Cheap Midi Controller Or Synth Controller? Options

[the clash]

After months of research, decision making and saving I have decided to go the soft synth route and start off by purchasing Logic Pro 6, Reason & a Midi Controller.
The only thing Im not sure about is the quality of these Midi Controllers, they look a bit cheap and look as if they wont last very long.

I don't want to pay for an expensive keyboard with many sounds & sequencer especially if I will be using Logic & Reason.
Would I be better off paying a bit more money and purchasing something like a Alesis Ion or Novation KS4 and using one of these as a Midi Controller?
I know these are probably not up to the build quality of something like a Korg Triton for example but I feel they would be better than a cheap Midi Controller.
Please help! (£500 is my budget)

Cheers.

[robomark29]

I'm not sure how much a KStation is over there... but I'm using the Novation Remote25 and I love it. No sounds, but such nice MIDI capabilities it's worth it. The Novation quality is so beyond any other small midi controller it's not a contest. I thought about the ION as a controller, and while I heard it's great for sounds, reviews said the keyboard was a little cheap feeling and there's no aftertouch, which I *really* like.

I've heard that Novation is coming out with a 61 key version of the Remote, but it's listing for $800 US! That's a bit crazy, IMO, as you can get an 88 key weighted Yamaha digital piano for that. I would like a good 61 key controller though, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. For now I'm using the Remote25 and my wife's Roland JX-305. If you get the ION I'd be curious to see how it does as a controller.

Mark

[krisg]

I've got the remote 25 as well and I also love it. And the knobs are great!

[davinci]

Hi all!

Smokin my hardrive with sonar3

i say...any controller is great considering i only have a keyboard...(can do virtual midi with pc keyboard)

sooo...

if you have the money...sure get a key weigthed controller
why not, you only live once my friend...

its tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime

to sock it to it...

mo power to ya get a good controller

[robomark29]

Well, that's not always a question of quality. I love the Novation's action and I don't like my wife's Yamaha weighted keyboard's action. I'm mainly a guitarist and not a piano so I'm just not used to it, also I love the aftertouch. Let's me dig into a note like I would with a guitar.

That being said, I bought a referbished E-MU Halo instead of waiting for the Novation Remote61. It was $300 and it's pretty good in the action dept and has a bunch of decent sounds. I think they're discontinued, so get them while you can.