One thing that puzzles me abouut the Ecko is that it's 128 polyphony. How could that be if there are no voice generators on board? Or are there?

Al G

This note is taken from OpenLabs website: "three standard, pre-built configurations of eKo will be offered", in addition to their custom offerings. Again, remembering that this is a PC computer in a keyboard box, the standard configurations probably come with an audio card which has 128-note synth polyphony. I imagine that you could install your own soundcard(s) and/or install softsynths which have as much polyphony as the CPU and RAM can handle.

Why buy this when you can buy a nice synth with a laptop for about the same price?

It doesn't seem very appealing to me.

Where do you place the laptop, if you were playing live? Keyboard/synth goes on the keyboard stand. Do they sell stands for this kind of setup?
Starkeeper

This question has come out in other discussion groups and there are a variety of answers. Mainly, with a laptop you are limited to slow USB interfaces whereas the eKo is more of a desktop computer and uses faster PCI cards, motherboards, memory and processors than a laptop. The eKo is totally upgradeable... your laptop is not. Also the eKo also has a fast-boot feature and a built-in UPS for quicker setup and play and protection from power outages.

Even if you are happy with your current laptop and keyboard, you will still have ergonomic issues trying to locate everything conveniently on stage, plus the hassle of keeping up with cords and adapters and finding AC plugs etc. The eKo makes all this more comfortable and readily available. There are far more control surfaces with the eKo than on most controller keyboards and since they are customizable they will always be right where you want them.

It's still quite possible that this keyboard may never make it to market (they are supposed to start shipping in the second-quarter of this year but this is a startup company that could vanish by then) but conceptually the eKo is already winning the hot-topic award.

Where do you place the laptop, if you were playing live? Keyboard/synth goes on the keyboard stand. Do they sell stands for this kind of setup?
Starkeeper

Yes my laptop holder connects directly to the "X" stand just like the mic boom.

Hey - your stand is an "Uncle Dave" original ! You can't buy that stuff off the rack !

Donny & UD... How 'bout a photo of your setup? For the setup I'm contemplating (not giging yet), I need a laptop holder and a holder for my Vocalist Workstation... possible?

Anything is possible to fill your needs....

Ours are UNCLE DAVE Limited Editions...
only 2 known to exsist!! :>)

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 01-20-2003).]