Product: Alesis NanoPiano
Price Paid: US $500,00
Submitted
09/11/1997
at
08:21am
by
Dalvani Lima
Ease of Use
:
7
Manual? NO! It's just like a getting started folder. It does not let you come deep into the "not so basic" features. Very easy to handle! Its a 1/3 rack size module and just 5 knobs will do all the job. A power switch would be good. Some really interesting stuff could be done if the manual would let you know how to. There's even a "limited computer editting" feature.
Features
:
7
Great polyphony: 64 notes! Better than any other piano module I've heard of. Very good internal effects, but controlling them requires a good MIDI controller because they are not editable from the unit's controls. Recieves in just on MIDI chanel at a time wich is a shame because most of the sounds could be worked out by spliting (some keys in some piano programs sound to harsh and could be replaced by ones from another program).
Expressiveness/Sounds
:
9
The pianos are very good! The same found in the QS8. I've heard people say they are too harsh, not realistic, too bright. I really love them. I have a Roland p-55 and Kurzweil Micropiano and the Nano sounds much more realistic then the Roland and though it's not as close to a real piano as the Kurzweil, it sounds more even along the hole keyboard and the variety of sounds excells. The EPs are not so good, but still very usable. Organs are Ok, Basses are Ok and everything else is poor (strings, leads, synths). A total of 256 sounds, but many of them are pianos, EPs and layerd/splited variations.
Reliability
:
No Opinion
Not sure. Bought it just a week ago! The lack of ON/OFF switch is frightening. I don't like looking at that power led one all the time. Because it is very, very portable it feels perfect for gigs and specially for the road.
Customer Support
:
6
Never used it by phone or dealer contact, but I have sent them a mail with questions the manual wouldn't answer and ... no answer up to now.
Overall Rating
:
9
500 bucks in BRAZIL is a low price to pay for this kind of equipment. As the unit becomes more common in the stores and among players, the price should go down. Anyway, I'd buy it again for the same price. I may even buy another one for spliting/layering sounds. I have a problem with Roland pianos: I think they sound like ROLAND pianos, not like Steinways, Yamahas, etc... the Kurzweil is the closest I ever got to the real thing, but the Alesis NanoPiano is about as close and it's pleasant to play.
