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Kurzweil MIDIboard: poly pressure vs. CS-80

2004-10-01 by David Rogoff

I had a question for anyone who's got experience with both the CS-80 
and the MIDIBoard.  For me, the best part of the CS-80 is the 
keyboard: the feel, the velocity sensing and the pressure sensing.  
I love how the pressure has the rubber bits under the keys that 
squish down about 1/16" or more as you press harder.  

I used to have a Roland A-80, which I got mostly because it had poly-
pressure.  I still think the A-80 had about the best piano action 
I've ever played, but the pressure sensing was horrible.  The 
problem (besides the senstivity, which could mostly be fixed) was 
that the keys didn't move any after the initial bottoming out.  
There was zero physical feedback, unlike the Yamaha.  I had the same 
problem with an Ensoniq SQ-80 (actually, I hated everything about 
the keyboard on it).

So, what about the MIDIBoard?  I haven't seen one in many years and 
don't remember the feel.  How does it compare to the CS-80?  Even 
better - anyone using one to control the CS80v program?  Does it 
respond like the real thing?  They pop up on eBay once in a while, 
so I'm wondering if one would be worth going after.

Any other poly-pressure keyboards to report on (Prophet T8, GEM 
S2/3)?

 David

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