Arturia KeyLab 88 MkII

This keyboard / Midi controller is superb. It works brilliantly with Ableton and other bundled software to allow a huge variety of sounds - piano to synths, etc.
Are the keys heavy? I was a little concerned about this point before purchase. At first I found the keys a tiny bit heavy but after practicing for a few hours this is no longer an issue. I would not let this point hold you back if you are considering a purchase.
After two months, I have only just scratched the surface of what the KeyLab 88 MkII offers and already I am delighted with it.

This is my first feature rich midi controller that has weighted keys.

The keys are very nice to play.

The DAW controls are so useful. I still have to remember to use them sometimes. I keep finding myself reaching over to the mouse out of habit and then I catch myself and realise I don't need to move.

Also, one amazing feature of this beast is that it works off USB power. I never thought a device with so many lights and features could work solely off USB power. Really excited about using it live with the laptop stand.

If you're looking for a do it all, fully featured, hammer action midi controller, this is the one, with a very important caveat. The KeyLab 88 is solid. It's metal, it's heavy, and the build quality is amazing. It's also quite a beautiful piece of kit. Arturia really thought of everything with more inputs and controls than one might think of. The sheet music stand (great for the iPad) and the little shelf for the computer are the simplest of solutions that just work. I don't know how no one else thought of it before. Very practical.

One thing to consider is that the keyboard is heavy. If you're traveling with it from gig to gig. It's something to consider, though it should also take more punishment with its metal construction. If you're using Arturia's Analog Lab, it's perfectly integrated with that, as well as with every popular DAW available. It comes with some magnetic label cutouts that work really well and adapt to whichever DAW you prefer. It's yet another simple solution that just works. As it's a fully featured controller, it pretty much works with everything, though, obviously, like the NI S88, it's fully integrated with their own solutions.

The one caveat is the heaviness of the keys. They're heavier than other keyboards, including those that use the same fatar keybed. One gets easily used to it, if you're used to playing on heavier pianos, but it's an important thing to consider when purchasing this keyboard. This might also make the key response seem a bit sluggish, but this all depends on your personal preference and whether or not you get used to it. I don't find it's an issue, but understand that it's something to consider and everyone's experience and preferences may vary.

In summary, this is an absurdly complete piece of kit at this price range, and it certainly works for the studio (I prefer something lighter for travel). As hammer action MIDI controllers go, you can't go wrong with this one, as long as you're happy with the caveat.