That's not to mention how many used Yamaha 9000 Pro's you can now buy for the price of a new Korg PA1XPro...

There we go, it must have been open labs... I cant beleive the prices, they arent that bad at all! $3,445 (with 15" Color LCD Touchscreen) for the NeKo Le, from 2,595 w/o the optional large touchscreen lcd.

Just myself viewing it on paper compared to the tyros, hands down the Open labs NeKo is better, and cheaper than the quoted price of the tyros.
http://www.openlabs.com/products/product_specs-nekoLE.htm

Phil

can anyone find any demos of the open lab keyboard. It always bothers me when a company gives loads of technical spec but no option to actually hear the keyboard

Sure, but that board seems to be a synth and not an arranger.

And... yikes!!!!!! they didn't bother about the esthetics when they 'designed' this thing. I think this is one ugly keyboard....

------------------
Tom NL

We've discussed the Open Labs nEko here before. It is essentially a softsynth machine, meaning it will sound like whatever VSTi software synthesizers, samplers and audio processing plug-ins you install in it. It is a Windows PC-based synth and is fully user-customizable to the nth degree, and some have suggested that using software such as OMB that it may be possible to turn a nEko into a very powerful arranger. Since you can make it sound however you like with a nearly infinite combinations of sounds, demos really don't apply in this case.



As to the aesthetics, it's neat that the control modules are interchangeable and you can choose which ones you want. But again, there is only a 61-note version available currently. I don't particularly think this instrument is ugly myself - I've seen worse. And we all had had a sticker-shock reaction when Open Labs first came out with their top models of the nEko, but they've come out with some lower-priced models and since Korg, Yamaha and Roland have increasingly expensive arrangers available or coming, the nEko doesn't look so overpriced anymore. When a 76-note version of the nEko comes out, it'll merit due consideration IMHO.

[This message has been edited by The Pro (edited 01-28-2005).]

Right below the buy it button

I think open labs really is the way to go. Its virtually endless on what you can do with it. The price is alot granted, but also very appealing compared to the Tyros, PA80, Triton ect. You dont only get a keyboard, but a full blown computer, incredible.

I think the Open Labs site changed, I see 3 board now, and the Neko Le starts at $2,295 now...

Phil



[This message has been edited by Pennywizz6 (edited 01-28-2005).]

My only question on the OpenSynth™ neKo 64 is that it's touted as a 64 bit processor, which it is, running on windows XP which does not support 64 bit processing... I have a 64 bit and have tried to use the XP beta copy which crashes everything in site... So they are saying it's a 64 bit processor but not saying it won't run in 64 bit cause windows does not support it.. I suppose when the beta is done you can upgrade...
DJ

Beats me, but Athlon uses 64bit'ers with XP all the time. They dont seem to have an issue with that.

Phil

Dear Pro;

I find your statement about using an expanable keyboard such as the Openlabs and combining it with OMB software to create a very novel& state-of-the-Art arranger very interesting. From reading the OMB information it still is not evident wether one has create from scratch or load styles form other arangers into order to be able to use them in the set up described above. Has anyone tried the OMB ( or similar software) together with a high quality synth or VSTi + midi controller ( i.e. Motif/Alesis/Phantom etc + OMB or similar ) ?? What were the results? I wonder how the ergonomics wouldp would work in a live venue. It is difficult to determine on not having used this product before, wether it would be more ideal for studio/home vs. live performances. Would time be a factor for selecting and load accompaniment styles from the computer/OMB for each song in a set?

AS with other software ( i.e.StyleWorks 2000/ style-convertors) problems occur when converting styles from other keyborads ( i.e. they require modification to sound right after import). I wonder if the same applies when OMB assigns internal voices of a sythn to create the styles. Do they have to be extensively tweaked to sound right. If so this, could be an extensive amount of labor.

Has anyone used the OMB software in any situtation? Please comment on its use as a live auto-accompaniment.

I suppose the benefit of the mediastation X-76 is that it is upgradable as the open labs, but also contains the arranger functions built-in ( and can still be modified + up-load new styles ) without the need for an external computer

Thank-you
Regards;
SCP

Im using OMB and my Motif ES7. I have found hundreds of styles online for free, but yes, indeed, one has to do tweaking to them to get them to play right. At least on most of them. But some of them work really nice right off the bat. Specially the PSR8000 styles. I found those to have the least problems.

Im using a 19" flat panel display and recording all my audio to cubase SX. But to get a song recorded right away when inspiration strikes, I like OMB. It does the job and since the MOtif ES implements the midi tracks in SONG mode really nicely with out doing any modifications, i can record and worry about changing the sounds to my favority presets or user sounds later. Which by the way, make a huge difference.

Specially once you add the insert effects. What i really love about the ES is that 39 of its preset drumkits, all use the GM sound setup. IN other words, when you use a GM kit, although you use GM it will play back really nice using a standard Kit from the ES. I really love this feature alone and has saved me lots of headaches, which I used to get with my trinity v3.

So for now, Im going to stay with OMB and my Motif ES7.
Ive had my eyes on the neko for a while now and I really like what I see and hear. I think, ultimately, when I do get some cash, im going to be gettinga neko 64 for sure. Guess what arranger its going to be using inside?

One Man Band !!

Rock on guys..

Regards,

Musikman