Hey Cake community,
 
I'm looking for a recommendation for a keyboard/synthesizer that will be a better fit for me than my 14 year old Yamaha DGX300.  Though it's seen me through recording 8 or so albums I need something else for live performances, as it doesn't have much flexibility sound-wise, and it would be great to have a more able midi controller than that.
 
Of course the hitch is that I don't have much $. At all.  I'm thinking in the $200-300 range, breaking the bank.
 
Recently I've been using a lot of Z3ta 2 and Iris while recording, if that gives any hint of the kinds of sounds I like.
 
New, used, I don't care.  Any help greatly appreciated, as always.
 
Jon

You're not going to find any keyboards in that price range which will sound as good as Z3ta2 or Iris (well, I haven't heard Iris myself, but it's still not likely).
 
the type of keyboard which will give you the sounds similar to Z3TA and Iris are going to be analog synths such as the Roland GAIA SH-01 (37 keys $600), Roland Jupiter 50 (76key $1500), Korg MicroKorg ($800)
 
You might want to look into getting just a MIDI controller that suits your needs and continue to use Z3TA and Iris as your sounds.  it should be easy enough to find a MIDI controller for the price range you're looking at.
 
This is the one I have and it suits my needs.  the keys are a little smaller than I would like and a little "slippery" but it works fine for controlling softsynths.
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Oxygen3-61

Hey Beagle,
 
Thanks for the info...I know you can't have it all, I'm just broke and about to start practicing with a band playing songs that I've recorded but never attempted live.  Maybe using a controller with software would work but I'd be nervous about stability...maybe that would be totally fine though.
 

yeah, that's a concern.  I haven't been brave enough to do that live either.
 
in that case, I suggest you look at some used stuff from ebay or your local GC.  your local GC would be the best place to look for used keyboards because you can play them there and ask questions.  make sure you know if you want built in speakers or if an external amp is necessary for output.
 
you might want to look at the consumer series of Yamaha or Roland such as the Yamaha YPG line.

Now don't laugh everyone....you could think about one of the Casio XW-P1 (or there is another version G1 - not totally sure of the difference)
I have a used P1 and its good for midi and you can get decent dance type sounds from it - best thing they are cheap - they are cheap new,  but second hand very cheap - I purchase a nearly new one still in its original box for about $230 - these are worth a look at I think for what you need - another bonus they are very light for gigging with.
Nigel
 

Check out this youtube review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH5GsSD6am0
Nigel
 

Actually, Nigel, I ALMOST recommended the CASIO CTK series or the WK (workstation) series.  both would be in his price range and would be suitable for his needs.
 
Also, not all Casios are equal and they're not all the same cheap keyboards they used to be.  I own a CASIO PX-3 stage piano.  it suits my needs for home recording and I've taken it to gigs.  it's lightweight has decent sounds and I love the weighted feel of the keys.

Actually, those Casios look pretty awesome for my purposes.  I have fond memories of doing my first sampling with that old Casio sampler, I think it was an SK10, beautiful little thing.
 
What about the Arturia Microbrute?  Any experience with that thing?  The analog in capabilities look really intriguing...
 
Thanks again for the thoughts, still on the hunt.

The microbrute has a great sound but the drawback is it doesn't save patches and it can be finicky to automate. I'd think about trying to pick up a used micronova.

I've a Microbrute.

It's an interesting and good sounding little synth but I'm not sure I'd recommend it as someone's only synth.

Pluses are the interesting and unusual oscillator section which allows mixing multiple waveforms and modifying each of them as well. The filter's something a bit different to the usual Moog or Curtiss chip style ones, resonates nicely and can be over-driven. The key bed isn't bad for the price either. Once tuned it doesn't drift much.

Downside is the single LFO amd envelope and the not always obvious way some of the controls interact. The miniature patchbay extends modulation possibilities a bit but you've still only the one LFO. Though that limitation never hurt the Moog Mini or Korg MS 10 or 20. The biggest weakness is you can't tune oscillators to different octaves or offset them by fine tuning. No noise generator either.

I've not tried using the built-in sequencer so have no opinion on that.

For an inexpensive synth that is relatively straightforward in a live setting and has quite deep programming possibilities (though a complete pig of a thing to programme thanks to the interface) I think the Alesis Micron/Akai Miniak takes some beating. Not the most refined or analogue-sounding device, if anything a little bland, but it can do most synthy things OK and the extra keys over a 2 octave synth are very useful. I've heard them played through serious PAs and they don't sound at all bad for a cheap computer in a box. They seem to turn up second hand at quite low prices as well.