All user reviews for the Arturia Analog Experience The Laboratory

Keyboard 49 keys first generation, in / out MIDI inputs for sustain pedals and expression.

Several controls on the front which faders, rotary and PAD, aftertouch.

UTILIZATION

I chose this keyboard to use with the pack Arturia synth.

The hit is not really exceptional compared to semi-heavy hit some other keyboards even see prices cheaper but quite similar to that of the North, for example. It's still quite "plastic".

Faders and other rotating are quite fragile and stand in quite easily.

Configuration, thanks among other bundled software is simple enough against it by more than Novation. So this side is a good point.


In the end I only can use, I thought I would have a little less need for the mouse but ultimately longer composer keyboardist I have no useful than I thought.

OVERALL OPINION

It's been several years since I have, I almost sell several times in the end it is always!

It helps me many times, but I also have an M-Audio Keystation 61 has a much better feel for a lot cheaper. But this one controller.

I do not know their latest models, I would assume they have the resolve certain problems, the price seemed to justify the time, it still remains a bit expensive.

So not with the experience I do not have that choice without the curse either, it's still a decent keyboard.

I bought this product on the fact that it reproduces the sound of analog synths of the time.

UTILIZATION

I bought the product without keyboard just software

OVERALL OPINION

The sounds are interesting now that are not analog sound it lacks a bit of heat. The problem is that the sounds are very little changed with the lab pack. In fact to really have access to the modulations must be purchased separately each synth.

I use it on Logic 9 and I find it unstable compared to other plug. I also bought Trillian is a plug in any kind of bass, electric, analog synth and I am confused in the sounds that interest me because in fact there is more bass sounds grainy and the sound power seems better. Others will find on Arturia personally I'm not just keyboardist guitarist who wanted to have a little fun.

First impression (which is good) a robust keyboard and done! good connectivity (USB / MIDI IN OUT THGH / Pedal etc. ....) the pads and faders and knobs are good bills and are easily accessible. The 49 keys on the keyboard are a nice touch and after touch works pretty well. The weight is therefore but rather the quality and robustness necessarily go hand in hand ...

UTILIZATION

Nice touch and aftertouch, perfect for my use HS. I have not read the manual and it works very well and nothing magical noted. The opportunity to work with the computer sounds and inject them into the keyboard to set memory (without the ordo) is really well done.
The configuration could not be easier.

Sounds and patches are displayed on a (small) screen with two knobs and three buttons to navigate ...

OVERALL OPINION

For almost two years.

I was only analog, I'm just a midi keyboard would be a good thing ...

+ I like the finish and sounds with which it is delivered (software Experience The Laboratory), you can tweak a little and put back into the keyboard's memory

- The sounds come with (although there are many many) can be a little work but you can not touch the settings for synths, you have to buy it for the Arturia V collection and attention to portfolio ...

To be honest, I had the small 25 provided with Analog Player.
As soon as I saw the keyboard with Analog Laboratory, I fell over, not without having tried it before, it is now increasingly recognized by the software, nothing to do. This is a good keyboard nice touch in version 49 and 61. a mild blue screen does help to follow the sequences and sounds.
Short a Top Arturia. The connection is complete, USB, MIDI in and out, Aux, food, Expression Pedal, Sustain, Breath, and an on / off switch. A sturdy metal body and wood, a look of vintage and futuristic.

UTILIZATION

Already mentioned, I like the feel, but to each his own, I see the pianists do not fit.
The manual is in French and clear, a model of its kind, and the configuration with Analog, no problem, the software is immediately recognized by the keyboard and vice versa, assignments and methods are pre-configured, a set of child, which does not preclude assign other software music / sounds / Daw, over all Arturia software is usable with this keyboard.
The selection of MIDI channels is simple with all the classic software patches are not a problem. It has 10 switches, 4 Pads (super), 10 "pots", 9 sliders and other envelopes, sequencer, 2 mini pads UP and Down. Of course, the Soft can also be used with other keyboards, for example I could easily operate with EMU Xboard 61 great for its time and now also.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 years, the software before, and yes I bought the pack only for the keyboard! For models yes, of course (Roland, Yamaha, Korg, EMU, Arturia, M-Audio, Akai, Prodipe, Behringer, etc..), But this one, for its ease with Analog Laboratory, and the vintage look WYD for Fans. I like the rugged look, it is beautiful and practical, there are sounds Vintage WYD, Vangelis, Enya, etc..
I would buy a range or above, but I have several keyboards already enough for my styles. I would add that in addition Arturia offers 5000 sounds and other offers like Analog Lab to 19 € instead of 89 €, which is not insignificant to be recorded in their client. Frankly, for the price, the quality and finish are there, when I read some reviews before, I do not think they have found better, and problems, they are often associated with PC configuration, home studio, as experience is knowing just plug here. I was the note for skeptics.

The product was recommended to me by a fellow musician. I bought it at Rennes in Level Crossing where I was assured that it was a Plug In Plug n Play reliable and efficient. It has never worked despite numerous correspondence with Arturia and the dealer. He always crash Cubase 5 full version, then Cubase 6 on a very powerful station. Steinberg refers to Arturia gives me some indication of configuration settings in Cubase and Arturia, but the product is unusable. I asked after a little over a year that my refund. I obviously recommend.

UTILIZATION

The manual is strictly inquipe no basis to set the sequencer software.

OVERALL OPINION

Unusable for me.

First, I want to clarify one thing that seems to me essential, contrary to what I read here in a view, it is of course quite possible to use the sounds of the software "The laboratory analog" as any plug-in instrument in any DAW. I use to share my Pro Tools MP9 and "The Analog Laboratory" works just like any other plugin. Moreover, this price should not expect to get all the Arturia synths and it is clearly stated in the specifications, only pre-sets are available with a minimum of settings (in fact, a point of view a particular software: poly or mono). But the keyboard is there and all the pre-sets responding to their essential parameters via keyboard settings (resonant filters, delay, chorus, etc ...).
And if you want full access, you must actually possess the corresponding software keyboard. In this case, the "Edit" button launches a complete software interface of the synth in question. With the "Mini Moog", the "Arp 2600" and "Moog Modular", I can attest.
The catalog of sounds and synths available was decisive in my choice: the synths correspond mostly to those used in my favorite style of music, Progressive Rock.

UTILIZATION

My keyboard does not happily meeting all the problems that some users found their own opinion here. Everything works perfectly, and with the sounds or pre-sets, the keyboard provides access to parameters more or less numerous but always well chosen, being more "strategic" in relation to the Treaty. However, the number of sounds included with the software included with the keyboard allows to cope with many situations and this software excels as a stand-alone.
As always with Arturia, the manual is a model of the kind many publishers should follow. Clear and comprehensive, it allows a quick start and efficient to both the keyboard and the software.
The keyboard, comprehensive, provides access to many settings, as I have already pointed out, in real time on the sounds loaded. It offers 10 user memories that store their favorite sounds to be able to immediately load a given sound. Storage in these 10 locations is through the interface of the software with one click or by the keyboard difficult to do more simple and convenient. To the right of the keyboard are four pads particularly useful when the "scene" is enabled. We can vary the rhythm given line in some pre-sets this mode via pads significantly changing the percussion figures in real time, with a visual indication in the software on the duration of each of these figures for so good combos.
Regarding the power of the machine capable of running all this, it is also not necessary to have a supercomputer. Take a look at my setup in the "my gear" and you will find that it is not state of the art!

OVERALL OPINION

I have another keyboard, M-Audio, but does not have all the possibilities of this Arturia thought, once again, to work in perfect harmony with the software developer. But the M-Audio is obviously sounds Arturia software, including the "Analog Laboratory", like any other plug-in Arturia control and any other sound from other developers ( Native Instruments, for example). It is absolutely not a closed system. And if the plug-in allows, you can use the other knobs and sliders settings Arturia keyboard. It is also possible to spliter it which sometimes shows very interesting.
The proposed tariff, it is a beautiful and good deal: a full keyboard, sensitive, with a significant number of adjustments and transport controls comes with intuitive software, offering 3500 sounds, most of the editable level of essential parameters, allowing a sort intelligeant with management favorites eg, this is just excellent.
Then, with experience and if necessary, I do it again this choice without hesitation.

I chose this keyboard after reading a lot of test on the net, and given the technical characteristics that semblai me be the best choice in this price range.

Good as frankly tell you right away, I returned one week after receipt.

I will repeat what has been said above but basically we sell it as the last vintage midi keyboard design with all the plug on the inside arturia, 3500 nimble bla bla, but is good ...

Already the first thing I took me a while to understand is that the plug included with the keyboard (CS 80; prophet V, ARP 2600 ect ..) are SIMPLIFIED VERSIONS and it is possible to access all the parameters of the plug, to use a daw, if you buy the package or separately plug!

Well I can tell you they do not insist on this point much of the site arturia, it is clearly written anywhere and even after reading the test on AF, I bought this keyboard thinking buy At the same time the full range of plug arturia. Neni that!

So right here, we are left with 3500 sounds and four adjustable parameters for each selected factory plug :/ blah

UTILIZATION

Regarding the quality of finish / manufacturing
honestly it is a dream and a picture on paper, but when you have the keyboard hands, set apart the steel hull is far more robust than most plastic shells competitors in this range of keyboard there (akai, m- audio ...), and although we can truly say that they have not crushed in arturia and the specifications sent to the manufacturing plant in China should not contain requirements very draconian, will not be- that at the level of touch, quality finishes keys or pots, pads .. you name it.

Basically the kind of product you pay € 300/350 and there's nothing or walking after a year and a half, OF CONSUMABLE no more.

OVERALL OPINION

At the app, I do not know if everyone can afford the latest mac book pro i7, SSD, armored ram that costs ten times the price of the keyboard, but if you hope to open more than two track analog containing laboratory, c 'Yet what you need.
I have a mac book pro core 2 duo with 8GB of ram and well when I open a track like this but from two, game over, CPU overload.
So what's good to buy a keyboard full of plugins if you can not use more than one at a time, I wonder.

Morality short, I get my old keyboard Yamaha V50 bought € 50 in a garage sale ten years ago that, while connecting the afternoon and returned to the sender that joke keyboard controller too expensive for my taste by relation to the proposed product.

A word salvation.

I initially had the Arturia Analog loaded on XP and after playing with it for half an hour realized direct to DAW and MIDI file playback that the LAB program overhead on a 2 GB laptop is too intensive. I loaded a 2 min midi file in Reaper and cloned it to see how many iterations of the LAB I could run simultaneously on X32 w/ 2 GB RAM. It crashed at six. Using basic ASIO @ 128 was too low and 258 was still not right and at 512 was ok.

UTILIZATION


The fit and finish of the device is leagues beyond the price point (think high-end Kurz-like construction) and the key feel is "more" than on any other semi-weighted controller I tried. Combined with Kontakt, I am able to coax extremely subtle nuances from my sampled grand pianos by simply playing the way I would a traditional 88-key hammer-action device. Essentially, it seems as though the same attention to detail, consideration for intended users and uses and ultimately pride went into this hardware as I know Arturia puts into their software and have always heard they put into their premier hardware systems.

The sounds are ok to amazing depending on synth selected. But the entire analog synth history is covered here in a single program. You can setup by Sound or By Scene. The keyboard is very good non weighted and as a stand alone 49 key controller is worth the price of admission alone.

OVERALL OPINION

Overall, I love it. My first venture into Arturia world and Good job Arturia! I am not disappointed They could have done a better job on the manual but nobody is perfect but actually very easy setup and authorization is a breeze. So if you can look past the manual you will love this keyboard that’s loaded with presets!

I was looking for a keyboard master
. transportable (to wear under the arm) and not too bulky,
. with a keyboard touch dynamics pleasant
. 2 wheels with pitch and modulation, at least 4 buttons, 8 pots, 8 faders,
. with at least one MIDI output.

With this keyboard, the contract was more than satisfied. In addition, there are:
. the pads that I have not had a chance to really test it,
. dedicated buttons to the sequencer: play, stop, record,
. it is possible to connect an expression pedal and sustain.

UTILIZATION

Important! I am not a pianist!

Among the keypad dynamics I've experienced, this one is nice, seems durable. Obviously, the keys have the game on a left-right movement, but it seems common to all keyboards of this type. After some tests, I am surprised almost take pleasure to use ...

Important thing because that's what I wanted: the pots have an endless race, but no notching.

Configuration is very simple: I plugged the keyboard on a USB port, I connected the MIDI cable, I opened Reason 4 (which has not acknowledged at the auto-detection, so I ' I had to add it by hand) and I have assignments on controllers that have worked. Then I open Cubase and 6 Similarly, the assignments have not been a problem.

I like the LCD screen that displays information on the controller used and can change them.

The manual is clear to me, I did not fully read it but the installation and getting started are simple and do not really require to take the lead.

Notice that I do not speak any of Analog synth Laboratory. Indeed:
. one hand, I tested 5 minutes after installing it without any problems (luckily I had the Cubase dongle, if not, I understand that it is possible to use the hard drive), without really pay attention to sound quality,
. on the other hand, I bought the keyboard ... keyboard-controller! and not a synth added.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 days ... I will post a review later, when the use has highlighted the strengths and weaknesses.

I had 4 keyboards in sight in the same price range:
Akai MPK 49 (€ 349): I tested in store. First impression: it's a toy! Plastic rotten, big buttons and large sliders practices to handle, but poor finishing and printing of fragility and low strength. Keyboard unpleasant to the touch.
The Arturia Analog Laboratory (€ 333): I tested in store. My impressions above.
M-Audio Axiom 49 Pro (€ 339): I tested in store. A plastic housing of poor quality, a touch unconvincing, contact with the controllers did not please me. Another toy ...
Novation Remote 49 SL MKII (359 €): I could not test but there were other Novation keyboards in the store I tested: the touch keyboard not bad, sturdy pots.

Finally, I chose the Arturia:
. to finish: steel hull (the only one of the four!)
. to the keyboard pretty well screwed,
. controllers for its small but numerous.

I did not choose the Novation:
. because the Automap software adds a layer of software between the keyboard-controller and sequencer, and I think there are enough,
. because it seems suitable for live but not necessary for the home studio,
. LEDs that flash around, I'm tired and when it fails, it prevents proper use,
. the finish is less neat than for Arturia.

Arturia: good quality / price ratio. Without the synth, I will have bought anyway.

The controller looked good on camera, and the principle of the match to the V Series was interesting. Also, the browsing patches seemed greatly simplified.

Unfortunately, I found the keybed very cheap, the knobs fragile, browsing the little interesting, and very difficult to get the plugin from the V Collection (must be 3 or 4 browser in sub menus ...)

UTILIZATION

I hate touching it. I am afraid to break the keys ... You take a key, and you can move it from left to right about 1 / 2 cm ...

Navigation is difficult, and the user interface overload and the same color ...

OVERALL OPINION

I've had two months, it is for sale since 1 month, and I used two weeks ...

I had a dozen of which twelve o'clock controller Novation Remote SL 37, Yamaha KX 8, Novation KS 4, microKONTROL Korg, DSI Mopho ...

What I like most: metal box, wooden side.
What I like least: the rest ...

Value for money: correct.

I do not that choice would do.

First, the connectors:
MIDI in and out, sustain pedal, expression pedal, USB, auxiliary input jack and an input format "breath".
So my motivations for 'technical': in fact, I decided to buy this keyboard after buying the mini version of the range: the Player.
Background to the purchase of Player: I was looking for a small keyboard for mobile use. After some extensive research, I stopped on this bundle software / hardware as seduced by the apparent robustness of the keyboard than the offer itself. After a short time of use on my laptop, I started thinking about the "long version" for my music station sets ... knowing that the keyboard like the software would allow me to push a little further the capacity of this pack ... and I confess I am not disappointed and, for several reasons ...
I said that before the purchase, I tried the demo version downloadable soft laboratory ...

UTILIZATION

Let the formalities: the manual is clear and relatively sufficient (or appropriate) given the ease of use at all.
The configuration could not be simpler: powered by USB, the keyboard is immediately recognized by the computer and sequencer. The "unlock" the software is via the web: a card number is provided, they are among the Arturia website which gives us the activation code ... it takes a few minutes at most.
Today, I will only comment on the keyboard ... the software will come later (I have not toured the 3500 sounds provided or scenes).
So, to my surprise, this keyboard is quite nice signed CME ... very nice indeed! Of course, it still suffers from some defects (CME is not really known for the quality of its keyboard masters ... this is not a scoop!) But also has real qualities.
General short tour so ...
Already the first impression is excellent: we are faced with a sturdy aluminum keyboard and solid wood for the sides. Obviously, with such "assets", the beast weighs his weight, but somewhere, it reassures all that the finish is pretty good overall.
The knobs, sliders and other controls have good build quality even if the alignment is not clear when they are on sliders to zero ... made in China?
The pads were a nice touch ... sliders, pitch bend and modulation are manufactured in the same material.
The knobs and buttons, they are in "hard" plastic and not rubber ... Note that, if the Player version, the knobs are notched, this is not the same for the laboratory version ...
Also note that the knobs "scene" and "preset" buttons are to facilitate the selection of sounds in the app.
The pads are velocity sensitive personal but I find they lack the flexibility ... it is fast noise beyond the sounds themselves ...
And then ... 4 is frankly just ... especially when you're used to 16 (PADKONTROL) ... difficult to build a drum set with only 4 pads ... It is therefore understandable that these pads are mainly there to trigger drum loops implanted in the soft (and scenes), something very "practical" to give a bit of inspiration but also for a possible game live ... available without a drummer!
The sliders appear solid despite their small size ... they have a well balanced, and strength can go a little further into the sound processing.
The knobs, small as well, also seem strong enough ... too bad they are not serrated like the player ... it does not change much but still!
The keyboard is soft and pleasant enough for the game's momentum is good but I'm not yet convinced by the aftertouch that seems pretty light ...
Still, the keyboard leaves a good impression of its "flexibility" and by a relatively solid. I have no particular difference noted between the top and bottom of the keyboard as has been said in the forum ... the feeling is the same along the entire length ... and it is rather a good feeling.
Manufacturing (CEM) of this keyboard is very honorable and offers an easy touch that rivals the best keyboards of my set!

The prémap is also a strong point of this keyboard ... not just for the software that accompanies it but also for other VSTS or for other keyboards!
I did a test by connecting the laboratory to my Korg MicroX via midi ... and I must say that I quickly appreciated not having to go into detail on the small screen MicroX to assign the different parameters of modulation, LFO and more ... Between the ten or assignable knobs assigned and sliders, control over the sounds from other keyboards is very intuitive as there is no programming to do, recognizing the laboratory signals noon!




OVERALL OPINION

I use it only for a few weeks and have not toured the sounds ... that's why I did not address the issue today ...
But side keyboard is pretty good!
I tried a few models before because I was already convinced by the "formula" after the test player ...
There, I spend 25 to 49 keys, from minimum to maximum and controller from 1000 to 3500 sounds ... the 25 keys is my portable solution, the 49 keys to my throne in my screen fixed station ...
The characteristic I like most ... the prémap! The touch keyboard is also ... prémap but is a lot, but then a lot of time to win!
What I like least ... aftertouch but it is yet to be verified to give a final opinion.
Level quality / price ratio: do the math ... the software alone costs 189 euros ... paid 327 euro, the keyboard I finally returned to 138 euros ... But I doubt that for this price, you can find one as good build quality ...
The offer is very honest!
This ... I'll be back when I toured the sounds ...

enjoy!