Anyone know about MIDI keyboard controllers?

[Mexicorn]

I guess this is a bit of an unusual question for this forum, but i'm curious if anyone knows where I could find some good deals/information on keyboard controllers. I'm taking some music theory classes at school for a minor, and would be able to work on compositions etc. MUCH easier with some sort of keyboard. Seeing as how whenever i'd be using it, my computer would be on anyway, I'm thinking of getting just a controller instead of a full standalone keyboard to save on cash. This'll be in a dorm room and i'd be using it on my desk, so i'm definitely not looking for a giant 88-key setup. I'm thinking somewhere between 32-49keys would be best. Here's what i've dug up so far...

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--EDIPCR30

looks pretty nice and has some good reviews, however i'm completely in the dark about how these items should be priced, and the actual quality of the different brands (i.e. i'd rather not be an idiot and think "oh, it's sony/yamaha/bignamebrand, it must be good!")

Anyone know anything about these things?

 

[FLECOM]

the only real difference between most of them is how the action of the keys feels and how many assignable controllers it has (ex. volume, reverb, chorus etc)

i would probably suggest you go to a guitar center and play with some of them, they arnt terribly expensive, and a lot of them even come with USB now

 

[KaosDG]

Keep in mind that a controller will simply send midi data to your computer.
It's up to the soundcard to generate the sounds, so if your soundcard is pretty crappy, then you won't get a good sound out of it.

Most newer consumer cards though have decent midi samples and soundfont capabilities.
(be careful though, some pro-sumer "recording" cards don't have ANY midi capabilities)

If you want REAL good sound samples you'd either need a keyboard with a built in synth or an outboard midi controllable synth.


Edit: Look into M-Audio's line of controllers. They are pretty decent.

In fact, I am looking at replacing my monster QS8 with a QSR Rack synth and an M-Audio Radium

 

[Mexicorn]

I understand that i'll need the midisynth on the soundcard to generate sound through this thing. I only have an old school SBLive card, but i'll only be using the keyboard for Finale stuff and fruityloops so I don't care much about the sound quality coming out in the end. Its funny you mention MAudio Radium, since I was very interested in their 49-key setup on the same site:
http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--MDORADIUM49

weird thing is, contrary to what the "average rating" says, the reviews seem pretty nasty compared to the Edirol. Many people were talking about hte flimsyness of the keys, so that got me a bit worried. I'm not looking for something to take with me everywhere or anything, but i will be needing to take it too and from school each semester.

 

[matt fury]

I just bought a Radium49 for $150 new. The keys are a bit flimsy feeling, but no more flimsy than most non-weighted keys. The quality of the unit it self seems pretty good, and the nobs and sliders aren't as bad as the keys. I personally prefer the additional keys of the Radium for the same cash over the Edirol, but I come from the piano world as opposed to the electronic-music world. Personally, I doubt that the keys on the Edirol are much better, if at all, so I would choose based on size. Keep in mind though that M-Audio also makes smaller Radiums, and their Oxygen line is also very good. Don't know about Edirol, but M-Audios stuff is also pretty well supported from what I've seen.