Fully-weighted is the most expensive configuration.

An 88-key fully weighted is the most expensive fully-weighted configuration.

They are expensive.

I have the CME 88. Its pretty good (really nice actually) but I'm beginning to think weighted keys aren't the best process (tightest) for recording vsti and midi in general. I've been doing midi, since midi and never had latency issues until I bought a weighted keyboard. My next keyboard is the Korg "fully-loaded" M3 Xpanded 73-key workstation (with the EXB-M256 memory expansion option, as well as the Radias synth expansion option). This is semi weighted. I think this is a better way to go.

I'd be interested in hearing what others think on this?

Me as well.
I was shopping/browsing for a digital piano for the studio today - I don't need 88 keys necessarily (but nice), and am also looking at the pros/cons of weighted vs semi-weighted.
Like James, I'm more interested in good, realistic piano play and sound, and price point.
All the extras (MIDI included) I could do with or without.

If I want the fun stuff, I'll go with a Nord. Or an analog synth.

I like Yamaha's fully weighted keyboards, but this is such a matter of individual taste that it's hard to call that a recommendation. Yamaha uses the same key bed in a wide range of their top level pianos, so you can get fairly inexpensive boards that have the same feel as the boards with their better sound sets.

I have a Yamaha P-80 as my fully weighted keyboard, Nord Electro II - 73 as my semi weighted, and an Alesis Ion as my synth weighted. Not that I'm a great keyboard player, but I really feel that the weighting makes a big difference in the way I play. I like a fully weighted for pianos and don't like it for organs. The semi weighted feels best to me for organ and Rhodes/Wurly sounds.

I got a deal on a M-Audio Keystation Pro 88 for $200, it has 88 hammer action keys but the feel is just a bit "plasticky". Not horrible but not a classic fully weighted feel.

It gets the job done and for the price i love it.

-Chris

I've tried the m-audio with the semi weighted and it was very bad feeling.. I definatly need a fully weighted keyboard... Something that'd just keys nothing else

I want to bump this thread since I'm thinking about getting a fully weighted "dumb" keyboard. I got rid of my Yamaha stage piano some time ago. I have the Steinway upstairs for real piano sounds. But I want a keyboard with piano feel for doing some basic midi and using internal sounds (mostly for scratch tracks right now). So I'm not really looking for sounds, but it seems that there is not that much selection in the straight midi keyboard category. I will check out the CME 88, but I'd like other recommendations if you have them.

I've been using a Yamaha KX88 for the past 20 years or so and it has held up pretty well over the years.
Just saw one on ebay going for around $150.00 (pd about $1500.00 for mine back in the 80's)

My wife plays piano and is very finicky about the feel. We own a 10+ yr old Yamaha "Silent Series" upright piano which we use for recording. It has velocity sensors on each key, MIDI out, and a silent mode where you can dis-engage the hammers and listen to it through a built-in synth using headphones. For the road, we have a Casio Privia PX-110. All that weighting makes for a damn heavy keyboard to lug around, though. But it's lighter than a full-fledged piano. ;) That being said, I don't especially care for how Casio sounds. While it's serviceable, I think Yamaha's synth sounds more realistic. Then again, the Yamaha cost about 10x the Casio.

We use the CME 88 and really like it for a year now. The keys have a slight bounce noise that is somewhat annoying in a quite session but it doesn't really bother us because of the very nature of it. Its electronic. Some people do claim this is annoying if you are just practicing your fingering without sound. We have a grand in the acoustic room, CME in the studio.

CME is a great choice.

I should add... if you really want to step up your system, scrap the usb all together and get midi happening. If you get the CME, I recommend getting the AC adaptor and plugging that baby into a midi port of your RME FF800 direct ( or whatever you have for a real midi port). No latency and fast in all respects.

This by the way is for all USB controllers. It is my opinion, usb doesn't come close to the real thing that started all this interfacing with keyboards. MIDI! My system blazes now that I figured this out.

To start with, I'm a professional pianist/keyboardist playing mostly jazz and jazz fusion these days. I say that so that you can qualify my own opinion.

I and many other pianists have found the Yamaha's fully weighted action lacking in a very important aspect; their escapement. For some strange reason Yamaha repeatedly uses a short escapement on their keys which may be due to a deficiency in their design, I don't know. The most realistic action that I (and again, many others) have found to date are those found on the Roland electric keyboards. I personally own two RD700's. One for my studio and the other for gigging. However, don't just take my word. I'd suggest that you do a search over at the keyboard forum over at the musicplayer site (keyboard magazine, guitar player magazine etc.) for some more info. and opinions. As Bob Rogers said, fully weighted keyboard choices is such an individual matter (and the same thing holds true for playing styles I might add).

If you take my suggestion I would look to buy a used RD700. They have had several versions since the original ones first came out so you can probably pick them up for a good price now.