough fixed.) The action is a little bit on the spungy side, but not that terrible. And for some reason the keys feel too short! It's probably in my head, but my hands suddenly feel giant.. Having said that, it's by far the best MIDI controller keys I've played. AKAI, M-Audio, Novation all fall short in my opinion. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted October 28, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 It does help, thanks Big Thing! FWIW, the keys on the Edirol PCR controllers were a tad short, too, so it sounds like they didn't change that. That's a bit unfortunate, but something I can mostly live with if the action is decent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members liliththekitten Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 ElectricPuppy, better get old keyboards made in japan (such as the casio FZ1, korg m1, dx7 etc...) to use as controller. better quality I really like the Korg 707 for this purpose... among others, I just like the 707 in general. Like the way the keyboard feels and its got aftertouch. Maybe the DS8 is good as well if it shares keys with the M1. (hate the DW8000 keyboard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members McHale Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 The keys were short on the Edirol but I got used to it straight away. It really didn't feel bad - I bought a second because it was the perfect controller for me. It really was. Sliders, knobs, buttons (more than the Cakewalk controllers) and it had a joystick. If the Cakewalk controller has good electronics (not surprising about the bowing and iffy build controller), it's a good controller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted January 18, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 18, 2011 Thought I'd update this: I gave a quick look at these A-PRO controllers at the Roland NAMM booth... The keys are much quieter, BUT they're still too short. I play deep in the keys, and it just feels wrong. Pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members -groovatious- Posted January 18, 2011 Members Share Posted January 18, 2011 If the action is anything like the PCR series, it will feel great - but not be reliable. My PCR-M50 worked fine for a while, then one day 50% of the notes didn't work (extremely low or no volume), the next day 75% and finally 1 note was left working. Apparently this is quite common with the PCR series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seamonkey Posted January 19, 2011 Members Share Posted January 19, 2011 Thought I'd update this: I gave a quick look at these A-PRO controllers at the Roland NAMM booth... The keys are much quieter, BUT they're still too short. I play deep in the keys, and it just feels wrong. Pass. Did you get a chance to play the Axiom Pro 61? I'm very seriously considering picking up one,however I've never used semi-weighted keys and wonder if that might be a problem. Anyone out there own one or have played one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seamonkey Posted January 19, 2011 Members Share Posted January 19, 2011 ok, just ordered this from MF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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