Nektar Impact LX88+?

[bluzdogs]

I want to replace my Alesis Recital Pro 88 keyboard with a piano that's better suited for MIDI. Thanks to another RT post I was able to improve my latency issue but after a while I've found that there's still way too much delay when I'm playing up-tempo. It really screws up my timing. And that's an understatement.

There's a setting to turn off the local MIDI but it's still just not good enough. To my point, I've been looking seriously at the Nektar Impact LX88+ and would like to know if anyone here has any experience with that particular model and how they like/dislike it.

What initially caught my attention is its integration with Reason. But what I'm really curious about is the key action. I also have an Oxygen 49 MKIV which I love - it just doesn't have enough keys! None of the music stores near me have the LX88 in stock else I would go check it out for myself.

With the Oxygen I have zero latency issues and naturally I'm looking for that in my new keyboard. The keys on the Oxygen are nearly effortless to play which might beg the question "why not just get another M Audio controller?"

Who knows, I might ultimately do that but I'm really interested in the Nektar. Thanks for the help!!

[Garven]

I was seriously considering the LX88 recently but I kept reading online about issues with the black keys having a different velocity response from the white ones so I instead went for a Native Instruments A61. The keybed on it is fantastic but the lack of integration with Reason made me regret buying it. However, NI claims they are about to release an update with MCU support this summer so that should rectify the problem.

[bluzdogs]

I was seriously considering the LX88 recently but I kept reading online about issues with the black keys having a different velocity response from the white ones so I instead went for a Native Instruments A61. The keybed on it is fantastic but the lack of integration with Reason made me regret buying it. However, NI claims they are about to release an update with MCU support this summer so that should rectify the problem.

Thanks, Garven! I hadn't seen anything about the velocity issue. Fortunately I'm not in a huge hurry to buy although I do want to do the swap in the next 30-45 days.

[Re8et]

I have it, I use it, it's ok.
You can save different presets, that may come in handy if you want to control real hardware.
The Reason preset is just there to show you how can you program it, but then it is just you that have to learn
how to use it in your basic needs, that usually means create a default Impact session that is consistent.

What Graven says is true, and also white keys seems to have somewhat of an exponential response.
One cool thing is that you can split program it.
If you need sysex assign to pots or faders instead just forget it about.

It also does not have a proper GUI for the editor, so you need to write down what you are doing, or you'll end up
constantly re-setting the presets because there's no way to see what assignments have you made.

It has global midi out and works ok both usb powered and 9v, which is a big plus for me.