Deal: Arturia KeyLab 49 Mk3 and Mk2, two 49-key MIDI keyboard controllers with aftertouch, are now on sale up to 51% OFF.
Almost exactly two years ago, Arturia released the KeyLab Mk3 series with two models: 49 and 61, starting at 449€. The 88-key version came a little later. With the Mk3, Arturia completely rebuilt its flagship keyboards from the ground up.
These include a new layout, a color screen, a new keybed, and much more. A full review is available here. Two years into the market, both generations have seen significant price drops. Thomann has both the Arturia KeyLab 49 MK3 and Mk2 on offer with up to 51% OFF.
Deal Arturia KeyLab 49 Mk3 Mk2
The Arturia KeyLab Mk3 series launched at the end of August 2024, priced at 449€ for the 49 version. Thomann is now offering the KeyLab 49 Mk3 in white for 319€ instead of 449€, a 29% discount.
This discount is so large that it almost catapults the flagship MIDI controller into the mid-price range, alongside products from Novation and others that don’t offer aftertouch, for example.
Here are the facts. The KeyLab 49 Mk3 is a MIDI keyboard controller with a 49-key semi-weighted velocity and aftertouch keybed. Polyphonic aftertouch is not onboard. The pitch and mod wheels are on the left side.
It also has 12 backlit pads with four banks, velocity and aftertouch support, plus nine touch-sensitive knobs and faders. Touch sensitivity lets you access parameter states by simply touching them without moving them.
In the middle, you can also find DAW transport controls, plus a new OLED display with surrounding buttons and a main encoder.
Other features are:
- deep software integration with automatic mappings for Pigments and the V Collection instruments
- NKS compatibility
- standalone mode with storable custom mappings
- DAW mode with automatic mappings for various DAWs
- scale and chord mode
- a fun arpeggiator with creative additions
On the backside, you have a USB-C port (data and power), an optional power supply input, a MIDI in/out on 5-pin sockets, and three pedal inputs.
KeyLab 49 MK2
It’s even cheaper if you go back a generation. Thomann also carries the Arturia KeyLab 49 Mk2 generation alongside the MK3. This model was released in 2019 and is now somewhat dated.
Thomann currently has the Mk2 version on sale for 219€ instead of 449€ (original price in 2019). That’s a 51% discount. This one also has a semi-weighted 49-key keyboard with velocity and aftertouch. However, the quality is somewhat inferior as it comes from a different manufacturer.
It features 16 backlit pads, 9 faders, and 9 knobs. It also includes DAW controls and a display. You’ll have to be content with an old-school monochrome LC display here. Pitch and mod wheels are on the left side.
Good: it also has a very basic chord function, which ushered in all the chord functions. The Mk3 offers a more comprehensive engine here. The plugin control is also rather super basic and will, at best, win a flowerpot, but no award.
If you plan to use the keyboard for an extended period, be careful with the faders and knobs. They’re the same ones used in the Minibrute, etc., which can become sticky after a while. So be careful and have isopropyl alcohol handy.
A unique feature of the Mk2 version, however, is the analog connectivity with one CV in, CV and gate outputs, and two modulation outputs. These didn’t make it in the Mk3. On top of that, it comes with four pedal inputs instead of three.
Deal Or Not
Yes, both are great deals. The 51% discount on the Mk2 certainly sounds the most tempting, but you have to accept that the keybed quality and integration are inferior, and the knobs can become sticky.
For those who prefer modern features like a fun arpeggiator, deeper connectivity, NKS support, and more, the Arturia KeyLab 49 Mk3 offers the better deal. Both models are available in every color option, as long as it’s classic Arturia white.
Arturia KeyLab 49 Mk3 is now available for 319€ instead of 449€ at Thomann. The MK2 version with 49 keys is on sale for 219€.
More information here: Arturia
Available from Thomann
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