CME UF8

88key weighted. Diesel Richie here, it's been over 18 months with my UF-8. Here's the update. No, it has not fallen apart in the studio. I play it every day, say 1-2 hours average.

I totally disagree with people who call the action insensitive. The 4 velocity curves are not very flexible, but a little input filtering in the DAW software sets that right, I tend to just multiply the velocity by 1.25. Aftertouch messages certainly don't need to be "thinned out", the UF-8 is not exactly effusive in the CC msg dept, but one can see that as a virtue, it's a bit like phone calls from relatives. It's borderline here. Fortunately many synths and VSTs smooth out and interpolate to prevent the zipper effect.

The action IS a little mechanically stiff/sticky on the initial downstroke. It's helpful to do a gliss over the keys after it's been sitting to loosen it up. OK, it's not quite a Steinway D, but you get used to it just fine, and my fingers are perhaps the better for it: the most obscure upright pianos no longer feel "hard" after a year and a half playing the UF-8. I can play pianissimo to fortissimo on it just fine.

I am shocked to learn I play middle C so much -- that key is starting to show a little wear. How? it is starting to audibly "thunk" a little louder when i hit it hard and bottom out. Probably a little felt bumper in there that in a decade or so will need to be replaced. No difference in aftertouch response or velocity output on that key. Everything else is working fine, faders, buttons and all. I'd say that's pretty good for a $600 Chinese keyboard that was lambasted for having a particle board base and every manner of mechanical failure just waiting to happen. Well, none of the doomsday has materialized, so far.

CME have (of course) done absolutely nothing in the driver and software dept, as predicted, and their web site is in every way funereal, except for a jolly video of young Chinese men singing (what they say is) "I am self-actualized" in Mandarin and playing CME keyboards, while a crew of painters gradually smears everyone and everything with white paint. Indeed, the lonely wails of self-actualizing users go unanswered for weeks and months in the forums. Example: "can i open the case to try to fix a clacking key?" ... silence ... then another user ventures "yes, you can open it". This is verily not equipment for people who need bosom buddy tech support. The 1.05 driver and the UF8 I got is mercifully good enough. The device has lots of peculiarities, like suddenly sending a "rewind to zero" message if you hold the transport "back" button for a few seconds, but I like it just fine. There's an updated ROM somewhere ... maybe. There's talk of an retrofit mainboard. But nobody's sure. CME's support is nil.

Their newer keyboards have fancier features I sure don't need (with a tackier construction), and I see people are "upgrading". I tried some of the new silver ones in a store and I like my old red/black UF-8 much better. It does too have cute little hammers under the keys! Given all the complaints, you can pick one up used very inexpensively and IF you are self-actualizing, and you make sure all the keys are working evenly, I'd recommend it. But it also seems the price point on 88 key controllers has recently been reset, so make sure you check out the competition.

I have the UF8, UF7 and UF6 midi controllers. The UF8 has weighted keys. All midi parameters can be selected and controlled right from the controller...there are no display screens only a two digit readout. Can run off of AC adapter or USB power. Construction is very solid, aluminum frame no cheap plastic. I am using all three boards in a home studio environment connected to rackmount modules.

88 Keys
Midi Controller with no sounds.
Key action is horrible. I'm returning mine to the online dealer.
If you are looking for a controller to just bang the keys hard on, this would be a good candidate for the money as it features numerous sliders and controls. However, I'm a piano player and the action on this ax is "hands down" the worst I've ever had the displeasure to play on.

Good variety of controls.

Midi in/out. USB

Because of the very very poor action I have to give this keyboard the lowest of the lowest.