Best Keyboard under $200

  • Thread starter Thread starter bluelonestar
  • Start date Start date
B

bluelonestar

New member
Hi Everyone,
I'm beginning to play the keyboards...as I already play guitar and drums. I only have about 200.00 to spend on a set of keys. Whats the best keyboard under $200?

Yamaha PSR270
Casio CTK-651
BTW, My aardvark card has Midi in.
-Tom
 
I have never seen either, but I would guess the Yanaha
has better Sounds, as they make pro gear too,
and Casio doesnt.

An idea: Have you seen the Alesis NanoSynth
Sound Module?? Its a pro (at least prosumer)
module, with 512 sounds and 15 drum kits, fully
editable with a computer. I would assume it would
be in a much better league soundwise, and it is
simple to use.

The Nanosynth is $179 new, perhaps cheaper.
A midi keyboard contoller could be bought for
$75-100 new. That puts you $50-75 bucks over
budget, but It is probably worth it, and maybe
used you can find both within your budget. David
 
Thanks for your help. I kind of figured the yamaha would be a better choice than the casio. i'm not sure about buying a controller. I guess its simple...i dont know much about it. im gonna look into it. thanks again.
-Tom
 
Tom, good luck with the Yamaha, if you go that
route. I am sure it will kick the casios butt.

Do not fear the controller, It is probably
much easier than the Yamaha!! A keyboard controller
has a midi out. Connect the midi out to the
sound module midi in. Plug both in. Turn on
power. Make music.

It is that simple, connect one wire and you are
set. The Nanosynth only has five knobs: one
is for volume, one is for (basically) how much
reverb you want, so basically there are only 3 that
do anything! one knob says piano, drums,organ,
bass, etc. Pretty self-explanitory. Next
to it is a program knob, 1 to 16. That means
if you put it on Organ, you have 16 Organs
to choose from. The last knob is for midi channels,
you wont need that until you learn to play a bit.

Hope this helps, David
 
Well, I got a Casio ctk-731 for about 250 bucks. It was sitting right beside the yamaha and I thought the 731 sounded better ie 'fuller' (I think the 651 uses the same chip). I forgot what the Yam has now, but the 731 has general midi, a pattern sequencer (6 track), song programmer (ditto), a pretty flexible 2DCO synth, and a floppy disc drive to save your work.

ps I am also a beginner with no prior bias but you may as well hear both sides, those nanosynths sound good too! - hope this helps
 
i guess the best way to decide is to just go down to the music place and just try them out. that is if they have them there.

dr roo, you say the casio is fuller? i've heard casios before. theyre not as bad as some people make them out to be. i saw one at the store not long ago... im trying to remember where. maybe it was radio shack. unless that was a radio shack keyboard. it wasnt plugged in but it didnt look bad.

The Nanosynth does sound like a really good idea. I like the idea of being able to upgrade to a different sound module. But I'm gonna go try them all out first.
Thanks for all your help David, Dr Roo, Trak.
-Tom
 
keyboards

bluelonestar said:
Hi Everyone,
I'm beginning to play the keyboards...as I already play guitar and drums. I only have about 200.00 to spend on a set of keys. Whats the best keyboard under $200?

Yamaha PSR270
Casio CTK-651
BTW, My aardvark card has Midi in.
-Tom
Click to expand...

I don't think you will find many new keyboards, in that price range, that you will not get tired of their limitations when it comes to their onboard sound bank. Midi offers unlimited creativity and sound patches, but you have to have the sound engine and samples available before you can use an entry level keyboard as a controler, which typically means sound modules plus a keyboard. Take a look at the Roland EM10 for $200.00. The Yamaha DJX is interesting and might be a good choice. If you could find one used, the Roland XP10 would be great. Also Korg makes one called (I think is called ) the XR5, that would be even better. The XP10 and the Korg sell for $500 & $600 new and might cost more used than $200 but would be well worth the extra in my humble opinion. I have been trying to make the same decision you are now. It seems the more I learn the more I am going to have to spend. Good luck.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top