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Vinz67 « Excellent quality price »
Published on 09/21/14 at 02:03
Value For Money :
Excellent
The keyboard is very nice. Mostly I was looking for a workstation with a good heavy feel, I found the feel of A08 was superior in many digital pianos input and even middle midrange! In addition we have a pitch bend, modulation and two assignable button.
Connectivity is basic but not insignificant. For my taste it lacks a MIDI Thru (there are only IN and OUT), but we have taken two programmable pedals and that's good.
The sounds are very numerous, and categorized and each part can have its own effect, it's really more for multitimbral use.
The Sampler échantilloner lets you play, play WAV, MP3. Samples can not be used as a source for the patches.
There is also an arpeggiator, chord memory (do not care) and "rhythm" patter that lets you use the arpeggiator as a rhythm (with entro / ending, fill in, variation).
UTILIZATION
The general config is simple, since the system is always in performance mode (Studio Set).
The manual (same reference) does not explain everything. Someone who knows nothing synths will quickly stripped if he wants to go beyond the basic use.
Editing sounds is easy enough: it's either supernatural cfm (31 sounds that can only change a little color), or it is supernatural synth (there it is pretty fun, a real analog synth!) or it's the classic Roland PCM.
I did my A08 for a week so I have not explored everything, but I read the entire manual. The sequencer is fairly simple to use (more than my SY-77 but hey 24 years apart!)
It lacks a bit of direct access buttons and must often use +/- / ENTER / Exit. Screen printing is also a little dark, the keys are black so in the dark we go to grope.
So you almost 1.42 wide so if you have a stand (like me) of 1,40cm wide, must tinker around.
SOUNDS
The sounds are really beautiful, and embellished with high quality effects. Piano Supernatural is really nice. Sets, violins, organs (except tubing) and Rhodes are great. Synths are great even if we regret the lack of variety of presets. The bass is also superb, and the guitars not bad. Overall, it's very musical and enjoyable to play.
There are only a few Wurlitzers, I remain a bit on my hunger. There are only 2 presets accordions and nothing like drinking pipe organ. There really is no DX7 piano guy with "long" type tines of what is expected in "E.Piano 2" in a GM bank.
The effects are great. The instrument is absolutely silent (no wind) but I noticed that sometimes I like a crackling that persists after selecting certain sounds, I hope so an update will resolve this.
OVERALL OPINION
I've had a week, I already love it. Its keyboard excellent (although no aftertouch), Super Natural sounds with superb piano, easy to use sequencer.
It can affect per game, 3.4 more global effects, plus 6 different compressors for the battery, all at the same time. Competition is buried.
Even if it's all over, it is regrettable that may be all in plastoc, smaller than the other models screen, lack of direct access buttons, but that's good for bigger FANTOMs that cost more. O is consolation, it weighs only 15 pounds, incredible for a keyboard of this quality.
In short this is a great value for money. Cheaper but less sharp than Kurzweil PC3K8 (I envisioned), cheaper as a Korg Krome 88 but nothing to envy, but with SuperNatural sounds and effects that make the key is there . At that price it will be a hit.
Connectivity is basic but not insignificant. For my taste it lacks a MIDI Thru (there are only IN and OUT), but we have taken two programmable pedals and that's good.
The sounds are very numerous, and categorized and each part can have its own effect, it's really more for multitimbral use.
The Sampler échantilloner lets you play, play WAV, MP3. Samples can not be used as a source for the patches.
There is also an arpeggiator, chord memory (do not care) and "rhythm" patter that lets you use the arpeggiator as a rhythm (with entro / ending, fill in, variation).
UTILIZATION
The general config is simple, since the system is always in performance mode (Studio Set).
The manual (same reference) does not explain everything. Someone who knows nothing synths will quickly stripped if he wants to go beyond the basic use.
Editing sounds is easy enough: it's either supernatural cfm (31 sounds that can only change a little color), or it is supernatural synth (there it is pretty fun, a real analog synth!) or it's the classic Roland PCM.
I did my A08 for a week so I have not explored everything, but I read the entire manual. The sequencer is fairly simple to use (more than my SY-77 but hey 24 years apart!)
It lacks a bit of direct access buttons and must often use +/- / ENTER / Exit. Screen printing is also a little dark, the keys are black so in the dark we go to grope.
So you almost 1.42 wide so if you have a stand (like me) of 1,40cm wide, must tinker around.
SOUNDS
The sounds are really beautiful, and embellished with high quality effects. Piano Supernatural is really nice. Sets, violins, organs (except tubing) and Rhodes are great. Synths are great even if we regret the lack of variety of presets. The bass is also superb, and the guitars not bad. Overall, it's very musical and enjoyable to play.
There are only a few Wurlitzers, I remain a bit on my hunger. There are only 2 presets accordions and nothing like drinking pipe organ. There really is no DX7 piano guy with "long" type tines of what is expected in "E.Piano 2" in a GM bank.
The effects are great. The instrument is absolutely silent (no wind) but I noticed that sometimes I like a crackling that persists after selecting certain sounds, I hope so an update will resolve this.
OVERALL OPINION
I've had a week, I already love it. Its keyboard excellent (although no aftertouch), Super Natural sounds with superb piano, easy to use sequencer.
It can affect per game, 3.4 more global effects, plus 6 different compressors for the battery, all at the same time. Competition is buried.
Even if it's all over, it is regrettable that may be all in plastoc, smaller than the other models screen, lack of direct access buttons, but that's good for bigger FANTOMs that cost more. O is consolation, it weighs only 15 pounds, incredible for a keyboard of this quality.
In short this is a great value for money. Cheaper but less sharp than Kurzweil PC3K8 (I envisioned), cheaper as a Korg Krome 88 but nothing to envy, but with SuperNatural sounds and effects that make the key is there . At that price it will be a hit.