Triton Extreme vs. M50

[McHale]

I'm not ripping on Karma *OR* Stephen. Karma is phenomenal as well as inspirational and Stephen's one of the few people I trust in the industry. Here's the thread where Stephen answered my question directly:

http://www.karma-lab.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14239

Here's what he told me: "It's not that you can't do simple Arps with KARMA, you absolutely can but the basic patterns are not programmable on a note-by-note basis the way Korg's simple arpeggiator is."

I do "Won't Get Fooled Again" using an arp (since digital synths for some reason don't do square LFO stuff). I think to do it on the M3, I'd need to buy the editor software and create the pattern. Since I may need to do these types of things in rehearsal, it's not practical.

I'm definitely getting the M50-73 for playing out live. When they release what's going on with OASYS, I'll probably pick that up for the home studio.

-Mc

[FifthElement]

And after reading the review, I'm now debating the 88 key version. If I can do Foreplay on it cleanly, it'll be the first weighted keyboard I've played that could do it.

-Mc

The Korg RH3 88 action on the M50 is superb. The description in the article is spot on. Ideal weight for piano (for me anyway) but very usable for organs, synths etc.

And all this in a light portable package - go for the 88!

[McHale]

I spent 2 hours between the 88 key M3, the 88 key M50, and the 61 key M50.

Observations:

The keyboard action between the M3 and M50 were identical (and they better be since they are the same keybed). And yes, they are the best weighted action keybeds I've played.

The M50-61 keybed DOES feel plasticy as others have called it. But the longer I played it, the more I realized it was still better than my Roland D-20 (which I used to love the action of) and as good as any synth-action keybed I've played.

I was unable to do some of the organ and lead techniques that I could easily do on the 61. If I could have done them on the 88, I would have walked out with it tonight... except:

I focused the last hour comparing like-named patches between the M3 and the M50 and to me, the M50 sounded lifeless in comparison. The M3 not only sounded better, clearer, less harsh, etc, it sounded MUCH MUCH so. I used the exact same headphones between the two and there was nobody in the area.

Am I crazy? Does the M3 sound that much better than the M50 on the same patches?

-Mc

[FifthElement]

I spent 2 hours between the 88 key M3, the 88 key M50, and the 61 key M50.

Observations:

The keyboard action between the M3 and M50 were identical (and they better be since they are the same keybed). And yes, they are the best weighted action keybeds I've played.

The M50-61 keybed DOES feel plasticy as others have called it. But the longer I played it, the more I realized it was still better than my Roland D-20 (which I used to love the action of) and as good as any synth-action keybed I've played.

I was unable to do some of the organ and lead techniques that I could easily do on the 61. If I could have done them on the 88, I would have walked out with it tonight... except:

I focused the last hour comparing like-named patches between the M3 and the M50 and to me, the M50 sounded lifeless in comparison. The M3 not only sounded better, clearer, less harsh, etc, it sounded MUCH MUCH so. I used the exact same headphones between the two and there was nobody in the area.

Am I crazy? Does the M3 sound that much better than the M50 on the same patches?

-Mc

Of course you won't be able to use your best organ techniques on a weighted 88 - you need a semi-weighted waterfall keybed for that (Nord Electro, Roland VK etc.) The Korg RH3 is a good compromise though if you want to play mostly piano.

[McHale]

Of course you won't be able to use your best organ techniques on a weighted 88 - you need a semi-weighted waterfall keybed for that (Nord Electro, Roland VK etc.) The Korg RH3 is a good compromise though if you want to play mostly piano.

I kid you not, when I played it, I absolutely fell in love with it. I was *THIS* close to getting it anyway and trying to figure out a way around it. If I didn't do so much organ and lead stuff, I'd buy nothing but 88 hey Korg keyboards as long as it had that keybed. It felt great for everything I did on it.

-Mc

[FifthElement]

Of course you won't be able to use your best organ techniques on a weighted 88 - you need a semi-weighted waterfall keybed for that (Nord Electro, Roland VK etc.) The Korg RH3 is a good compromise though if you want to play mostly piano.

I kid you not, when I played it, I absolutely fell in love with it. I was *THIS* close to getting it anyway and trying to figure out a way around it. If I didn't do so much organ and lead stuff, I'd buy nothing but 88 hey Korg keyboards as long as it had that keybed. It felt great for everything I did on it.

-Mc

So ...... all you need is 1 x M50-88 & 1 x Nord Electro 2 (or 3) and MIDI in the Electro to the M50 for lead synths, guitars etc. and use the Electro for B3 sounds - perfection!