Check this out - Master Controller Keyboard from CHINA!

Cheez

Moderator
So far, my qualms with the M-audio's controllers are: plastic feel, plywood bottom, no after-touch, feel of keys not too good, keybed not too good. All these appear to be cost cutting measures. But few can argue with them for the low price they put up.

Now check this one out - new keyboards from China! Produced by CME - UF series controllers. They have:

1. Aluminium body (so they are not that light but OK - 88 keys version 23.5kg. At least they won't break)
2. Weighted hammer keys - not graded. They keys are the same used for GEM pRP8. I haven't tried it but they have AFTERTOUCH! Apparently, the response is quite good. They apparently got quite good responses at the 2005 Frankfurt Musikmesse.
3. USB and optional firewire control
4. Breath controller input (until now, only Yamaha had it)
5. 9 faders, 8 knobs - all assignable
6. Pitch bend and mod wheels.

They have everything one would like in a controller. Minus all the shortcomings of M-audio's keyboards. Of course weight is another issue.

The price:
599USD for the 88 key version!!!!!!!

big-UF8.jpg


Keyboard magazine has an article on this:
http://www.cme-pro.com/download/Keyboard_Apr05_CMEreview.pdf
 
china cannot be overlooked by major companies, especially to stay competitive in pricing. US$599 is darn cheap for this!
 
haha.. it looks so tacky! esp the back panel with the "CME" and "UF8" font. but i think a major attraction would be the optional firewire audio expansion. midi controller and sound card in one! and more than the 2 octaves that m-audio has to offer.


btw, i think kurzweil K2500 and k2600 series boards have breath controller input.

and i was watching this eric clapton dvd.. one more car, on more rider live on tour 2004. david sancious on keyboards and he had this 88note board in a wooden chassis with a breath controller input. that one got me there. i couldn't identify it.
 
cme pro

it's here in Singapore! featured today in Straits Times class. ads

www.cme-pro.com
tel - 67780982
these guys are the authorized dealer in Singapore/Malaysia,
there'll be a product launch next Sunday 15/05/05 2pm at Safra Toa Payoh.

news is that this product has sold 50,000 units in US/Europe.


UF is the most cost effective omnipotent master keyboard available
-The world's first duraluminum appearance MIDI master keyboard with pro synth concept
-The world's first capability for digital audio firewire expansion
-The world's first MIDI master keyboard with breath control
-The world's first full range series MIDI master keyboard with aftertouch,include 49 to 88 keys

UF8: US$599.00
UF7: US$399.00
UF6: US$299.00
UF5: US$199.00

Dimension:
UF8: 1408 x 372 x 150 mm, 23.5 kg
UF7: 1232 x 348 x 113 mm, 11.8 kg
UF6: 1022 x 348 x 113 mm, 9.8 kg
UF5: 859 x 348 x 113 mm, 8.2 kg

errr... wow, quite heavy leh
ufs.jpg
 
Looks pretty decent and better build than M-Audio stuff...Good quality from PRC ? I appreciate that...Best of Luck to CME guys...I think like buying one...

Behringer's must eat CME's shit !!! and learn from them, how to make good quality products...
 
I called up the guy. The 88 key is S$1199 (about S$200 more than the MRSP on their website, which isn't too bad). At the launch next week (tentatively at Toa Payoh SAFRA on the 15th Sunday), there will be an early bird discount of 10% on top of that.

Anybody going? Unfortunately it is my wedding anniversary that day...

I asked Lai (the guy selling it) to post an ad on SOFT to update us on the launching venue and date should there be any changes. Keep a look out!
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSRP please see definition of MSRP.

in the first place, the MSRP is an "over-stated" price to protect small retailers from being eaten up by competing prices from larger firms. in this sense, no one is supposed to sell higher than the MSRP. economically unethical.

anyway, what are the chances that they've gotten wind that equipment prices in singapore are usually marked up excessively so when the cme guys(or only a distributor?) came here they did the same.

anyway i think i'll be going to check it out. hopefully they'll lower the price after a while. anybody going? bong?
 
If I'm able to go, I'll see you guys there! If not, please update this thread on the details about the touch.

Their forum mentioned that the keys are the same as the GEM pRP8 and the Suzuki keyboards. I've never tried a Suzuki keyboard (sounds suspicious) or the pRP8. The other GEM keyboards have quite decent touch (Pro series) - although they felt a little on the heavier side and not as responsive as the other weighted keys in the market. I don't think the pRP8 is better than the Pro series, the latter being GEM's flagship keyboards. I therefore have my reservations about the touch of these new CME keyboards, but we shall see...
 
Citymusic

hi ALL,

check out Citymusic website,
they are also bringing in the CME MIDI controllers

UF5-front.gif
 

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