Meh. It a stage keyboard. You load it up with the presets for your performances. You can customize your patches in the box and then upload them. But as a stage keyboard, the lack of 88 keys or poly aftertouch or some additional controls seems a serious limitation. If you want a truly capable synth to compare it to, the Jupiter X is also a stage keyboard, designed for performance. But it's also a full fledged synth with all kinds of innovative things and lots of realtime controls, layering, etc.. This has none of that. Granted, the Jupiter X a $1k+ more, but is a truly impressive synth and this is a bit meh. It seems like if you're deep in the Arturia ecosystem, then ok, maybe you'd find a place for this.
Arturia vst's running on a Linux distro inside this keyboard. You don't need a laptop to run them. I think this keyboard has limited use cases, since it's not a huge imposition to bring along a laptop and a small audio interface along with a controller of your choice for performance. I assume very low latency, stability and standalone, are it's selling points. Vst experience is more comprehensive in terms of live control. I would prefer a larger screen on the keyboard if a laptop is no longer required!
Thanks for the review. I feel that it was short sighted of them (or just plain cheap) to not include the whole software collection. If they had included the plug versions, or at least a discounted $100 side grade price for all the software it would have made a lot more sense to me.
But why the semi weighted keyboard? I mean it kinda makes sense for people who are willing to compromise playability for portability. For me this is useless because of the Keyboard. I was hoping they would give it the fatar poly aftertouch keyboard so I could use it as my secondary Keyboard on stage. Also I really wanted 96khz converters
Everyone's voice who's got to review this thing on RUclips seems to sort of sound look it really was a chore looking at this thing and no happy joy or happy sparkles or pleasure that was genuine.
I have V Collection 9 and I can't open individual synths for editing in Analog Lab Pro. Maybe it's just me, button being able to edit the presets is a del-breaker for me, not paying a further €500 for a keyboard so limited in editing. If I use this, it will be on stage and I just hate the long release times and "lush" reverbs fully wet out of the factory. Most of us stage players happen to play with other musicians and mucky sounds that keep all silences full with remnants of previous chords is annoying, just to say the least. Maybe that small space by the wheels is enough for a Kong nano control, if I can get to operate it through the USB A port, although it does not seem an easy feat based on the reviews so far. I need something like this to pair with my Nord Stage, but Nautilus AT 61 looks more attractive (I would love a Montage 6 but it's too expensive).
re: editing in Analog Lab Pro - if you browse presets in the 'Explore' tab (which displays the presets as a list), in the right hand panel you should see a graphic representation of whichever V Collection synth is being used. If you own the full version there will be an 'Open' option below this, which will open the full plugin UI.
@@MusicRadarTech thanks a lot, I noticed after updating the software. It does work exactly as you described, and my only quirk remains the size of the user interface. Nevertheless, a cover / tribute project is on the horizon, which would probably fit perfectly with this keyboard. Thanks again, for the solution and the detailed review.
Why the heck would it have so few knobs & and so much empty space on 2024 who has room for this! .... why do morons designers think pretty out ways functionality! The only way a product like this would make sense is if it had as many knobs.. the only excuse for this beastly size is 50 to 100 knobs with full-blown access to V collection instruments ala Roland system 8 etc. Not a freaking modern Roland JV1080 Romper... if your going do this put it in a mini-freak case or a rack mount then.
The aim of the design is simplicity - ie, if you’re not too concerned about sound design, everything is very straightforward and basically the same for every preset. If sound design and proper synth editing is more your thing, this is definitely not one to go for though. Other synths, or even controllers for V Collection, are better from a sound design point of view
@@MusicRadarTechif that’s what Arturia wanted to achieve, they missed the brief on size and cost. No one pays more for less, or more for things they don’t want
To be fair to Arturia, thinking of this as a standalone Pigments, instead of a broad preset player, is missing the target audience. We would love to see this tech used to make a standalone, Origin-style Pigments synth though
@@MusicRadarTech No, it is not. You jumble goals around. Once you make a hardware synth like this, you must include all options. Otherwise leave it. Hard to make an update to implement poly aftertouch, because that would imply a technician to come to your house to take that thing apart and put another keybed into your prized tool.
When the MODX7+ with 76 keys, a massive front screen and huge lovely sounding sound banks, searchable tones (Astrolab does not allow you to search the hundreds of sounds to find them) and the ability to drag and drop a set order for the same price now until 6/3/24, to me there is no contest the MODX7+ wins easy.
it’s cool having all this stuff in one box but i just really don’t think most of the arturia synths sound good at all, and arturia’s design is just as tasteless as usual
Arturia have a huge launch stating right at the top ' This keyboard is for live stage use'. So then we get loads of reviewers scratching their heads saying who is this keyboard for? What? 🙄
I am surprised that I am not seeing more reviews and excitement about the new Roland Go:Keys 3 and Go:Keys 5. These are somewhat similar (61-key stage keyboards) but they tie into the Roland Zen-Core sound library (and are MUCH cheaper).
See the video description or our full review for more details of what V Collection sounds can/can't be used with AstroLab.
Jeez that whole design is friggin awful.
Meh. It a stage keyboard. You load it up with the presets for your performances. You can customize your patches in the box and then upload them. But as a stage keyboard, the lack of 88 keys or poly aftertouch or some additional controls seems a serious limitation.
If you want a truly capable synth to compare it to, the Jupiter X is also a stage keyboard, designed for performance. But it's also a full fledged synth with all kinds of innovative things and lots of realtime controls, layering, etc.. This has none of that. Granted, the Jupiter X a $1k+ more, but is a truly impressive synth and this is a bit meh.
It seems like if you're deep in the Arturia ecosystem, then ok, maybe you'd find a place for this.
Yeah, a bit of a wank from Grenoble. Very noble, though.
We need moar knobs and visual feedback pls... its not 1970...
Why the small screen though?
Cuz money
I’m so glad that Arturia is trying to cater to live performing musicians as opposed to tweakers. I hate bringing a laptop to every gig!!!
Arturia vst's running on a Linux distro inside this keyboard. You don't need a laptop to run them. I think this keyboard has limited use cases, since it's not a huge imposition to bring along a laptop and a small audio interface along with a controller of your choice for performance. I assume very low latency, stability and standalone, are it's selling points. Vst experience is more comprehensive in terms of live control. I would prefer a larger screen on the keyboard if a laptop is no longer required!
Thanks for the review. I feel that it was short sighted of them (or just plain cheap) to not include the whole software collection. If they had included the plug versions, or at least a discounted $100 side grade price for all the software it would have made a lot more sense to me.
the arturia-nest thermostat collab is out
But why the semi weighted keyboard? I mean it kinda makes sense for people who are willing to compromise playability for portability. For me this is useless because of the Keyboard. I was hoping they would give it the fatar poly aftertouch keyboard so I could use it as my secondary Keyboard on stage. Also I really wanted 96khz converters
Everyone's voice who's got to review this thing on RUclips seems to sort of sound look it really was a chore looking at this thing and no happy joy or happy sparkles or pleasure that was genuine.
To be fair we kind of always sound like that
If this is supposed to be an Analog Lab machine youd think theyd have added more faders/knobs. This whole things design is strange
I have V Collection 9 and I can't open individual synths for editing in Analog Lab Pro. Maybe it's just me, button being able to edit the presets is a del-breaker for me, not paying a further €500 for a keyboard so limited in editing. If I use this, it will be on stage and I just hate the long release times and "lush" reverbs fully wet out of the factory. Most of us stage players happen to play with other musicians and mucky sounds that keep all silences full with remnants of previous chords is annoying, just to say the least. Maybe that small space by the wheels is enough for a Kong nano control, if I can get to operate it through the USB A port, although it does not seem an easy feat based on the reviews so far. I need something like this to pair with my Nord Stage, but Nautilus AT 61 looks more attractive (I would love a Montage 6 but it's too expensive).
re: editing in Analog Lab Pro - if you browse presets in the 'Explore' tab (which displays the presets as a list), in the right hand panel you should see a graphic representation of whichever V Collection synth is being used. If you own the full version there will be an 'Open' option below this, which will open the full plugin UI.
@@MusicRadarTech thanks a lot, I noticed after updating the software. It does work exactly as you described, and my only quirk remains the size of the user interface. Nevertheless, a cover / tribute project is on the horizon, which would probably fit perfectly with this keyboard. Thanks again, for the solution and the detailed review.
Gross
Meh.... 🙄
Why the heck would it have so few knobs & and so much empty space on 2024 who has room for this! .... why do morons designers think pretty out ways functionality! The only way a product like this would make sense is if it had as many knobs.. the only excuse for this beastly size is 50 to 100 knobs with full-blown access to V collection instruments ala Roland system 8 etc. Not a freaking modern Roland JV1080 Romper... if your going do this put it in a mini-freak case or a rack mount then.
16 drum pads on the left should be perfect!
The aim of the design is simplicity - ie, if you’re not too concerned about sound design, everything is very straightforward and basically the same for every preset. If sound design and proper synth editing is more your thing, this is definitely not one to go for though. Other synths, or even controllers for V Collection, are better from a sound design point of view
@@MusicRadarTechif that’s what Arturia wanted to achieve, they missed the brief on size and cost. No one pays more for less, or more for things they don’t want
Pigments stand alone without polyphonic after touch is a massive miss... Why?!
To be fair to Arturia, thinking of this as a standalone Pigments, instead of a broad preset player, is missing the target audience. We would love to see this tech used to make a standalone, Origin-style Pigments synth though
@@MusicRadarTech No, it is not. You jumble goals around. Once you make a hardware synth like this, you must include all options.
Otherwise leave it. Hard to make an update to implement poly aftertouch, because that would imply a technician to come to your house to take that thing apart and put another keybed into your prized tool.
When the MODX7+ with 76 keys, a massive front screen and huge lovely sounding sound banks, searchable tones (Astrolab does not allow you to search the hundreds of sounds to find them) and the ability to drag and drop a set order for the same price now until 6/3/24, to me there is no contest the MODX7+ wins easy.
so when will they make keylab mk3 ? with poly keys i hope
When I’m playing live I need immediacy- customized presets that are easy to access. Even as a studio musician it would be nice to use this as a tool.
Is it indeed faster than a computer?
@@oupahens9219Yes it is faster than a pc. And it has 10 synth engines.
it’s cool having all this stuff in one box but i just really don’t think most of the arturia synths sound good at all, and arturia’s design is just as tasteless as usual
Its just a average controller keyboard reminds me od the arturia orgin another synth that was never finished
Most of the 88-key players are pianists.
Arturia have a huge launch stating right at the top ' This keyboard is for live stage use'. So then we get loads of reviewers scratching their heads saying who is this keyboard for? What? 🙄
Price.
Make it a weighted, 88 key bed and I'm in.
I ordered this - its fantastic!
I see only Analog LAb V, not V Collection... for such a price, it's a bad move.
V Collection should have been included at this price point.
I am surprised that I am not seeing more reviews and excitement about the new Roland Go:Keys 3 and Go:Keys 5. These are somewhat similar (61-key stage keyboards) but they tie into the Roland Zen-Core sound library (and are MUCH cheaper).