Keyboard/Synth Sounds

[slowblue]

I'm looking for above average B3, Rhodes and Acoustic Piano sounds from a keyboard as well as various other string/orchestral sounds, I read a bunch of the posts recommending the Nord, Ion, Triton etc. etc. but I wasn't clear if the Ion/Micron/Triton LE had those sounds or if they were just great synths.

As cool as the Nord Electro looks it's about double what I'm able to pay. Will those others create 'believable' Organ/Rhodes/Piano sounds or do they just provide a ton of flex for the price? Thanks.

[Knights Who Say Neve]

Believable? Personally I can nearly always tell if a synth is being used,
even a Nord electro doesn't really sound like a Rhodes, let alone
an acoustic piano. YMMV.

That having been said, there are lots of good reasons to use a
synth-based version of these sounds.

What's your budget? I'm assuming a grand or less...

If you want a weighted keyboard, try these:

Yamaha S08
Alesis QS 8 or 8.1 (8.2 not so good)
Kurzweil 2500x (incredible synth, can be found for under a grand used if you keep looking)

Or get a weighted controller, and a module like the Vintage Keys (EMU), or better yet, softsynths such as Native Instruments B4. This is the more flexable approach. The CME UF8 has a pretty good weighted feel for 599.00. Stay away from the m-audio stuff, the keybeds are crap.

[apropos of nothing]

For what you want, I'd say, if you got the jing, do the Nord. It is the best-sounding collection of multi-samples you can currently get in a keyboard.

Triton is more expensive, more programmable, but doesn't ultimately sound like what you want. The Ion is a subtractive tweak-fest, and can get some very passable organ and clav tones, but not like what you're looking for, and forget about acoustic piano.

If you don't have the jing, I'd say that one of the Emu keyboards (vintage keys) or racks would be your next best bet. They're under $600 and have very reasonable sounds for the price.

[slowblue]

Thanks for the feedback, I was looking to spend around $600, thus the hesitation on the Nord, but I've also spent hundreds of dollars on Rode/Bellari gear that I would've been better off saving for a Soundelux/Sytek. Pay a little now or pay a lot later. Any other recs to check out are greatly appreciated.

[jmligt]

I have the E-Mu PK-6 and it has great organ sounds, ok acoustic piano and shitty electric piano sounds IMHO. Non-weighted keyboard. Cost around $400 new. Other than that it has a lot of good synth sounds and a decent control surface. It also has slots for other ROMs if you want to expand it a bit...

-Lig