Best Weighted MIDI Controller For Piano Feel: What's your opinion?

I'm looking for a good MIDI controller to play a piano soft synth with (probably Synthogy's Ivory). Which one is the best of class for this purpose? Try and suggest stuff that hasn't been discontinued if possible too

Yamaha IMHO.

CP33 is a stage piano and a controller.

Really just looking for a controller, don't need (or wish to pay for) sounds.

It's only got a few sounds but that Yamaha is still my serious consideration for a controller since all the dedicated piano controllers pretty much suck for feel.

The CP33 will set you back about $1000.

Yamaha also has a dedicated new controller line I haven't tested though. Just go check it out at yamahasynth.com

Even the studiologic VMK188? I was eyeing that one for awhile now but I just can't find one to try out anywhere. It's essentially order it to try or nothing. Favorite action ever for a non-piano is the Roland RD700GX, but getting that feel in a MIDI controller is probably just wishful thinking I'm assuming.

Roland A-80

Is this one discontinued? Can't seem to find it anywhere.....

KX88 is one of the best if you can find one

Hmmm... I'm not so sure anymore. I think the modern ones beat the ol' KX, feel-wise. I messed about on a CP300 at GC a few weeks ago, and it felt niiiice. For a good used price, though, you could hardly go wrong with the KX88.

Not looking for something that's 2,000 dollars, contains sounds or any of that. I'm really just hoping to find a good MIDI controller that has weighted action, preferably below a 1000 bucks. The question is which one of THOSE is the best in your opinion for piano feel. And can good piano feel be expected from any of them.

ps, I already know m-audio keystation 88's are utter crap.

A good search of this forum will yield a lot of answers because this question gets put here all the time. There are as many opinions as there are options. If there was one really good answer we'd hand it to you - since there isn't (especially under a grand with no sounds) then you'll have to find the closest answer yourself, which isn't a put-off. Any large metro area will have a bunch of music stores to shop and if the choice is that important to you and you don't live near a metro town then it's worth taking a mini vacation to put your hands on the various models and pick the one that suits you best. Then you can come back here and share your experience with the rest of the people who are bound to ask the same thing.

I love my Roland A-80 but yeah it's been discontinued for what, almost 20 years now...

Still, if you can find one used, it's awesome and sometimes they go for pretty cheap. I got mine for 300 dollars a couple years ago.

It's very subjective.

Some folks love the feel of the Yamaha weighted keys. I strongly prefer Rolands. I bought the RD-300SX, which compared favorably to European upright action. But some folks will hate it in preference to Yammy's which I find "spongey."

I'm a piano player and I prefer Yamaha to Roland/Korg. Last I looked, Roland/Korg has never built an acoustic piano...

My P-90 would be OK for a piano controller, but its MIDI implementation is very limited. The minute you need a controller to switch patches on a remote module, the P-90 won't cut it.

OK the P-90 is out of production but any of the P line should suffice.

My absolute favorite MIDI controller is the Kurzweil MIDIBoard, out of production since 1990.

I have a US keyboard (v2.?) MIDIBoard rather than Japanese. Mine is lovely but doesn't feel like a piano. Does yours?

It dosen't feel llike a piano but the E-mu X-board 61 has a decent weighted synth action...heavier than most. Worth looking at anyway, especially considering its low price.

For "closer to real" 88-key piano action, the kurzweil PC1 is near your range and although it has a few sounds it has lots of controller functions...

I bought the Studiologic SL-990 over the weekend for $380. I don't enjoy playing it as a midi controller and want a real board now, but as far as low cost controllers go it's keys are decent. Not quite what I'd call "piano feel" but better than most of the plastic crap feel that's on the sub-$1k stuff.

Do most of the studiologic boards feel the same? I've been eyeing the VMK188 but I can't find one anywhere. Studiologic seems to be one of those brands you have to order to try out. My favorite all time feel is the Roland RD700GX, and if they would just sell that board without the $2500 price tag and mixed bag of sounds, I would buy it in a heartbeat. Even if just the physical board costed $1400 bucks......it's that good.

Oh well, out of what's out there in cheap MIDI controller land it's looking like studiologic has the best "feel" according to most reviews.

Anyone test-driven the feel on Yammy's new KX8? My local GC doesn't have any of the new KX's.

I've got one of those, and imo the Yamaha P series have a much better piano feel. The KW midiboard has a maddening user interface, too.

If I were looking for a controller with an authentic piano feel with 88 keys and didn't want the sounds, I would probably just get the CP33 and turn the local off, or turn the volume down.... Most midi controllers which do not contain sounds have midi implementation out the wazoola, but are lacking when it comes to feel and playability. At least that's been my experience. A good piano feel, with basics like pitch and mod is what I like...I do midi editing inside the computer anyhow...

It's all very subjective when it comes to hammer action.

I should have bought the Oberheim MC 3000 when I had the chance.

My second choice is the CME VX-88....(motorized faders) so far so good. I chose this because of the hammer action, and its heavy...over 75 pounds.

I'd like to know too, look's promising. Remember guys, I'm really really not looking for something that was discontinued. I'm looking for something I could buy this month that has a great piano feel, and doesn't necessarily have sounds.

That thing is burning my retina's

When did the Oberheim MC 3000 go out of circulation?

The Kurzweil PC1SE:

76 fully weighted keys plus awesome sounds for under $1000 (if you look hard enough).

The whole "not discontinued" is really an issue for what you're looking for. Its sort of sad, but the absolute best controllers for feel were made >15 years ago. I loved my KX-88, just sold it a few months ago for $350. Most all of the pure midi controllers I find in Sam Ash and GC today feel nothing like a piano.

Pretty sure I tried the KX8 for a minute, but it wasn't hooked up to anything, and I haven't wanted weighted action in a while, so I didn't give it much thought, but I didn't think it was anything too great or too bad.

:-/