Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Akai Pro LPK25 Laptop Performance Keyboard OVERALL IMPRESSION: NOT A TOY! This is an excellent songwriting tool, that makes music making on the go a reality. Not intended to replace your main MIDI controller. DISCLAIMER: I am an amateur musician making songs mostly to share with family and friends. Also, guitar is my native instrument, and my keyboard skills still leave much to be desired. That being said: I LOVE THIS DEVICE!! PROS: -PORTABILITY AND SMALL FOOTPRINT. I can take this thing with me anywhere and it does not take much space in my laptop bag or work-surface. I have a 20"x20" wood board that I use as a work-surface for my laptop, mouse, LPK25, and headphones. Using that setup I composed whole songs in my bed, sofa, dinner table, backyard chair, passenger seat of my car (at work during lunch time), hotel room, in-laws house...you get the idea. I also have a room with a full size desktop piled with recording equipment in my house, but I only use that setup for recording vocals, guitars, mixing, and mastering (when I have time). Most of my music creation is done with the LPK25 and my laptop. -PLAYABILITY. Although the keys are small they are still comfortable to play without hitting more than one note at once with each finger (and I have thick fingers). The keys also have great sinth-like action. -BUILT-IN ARPEGIATOR. I am a novice at using arpegiators but I have found the built-in arpegiator on the LPK-25 very useful and simple to use. An excellent tool to develop ideas, particularly if you (like me) are lacking serious keyboard skills. -USB POWERED. No power brick required, and it does not drain my laptop's battery quickly either. -PLUG & PLAY: No drivers to download and fuss with. CONS: -VELOCITY RANGE NOT AS WIDE AS I WOULD LIKE. The difference in loudness when you press a key fast/hard VS. soft/slow is not as noticeable as more expensive controllers I have used in the past. If you are a very expressive player you won't like it this very much. UNKNOWNS: -QUALITY & LONGEVITY: I have only owned it for a few months so I don't know how well it will stand to the test of time. But that being said as far as I know AKAI products are pretty reliable, and well built, and this product feels solid. FINAL NOTE: Although this will be obvious to most, I think it is worth mentioning that this is a midi controller and NOT A STAND ALONE KEYBOARD. The unit makes no sounds of its own and you need a separate computer program (i.e. virtual instrument) to use it. UPDATE 12/08/2010: I am happy to report that as of today (12/08/2010) my Akai LPK25 is still working as good as the day I bought it.