Digital Piano Keyboards

Roland FP-7 Stage/Digital Piano

Roland is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of musical instruments including pianos, keyboards and synthesisers, electronic percussion kits, guitar products, digital recording equipment and several other music related accessories. In the following review, we will have a detailed look at Roland’s FP-7 Stage Digital Piano. Continuing with the FP series, the FP-7 and FP4 are the latest in the digital pianos to come from Roland Keyboards. The FP-7 has been released as a result of the success of previous models.

What can you expect in FP-7?

The FP series of digital pianos from Roland has something for everybody from the professional stage performers to the recreational music lovers; as they come complete with a Session Partner, USB connectivity and true to life grand pianos. The FP-7 is a great stage piano that services the needs of the high end stage piano market. Equipped with loads of sounds and features, this piano is simply perfect for solo piano, ensemble and band work. This FP-7 Portable piano keyboard is a great hit in the piano market with its excellent hammer action, making it must have for the pianists seeking the realistic feel for their stage piano performance. In the following review, you will find detailed notes on all the features of this master piece.

Coveting design:

With the slim sleek and portable design, the FP-7 can be practically placed in any environment. Roland has given it a very elegant black finishing, that will simply decorate any room that it is placed in, making it a perfect solution for elegance unit house dwellers or in any house where space is at premium. This sleek package features a black deck with a silver button trim. Although the sparse number of controls gives the piano a “very simple keyboard” like appearance, do not be fooled, because under the skin lies a fairly complex and comprehensive system of controls.

The large LCD display in the keyboard makes operations very easy and interesting too. You will be able to adjust the virtual degree of the grand piano lid and also includes the Duplex Scale system and User micro tuning. Overall, the piano feels very solid and well constructed much like its predecessors, but weighs about 80pounds which unfortunately makes it a little difficult to be grounded.

88-key Multi-sampled Piano Sound Engine:

This Roand FP7 piano keyboard sports a brilliant 88-key multi-sampled piano sound engine of Roland. Each of those 88 keys painstakingly reproduces every key of a concert grand piano. The piano keyboard has 128 voice polyphony ensures that your note sustains fully and naturally regardless of how fast or densely you are playing.

USB interface:

With the USB standard interface included, you can connect the FP-7 Digital Piano to a PC or Mac and make use of it as a source for sequencing or even as a high quality controller. You can also plug in a memory stick and load .WAV and standard MIDI files for an instant playback. This feature enhances the creative repertoire of the artists.

Excellent acoustic features:

The built-in speaker system delivers rich, blasting sound. With such good speakers employed, you will not need any additional speakers or amplifiers to be connected. The vibrant output from these speakers fill fin in both small and large spaces. Roland has also offered two headphone jacks, which will be great for duets and late night practice sessions. The Roland FP-7 MIDI keyboard features a graded hammer key action which is responsive to the lightest touch.

Features:
As we had mentioned in the introduction, the Roland FP-7 Stage Digital Piano comes with heaps of features. They include a set of very powerful built-in speaker box units, intuitive controls, graphic LCD that displays lyrics to give you the fun of sing along and also has the latest AudioKey feature that makes the playback of audio directly from USB memory a very simple task.

The Progressive Hammer Action II Technology:

Roland has employed the PHA II (Progressive Hammer Action II) technology in the FP-7 keyboard. This technology provides a keyboard that responds naturally from pianissimo to fortissimo with a touch that can be adjusted in hundred incremental steps. With the help of this technology, some intricate details of a real piano, like hammer, damper and string noise and off-key resonance, have been captured inside the FP-7. Hence, the player can enjoy an authentic piano playing experience with the sound and touch reacting naturally and dynamically.

Session Partner Technology:

If you are one among those pianists who would love to create instant auto accompaniments, you are in great luck as the FP-7 88-key digital Piano features the Session Partner technology of Roland, which is complete with a variety of music styles.  The music styles include a wide selection of rhythm and accompaniment patterns that include ballads, jazz, Latin and 12 new styles. Pianists will be able to choose from a large variety of chord progressions or have the accompaniment follow the left hand. With such a huge collection, the FP-7 fits the bill for any kind of music occasions.

Extraordinary library:

In addition to the grand piano sound, you will also find dozens of other great instrumental sounds built into the FP-7. At the initial start-up, you will find that the sound bank is organised according to the instrument type. The keyboard basically features seven instrument banks which include Piano, Electric piano strings and the usual assortment of instruments complete with two sets of organ sound. A lot of digital effects are also offered, including a four band digital equalizer in order to customise the sounds to your preference.

The Cakewalk SONAR LE software in FP-7:

Roland has also offered the Cakewalk SONAR LE software that aids you with recording and editing. This software is based on the core features of Cakewalk’s award winning SONAR. The key features include high quality multi-track audio recording up to 24-bit/192 kHz with 32-bit floating point internal processing, high resolution MIDI sequencing with support for virtual instruments, and mixing with professional effects. SONAR LE also makes it easy to create backing tracks with integrated audio looping tools.

Package:

The Roland FP-7 Stage/Digital Piano package includes Owner’s Manual, Audio Key Utility Quick Guide, CD-ROM (Audio Key Utility), Information about SONAR LE, CD-ROM, AC Adaptor, Power Cord, Music Rest, two screws for the Music Rest and DP8 Pedal.

Accessories:

You might also be interested in the Holder DH-1 which is an optional mounting bracket for attaching the commercial CD drives. You will also find the KSC 44 BK Roland Wooden Keyboard stand for FP-7. These two accessories are sold separately and are not included in the package. You will find a sustain pedal in the package.

Warranty:

Roland offers FP-7 three years limited warranty for parts and labour, this is in fact, a very good deal.

Verdict:

The Roland FP-7 Portable Digital Piano Keyboard is equipped with great sounds and intelligent features that can make you sound like a solo concert pianist or an entire ensemble. This piano is your ultimate ticket to dynamic and exciting musical universe. If you feel that the FP-7 seems to be a bit too expensive for you, then the very next option to look for is the FP-4, which is a more affordable and streamlined version of its expensive sibling. This model features the same authentic piano sound and stylish body as FP-7.

Read M-Audio Piano Keyboard Reviews, Casio Piano Keyboard Reviews in this website.

Roland FP-7  Digital Piano – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Roland
Model Name	Roland FP-7 Digital Portable Piano
Dimensions (H x W x D)	949 x 1346 x 396 mm
Weight	36.1 Kg
Keyboard	88 keys PHA II keyboard
Touch Sensitivity	100 levels, Off (velocity adjustable)
Display	Backlit Graphic LCD 128 x 64 dots
Polyphony	128 voices
Tones	339 tones (include 6 Tone Wheel Organ) + 9 Drums Sets
Digital effects	Reverb, Digital Effect (62 types), Sound Control (3 types), 4-band Digital Equalizer
Tracks	Three
Demo Songs	One
Session partner	Rhythm: 80 types x 2 variations, Chord Progression: Automatic or input with keyboard
Adjustable volume	Yes
Recorder functions	Real-time Recording, Playback
Recorder capacity	Approx. 30000 notes
Recorder Tempo	Quarter note = 10 to 500
Recorder resolution	120 ticks per
Recording media	To Internal Memory: 28 x MAX. 25 sets To USB Memory: 28 x MAX. 99 sets
Pedals	Damper and Sostenuto
Computer Interface	Yes
Computer Interface Type	USB
Playback and Save	Media: USB Memory, Playback file: SMF format (0/1), Audio File ( WAV format, 44.1 kHz, 16 bit linear), Save format: SMF format (0), Registration set
Audio Connections	Mix In Jack: Stereo miniature phone type, Headphone Jack x 2: Stereo 1/ 4 inch phone type
Speaker Type	8 cm x 12cm x 2 with Speaker Box
MIDI	Yes
Connectivity	External Memory Connector Output Jacks (L/Mono, R): 1/4 inch phone type Input Jacks (L/Mono, R): 1/ 4 inch phone type Mix In Jack: Stereo miniature phone type Headphone Jack x 2: Stereo 1/ 4 inch phone type USB (MIDI) Connector MIDI Connectors (In, Out) Pedal Jacks DC In Jack
Power	DC 12 V (AC Adaptor)
Package	Roland FP-7 Stage Digital Keyboard, Owner’s Manual, Audio Key Utility Quick Guide, CD-ROM (Audio Key Utility), Information about SONAR LE, CD-ROM, AC Adaptor, Power Cord, Music Rest, two screws for the Music Rest and DP8 Pedal
Warranty	One year

MK-2063 Portable keyboard by Gear4music

Gear4Music is relatively new site that was launched in the year 2003 and since then, it has gone though a rapid development and is now, one of the largest retailers of musical instruments and equipment in the UK. They make purchasing and owning of a musical instrument very easy by offering excellent service and in great prices. In the following review we will be looking at their MK-2063 Portable keyboard.

Simple look:

The MK-2063 Portable Piano keyboard has a very modest look of an authentic portable keyboard with fewer complications. It is a 54 keys keyboard that comes in matte black finishing. It has a small LED display in the centre of the unit to depict your choices. The unit has built in speakers and comes along with a mike, proving to be a great beginner’s kit.

Custom featured for beginners:

In terms of features, the MK-2063 54-key Piano keyboard has lots on board. To a beginner’s delight, the keyboard comes with a whooping 100 timbres and 100 rhythm tracks, giving their musical dreams a push start. You and your friends can have great fun by singing along a favourite track with the additional microphone that comes in the package. The most exiting fact is that you will not only be playing the keyboard, the built-in drum machine will have you rocking the beats.

The keyboard includes record and playback features will help you a lot on learning where to improve your playing skills. The one key and guide functions will aid to learn playing along with eight demo songs. Since the keyboard has full tempo and volume controls, we can see you progressing in leaps and bounds.

Warranty:

Gear4Music offers its product, the MK-2063 Portable keyboard with two years limited warranty.

Verdict:

This 54 key MK-2063 Portable keyboard is just the perfect kit for the beginners. Gear4Music has kept everything simple from the look of the instrument to its features. The keyboard seems to be custom designed for the budding musicians.  And the MK-2063 Portable keyboard is the ideal choice for the beginners.

Check latest Piano Keyboard Reviews, Yamaha Digital Piano Keyboards in our website.


MK-2063 Portable Piano keyboard – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Gear4Music
Model Name	Gear4Music MK-2063
Model numbers	MK-2063
Keyboard type	Portable Digital Piano keyboard
Dimensions (W x H x D)	845mm x325mm x 110mm
Display	LED
Timbers	100
Rhythms	100
Percussions	8
Demo songs	Eight
Controls	Tempo and Volume controls
Power	6 x D Batteries or mains power
Features	Single Finger, Fingered Chord and Chord Timbre Sync and Fill in functions Rhythm Programming Function Record & Playback Sustain and Vibrato One-key and guide function
Package contents	Gear4Music MK-2063 Digital Piano keyboard Microphone Power adaptor Instructions Warranty info
Warranty	Two years

Casio PX-800 Privia Digital Piano with Weighted Scaled Hammer Action Keys

The Casio Privia range of digital pianos was of revolutionary design when they were first introduced in the year 2003 and they had won a popular following with their stylish design and realistic piano performance. Its ultra light weight body made it easily portable and since the keys are fully weighed, they feel like an acoustic piano. It possesses excellent speaker system that offers reasonably good piano sounds. Next, in the year 2005 Casio bought in a new range of Privia digital pianos that were much more improved than the original models. These new models had an even better speaker system, very much near to realistic touch and had much better piano sounds.

The Casio Privia PX-200 and PX-800 are the two new models that were introduced in the early 2007. These two models are distinctively stylish and Casio has employed its latest “Triple Element AFI Sound Source” technology in order to provide a rich and expressive realistic sound. In the following review, let us have a detailed look at the Casio Privia PX-800 model digital piano.

Compact and Elegant:

The Casio Privia PX-800 Electronic Digital Piano has a unique European design and an extremely elegant finish which was achieved by its two toned cherry wood body material and chromed metallic parts. The PX-800 is an 88 keys piano keyboard with touch response. It is a very compact and lightweight model that has a slim and simple design that it can be setup anywhere and is very convenient for moving from place to place as the main body weight along with the stand of the piano is just 41Kgs. The entire dimension of the piano is just (H x W x D) 79.6 x 143.6 x 29.8 cm. The stylish Privia PX-800 is sure to fit in any kind of decor.

Parts maintaining the elegance:

The PX-800 is an integrated model with stand and pedals and this model is equipped a sliding keyboard cover that preserves the distinct stylish form of the piano even when the lid is left open. The piano has a built-in SD card slot and expanded song memory. The SD card slot supports the SD memory cards and supports cards of up to 1GB and cannot take cards of larger capacity.

Excellence in sound quality:

The Privia PX-800 88 key Digital Piano takes the digital piano sound quality to an entirely new level. It has four powerful, high output two way speakers, twenty watts each. It has a three pedal unit that is capable of half damping expression and the PX-800 manages to achieve true reproduction of the rich sounds of a two grand piano. The state of art sampling engineering allows this digital piano to produce the most advanced acoustic piano sound.

On-board effects and an Extensive Library in PX800:

The Casio PX-800 piano keyboard has 162 tones with layer and split. The digital effects of the piano includes four types of reverb, four types of chorus, DSP, acoustic resonance and brilliance of range -3 to -1 and 1 to 3. This model has 72 demo songs and 60 tunes. This music library gives you plenty of tunes to play along with on the Privia. Auto Accompaniment functions include 20 rhythms, different fingering and chord ranges, adjustable accompaniment volume, intros, fills, and adjustable tempos. The song volume is adjustable.

Recorder and its functions:

If you wish to record your own composition in real time and hear it play back, Casio has thought of it earlier and equipped the piano with a recorder. The two functions of the recorder are, real time recording and playback. The recorder has a capacity of 5 songs or 2 tracks or approximately 50,000 notes in total. The recording media is the built-in flash memory that we had mentioned above.

Loaded with Latest Advanced Features:

Casio has loaded its Privia PX-800 with heaps of advanced features. It has the New Advanced AIF (Acoustic and Intelligent Filtering system) Stereo Sampled Tri element sound source. It has 128 polyphony notes and these notes reverberate naturally without having to be cut off during the high speed passages and performances that demand intensive damper pedal operations. With the aid of the piano’s New Advanced Filter, the notes change and decay naturally with the realism of an acoustic piano. The New Touch Response Sensitive System makes the sound source to respond according to the amount of pressure that is applied to the keyboard. This provides the player with an opportunity to shape and colour their performances with everything from blooming fortissimos to delicate pianissimos.

Incredible sound and feel:

With the above mentioned features you might have guessed correctly that Casio has built incredibly realistic grand piano sound and feel into the PX-800. Its 88 touch sensitive keys offer an incredibly expressive playing experience.

Warranty:

Casio has offered its Privia PX-800 one year standard warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

The Casio PX-800 88-key digital piano gives you amazing grand piano sound, advanced features, and a powerful stereo speaker system. Some of the reasons why you simply cannot miss this keyboard are its real piano sound and feel, onboard effects and processors, built-in recorder and the extensive song library. The instrument accomplishes its goal to play and feel like a full sized manual piano with the help of its hammer action keys. Said that, we do not have even the slightest of hesitations to strongly recommend this Privia digital piano keyboard.


Casio PX-800 Privia Compact Digital Piano – Technical specifications

Manufacturer	Casio
Model Name	Casio PX-800 Privia Digital Piano
Dimensions (H x W x D)	79.6 x 143.6 x 29.8 cm
Weight	Digital Piano + Stand: 41kg
Keyboard	88 Piano Keys (with Touch Response)
Display	Single line LED display
Polyphony	128 Notes, maximum
Tones	162; with Layer and Split
Digital effects	Reverb (4 Types) Chorus (4 Types) DSP Acoustic Resonance Brilliance (-3 to -1, 1 to 3)
Tuning	A4 = 440.0Hz ± 50 cents (adjustable)
Metronome Time Signatures	0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Metronome Tempo Range	20 to 255
Demo Songs	72 (All-song repeat playback)
Number of Tunes	60
Adjustable volume	Yes
Recorder functions	Real-time Recording, Playback
Recorder capacity	5 songs, 2 tracks, 50,000 notes
Recording media	Built-in flash memory
Pedals	Damper, Soft/Sostenuto (switchable)
Computer Interface	Yes
Computer Interface Type	USB1.1
Audio Connections	Headphones Stereo Standard Jacks x 2, LINE OUT R, L/MONO jacks
Speaker Type	12cm x 2 + 5cm x 2 Output: 20W + 20W
MIDI	16 Multi-timbre receive
Memory	SD memory card slot Capacity : Up to 1GB Functions: SMF playback, file storage, file recall, card format
Power	12V DC
Power Consumption	12V – 18W
Accessories included	Stand
Warranty	One year

Korg, which was originally known as the Keio Electronics laboratories is a Japan Multinational company that was founded in the year 1962. Korg is widely known for its electronic musical instruments and electronic tuners. Korg is one of the most widely used and respected names in the professional music world. The following review is on Korg’s SP-250 portable digital Piano Keyboard. Buying an acoustic piano, you will not have to get any of the extras like headphones or damper pedals. And so, why should you ever invest on an electronic digital piano? Korg has given the perfect answer with its SP-250 which gives the sound and feel of a real piano, that too in a package that is complete in a perfect way.

With the introduction of the SP250 Electronic Digital Piano with Stand, Korg has attained a new level of realism and feel to its range of portable digital pianos. Korg has made it possible by expanding its range of expression and performance with an exceptional and outstanding new stereo piano sound that matches the third generation RH3 graded action keyboards. The stereo sampled piano sound and the 88 key keyboard feels amazingly real.

Stylish, sturdy and durable:

The Korg SP-250 digital piano keyboard which oozes with features will be a incomplete if it has not got a sturdy, durable and even more importantly a stylish look. However, Korg has made no mistake by giving it a chick black design that is highlighted by metal and wood grain accents with a solid music rack included that mounts in seconds. The control panel is simple and easy-to-use and includes 19 LED indicators for instant visual feedback. MIDI In/Out jacks connect the SP-250 to a synthesizer or other MIDI-equipped device, either a computer or a sequencer that allows the SP-250 to be used as both a master keyboard and a 16-part multitimbral sound module for performance and composition.

Loaded with features:

The company has managed to sample a perfectly tuned piano in true stereo from a variety of different mic placements for a palette of awesome piano sounds that would make any pianist or any other person envy. To be very specific, the samples in the Korg are lengthier than any other keyboard of the same class. This makes even the slow and emotive passages even more full, dramatic and authentic without any audible loop slicing that spoils the atmosphere. Increased length means the piano sound sustains more naturally, so the piano sounds more real throughout the performance, not just at the attack. To round out the piano offerings, the SP-250 Midi Keyboard also features a vintage electric grand sound, as well as an authentic honky-tonk piano. Differences in playing dynamics and position in the stereo field have been faithfully captured, delivering naturally expressive piano sounds that recreate every detail. Korg has offered three versions of this amazing piano sounds in order to suite different tastes and genre needs.

Additional instrument voices and related features in SP-250:

The features of the SP250 Portable Digital Piano does not stop with it as it boasts a range of additional instrument voices that include an assortment of classic electric pianos (reed and tine styles), church and jazz organs, string and choir sounds, harpsichord and clav(s), even mallet percussion and guitar sounds are available at the touch of a button. Whatever is the situation you are trying to play the SP250, you will be able to find the appropriate sound that you are looking for. Two sounds can be layered together to play simultaneously, and of course you can adjust the balance to get the perfect blend. To help you audition the sounds 30 demonstration songs ranging from classics to originals are built in, showing off all the sounds in a variety of musical genres.

Dual effects built-in:

The piano has even got effects such as reverb and chorusing, built-in. While the Reverb effect recreates the spaciousness of a concert hall, a chorus effect a colourful depth to the sound. This enhances your favourite instrument sounds and the instrument layering function will aid in people who like experimenting and exploring. The effects settings have been optimized for each individual sound and the user can choose from three levels: Light, Normal and Deep in order to complement his or her performance.

RH3 weighted keyboard action:

The RH3 weighted keyboard action adds to the real piano like experience that is already offered by the SP250’s realistic piano sound. The working principle of this latest refinement of the “Real Hammer” mechanism is that, the RH3 keys are weighted differently depending on where they are in the keyboard’s range, emulating the subtle variations in action of an acoustic piano’s keyboard. Musicians who are used to playing on an acoustic instrument will appreciate the quick response from SP250 and also the familiar feel of the RH3 keys, whereas, the new players will be getting the accurate piano experience they will need to be comfortable on the real thing later on. Not only are the keys on the SP-250 substantial and responsive, but their sensitivity range can be adjusted to suit the player.

Extras:

Korg has also added a lot of other extras that would make practicing in the instrument very efficient, either with some experts help or alone. The board has got a flexible metronome along with an intuitive slider that aids in tempo adjustment. There are also two headphone outputs, one for the student and another for the teacher along with a transpose function which will be very handy for playing along with your favourite songs. In addition to equal temperament, the SP-250 provides the two most common Baroque and Classical era tunings (Kirnberger and Werckmeister) for historically-accurate performances.

A complete package:

As we had mentioned in the introduction, the package is complete in a real manner as everything that you will ever need has been included in the package itself. The box includes a very sturdy stand, built-in speakers and even an integrated damper pedal. There is nothing more you could possibly expect from a digital piano keyboard.

Robust stand:

The best among the included accessories is the sturdy and robust stand which makes the keyboard even more compact. We say that because, being a compact keyboard, there is no point if it is going to be placed on some desk or dining table. The stand provided not only occupies very less work space, it makes the whole experience even more stylish. Since this sturdy and durable stand is custom designed for the SP250, you will not experience any kind of wobbling or tipping.

Damper pedal:

The pedal is optional for most of the digital piano keyboards of this price range, but Korg has included the damper pedal as standard with the SP250. The damper pedal included gives the user access to a realistic acoustic piano damping action, which adds to the realism and expressiveness of the musical instrument. The pedal gets attached itself securely to the integrated stand and hence, it does not slide back and forth when the player plays the instrument. The stand’s lower crossbar even prevents the pedal from “creeping” forward in performance. Best of all, the SP-250 can be easily removed from the stand for moving and taking around for live performances.

Built-in speakers:

The built-in speaker system which is a full range system is a very powerful one. This makes the entire package complete and makes the instrument playable right out of the box. Each of the speakers have a power of 11watts and a range that sports a bass reflex port to have extended low end. This configuration helps in faithfully reproducing inspiring and stereo sampled piano sounds on the Korg SP 250.

Warranty:

Korg offers the SP-250 88 key Portable Digital Piano one year limited warranty.

Conclusion:

The Korg SP-250 has turned out to be the bestfor any pianist looking for rich piano sounds and has the convenience of a lightweight and portable instrument. The SP250 proves to be a perfect instrument for both a novice user who is looking to learn playing the instrument and for an adept in the instrument. The SP250 will have you playing right out of the box.

The Korg SP-250 is a top quality portable piano with amazing sounds and an expressive graded action keyboard. Its built-in musical styles with other features like chorus & reverb effects, layering and key transpose feature makes the digital keyboard a great value for money. The SP-250 is perfect for those who appreciate quality in both sound and design.


KORG SP-250 Digital Piano – Technical Specifications, Features

Manufacturer	Korg
Model Name	Korg SP-250 digital piano keyboard
Keyboard type	Digital Piano keyboard
Dimensions	50.98″ (W) x 14.96″ (D) x 5.51″ (H)
Weight	41.89 lbs
Keyboard	88 notes (A0 – C8), Real Weighted Hammer Action 3 keyboard
Touch Control	Light, Normal, Heavy
Sound Generation	Stereo Sampling System
LED display	Yes
Polyphony	60 notes (max)
Sounds	30 (5 Pianos, 7 Electric Pianos, Harpsichord, 2 Clavs, Vibraphone, Marimba, Acoustic Guitar, 3 Jazz Organs, 3 Church Organs, 3 Strings, 3 Choirs)
Effects	Reverb, Chorus (3 levels each)
Demo	30 songs (10 songs in 3 banks)
Metronome	Tempo, Time Signature, Accent and Volume controls
Tuning	Key Transpose, Fine Tuning, Temperament
Pedal	Damper-style (included), half-pedaling supported
Main Amp	2 x 11 Watt
Speakers	Dual Cone Speakers (2 x 10 cm) with bass-reflex speaker box
Power Supply	DC 12V (External AC adapter) 3.5A
Power Consumption	42W
Package contents	Stand, Music stand, Damper pedal, AC adapter
Warranty	One year

M-Audio, which was formerly known as the Midiman, is a part of the Avid technology. M-Audio is a designer and importer of a wide range of audio products that includes digital audio work stations, keyboard MIDI controllers, studio monitors and condenser microphones. M-Audio is primarily a Chinese company. The following is a detailed review on M-Audio’s Oxygen 8 v2 25-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller.

The Oxygen 8 v2 is basically the enhanced and updated version of the mobile MIDI controller that was responsible for the mobile studio revolution. In the current era even the smallest of the MIDI controllers come packed to the gills with a lot of bells and whistles and Oxygen 8 v2 25-Key controller Portable Keyboard is not an exception.

Extremely compact offering mobile operation:

The Oxygen 8 v2 Portable 25-key keyboard looks very much similar to its popular predecessor, but it has got a redesign done and in fact looks much better. Though the form factor remains to be the same, thankfully, the original’s unattractive casing and logo are replaced with rather a stylish orange and silver colour scheme with a chunky styling. Front panel sports a three segment LCD that gives the information that is required for programming the parameters in a glance. The M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2 MIDI controller is fully USB powered and does not have any fragile appendages. It can be tossed in to bags without any fear of damage.

Cleverly deigned:

The entire unit has a clever design by locating the modulation wheels and the pitchbend, just above the left hand side of the keys. This kind of an arrangement makes the unit shorter making it even more compact. This compactness of the M-Audio Oxygen 8 V2 Digital Piano Keyboard is a great advantage to the controller as it needs very less desk space and can be carried around easily.

The control panel:

As in the case of the mobile MIDI controller, M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2 too is having eight limited movement knobs. Along with the 8 limited movement knobs, it also sports an all new transport control section that includes controls like play, stop, record, forward, rewind and loop. The user will also be able to transpose notes on the two octave keyboard up five octaves or down four octaves by using the large octave shift button that has a convenient place on the right of the pitch and modulation wheels. It possesses ten factory presets that cover a wide range of soft synths. The available presets can also be overwritten with user’s own set of customisable setups.

Snapshot mode and mute mode:

The control panel of the keyboard also possesses a set of controls that allows the user to access various functions of the keyboard that includes a snapshot mode and a mute mode. The Snapshot mode is where all the MIDI controllers send their value to the user’s sequencer and the mute mode is where the knobs can be adjusted and made sure that the data is not sent out. The mute button prevents parameters from jumping when they are changed and then the snapshot button has to be pressed in order to transmit all the current settings.

Advanced editing mode:

The Advanced Function button enables the keyboard to serve as a data entry device for the sake of controller assignment and similar set-up functionalities. The advanced editing mode also allows the users to make easy CC adjustments. All of them are labelled clearly. All it takes is just a couple of button pushes to access these and the other keyboard parameters. This makes the Oxygen 8 v2 perfect for composing on the go or even performing live bass lines and pads, firing samples, or triggering audio and visual effects.

Stack of features:

M-Audio’s Oxygen 8 v2 25-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller is stacked with a range of features that includes 25-note velocity-sensitive, synth action with +/-4 octave transposition, Dual MIDI outputs and Ableton Live Lite music.

The Enigma editing software:

The Enigma editing software allows you to set up the MIDI keyboard controller as per wish without having to resort to the Advanced editing mode where the notes of the keyboard doubles as edit buttons and function. A lot of parameter options are available that can be accessed using Enigma editing software that can be downloaded from the M-Audio website after registering your details in the site. It is M-Audio’s patch editing and library software that can be used to create customised controller set-ups. Once the software is installed, it is a breeze to operate as it has a very simple and user-friendly interface. This interface includes a graphical representation of the M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2 MIDI Electronic keyboard, making it a snap in making a choice on which button or controller needs to be edited.

All that you have to do is, double click over an assignable control and that action would bring up an Editor window. The attributes of the control can be tailored to the user’s specific requirements in this window. To add to the ease of use of the interface, a list view can also be got instead of the graphical interface. Once the process of preset is completed, it can be saved to a PC and transferred to and fro the keyboard controller at your will and wish. This is a great advantage as, with a limited memory of 10 slots, the user will be able to create as many presets as they like and then copy them across the keyboard when required. This Enigma software is compatible with both Mac and PC.

Memory:

As mentioned earlier, M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2 25-Key USB MIDI Portable Keyboard has got ten non volatile memory locations and is compatible with the free Enigma software for a computer based storage, retrieval and management of an unlimited number of patches.

Total control of the MIDI functionalities:

Oxygen 8 v2 MIDI Keyboard Controller gives the user a total MIDI control. It has proved that MIDI is just not about triggering the notes by offering everything that it takes to access all the deep parameters in software and hardware, hence enabling you to get the maximum out of them. The eight knobs can be mapped to any of the synth parameters that the user would want to program or perform or even mixer controls like volume, panning and effects send. The buttons can be assigned to trigger sample and perform anything else that is MIDI programmable. Though the assignment is simple, it allows the user to delve as deep as they would want. Each of the controller will be able to map any applicable parameter in the MIDI spec which also includes the independent channel addressing for each. In short, the possibilities as limited only by the users imagination.

Ableton Live Lite:

Ableton Live Lite delivers much of the functionality of Ableton Live which is the revolutionary, multi-award winning music production solution that allows the user to spontaneously compose, record, remix, improvise and edit your musical ideas in a seamless audio/MIDI environment. Live brings the acoustic, electronic and virtual instruments, as well as the digital audio recordings and MIDI sequences together in a single interface with unparalleled ease of use.

Warranty:

M-Audio offers M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2 two years warranty.

Verdict:

The M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2 is a fine controller keyboard that performs its duty with a great deal of efficiency. Despite the high level of sophistication of the M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2, it is pretty tiny, offering a great deal of portability and ease of use. Though it would have been highly useful if more presets are supplied, the Enigma software offered makes creation a pain free and a speedy process. The Oxygen 8 v2 in particular fulfils its mandates splendidly. It has managed to pack a great of functionality into a tiny space and is a great fun to be used. It is a great addition to the MIDI controller market and we recommend it without a slightest of hesitation.


M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2 MIDI Keyboard – Technical Specifications, Features

Manufacturer	M-Audio
Model Name	Oxygen 8 v2
Keyboard type	MIDI Controller keyboard
Dimensions (L x W x H)	40.2 cm x 24.9 cm x 7.3 cm
Weight	1.9 kg
Compatibility	MME Mac OS X Core MIDI
Minimum PC requirements	Pentium 3 – 800 MHz or higher 256 MB RAM DirectX 9.0b or higher Windows XP (SP1) or higher (Windows 98, Me, NT, or 2000 not supported)
Minimum Mac requirements	Macintosh G3* 800/G4* 733 MHz or higher OS X 10.2.8 w/ 256 MB RAM OS X 10.3.4 or greater w/ 512 MB RAM
LED display	3-segment LED screen
Power supply	USB 1.1 upstream (Type B) port Optional power supply
Sustain pedal jack	Yes
MIDI Out jack	Yes
Memory	10 non-volatile memories
Memory dump via Sys Ex	Yes
Software included	Enigma librarian Ableton Live Lite
Keyboard special features	25-note velocity-sensitive synth-action keyboard with USB MIDI interface 8 fully assignable MIDI controller knobs 6 transport buttons also assignable to any MIDI parameter Assignable pitch bend and modulation wheels octave up/down, transpose up/down 5 top-panel function buttons plus additional programming functions on keybed All controllers fully programmable to MIDI controller number
Warranty	Two years