difference between m50 and m3

[orpheus2006]

And I thought the M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series compact car whereas the M50 is just a piston engine

They definitely sound different!

[X-Trade]

What's the difference between an M50 and an M3? ....

One goes into Wales just north of Gloucester, the other runs between London and Southampton.

I know which one i'd rather be on!



Seriously, I own neither but if you can't see the difference when playing in the store, or watching/listening online... Then it'll sound more or less the same on a recording or live.

I think the M3 just feels more inspiring to play with KARMA and the nice trigger pads and keys, colour screen, nice price tag.

Especially the M50 61's keys really let the side down. I think most of the difference in soud is psychological rather than a consequence of digital conversion or electronics. There's certainly no reason why they can't sound the same - its all digital in software.

Most of the feature differences have already been mentioned.
The two big features you have to weigh up are whether you want a sampler and whether you want KARMA or the triton twin arps. It is also sad to see a lack of aftertouch on the M50.

[BasariStudios]

What i dont understand is how can someone claim they sound different when
the PURPOSE of the WHOLE CUT down thing is to NOT sound different.
What i wish is for someone of you to come up here and tell me that MBOX
and ACCELL 3HD sound the same...LOLLLLLLLLLLLZZZZZZZZZZZ.....

[BasariStudios]

Contest still open:

[kimu]

it could be interesting if somebody having PRO equipments could posts some hi-quality audio files and spectrum analyzer screenshot to see if M50 and M3 out are different or not

(or if someone dare to open both M50 and M3 and post photos of D/A actually used)

with my consumer equipment i am not able to perceive any appreciable differences

[StephenKay]

Just thought I'd chime in.

During development of the KARMA M50 Software (which gives you the KARMA features of the M3 for the M50, at a fraction of the price, plug, plug, plug), I extensively A/B'd the two of them together, and they sound identical. This is through very expensive Genelec speakers + subwoofer (and that bogus Monster-cable crap I managed to believe at one point). Now, my ears might suck at this stage (but I doubt it ) - but I would like to see anyone prove that on the same patch, the two of them are not identical. Because, as far as I can tell, they are.

[jmexio]

Getting back to the topic at hand, this is a list I had compiled when deciding what to buy. I originally posted at Karma-Lab, but it is just easier for me to paste my part of the reply here. Note that it might be outdated, I made this some 10 months ago, but it was the most complete set of data I could compile at that time.


(here goes)


Ok, I took the liberty to compile a list of differences and sort them a little, because I found myself in the same situation that you guys were in (having to pick between M50 and M3) and this was my way to process the information available in this thread (so all credit goes to the previous posters!). I just added weight information (was significant for me). Again, I'm stripping everything but the differences... Let's get to it.


The M3 adds:


*Sounds*
100% MORE preloaded programs and 8% MORE preloaded combis - 1200 vs. 600 and 416 vs. 384
158% MORE total programs, 252% MORE total combis and 200% MORE total drum kits - 1650 vs. 640, 1800 vs. 512 and 144 vs. 48
150% MORE total memory - 640 MB (256 + 384 from USB expansion) vs. 256 MB
50% MORE polyphony - 120 voices vs. 80


*New Functions*
KARMA
Sampler, with "in-track" sampling


*Physical aspects/Interface*
2 MORE versions (73 keys and module)
All version have detachable module (can be separated from keyboard)
Much better keyboard in 61 and 73 version keyboards (the action on the 88 one is the same)
Aftertouch
Ribbon
8 velocity sensitive chord/drum triggers vs. 4 switches (non velocity sensitive)
8 sliders and 8 switches vs. 4 knobs
8 KARMA buttons
X/Y control (with hold and motion record)
Control surface also has mixer and tone adjust modes.
107% MORE weight for 61 key version, 27% MORE weight for 88 key version (6.8kg/14.99lb vs. 14.1kg/31.08lb and 20.8kg/45.86lb vs. 26.5kg/58.42lb)


*Conectivity*
Midi thru (M50 just has in and out)
4 individual audio outputs, digital out (s/pdif)
2 audio inputs, digital in (s/pdif)
USB port for sticks, CD reader/burner or external hard drive


*Expandability*
Radias (adds new type of synthesis, auxiliary effect bus, vocoder and obviously sounds), Firewire (allows for very tight integration on a computer based workflow) and sampling memory (adds more sampling time, and also allows to load all the USB exansions to memory). Basically, the M3 is upgradeable and the M50 is not.



It should be noted that the M50 has a dual polyphonic arpeggiator, that the M3 hasn't... But the M3 of course has KARMA! On the same line of thought, the M50 comes with an SD reader, but the M3 has USB port to attach storage devices (sticks, optical drives, hard drives, and - one would guess - an SD reader).

Stephen also notes the processor on the M3 is faster, and that this is important for fast screen refreshes under heavy KARMA usage, for example, and that the build quality between M3 and M50 is different.

On a personal note, I've just tested the 61 version of the M3 for a long time today, and a 61-key M50 minutes later (across the street) and I can tell you that from a physical point of view the difference is huge. Not just the feel of the action, but the plastic of the keys themselves... I've never seen such a high quality synth keyboard! And then there's the pots, faders, buttons... The M50 is no rival for the M3 in terms of sheer physical strenght, not even in the same league, or so it seemed to me. They both sounded excellent, nevertheless (I did miss KARMA, but that's a different story). Sound quality seemed the same to me.


Hope this gives a clearer overview of the differences among the two beasts. As always, your best move would be to test them live at a store, but at least you have a rundown of what to look for.

(end post)

Cheers,
Juan Miguel

[M3Yogi]

No one mentioned the look. M3 looks so handsome and powerful while the M50 looks like a cheapo plastic toy

[CfNorENa]

No one mentioned the look. M3 looks so handsome and powerful while the M50 looks like a cheapo plastic toy

Hmmm. To me the M3 looks very cheap indeed, very home keyboard -- the sort of thing you'd buy your 11-year old nephew to bang around on. All it needs is some speakers on those aluminum panels. I agree that the M50-61 also looks a bit cheap, but the 88-key version, to me, is an aesthetic winner -- sleek, retro (think M1), and inviting.

Not that it matters much!