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Best $1,000-$1,500 88 key weighted keyboard for iPad apps
I am looked for a good stage 88 Key weighted (and preferably graded) Keyboard with great builtin sounds that will work well with my iPad. I am less interested in MIDI control mapping the app controls to the controls on the keyboard then I am with having good apps on the iPad to control and configure the KeyBoard or apps that recognize the keyboard and map themselves to it. I will be using the keyboard as my MIDI keyboard with my iPad, but all the keyboards I am interesting in seem to have limited support for mapping controls.
The Keyboards I am looking at include, JUNO-DS88, Korg Krome or Kross, Roland RD300NX or FA-08, or Yamaha MOXF8. Yes, I know I have Apples and Oranges in the list, I was planing on a synth, but I really love the sounds and feel of Roland RD line, If I find a used RD700 in my price range I'll probably just jump on it. I am very open to any and all suggestions.
Outside the iPad requirements my reqs include:
Must have MIDI keyboard, prefer USB, but can work with either.
Will expect Keyboard to have its own power supply, don't care about USB power, will only be used in my studio.
Must work with the iPad including MIDI keyboard. Will be connected through my iConnectAudio4+ to both my iPad and MBP.
Great piano keyboard feel. Even though I suck playing keyboard, almost all of my keyboard experience is piano based.
70s sounds capable Synth, i.e Yes, EL&P, Asia, and 70s, 80s Synth pop as well.
Great realistic builtin sounds for classic 60s and 70s music and the best Grand Piano, Classic Elec Piano, and Classic Organ sounds I can find.
Will also be using the keyboard with MainStage and my Retina MBP a lot.
No EDM needs, Gadget is all the EDM I need right now, 98% of what I do is 60-70s stuff. I am primarily a guitar player so I do stuff.
All I can do is recordings.
Like stuff by Shadows and Ventures, Allmans, Eric Clapton, SRV, etc. But want to add Yes, EL&P, Asia, Styx, etc.
I am not ignoring the MIDI control mapping, I have a Novation LaunchKey 61 I will mound in a double stand with whatever I get and will use that for the controls if needed. I am also considering a separate keyboard-less MIDI controller just for the controls.
Yes I know I can get all these sounds from apps I already have, Module, Sample Tank, 70+ Synth apps and 20+ Piano and Organ apps SMH, but at times I just don't want to futz with all that and just want to sit down and play. However, many of the sounds I heard on the keyboards, especially the Roland RD line pianos, sound significantly better IMHO than what I can get with any iPad or OS X apps.
I have every guitar sim available on the iPad and all the Positive Grid desktop apps on my MBP, 80% of the time I play guitar I just plug in to my amp and play. I do often run my metronome/drum tracks/backing tracks/Guitar Pro from my iPad to my MBP via my ICA4+ into the the USB interface on my Yamaha THR10C amp so I can hear it. Always use the software sims 100% of the time for recording though.
Again just to be clear, my primary question I am asking about is app support for the Keyboard, not keyboard support for the apps beyond the keyboard keyboard MIDI out working with the apps. 
All of the keyboards have apps for both OS X and iOS, but few reviews for the apps. Any other feed back on the keyboards in general will also be appreciated.
Comments
Casio PX5s
Ok more info on my choice:
Great controller keyboard with 4 internal and external midi zones.
USB host and drive. Can control iPad voices in midi zones and play sound back through keyboard, mix and output to stereo outs.
6 layer hex synth.
Good range of key sounds and decent key action.
Light weight, won't break your back.
At the same time won't break bank either at £600!
@Fruitbat1919: Thanks for the response! The PX5s is the most feature rich keyboard in its price range IMHO, I was pretty excited about it when I first found it. I just didn't like its sounds when I played it, especially the Piano sounds. I was planing on trying it again with my Sennheisers just to make sure. They may have been an issue with its amp.
In its price range I don't think it can be matched, except for the large sample VSTs, but the controller aspects are worth the price alone imho.
Where did you take a listen? Maybe phones would be a better way to get the sound. I liked it in the flesh and was surprised, as some online demos are not that great and some are the opposite. I never got the chance to hook up my iPad and try my app pianos through it to compare (as I know what they sound like through my monitors).
Saying all that though, pianos sounds on electronic keyboards are so subjective. The Casio does give you some control though and the Hex synth is interesting being able to take some of the piano samples and other sounds and mix it up.
What piano sounds have hit that spot for you? Yamaha? Korg? Or Roland? Such a tricky one to get that perfect sound in a shop. It's kinda like HiFi, needs to be listened to in the situation of use.
Another idea to try as well as headphones, is to take along a recorded backing track and play it through the aux in while playing the Piano sound. This will give you a much better idea of how the piano fits in a mix and gives you direct comparison, as you will know how your mix usually sounds.
Thanks for pointing that out... Nice demo here.
Another thing is PX5S sounds so close to PXR5 by Hawkwind lol
I tried the PX5s at Sam Ash, and had all the others to compare there as well. The Roland RDs have the Piano sounds, both acoustic and electric, that I like the best. I expect that electric Piano and rock/jazz/blues organ will be what I use the most at first, its what fits best in the stuff I am currently playing.
I don't think its a bad sound good sound thing, just a matter of different tastes.
The $1000 Synth in my list is the Roland Juno DS-88. Unfortunately it was just released so there are few reviews out there on it, but Sam Ash had them in stock. They have the same keyboard as the RDs do, including the 700 and 800 it's also my favorite playing keyboard.
Let me know when you've played the Juno DS88, will be interested in what you think of it.
I Played it at Sam Ash, loved the Keyboard, Piano, E Piano, was good, not as good as the RDs though, cool classic synth presets, but mostly 80-90s not so much 60-70s. Didn't have time to really play with the Synth, wife was waiting in the Car
. I am planning on going back with my Sennheiser studio headphones, iPad, CCK and USB Cables to give them all a better test.
I will look into the Juno. It's just a tad out of the range I wanted to spend though.
You might check out a Fantom X-8 off ebay 2nd hand. Coming in in your price range. I have a couple of these in different studio setups. Great weighted action and DIN MIDI works perfectly with the iPad. (USB requires drivers and the kbd is now obsolete so you cannot rely on using it with more modern, but you get a whole lot of keyboard for the price.)
We'll I got together with the boss and she took me to Sam Ash. I quickly sold her on the FA-08 which was my first choice at the time. She then said, "Oh thats a cute red one over there!" and ran over hit a coupe of keys and said, "This is the one, we'll buy this one" pointing at the $5000 Nord. SMH
In any case I eventually decided on the Roland Juno DS88 primarily for 2 reasons, 1) I just loved the keyboard feel, its the same as an RD800 or FA-08, 2) price, $1000. I needed a decent keyboard amp to go with it, but decided to get a pair of Yamaha HS8 studio monitors to use with it and the rest of my soft synths, guitar amp sims, and for my recording in general. Works better for me, I have great sounds and synths in my Mac and on my iPad. Spent the same as I would have for an FA-08, but got a pair studio monitors I really needed, been using only headphones.
After more testing I really think the sounds of the DS88 versus PX5S are similar, some better, some worse on each. The PX5S has a better UI and is a more flexible synth, its definitely a better performance keyboard IMHO, but I just love the feel of the Roland Keyboard. I expect that I'll be using my soft synths and the sounds in my Mac/iPad most of the time so the builtin sounds are less important to me. Love having them though for practicing and playing around.
PS: Don't let the fact that the DS88 uses a driver on OS X scare you, there is a internal setting to use the driver or have the MIDI USB be class compliant so it works fine with an iPad. The driver is only for passing audio from the keyboard into your computer.
@BigDawgsByte
Glad to hear you got sorted.
I was still looking, but been slightly side tracked with looking at modular systems....bad idea and totally off bat lol
Understand the modular distraction. I've been hip deep in Audulus the last week, absolutely in love with it! Part of what pushed me to get the DS now is using it with Audulus.
So close on the Nord!! Glad you got something you like and thanks for closing the loop on this one. Will be a good bit of reference for the future.
Any new contender?
The new Yamaha CK88 might be worth a look - class compliant audio and midi interface with mic/guitar input and effects chain, portable, lightweight…
Kurzweil PC4. Unlike most mid range boards these days, it has after touch.
Yamaha p-125a has the trifecta: weighted keys, good speakers, and an audio/midi interface. Sadly, the new one (p-125b) got rid of the audio interface and now only transmits midi.
Kawai ES920 for best plastic action. Very well reviewed.
Edit… sorry, the 920 doesn’t have wheels. Kawai MP7se is slightly out of the price range but excellent if you care about feel.
*typo