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CME UF80
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DavidMusik DavidMusik
Published on 01/28/09 at 11:20
I play keyboards on synthesizers for over 20 years and piano for 10 years. It is natural that I started looking for my home studio with a keyboard that allows me to recall the feeling of touch on the piano own. Some additional selection criteria are added such as the inclusion of a control surface for my other expendeurs of transport buttons for my Cubase sequencer, all staying within a reasonable budget.

My choice is worn fairly quickly on the model CME UF80 which in addition to my needs me offers some additional benefits very interesting. From my point of view, the key is its ability to host additional expansion cards. I personally fell for the use-audio card that provides analog modeling synthesizers including the famous minimoog. I get back to you soon but if you have any questions on the subject, it is with pleasure that I answer on my blog.

Concerning the quality of the keyboard, I want to emphasize that it is a robustness with an aluminum frame, even if the sides are plastic, however. The drawback is its weight directly, it weighs at least 25 kilos, so be careful if you intend this keyboard for the stage ...

The technical release notes based on a mechanical hammer similar to the piano. Even if the hit is nice, it does not, however, that of my Yamaha U1 piano. For me, the hit is enough, very dynamic, but I think it will be enough for the purists who rabattront towards models weighted keyboard featuring touches of wood bill.

UTILIZATION

The use as a master keyboard in a hardware is just enough. The keyboard has a midi output unique, does not offer a single point of split (possibility of making notes on two different midi channels from a central button of the keyboard), a single layer (same as the split but this time over the whole keyboard). Also, the control surface does not send MIDI System Exclusive type, only messages of "change control" and NRPN. Therefore, I think it is intended for use for ordering computer music plugins for example.

In addition, the keyboard does not have MIDI format Din which can be annoying when you want to control the expansion card in the machine from an external keyboard. About me, I was a joy to play with the keyboard minimax my Korg M1 and although this is not possible without using an intermediate computer, blah ...

Since we are in sorrow, I will add that the sending program change messages is not very flexible because it is first necessary to specify the number with a knob and then press the "enter" to send the command be two actions. I would have preferred to find a button incremental +1, -1 compared to the number of current program as proposed in all of my hardware keyboards.

OVERALL OPINION

Finally, this keyboard is really interesting and offers a lot compared to the competition for a very tight budget. In addition, I find it really look like, I invite you to view some pictures on my profile to make your own opinion. A remake, I think I would wear my choice on the VX80 model of the same brand that offers some additional features very interesting.

Optional cards available in January 2009:
CME UF DP-1 piano / strings expansion board
WALDORF NANO SYNTH
USE AUDIO PLUGIATOR ASX BOARD