Consider that the Studiologic sl88 grand has been on the market since 2015 and an updated version has never been released… but I also agree that Arturia should also modernize its master compartment a bit!!!
I think the key difference (pardon the pun) is StudioLogic don’t market a bunch of VSTs that their own hardware doesn’t have the full capablity to use.
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I agree with you, among other things, by contacting Studiologic directly they replied that they will update it but not soon and not this year. Otherwise the sl88 studio with their mixface would have been an excellent alternative to the keylab 88, but investing in a product that will be renovated soon doesn’t make much sense.
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I’ve already seen the MkII listed as “discontinued” (TomLee Music), and I also see lack of general availability being a sign that this is so. I have also been bitten by other manufacturers cutting off support for discontinued products, putting otherwise usable products in the landfill before their time just because of lack of OS support. I have concerns about this for the MkII in addition to dropping support for Analog Lab V.
In spite of this, I have just ordered a KeyLab MkII. There’s a couple of reasons for this.
- I need a keyboard now. My trusty Novation SL MkII is finally dying, with keys starting to fail.
- The Keylab MkII gives me all the features I need in a relatively premium product, for something like $200CAD less than the competition.
- While aftertouch is an essential controller for me, poly-aftertouch isn’t.
I will kick myself if the MkIII comes out at the same price point as the MkII in a month or so. I think though, that we’ll see a price increase, for new features that I probably have no real use for.
I recently read a post from Feb 23 on another forum, saying they want to buy the mk2, but are holding off as a mk3 must be coming soon.
I bought mine this January and am very very happy with it. Sure there’s a few things that could be better , but that’s always the case with any keyboard.
If you buy it today and a mk3 is announced tomorrow, that will simply be bad luck (and is the sort of thing that usually happens to me), but you will still have a very very good and capable midi controller.
I’ve just looked at Tom Lee music, and I can’t see it listed as discontinued (mind you, I may well have missed where it says this) and see all 3 sizes available to buy
Arturia KeyLab Mkll MIDI Controller Keyboard (49/61-Keys) — Tom Lee Music?
Arturia KeyLab 88 MkII - 88 Keys MIDI Controller Keyboard — Tom Lee Music?
There seems to be stock of all sizes in the UK stores I just looked at, the only exception being Andertons are out of stock of the 61 black version but expect delivery on 10th July.
So, maybe wait a month ( or 10th July, and see if Andertons to get the 61 back in stock) to see if a new one is announced.
Mind you, if Andertons do get a delivery on 10th July, for all you and I know, it could be the very last mk2 shipment.
This sort of thing ends up with us continually waiting and never buying.
Just don’t want you to put off buying month after month, when you could have been enjoying a great controller.
If you do buy today and a new one is announced next week, don’t blame me lol
Then again, for all we know, what Arturia think is a good mk3 might not be what we think. We might (hopefully not) come to the conclusion that the mk2 is better.
You’re on the Hong Kong site. I’m in Canada.
The 49 MkII (the one I want) is marked as EOL (End of Life) - KEYLAB 49 MKII BLACK 49-NOTE USB/MIDI KEYBOARD CONTROLLER W/PADS,FADERS,KNOBS | Tom Lee Music
Actually the 61 note version is not listed as EOL - I mis-spoke on that one. However, I’ve noticed this disappear from the web site of my locally available music store chain, Long & McQuade.
I was originally going to get a 61 note to replace my 61 note Novation, but I don’t really need 5 octaves for how I use a keyboard (especially with the multi-function pads, which for my purposes I should be able to assign to keyswitches), and 49 keys takes up a nice bit less real estate, and puts the mod and pitch bend on the same plane as the keys, which I prefer.
Ah, sorry, I just googled TommyLee music and that was the one that came up.
It would be nice if the MK3 did drop next month, if it’s a lot better, I’ll add the 61 note to my Christmas list to replace my mk2 
I have the Ni S88 and Arturia Keylab 61 mk2 for my main desktop PC.
Also have a Novation Launch key 37 to use when sitting in my armchair with my MacBook.
37 keys is one octave too small for me, now I’m debating (and changing my mind hourly) whether to get the Launchkey 49 or the Keylab Essentials 49 MK3…
Launchkey has more pads and buttons, but I have Arturia VX and Pigments and obviously the Keylab will sync to that nicely. But I also use NI Komplete and also Omnisphere so maybe more buttons and pads would be better (not really interesting keyboard quality for my armchair messing around)
I use Studio One and the Arturia has a template for that.
Not bothered about the included software, from either company as I already own it all anyway.
I simply can’t decide lol, just got back from a music store 20 miles away that said both were in stock, turned out they lied so that was a wasted journey.
On Wednesday, Cash converters (pawn shop sort of place) had the Keylab mk2 49 (not the essential version) for just £119, said it was tested and working, but no power supply, doesn’t come with a power supply and of course I jumped at such an obvious miss price, I’m convinced they got confused between the essential models and this one. They accepted my order, I said to my wife that I doubt they will dispatch it. It said it was processed and awaiting dispatch, then Thursday I got the following message.
“ Hello
We tested the keyboard before going and found a fault so will be refunding, for you sorry again should take 3/5 days to go back to you
Kind Regards
Cash Converters”
So they obviously discovered their mistake, I responded saying
“ Hi, electronics is my hobby, if you want to knock something off the price, I’ll happily buy it as faulty without warranty?”
They didn’t bother replying lol
My Keylab arrived. Happy with it in some respects and not in others. Can’t believe after all this time how bad it intigrates “out of the box” with my DAW (Cubase). I have to rely on a generous Keylab user for a script to integrate it, or create my own. That’s not how Arturia portrays it at all. Dreadful. Also, a little nit-picky for the price maybe, but disappointed in the variance of gap between the keys, and the variance in key height half way along the keyboard. The twelve plus year old keyboard that it replaces would have been in a similar price range, and never had either issue.
It does feel really solid though, and once I have the DAW integration the way I want it, I think I’ll be really happy with it.
I did not know that the integration with Cubase is lacking that much. Sorry to hear that. I had a similar experience with another manufacturer. It made me switch DAWs as my keyboard provides a very good integration with Ableton Live. Though I was able to make all my buttons and sliders work with Reaper and even Cakewalk there was no way to get the buttons on the keyboard react like showing when a channel was muted, soloed etc. AL ist the only DAW they implemented that.
I just had assumed the experience with Arturia midi controllers would be a much better one. 
Are you still on the fence or have you turned to other similar instruments?
if so which ones?
The fence has a nice view. 
Another patient fellow waiting for MKIII 61 Keylab for exactly the same reasons everyone mentioned here. I’ve been hoping Arturia would release it around January, but alas it still did not happen.
Nevertheless I’m more hopeful than ever that it won’t be long. From the looks of various things Arturia are on the verge of giving us the good news.
I have been eyeing Thomann on almost a weekly basis, and for the past few months they did not re-stock on the black version of MKIII, and just this morning I noticed that they are not even showing the 61 MKII at all, not even the white one!
My wallet is ready 
This, all of it!
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I’m also waiting…
I think Aftertouch/Poly Aftertouch are nice to have, but only if done right.
For me, the most important requirement is … working key velocity.
Something totally basic, but so many keyboards seem to have problems with it. And configurable velocity curves don’t seem to help.
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Maybe we’re there, actually the 61-key version can no longer be ordered on Thomann. However, the 49-key and 88-key versions remain on the list.
I love my KL 88 mk2…
Ok. KeyLab MKIII is here. The website does not offer a lot of technical insight. For example, there is no information about the MIDI version.
What it definitely does not offer: Polyphonic Aftertouch, no Bluetooth, no Wifi. 
Nicely done: the faders and knobs are touch sensitive and the modestly sized color screen reacts to you touching the controls and names the parameters they control.
In Creative Sauces’s video I found that there is something interesting with the keybed. It provides channel aftertouch (meh) and something I do not know what it is: release verlocity.
About the integration with Arturia products and DAWs is not much more information than that it works.
And we lost 4 Pads for fingerdrumming or clip launching in Ableton Live. The buttons for track selection are gone. You have to do it via a big selector knob near the color screen.
If you are an Arturia afficionado, you won’t be impressed by the Plugins and software. I would like it more if you got some coupons to choose the plugins you want.
Anyway, it is a solid update. But not one that enthuses me much.
The price though is really hot. Because you get the upgrade for the price you had to pay for the MKII version last month.
Will I buy it? I do not know yet. As you know I am really interested in MIDI 2.0 because I want it to last a long time. But this information is not available yet. Polyphonic Aftertouch would have been nice. But it is not really important to me.
STILL no poly aftertouch. So that means it’s what, five years away, unless they launch a more expensive Keylab Pro? I mean there are literally presets in AL5 and VCX that require PA to work optimally. And you still haven’t given us an in-house controller that has the feature. Incredible.
Bye Arturia. Well, at least for hardware controllers. NI beckons me. And I will answer.
It’s been a nice ride but if you can’t read the market I’m not sure what to say.
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For me NI is not viable solution. No pads, no faders. But let me know how often you really use PA. Channel Aftertouch is difficult enough to control. But for every key another aftertouch pressure? My hand starts hurting only thinking about it.
First, I want to know more about the KL MKIII before I make any decision yet. For my YT channel it might make sense to buy one soon though.
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I just realize: no LED guide. I really would like to have one as it is really helpful with key switches. 
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