Hi all, this is a bit late in the game, but I wrote up some thoughts on the SL88 Grand now that I own it. Easier to post the link from the VI-Control site. Hope it's helpful!
Thanks for this helpful link !
]]>I used to take advantage of all the settings in the SL Grand, but after moving to Cantabile for hosting my VSTs I moved all the settings to Cantabile.
Previously I played the Studiologic SL990 XP, the Grand is a huge step forward.
]]>Filip wrote:Hi, i was also considering this keyboard for myself, but I read on Thomann, that the keys have crazy touchweight around 100g, which is not heavy, it's simply unusable.
Can anyone measure it, please?
Thanks.If I freely hold a ~50g swiss army knife over the top of a key, its getting down half way. With some 8g-magnets on it even further. The 100g claim seems to be FUD and not very credible anyway. Piano builders aim for 50g touch weight.
I can say for myself (and I own a SL88 Grand since christmas, but playing all available models in the stores for about 2 years), that I'm absolutely happy and satisfied with the decision I can only recommend for it. There is no issue at all with build quality, the keyboard just came perfectly, the only thing I changed is the ratio of black to white keys. Its running bus powered from a Raspi 4 (with a strong power supply because the Raspi has an amp on the GPIO bus).
But I also know that all this is very much a question of 1. habitude 2. personal taste 3. habitude.
I also suggest to buy a half-pedaling sustain pedal like the Roland DP-10. Plugged into the on of the continuous controller ports of the SL88 and setting the MIDI controller value of the port to 64.
Thanks for checking it out.
]]>Hi, i was also considering this keyboard for myself, but I read on Thomann, that the keys have crazy touchweight around 100g, which is not heavy, it's simply unusable.
Can anyone measure it, please?
Thanks.
If I freely hold a ~50g swiss army knife over the top of a key, its getting down half way. With some 8g-magnets on it even further. The 100g claim seems to be FUD and not very credible anyway. Piano builders aim for 50g touch weight.
I can say for myself (and I own a SL88 Grand since christmas, but playing all available models in the stores for about 2 years), that I'm absolutely happy and satisfied with the decision I can only recommend for it. There is no issue at all with build quality, the keyboard just came perfectly, the only thing I changed is the ratio of black to white keys. Its running bus powered from a Raspi 4 (with a strong power supply because the Raspi has an amp on the GPIO bus).
But I also know that all this is very much a question of 1. habitude 2. personal taste 3. habitude.
I also suggest to buy a half-pedaling sustain pedal like the Roland DP-10. Plugged into the on of the continuous controller ports of the SL88 and setting the MIDI controller value of the port to 64.
]]>keybender wrote:Gaston wrote:Are you sure ?
In the specs I can read " Bus-powered : No "I'm pretty sure there is only the USB and pedal cable plugged in to keyboard at this very moment
The USB cable goes straight to my laptop.There was a power supply in the package but it's not necessary - the USB port has to be fairly new I'd guess so that it can provide enough power.
Same here. It works fine.
Good to know, thank you both !
]]>Gaston wrote:keybender wrote:............................
The fact that you can power it via USB is handy.Are you sure ?
In the specs I can read " Bus-powered : No "I'm pretty sure there is only the USB and pedal cable plugged in to keyboard at this very moment
The USB cable goes straight to my laptop.There was a power supply in the package but it's not necessary - the USB port has to be fairly new I'd guess so that it can provide enough power.
Same here. It works fine.
]]>keybender wrote:............................
The fact that you can power it via USB is handy.Are you sure ?
In the specs I can read " Bus-powered : No "
I'm pretty sure there is only the USB and pedal cable plugged in to keyboard at this very moment
The USB cable goes straight to my laptop.
There was a power supply in the package but it's not necessary - the USB port has to be fairly new I'd guess so that it can provide enough power.
]]>............................
The fact that you can power it via USB is handy.
Are you sure ?
In the specs I can read " Bus-powered : No "
I like it a lot except for the SL editor software which is a huge pain although I don't use it often.
Keyboard feel is great, better than most of the digital pianos I've played. Feels solid in all aspects - keys, surfaces, etc. MIDI "Dynamic range" is good. To get a 1, you need to touch really gently and to get a 127, you need to hit the key quite hard. I also think that's consistent between different Keys. There is a distince "thunk" when the keys hit the bottom. It's clearly weighted on the heavy side so it's good training but I find that when I play on an acoustic instrument with a lighter action, I simply play the fast bits better and with more confidence. However, repetition is good enough. If you're ever playing a synth, you'll find the aftertouch (although global and not per key) pretty cool.
I also own the 3 pedal unit which is not so easy to set up unfortunately but otherwise I can recommend that too.
Weight is just about okay to move around. Any heavier and it would be a real pain.
I played the VPC1 for a very short while - I don't think it feels _much better_. I also played the MP11SE which I clearly prefer.
The fact that you can power it via USB is handy.
]]>* How have users of the SL Grand found it?
I have nothing but praise for the SL88Grand. Great action, control over 4 midi channels at a time was something I needed in a controller, usually having to
use my old Fantom X8 when I needed this level of control live. Finally, it can stay in the studio. SL88Grand is solid and road-worthy. Get one!
* How much of an improvement is the TP40/WOOD triple sensor keyboard over TP100 style keyboards?
Superior keybed and a MAJOR improvement over TP100 (Keylab 88, Komplete S88, Forte SE88). The action bounces back as smooth and quickly as a
grand piano. I own 2 and 1 is right next to a yamaha C7 grand and the action is similar and a joy to play.
* How well does it work with Pianoteq, including the velocity curves, the note off velocity, half pedalling, etc.
Great. The velocity, key, & pedal settings of the SL software are infinite and intricate. The keybed & controls respond very well to Pianoteq's software.
* Are there issues with the joysticks (I have read about dead zones being an issue) and from a practical perspective is this a problem?
I thought I would hate the joysticks but they are very useable. I have no complaints. I usually have a few programmed to control tremolo speed
and depth when I'm using a Rhodes or Wurlitzer patch. I've also used them to shape wah and compression as well.
* Is the software stable and reliable (it has had a few years to get there now)?
Yes. The only issue I've had with the software is when I'm using the SL Mixface with my SL88Grand. Something still off with that unit but I think it's more how
it handles power
* Any specific plusses or minuses with StudioLogic?
The company has been decent at support via email, most of which, for me, has been concerning the Mixface not the SL88Grand.