Alesis DG8

Plug it in and go. About all you can say. As soon as you turn on the DG8 it's set to play in a few seconds.
The Qcards you just plug into the slot in the back, hit the card button on the front panel and it's loaded already.

The EQ's and other functions on the front of the board are that simple as well. 5 band EQ and other functions at the touch of one button. Sliders easily move up and down.

64 note poly and the action is incredible. I've been playing piano for many years and the action is as true as the baby grands i've played. I actually let my church orgainist play it (he's been playing for over 30 years) and a friend who graduated with a Masters in piano performance from NYU and they wanted one for themselves and couldn't get over the excitement of the realistic sounds.

Effects are good as far as reverb, i just use a bit of it on the pianos, but you can screw around with the reverb and chorus on the others to get some pretty wack sounds.

As far as expansion goes, it's pretty much the Qcards. I've also used it with my Roland W30 as sampling the sounds into the W30 straight from the DG8. I have a double layered stand (with the extensions for the W30) and it's pretty sweet once you can work with both of them that way.

No on board sequencer, but it's not for a sequencing person. I plug it right into my mixing board/recorder and go to town. That's what it's made for, and of course GIGS! 100W Speakers! You don't even need a keyboard amp or PA if you working a small place. You can plug your mic into a preamp then into the back of the DG8 and just sing through the same speakers your playing on. It's a beautiful thing.

Only thing i don't like as far as expansion is the limited number of Qcards. If it had an option to a computer based Qcard to create your own..then i'd be set. Maybe they do have it...i don't know.

The best piano sounds out there!
I use it mainly for rock oriented piano music. I also do a lot of classical pieces (operas, sonatas, orchestral arranging), which the classical qcard and sanctuary qcard come in perfect. the sounds on those are unbelievable. most listeners that hear my CD's and music ask me how did i get that sound so realistic or they ask, "who played the cello on that piece?", "where did you find a symphony to play on your piece?". speaks for itself.

Onboard effects are great. I use the 5 band eq and reverb everytime i play. You can create your own versions of pianos with them. Bring up the high end all the way and drop the rest down, you have an old school parlor piano.

Speakers can get muffled if you blast it all the way up, but it rarely happens in the right gigging place. Even at 90% the speakers still have killer sound in a small club.
Also, if you layer advanced sounds and use the sustain pedal..it will get a bit too much and start to click, as if the 64 note poly is being all used.

84 "tank enforced" pounds. Enough said.
Built like a tank. Get a hard shelled case with wheels and your on the road to platnium. (if you can play that is or look good now a days)

I play hard and it still stands up to the task. Very rarely it causes a problem sometimes due to it's electronic and not a real piano. You can play hard, but not too hard. Don't bang it too hard like Ben Folds on a real piano.
Don't get me wrong..it can take a beating. Just remember it's electrionic after all.

Havn't had any problems with it, but Alesis has had quick emails whenever I have questions about it.

Repairs are expensive though. So don't crack it or break it.
GET A HARD SHELLED CASE!

If I lost the DG8 or it was stolen, i would cry like a little school girl. It's the greatest thing in the world to me. I dont' have kids yet though, but i'm still thinking about which one would be more dear to me if i did. i'm joking people.

If you want a real piano without paying a few grand (plus remember, it's easier to carry than a baby grand and it can fit in a small appartment) you want this! hands down the best and most realistic digital piano i've ever played.

Very straight-forward, if you know anything about keyboards you can figure out anything about the DG8. If you know nothing, you can still figure it out pretty easily. I hardly looked at the manual.

Features are spare, as they should be on a digital piano. Keep in mind that the DG8 is supposed to emulate a piano, and so the focus should be on sound. There is a 5-band EQ and it accepts these Qcard things which I didn't use.

This is the part that bothers me. I bought this piano because the reviews said the sound quality was amazing and sounded realistic. The quality isnt bad, the strings are ok, but I was EXTREMELY DISSAPOINTED with the pianos. They do not sound like good pianos. They are tinny and edgey, and not rich or warm at all. NO depth in sound. I was extremely dissapointed, so much that I returned the piano right away.

I wouldn't know.

Didn't need

I got rid of this thing as soon as I got it. I bought this piano with the intention of bringing it around once in a while when I needed not effects but rich piano sound. This piano not only lacked that depth of sound, it is also not possible to bring anywhere. BEWARE: this piano is EXTREMELY HEAVY. IT IS ABOUT AS PORTABLE AS AN UPRIGHT. It was so heavy that the UPS guy would not take it off the truck when he delivered it to me. People say that it is 90-ish pounds, I have not weighed it but it feels like more. This keyboard is neither realistic nor portable. I would recommend it if you have a small living room and need to conserve space or can't afford an upright, and if you cannot discern the difference in sound between an electronic keyboard and an actual piano.

OVERALL: terrible.

Just to update my earlier review. My wife and I have now used the DG8 for just over 1.5 years. I continue to be impressed with its quality. It is very reliable and sounds fantastic. When Alesis decided to stop making this keyboard they made a huge mistake. Lord knows they've made enough of those, but this mistake is huge. If you can find one of these, buy it. I've continued to compare the DG8 to other digital pianos, including the new ones out in the last year or so, and the DG8 still wins, hands down.

Straightforward and simple. Turn it on and go. The manual was detailed enough without being overly technical.

Keyboard action is almost like and acoustic piano - nice weight and bounce. It is, however, smoother than an acoustic. The 64 voice polyphony is more than ample, and the effects are a nice touch. The midi capability is limited, but exists and is not the primary reason to own the DG8. The built-in speakers are also of the highest quality - not the cheap add-ons found in most digital pianos.

I'm amazed at the sounds coming out of the speakers! Can you find better sounds? On a sound by sound basis, perhaps, but the combination of available sounds (including a dozen pianos, 8 electric pianos, organs, pipe organs, vibes, harpsicords, etc.) that are all of high quality and sampled, is outrageous. The playability of the keys and reaction of the board and production of sound mimics an acoustic instrumant rather than a synth.

So far (several days) so good.

Despite the fact that the DG8 has been discontinued, I was still given useful info even before I purchased it.

If the DG8 left my house and didn't return, I'd be in mourning. Even my wife loves it. At 80 lbs., it's rather hefty, but given it's list and original selling prices, I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have found such an incredible value.

Turn it on and start playing. Everything is laid out simply - there's not a million knobs, buttons and switches to get in the way of the sound and really confuse the daylights out of the user. Don't get me wrong, there are still some really neat alterations you can perform to affect the tunings and "move the octaves around", but you don't have to be a computer programmer to get FANTASTIC sounds. It's as simple, or complicated as you choose to make it.

64 voice polyphony, with keyboard action that feels exactly like an acoustic piano. Mine was a floor model at Guitar Center in Atlanta and came with the stand. The pedals are set up just like those of a Concert Grand. Easy to use and understand sliders for layers, splits, chorus and reverb. With the Q-Card expansion slot on the back, the combinations of sounds are virtually endless. I really enjoy the Headphone jack, since my roomate has a Mesa Triple Rectifier, 'nuf said. One of the neatest features, in my opinion, is the ability to run audio sources in and play over them. This is not a MIDI function, simply audio in jacks in the rear that allow me to play CD's through the keyboard and play along with them. Since I suck at reading music, this is a really great way for me to pick out parts of my favorite songs! I even listen to my CD's through the DG8 instead of my stereo system. The Alesis Studio Monitors are INCREDIBLE!!!!! There are MIDI capabilities as well, if you're in to that sort of thing!

The sounds that are emitted from this keyboard are phenomenal! Set it to Pipe Organ, slide the Chorus and Reverb all the way up and you'll wonder how you ever had room for those five-story-tall pipes! The chorus actually changes to become other effects, depending on the particular program you have loaded. On the electric organs, it becomes a rotating speaker cabinet effect. Close your eyes and you'll swear there's a Leslie in the room! And this slider isn't just an On/Off switch either. Even if you run the slider all the way up quickly, the effect takes place gradually, just like the real roatating speaker getting up to speed. It does the same on the way down. On other programs, this slider even operates as a flange. Yes, I know that chorus and flange are very closely related, but there is a distinc difference in the effect each one lends to the sound. This keyoard really responds to your touch and intensity of playing. Whatever you want to play, this thing will make you sound wonderful.

Like I said, mine was a floor model. Normally, I run and hide from floor models. You know, those things you always see those snot-nosed little brats putting their boogers all over and beating half to death while their "Parents" are trying to decide which instrument their young'ns are destined to be the next virtuoso of! But, this was the last one I could find in Atlanta. I've had it almost a year now, and have had not one single problem, only hours of sheer aural pleasure.

Never dealt with, don't know.

If it gets stolen, I'm going to kill someone. If I lose it, I'm going to kill myself for being stupid enough to misplace something this heavy! If anything ever does happen to this one, I'll search as long as I have to to find a replacement, it's the Daddy-of-'em-all. This thing really inspires me to play. Alesis makes really nice stuff, I also have their MEQ-230 and wouldn't trade it for anything!

I compared the DG8 with the Yamaha P200 and found the DG8 much easier to use without getting into the manual. When pressing the layered sounds, I kept looking for a light to go on indicating it was functioning. However, it only took a minute to figure out how to use it.

I'm handicpped and have difficulty playing accoustical pianos. The DG8 has been an answer to my prayers. It has the grand piano accoustical feel and sound with ease of touch and you can create your own orchestra.You can really control the sound and feel-- just like with the pianoforte. It's the best keyboard I've tried.

If I could just add a rhythem section, my orchestra would be complete. It has very expressive sounds for classical and I love the Jazz piano sounds for contemporary music.Synth sounds layer beautifully. The basic instrumentation seems more complete than the Yamaha P200. I use Yamaha P80 on the road. I'm a retired music therapist and I wish I could take the DG8 along with me to the hospitals. They should make a wheeled gig bag for it to ease its transportability.

I've had it just a short time but it appears very durable and dependable. I would feel confident using it without a backup.

Hope I don't need to get it repaired for years to come.

DG8 is by far the best digital piano I've ever played on. I love my Yamaha P80 due to its light weight but the DG8 has real accoustical piano action and three times the capability of sounds, layering and control . I've used the Yamaha P200 and DG8 wins hands down. It has a much better speaker system, is more user friendly--particularly for the musician not on the professional stage.I rarely play my accoustical piano since I got the DG8. I feel like I'm playing in an orchestra.I like not having to drag around my powered speaker systems. DG8 with its fantstic built in speakers is so easy to set up except for its 80lb weight. If they could keep it as is and drop about 20-30lbs, it would be perfect. Of course it sounds like a concert grand piano and I sure don't move that around.This is my new baby, how did I ever live without it.It sure has added new dimension back to this retired handicapped soul. I play on a new console Baldwin digital piano at religious services and it doesn't even begin to compare to the DG8. Too bad they didn't ask me before they bought it.I havn't checked out the Q cards but somehow I wish it had a built in rhythm section like my old organ.Too bad they have discontinued this model.I would be encouraging my friends to step up to one.

I got it with the stand.

The preset sounds are good, The pianos and the synth sounds are great, learn how to use the very easy equalizer and your set! The EPs are decent, all the other sounds are very usable. The DG8 is extremely easy to operate, press the on button and play. The manual is very good. Otherwise, being able to layer and split sounds took about 10 seconds of trial and error. I did read the manual eventually, took about 5 minutes to thumb through and get a couple of details I needed. That's it like I said, easy to operate, haven't had to refer back to the manual at all.

The polyphony is 64, have not run out of notes even when I layer the sounds. You might be able to max them out if you do a split and then layer both sides, but I have done it, and haven't been able to max out the notes.

Built-in effects are effective and very easy to use. There are faders for the Chorus and Reverb. There are also one fader each to control the volume for the layered sounds and the splits, those faders also hese double as rotary/leslie controls for some of the electric piano sounds.

Built-in speakers are amazing! Bi-amped 100 watt speakers, you can feel the sound coming out of the keyboard into your forearms just like a real piano. The speakers and the equalizer are what really set this keyboard apart from the rest. For the best piano sounds turn on the equalizer and max the first two bass faders on the equalizer, I usually set the rest right in the middle. Turn off all effects but set the reverb to about 25-50% WOWEEE!!!!!! You'd swear it was a real piano, and you don't even have to close your eyes. The sound can really fill a room like a piano. The only thing Alesis could possibly add to the sound to complete the illusion is the harp sound, the sound that gets created when all the strings in a piano pickup the sounds of the notes being played.

One thing when you turn off the DG8, the equalizer turns off too, you have to remember to turn in back on. Not a big problem, but I've sat there wondering why it doesn't sound good, then realized the equalizer was off.

There's also an audio input if you want run a CD player or your computer through the speakers, nice for playing along to a CD.

Not recommended though if you have another keyboard, get a separate sound system for that.

Expandable with Alesis PCMCIA QCards but can only take one at a time. The QCards are a bargain right now at around US$100.00

I like the PCMCIA cards because they're very sturdy. I got the Vintage synth and the Stereo Classical Piano card, which right now are all the sounds I need. Don't use the Electric Pianos so much.

MIDI is your standard basic MIDI, it's not a heavy duty controller.

No on board sequencer, I was using my computer, but I'm thinking I'll get the tiny Yamaha QY70 to sit on top.

The piano samples are very expressive, I love the synth sounds, very expressive also. I'd say the built-in sounds are good for rock or classical, the sounds will also work for dance, but you're probably better off getting something else for dance. But I've had great success using the Vintage Synth card to make dance/trance music.

The speakers and equalizers really bring out the best. The velocity switching is un-noticeable, which is the main reason I don't like Rolands and the reason I ditched the XV-88. The DG8, like most digital pianos, does not have aftertouch.

I love this keyboard action, I prefer it over the RD-700 and the XV-88 which I owned for 3 months, and sold, after I got the DG8. The main thing about the DG8 is the wonderful velocity switching, it responds correctly when you play softly or heavily, you can hear the samples change timbre! like they're supposed to. The Rolands though have horrible velocity switching, I didn't notice it at first, but when I went to play a real piano and came back it really, really, really bothered me, I completely stopped playing the piano patches on the XV-88 and the SRX-02 card, which defeated the whole reason I got the XV-88 in the first place. The best way to describe it, the Roland's just sound like they change the volume when I played softly or loudly, and you can hear! the velocity changes! With the DG8 I don't have to adjust my piano playing when I sit at a real piano, because playing softly or harder on the DG8 makes it respond correctly. IMHO.

It's too bad too because the actual key mechanism Roland uses probably feels the most like a piano and their samples are fantastic, but the velocity switching really kills the illusion. Also the key action needs to a little faster travel, like the DG8. And you need to run the sound through an outboard equalizer and stereo monitors to get the best out if it.

For me the best piano action (physical key device plus velocity switching)is between the P200 and the Alesis DG8, the main difference is the travel - how far up and down the keys go, the Alesis has a very long travel, while the P200 has a very short travel. But the piano action is really subjective, you'll really have to try it out, it's like saying I prefer driving a porsche to a mercedes, it just depends on what type of person you are.

For me the DG8 beats out the P200 on two counts:

1. The price, they're almost equal in my mind but the DG8 can be had for $1,000 with the stand!

2. The better on-board sound system - the great speakers with the built-in equalizer.

The samples on the XV-88 edge out the DG8 in terms of quality, but the DG8 succeeds in creating the illusion of a real piano.

Only had it about 3 weeks, but it's built like a tank.
I've stopped gigging, but if I did I wouldn't take it on one since it weighs 80 lbs, it's my main board now, but I'll probably get the Nord Electro when I get back into gigs.

N/A

Yes I would definitely buy it again, without a thought. I'd laugh though if somebody actually tried to steal it! It's 80 lbs, where you gonna go? Good luck buddy. And actually the funny thing is, I'd would totally understand if somebody wanted to steal it, it really is a great digital piano!

I got rid of all my other gear and now only have the DG8. I will probably add one more item, but I'm not sure what yet.

Overall I'm giving the DG8 a 10 on features, it doesn't have the "best" features, but it has a perfect blend of features for a digital piano, if you play the piano you will love this board, it makes you want to sit down and play.

The best way I can describe it is, this keyboard feels like an instrument not a piece of gear. Alesis did a great job, they didn't overdo it or under do it, they made it just right! in addition, they made it ridculously easy to use.

All right now I'm gushing, I'll probably take flack for it on HC, but I really do think it's the best digital piano I've ever played!

the manual is great

I love the alesis dg8 the action feels like a real piano and the sounds are out of this world,i also bought the santuary q card and it is hot

I love the feel of this piano,i use it for gospel and it is beautiful you can layer the true grand piano and the strings and you have a nice sounds the touch is great

very dependable but as far as gigging it weighs a lot 80 pounds so you better have a good back to carry this one

i would rplace it if it was lost or stole,i have had the roland fp3,the yamaha p80.kurzweil sp88 and pc 88,a general music prp7,and a alesis quardra synth plus,this is way better then any of them,the only other keyboard i had that came close to feel and sound was the roland rd 300 i owned once but i wore it out

I plugged it in and had everything figured out in 15 minutes. Very easy to use. The controller design allows for fast adjustment with minimal hassel. The manual is so good, but if you can't figure this board out just by looking at it there's something wrong.

89 pounds (yes, 89 pounds). Would be a great stage piano as long as you had a groupie or a roadie to carry it for you.

It's not a master controller, so don't expect all the bells and whistles of the big synthesizers. However, it is a phenomenol digital piano. If you want a piano that you can use on an everyday basis at home or on stage at small venues, this keyboard is right for you. The only feature I wish it had was the ability to sequence dual tracks (easily fixable by plugging it into a digital recorder or computer). However, I don't really miss it because I just like to play and not worry about whether my songs are exactly the same every time.

Effects are great. The reverb is great and the slider gives excellent control. Has chorus also. The 5-band EQ is also nice.

Expansion unlimited with MIDI in, out and through. Q-card expansion can greatly expand voice selection (pretty good selection on-board, though). 64 note polyphony. True stereo. 5-band slider EQ. Can split the keybord. Sliders for chorus, reverb, split volume-level, etc.

Phenomenol pianos. I actually bought the board for my wife (she wanted a "piano", I wanted something that was actually fun). She has an educated ear; when she sat down at the DG8 she thought it was amazing. Before buying it I compared it to the P200, a Kurzweil and a couple of the Roland digital pianos. The DG8 was by far the best sounding of the bunch. People who dislike the Alesis piano sound must only do so because they've forgotten what real pianos sound like. The other sounds on the board range from very good to merely average. There isn't a sound that's really unusuable. I've heard the sounds on the Q-cards provide many additional excellent choices.

The feel of the key action is very good. It has true hammer-weighted keys that are very responsive. The action does have longer travel than many other boards, but I don't mind that at all.

No problems yet (had it since Christmas 2000). Only glitch occurred when removing the plug for the sustain pedal. A couple of times this would result in some electric crackle through the speakers. Hasn't happened for months. I'll reserve judgement for now, but so far I'm very happy.

Haven't dealt with Alesis.

I'd buy it again. Great sounds, easy to use, phenomenol speaker/amp combo. I've never had lessons, but I've played keyboards and pianos on a recreational level since I was a kid. My other instruments are 2 acoustic guitars and a trumpet, so although I may not be a keyboard expert, I think I'm musically well rounded enough to give an educated opinion. My wife had piano lessons for years and she thinks the DG8 is great. She's more performance oriented, has a mike/monitor set-up for vocals, so maybe someday I'll have to lug the DG8 somewhere to hear her play and sing. I hope so, she sounds great and the DG8 does, too.

Plug it in and go!!! It must be the easiest electric piano to use on the market today, no tricks and very user friendly. labeled buttons and sliders for everything.

64 note polyph, as mentioned above sliders and labled buttons for splits, transpose, chorus, reverb, layers. Its not for the rocket scientist, this board is for the person that likes to play the keyboard.

This machine has some good sounds and some nearly great sounds and some average sounds. The piano's can sound very good IMHO if you tweak them right with the 5 band EQ. I tend to like the Bosie (piano one) either the true grand or the dark grand and you have to bring down the mid some to get rid of the thin sound that many complain about with the Alesis. Also you need to use a little reverb to get the full sustain sound that makes a piano sound realistic.

The speakers just flat our rock. Nothing compares to this board at all in terms of built in amplification.

The electric pianos, wurli, Rhodes, are pretty good and can be expanded easily with the Vintage Keys Card (which rocks).

I've only had it about a month so no problems yet.

Don't know, but they just went bankrupt and were bought out.

I'm a singer/songwriter who plays at home a lot and plays out some. This board is PERFECT for my needs. It is user friendly, inspiring, and a board that doesn't get in the way of the creative process.