M-Audio ProKeys 88SX 88-Key Stage Piano User Reviews at zZounds

"Prokeys 88SX is perfect for gigging musician!" submitted August 2, 2007

By a customer from yahoo.com

Overall

Sound

Features

Ease of Use

Quality

Value

Manufacturer Support

The Wow Factor

Musical Background: semi-pro gigging musician also do studio work

Music Style: rock, blues, 70s, jazz

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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. Feature: 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 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. Overall: 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.

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"THE BEST PIANO CONTROLLER TO COMPOSE AND WITH EXCELLENT CHARACTERISTICS FOR A GREAT PRICE AND WEIGHT..." submitted August 4, 2007

By a customer from hotmail.com

Overall

Sound

Features

Ease of Use

Quality

Value

Manufacturer Support

The Wow Factor

Musical Background: Composer, Active Musician

Music Style: Pop, Rock, Jazz, Blues, Newage

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Sound: For me, this keyboard has the perfect sounds for any musician. Unless you are a great composer or a producer of great artists, the sounds of this creature are excellent for all. The piano has good answer, also the electrics pianos. The organs, with something of leslie, sounds very well. And the others, I almost not them use, but very well also. For live, this keyboard makes the job great. Better sound of piano than more expensive keyboards. Feature: The box brings a pedal!!! A somewhat uncomfortable pedal, but sufficient for which they only need this keyboard to practice. The necessary connections for audio and 3 expression pedal inputs (wow!!), semi-weighted keys that make of this very comfortable keyboard to work by more than 4 hours, 126-note polyphony... for any composer and his PC works excellent. Oh yeah!! **USB** :) Ease of Use: Very very easy, non problems. Easy-to-read manual. In 1 hour, let's play!!! Quality: Plastic? mmm that's ok. I don't need a tank to compose or play!!! Nice colour finish. Very light, which allows to take it to any place without hurt your shoulders. Any stand are ok! The keys are semi- weighted and that is already nice, at least when you compose and record all the night. ;) Value: Cheaper, nothing comparable with other keyboards of greater price, weight, size and worse quality of sound. In addition, this stage piano (AND CONTROLLER) brings manifold additional functions and connections that others don't have... or are more expensive, sure. Manufacturer Support: Good, no problems. The Wow Factor: For me, this keyboard is really nice for using it for a couple of years. Sure, already it will be seen with time, everything changes... :p Overall: For the composer who needs working hours composing, live show, to learn and play any type of music that needs piano, this keyboard makes the job very well. If you want a "magnificent" piano, heavy and with weighted keys, it looks for more money. But with the price, the 88SX and with all its characteristics, it's the best one!!!

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"Outstanding value. This is a Professional Stage Digital Piano." submitted August 25, 2006

By a customer from xspedius.net

Overall

Sound

Features

Ease of Use

Quality

Value

Manufacturer Support

The Wow Factor

Musical Background: Active musician

Music Style: Gospel Music, techno merengue, salsa, latin groove.

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Sound: Comparable sounds to roland 300sx and yamaha p140, do not believe what I'm saying, just go to the store and try it. Feature: pedal, not many sounds as its big brother prokeys 88, just 7 effects but who cares, it suppose to give you an outstanding piano sound and full weighted keys for just$399. Plus portatibility on the road. what else are you expecting for $399?. Still hard to beat for this kind of price. Would like to see how roland and yamaha will drop their prices to compete against this baby. Ease of Use: Easy, Easy, Easy Quality: It's ok.not built as a tank however we are talking here for a product under 17 pounds. To me this is all matters. Value: are you kidding me?, this in conjunction with his big brother prokeys 88 will create a new category for digital stage pianos. Manufacturer Support: They have one of the best out there, we all know that. The Wow Factor: it's light and portable, this is all I care about. Overall: Take a look to the reviews from serious magazines as: soundandsound and keyboard player and judge by yourself, don't let anybody tell you it doesn't sound well, go and try it.

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"This keyboard changed my life." submitted June 28, 2006

By a customer from yahoo.com

Overall

Sound

Features

Ease of Use

Quality

Value

Manufacturer Support

Musical Background: Band Director

Music Style: Techno

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Sound: Its sound is so sweet it sounds like Beethoven is in my house every time I play it!!! Feature: It comes with millions of different accessories a new foot pedal, a back to back wall, a new sound board with many different sounds, a walkie-talkie system, and more!!! Ease of Use: My fingers fly across the keys, its very easy, if your an expert like me. Quality: Its made of cheap plastic and every flew off when I took it out of the made of cardboard box!! But I still have love for it. Value: Its worth its a best buy a new feature on the market. Manufacturer Support: Its new!! Overall:

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"It sounds good,price is good,IF..ffff you can keep it working??" submitted January 18, 2007

By a customer from hotmail.com

Overall

Sound

Features

Ease of Use

Quality

Value

Manufacturer Support

The Wow Factor

Musical Background: active musician

Music Style: 50s 60s,classic rock,country

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Sound: with a good amp,you can get a descent sound. Feature: mine came with a cheap pedal,i replaced it a week later. Ease of Use: you can get (7) basic sounds,that can be used ok . Quality: had mine a little over two months,and it just quit!! no reason,just quit, wouldn't power up ? sent it back to m-audio (georgia to calif.) approx. (8) week turn around.They (m-audio)sent me another piano,took it out of the box,and stuff was banging around on the inside?? sent that piano back,back to calif. because its still under factory warranty,I'm still without a piano!!you be the judge?? Value: if you can keep it working,its fine?? Manufacturer Support: when you buy m-audio it comes with a 12 month factory warranty. even though i bought (2 years of gold coverage) that warranty doesn't kick in, until the original factory warranty has ended? so when your piano quits ,like mine did?? you have to send it to Irwindale Calif. If you live in Ga.,like me, well thats a long turn around time? and believe me m-audio doesn't get in any hurry?? The Wow Factor: no, it doesn't have sex appeal. Overall: if i could get my money back, right now, their would be no (m-audio) in my ownership!!

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M-Audio ProKeys 88SX 88-Key Digital Stage Piano

User Ratings

"Prokeys 88SX is perfect for gigging musician!" submitted August 2, 2007

"THE BEST PIANO CONTROLLER TO COMPOSE AND WITH EXCELLENT CHARACTERISTICS FOR A GREAT PRICE AND WEIGHT..." submitted August 4, 2007

"Outstanding value. This is a Professional Stage Digital Piano." submitted August 25, 2006

"This keyboard changed my life." submitted June 28, 2006

"It sounds good,price is good,IF..ffff you can keep it working??" submitted January 18, 2007