M-Audio Keystation 88 ES 88-Key MIDI Controller

Semi-weighted action. Plug-and-play setup with Mac and PC.

Item: MDOKEYSTAT88ES

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customer reviews

Rate and Review This Product:

35 People rated this product : * * * * * * * * * * 7 out of 10

5 People wrote reviews

* * * * * * * * * * 6 out of 10

"Barely usable, only for those who can't afford any better"

Feature:
I feel bad about rating the features with only a 5, because the only reason I bought this controller is that it is the only 88 key controller that doesn't cost a fortune due to the extreme simplicity of the design. But really, this controller doesn't have many features. Pitch bend and modulation wheel, little slider, and two buttons that can EITHER change the octave up or down, change the pitch up or down a semitone, or change the midi channel the signals are sent through (maybe these buttons can do something else as well, but I don't think there was anything else worthwhile). There is only a MIDI out jack on the controller, so if you are using this as a part of a chain it has to be your first thing. I have an old keytar controller from the 80's that I like to bring out on stage every now and again just for kicks, and since that is only MIDI out as well I have to unplug one to plug in the other. Other than the one MIDI out you have a USB midi thing and a damper pedal input. I should also mention that I cannot get the controller to send the signal from the damper pedal to anything I hook up with MIDI; I have to hook the pedal up to the device I am using the controller for. It does come with a USB cable and some stuff for a computer, but I have never used this for a computer, only as a real instrument MIDI controller.

Quality:
Hard to judge to quality right now, because I have only had mine for about 6 months. However, even though it is only made of plastic, everything seems to be holding up alright so far. I use this controller all over the place, and I usually end up taking it out of my apartment once or twice a week. I've dropped it and bumped it on stuff plenty already, and although the plastic casing is scratched plenty, everything works like new still. I have heard that banging on the keys too much will cause them to stop working within a couple of years, but so far I have had no trouble.

Value:
I definitely bought this controller because it is the cheapest 88 key out there. However, for as little as it does and how terrible it is to play, and for the fact that it is 100% plastic, it seems a tad overpriced even. For the price you pay for it, it doesn't even include a power supply! I realize that most people probably only use these for USB stuff where you don't need it, but if you don't use the USB you need the power. I was fortunate that the guy at the store I worked at just gave me a power supply (since I was already spending $2300 anyway), but otherwise I would have had to have spent another 15% of the total cost of the controller itself just to power it.

Desirability:
Its not ugly, but its not really supposed to be sexy either. So just average.

Ease of Use:
Everything is easy to use about the keyboard, but the actual keys themselves are miserable to play on, for a few reasons. First of all, apparently "semi weighted" means sticking a spring(s) under each key. The end result is that the further down you press any given key, the harder it becomes to press. Also, it takes a good deal of effort to keep the keys held down, because there is so much upward force from the springs inside. Its honestly easier to press down the keys of a piano than these keys, and it is certainly easier to hold down piano keys than these. The second problem is that the keys can be pressed much further down than any piano, organ, or synth. I have no idea why they designed the keys this way, because it is really difficult to play softly or quickly on this controller. If you think about how hard it is to press the keys all the way down because of the springs, and then add the problem that the keys have to be pressed down further than a normal keyboard, the end result is an awful keyboard to play on. The final problem is that the black keys are much more sensitive to velocity than the white keys. The same amount of force played on a white key will yield a significantly different velocity signal sent than on a black key. For my M3, each patch I use is based on oscillators that make different sounds at different velocities. As a result, I have to be careful on certain patches to make sure I play the black keys more softly than the white, so that I don't accidentally make a different sound on just the black keys. Even still, just by listening anyone could easily distinguish between the white keys I play and the black keys. So like I said, this keyboard really is miserable to play on if you are used to playing a piano, organ, or synth.

Overall:
I only bought this controller because at the time, Korg was only selling the 61 key version of the M3. I am so sad that they don't have a 76 key synth weighted M3, because the keys that come with the M3 are so lovely to play! The store I bought my M3 at let me borrow the 61 key M3 for a practice with a band I was playing a gig with that weekend, but I found that 61 keys weren't quite enough. So I got the tabletop M3 and then bought the only 88 key controller I could find that I could still afford after getting the M3. It is just barely more worth it to me to have all 88 keys and to have to tolerate this terrible controller. I still give it a 6 though, because its not supposed to be a dream to play. It is just supposed to be cheap and usable. But it is barely usable, and still costs more than it is worth.

Submitted: 12/28/2007

Style of Music: Contemporary church, experimental electro-rock

* * * * * * * * * * 9 out of 10

"GREAT PRODUCT!!!"

Feature:
no controller knob, the idea suddenly lost because no instant knob and should edit w/software not hardware. Better edit w/knob manual hardware

Quality:
so far is no prob

Value:
it is worth to my expectation, 88keys and cheap better than to the other items

Desirability:
ok design, the color is like a new millenium

Sound:
no sound

Ease of Use:
very easy, usb only.

Support:
so far is no prob

Overall:
My musical goals helped by this product, very easy to use

Submitted: 2/7/2007

Style of Music: any kind

Read all reviews...

Additional Images:

Main
Main
Controls and Connectors
Controls and Connectors

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About This Product!
Description
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From Our Catalog
News
If you appreciate the full range of a piano keyboard in a lightweight package, the 88-note Keystation 88es is for you. You get great-feeling, semi-weighted action that's velocity sensitive to convey all the nuances of your playing to your computer and most popular music education and studio software. The pitch and modulation wheels plus slider and buttons make it a great controller for playing and programming synths, samplers, drum sounds and more. At just 22 lbs., the Keystation 88es is equally at home on stage and in the studio. Class compliance with Windows XP and Mac OS X ensures easy plug-and-play setup. It's even bus-powered, so one simple USB cable is the only connection you need.

Features
88-note velocity-sensitive, semi-weighted action

Pitch bend and modulation wheels

Volume/assignable control slider

Advanced function button for programming

Sustain and expression pedal inputs (pedals sold separately)

Assignable data up/down buttons

Built-in USB MIDI interface

MIDI out jack routes MIDI signals from keyboard or computer to external devices

Powered via USB or 9VDC power adapter (sold separately)

Mac OSX and Windows XP class-compliant for plug-and-play operation

Technical Info

Compatibility: MME and Mac OS X Core MIDI

Minimum System Requirements (Mac)
G3* 500MHz with OS 9.2.2, 128MB RAM

G4* 500MHz with OS X 10.1.5, 10.2.6 or greater, 256MB RAM

OMS 2.3.8 for MIDI under OS 9.2.2

* native USB port required; G3/G4 accelerator cards not supported

Minimum System Requirements (PC)
Windows 98SE / Me / 2000 (SP4) / XP (SP1)

For 96kHz operation: Pentium III 500mHz w/ 128MB RAM

For 48kHz operation: Pentium II 400 w/ 128MB RAM
Quality, affordable control, from M-Audio! All include bus-powered USB connections for MIDI-mapped routing. The Keystation 61 features solid, responsive synth-action keys, while the 49-key version adds an integrated 2x2 audio interface with XLR, 1/4", and RCA inputs, plus direct hardware monitoring. The Keystation 88es offers full size, hammer-action piano-style keys, and the Keystation Pro 88 adds intuitive, tactile faders, knobs, and buttons—as well as a large, custom LCD display. Whether you desire 49-key simplicity or full-size piano-style MIDI control, M-Audio Keystation systems provide smart functionality at great prices!
  • 05/09
    Price drop!
     New, was $249.95, now only $199.00. 

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