M-Audio ProKeys 88SX 88-Key Digital Stage Piano
No longer available at zZounds
88-note velocity-sensitive, semi-weighted action keyboard. 7 premium sounds.
Overview
At just 17lbs, the ProKeys 88sx digital stage piano delivers excellent sound in a package so light that you can carry it under one arm. Its must-have complement of instruments-grand piano, electric pianos, organ and clav'sound better than anything in its price range. The piano's semi-weighted action also delivers the best feel you can get without the added cost and weight of hammer action. Two stereo headphone jacks are perfect for private practice or teaching. USB MIDI interface and pitch/mod wheels combine with other features to make it a great MIDI controller as well. If you want a pristine-sounding digital stage piano that feels great to both your fingers and your back, the ProKeys 88sx is for you.
Features
88-note velocity-sensitive, semi-weighted action
7 premium sounds accessed via dedicated buttons:
-- Grand Piano (2 velocity layers)
-- Piano 2
-- Fender Rhodes (2 velocity layers)
-- Wurlitzer E.P. (2 velocity layers)
-- Yamaha DX7 FM Classic E.P.
-- Hammond B3 Percussion Organ
-- Clavinet
dynamic instruments feature multiple velocity layers
126-note maximum polyphony
lightweight-just 17 pounds
reverb and chorus effects
pitch bend and modulation wheels
volume/assignable control slider
advanced function button for programming
sustain, sostenuto and expression pedal inputs
3 velocity curves plus fixed velocity to optimize feel
stereo 1/4" audio outputs
2 stereo 1/4" headphone outputs on front
+/- octave transpose keys
built-in USB MIDI interface
MIDI… read more Out jack to control external MIDI gear
Mac OS X and Windows XP class-compliant for plug-and-play operation
General MIDI compliant
self-demo mode
includes SP-1 sustain pedal
Light Weight, Heavy Feel
Have you been waiting for a great sounding digital stage piano that travels well? Meet the ProKeys 88sx. At just 17 pounds, it's hard to imagine an 88-note instrument that weighs less. Yet its semi-weighted action is the next best thing to a full hammer action that costs and weighs significantly more.
Control Your DAW
Most digital stage pianos offer little more than a MIDI jack for communicating with other gear. In sharp contrast, the ProKeys 88sx inherits much from M-Audio's years of experience pioneering mobile MIDI controllers, incorporating a USB MIDI interface for recording and playback with your PC or Mac. (The instrument features class compliancy with Windows XP and Mac OS X without installation of additional drivers.) The ProKeys 88sx also incorporates performance controls that are rare on digital stage pianos, including pitch wheel, modulation wheel, two footswitch inputs, and expression pedal input. These are all fully assignable even including the volume slider. Of course, a standard MIDI Out jack is provided for control of outboard MIDI gear as well.
Dual Headphones Jacks, Pro Audio Outputs
ProKeys 88sx includes not one but two 1/4 in. stereo headphone jacks right up front-perfect for practicing or teaching privately. Of course, it wouldn't be an M-Audio product without high-fidelity 1/4 in. unbalanced audio output with specs like 20Hz-20kHz frequency response and 108dB dynamic range.
Full Pedal Complement
Every digital piano has a sustain pedal jack. But what about the sostenuto pedal (the middle pedal on an acoustic piano)? ProKeys 88sx has it. There's also an assignable expression pedal for foot-control of volume. And all three of these pedals serve as MIDI controllers for outboard gear as well.
Killer Piano and More
Where most digital stage pianos cram as many as 128 instruments into limited space, the ProKeys 88sx dedicates all of its memory to seven sounds that players rely on constantly, devoting extra attention to the multi-layer stereo samples of a Yamaha C7 concert grand. Piano 2 is designed to really cut through in popular music. Electric pianos are covered too, including a bright classic Yamaha DX7, a sweet Fender Rhodes and a vintage Wurlitzer. There's also a percussive Hammond B3and the Clavinet has "funky" totally nailed. Add on-board reverb and chorus to customize your sound. read less
Features
88-note velocity-sensitive, semi-weighted action
7 premium sounds accessed via dedicated buttons:
-- Grand Piano (2 velocity layers)
-- Piano 2
-- Fender Rhodes (2 velocity layers)
-- Wurlitzer E.P. (2 velocity layers)
-- Yamaha DX7 FM Classic E.P.
-- Hammond B3 Percussion Organ
-- Clavinet
dynamic instruments feature multiple velocity layers
126-note maximum polyphony
lightweight-just 17 pounds
reverb and chorus effects
pitch bend and modulation wheels
volume/assignable control slider
advanced function button for programming
sustain, sostenuto and expression pedal inputs
3 velocity curves plus fixed velocity to optimize feel
stereo 1/4" audio outputs
2 stereo 1/4" headphone outputs on front
+/- octave transpose keys
built-in USB MIDI interface
MIDI… read more Out jack to control external MIDI gear
Mac OS X and Windows XP class-compliant for plug-and-play operation
General MIDI compliant
self-demo mode
includes SP-1 sustain pedal
Light Weight, Heavy Feel
Have you been waiting for a great sounding digital stage piano that travels well? Meet the ProKeys 88sx. At just 17 pounds, it's hard to imagine an 88-note instrument that weighs less. Yet its semi-weighted action is the next best thing to a full hammer action that costs and weighs significantly more.
Control Your DAW
Most digital stage pianos offer little more than a MIDI jack for communicating with other gear. In sharp contrast, the ProKeys 88sx inherits much from M-Audio's years of experience pioneering mobile MIDI controllers, incorporating a USB MIDI interface for recording and playback with your PC or Mac. (The instrument features class compliancy with Windows XP and Mac OS X without installation of additional drivers.) The ProKeys 88sx also incorporates performance controls that are rare on digital stage pianos, including pitch wheel, modulation wheel, two footswitch inputs, and expression pedal input. These are all fully assignable even including the volume slider. Of course, a standard MIDI Out jack is provided for control of outboard MIDI gear as well.
Dual Headphones Jacks, Pro Audio Outputs
ProKeys 88sx includes not one but two 1/4 in. stereo headphone jacks right up front-perfect for practicing or teaching privately. Of course, it wouldn't be an M-Audio product without high-fidelity 1/4 in. unbalanced audio output with specs like 20Hz-20kHz frequency response and 108dB dynamic range.
Full Pedal Complement
Every digital piano has a sustain pedal jack. But what about the sostenuto pedal (the middle pedal on an acoustic piano)? ProKeys 88sx has it. There's also an assignable expression pedal for foot-control of volume. And all three of these pedals serve as MIDI controllers for outboard gear as well.
Killer Piano and More
Where most digital stage pianos cram as many as 128 instruments into limited space, the ProKeys 88sx dedicates all of its memory to seven sounds that players rely on constantly, devoting extra attention to the multi-layer stereo samples of a Yamaha C7 concert grand. Piano 2 is designed to really cut through in popular music. Electric pianos are covered too, including a bright classic Yamaha DX7, a sweet Fender Rhodes and a vintage Wurlitzer. There's also a percussive Hammond B3and the Clavinet has "funky" totally nailed. Add on-board reverb and chorus to customize your sound. read less
Specs
MIDI Controls:
-- Program Change
-- Bank LSB
-- Bank MSB
-- MIDI Channel
-- MIDI Out from USB
-- Local On/Off
-- All Notes Off
-- Reset All Controllers
-- Channel Mode messages
-- Pitch Bend range
-- Master Volume
-- Power supply included
Compatability: General MIDI
PC minimum system requirements
Windows XP
Pentium II 350MHz
128MB RAM
native USB 1.1 port
*M-Audio recommends that you check your software application's minimum system requirements, as they may be greater than the above.
Mac minimum system requirements
Mac OS X 10.2.8 or higher
G3 450MHz
128MB RAM
native USB 1.1 port
*M-Audio recommends that you check your software application's minimum system requirements, as they may be greater than the above.
Dimensions (WxDxH): 54.00 x 10.00 x 3.50 in.
-- Program Change
-- Bank LSB
-- Bank MSB
-- MIDI Channel
-- MIDI Out from USB
-- Local On/Off
-- All Notes Off
-- Reset All Controllers
-- Channel Mode messages
-- Pitch Bend range
-- Master Volume
-- Power supply included
Compatability: General MIDI
PC minimum system requirements
Windows XP
Pentium II 350MHz
128MB RAM
native USB 1.1 port
*M-Audio recommends that you check your software application's minimum system requirements, as they may be greater than the above.
Mac minimum system requirements
Mac OS X 10.2.8 or higher
G3 450MHz
128MB RAM
native USB 1.1 port
*M-Audio recommends that you check your software application's minimum system requirements, as they may be greater than the above.
Dimensions (WxDxH): 54.00 x 10.00 x 3.50 in.
Reviews
Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
(29 ratings)
Submitted August 2, 2007 by a customer from yahoo.com
"Prokeys 88SX is perfect for gigging musician!"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Let's put it this way, after about 2 months, mine was stolen. Here it is 2 weeks later and I just bought another one. It's that good and it's perfect for the gigging musician. I recommend a good solid case (like a Gator case) not only to protect the keyboard, but to keep people from seeing what it is so they are tempted to steal it.
Sound
This keyboard handles the bread and butter sounds of a standard genre gig (rock, jazz, blues, 70s) very very well. Its keyboard action is perfectly between a true weighted hammer action, and a lightly weighted synth type action. As gigging musicians get older, they (okay, me) actually don't necessarily want a true, heavy, weighted hammer action because they need to play this beast for 3-4 hours solid. On the other hand, the lighter action keyboards allow the keyboardist to get sloppy as the fingers spill over the keys a tad. The 88SX suffers from none of this, yet allows the keyboardist to fly over the keys with minimal strain.
Features
Not a ton of features, but then I wasn't looking for a ton of features. What the 88SX does, it does very very well.
Ease of Use
See discussion under Sound. Very easy to use out of the box. You will need speakers or an amp, or a PA system to amplify the sound, however, if you just want to listen through headphones, then there are two 1/4" headphone jacks. For live gig situations, I run the outputs of the 88SX… read more through a Roland RT-20 Rotary speaker simulator (to simulate a Leslie rotary cabinet) and the results are absolutely fantastic! To hear what the 88SX sounds like at a real gig, go to: bajabluesband.com, click on the Gigs link, scroll down, click on the Listen link for Fri., July 13, 2007 - Bonefish Grill. The Prokeys 88SX was also used at the July 14, 2007 gig. You should be able to hear the acoustic piano, electric piano (both Rhodes and Wurly) and especially the B3 organ.
Quality
It tends to feel so light that you mistrust its quality, however, my first one (lasted 2 months before it was stolen) seemed rugged enough. I hammer pretty hard on it and it never complained.
Value
Value is where this thing shines. You will simply not find another keyboard with the features and sounds that this model has at this price (believe me, as of the date of this review, I've studied all other brands (Yamaha, Kurzweil, Roland, Casio, etc.) and nothing even comes close.
Manufacturer Support
Never had to deal with M-Audio.
The Wow Factor
As long as it is anchored well to your keyboard stand, this thing is very sexy and comfortable under your hands. The Wurly sample is so danged spot on that I have been working up several Supertramp songs (Poor Boy, From Now On, Logical Song, Downstream) just to make use of the Wurly epiano sound. Coupled with a good external outboard Rotary simulator (Roland makes one, Line6 makes one) the B3 is simply KILLER. Listen to the gig recordings referenced above and decide yourself.
Musical Background:
semi-pro gigging musician also do studio work
Musical Style:
rock, blues, 70s, jazz read less
Sound
This keyboard handles the bread and butter sounds of a standard genre gig (rock, jazz, blues, 70s) very very well. Its keyboard action is perfectly between a true weighted hammer action, and a lightly weighted synth type action. As gigging musicians get older, they (okay, me) actually don't necessarily want a true, heavy, weighted hammer action because they need to play this beast for 3-4 hours solid. On the other hand, the lighter action keyboards allow the keyboardist to get sloppy as the fingers spill over the keys a tad. The 88SX suffers from none of this, yet allows the keyboardist to fly over the keys with minimal strain.
Features
Not a ton of features, but then I wasn't looking for a ton of features. What the 88SX does, it does very very well.
Ease of Use
See discussion under Sound. Very easy to use out of the box. You will need speakers or an amp, or a PA system to amplify the sound, however, if you just want to listen through headphones, then there are two 1/4" headphone jacks. For live gig situations, I run the outputs of the 88SX… read more through a Roland RT-20 Rotary speaker simulator (to simulate a Leslie rotary cabinet) and the results are absolutely fantastic! To hear what the 88SX sounds like at a real gig, go to: bajabluesband.com, click on the Gigs link, scroll down, click on the Listen link for Fri., July 13, 2007 - Bonefish Grill. The Prokeys 88SX was also used at the July 14, 2007 gig. You should be able to hear the acoustic piano, electric piano (both Rhodes and Wurly) and especially the B3 organ.
Quality
It tends to feel so light that you mistrust its quality, however, my first one (lasted 2 months before it was stolen) seemed rugged enough. I hammer pretty hard on it and it never complained.
Value
Value is where this thing shines. You will simply not find another keyboard with the features and sounds that this model has at this price (believe me, as of the date of this review, I've studied all other brands (Yamaha, Kurzweil, Roland, Casio, etc.) and nothing even comes close.
Manufacturer Support
Never had to deal with M-Audio.
The Wow Factor
As long as it is anchored well to your keyboard stand, this thing is very sexy and comfortable under your hands. The Wurly sample is so danged spot on that I have been working up several Supertramp songs (Poor Boy, From Now On, Logical Song, Downstream) just to make use of the Wurly epiano sound. Coupled with a good external outboard Rotary simulator (Roland makes one, Line6 makes one) the B3 is simply KILLER. Listen to the gig recordings referenced above and decide yourself.
Musical Background:
semi-pro gigging musician also do studio work
Musical Style:
rock, blues, 70s, jazz read less
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