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James... « Excellent small midi controller »
Published on 08/03/11 at 08:05M-Audio Axiom 25 MIDI Controller Keyboard Features at a Glance:
25-key velocity-sensitive semi-weighted action keyboard with assignable aftertouch
8 MIDI-assignable trigger pads
8 MIDI-assignable rotary encoder knobs
6 transport buttons reassignable to other MIDI parameters
Assignable pitch bend and modulation wheels
Octave up/down; transpose up/down
Preset / program change / MIDI channel +/- buttons
Backlit LCD screen
Sustain and expression pedal jacks
Built-in USB MIDI interface including standard MIDI In and Out jacks
Powered via USB or optional power supply
I purchased this unit for a number of reasons. It's compact, high quality, has USB, encoders, beat pads, and good keys. I compose with Cubase as well as a few other programs and I needed a new compact controller for that use.
UTILIZATION
Out of the box, the unit is easy to use. Simply install the driver and go. Some softwares will require a bit of setup, but that has nothing much to do with the axiom itself. Most of the functions are ready to go. The factory settings have been well thought out and assigning pads and encoders is quick with most software. I really like using this unit with ableton live. It integrates quickly and effortlessly.
The manual does a good job of describing features. I really like the different velocity curves available on the axiom. You can choose from a variety of attack curves to match your playing style.
OVERALL OPINION
By far my favorite thing about this unit is the keys. They feel real. The weighting is much better than other controllers. It gives that real piano feeling that I need when I track. The pads on the other hand are just okay. Usually I set the velocity to flat because with a curve they are all over the place. Pretty annoying, but they work. The encoders feel sort of clicky in a way I'm not crazy about, but again, they work well. I don't use them much in the studio. They come in handy sometimes playing live. The menu is quite deep and requires a manual unless you REALLY know what you're doing. Don't try to program it on the fly. I doubt many users will need to do much programming though. It comes with most everything done for you. The abilities the axiom gives you are a great addition though for those of us who like to mess around.
If the keys didn't feel wonderful, this would be a so so value product. Fortunately, M-audio got this one right. The keys feel great, and for that I give it a high level of value. I can also say that the quality is great since I've banged it around for a while now and it hasn't hiccuped. Overall I'm very impressed. It's not perfect, but for the value it can't be beat.
25-key velocity-sensitive semi-weighted action keyboard with assignable aftertouch
8 MIDI-assignable trigger pads
8 MIDI-assignable rotary encoder knobs
6 transport buttons reassignable to other MIDI parameters
Assignable pitch bend and modulation wheels
Octave up/down; transpose up/down
Preset / program change / MIDI channel +/- buttons
Backlit LCD screen
Sustain and expression pedal jacks
Built-in USB MIDI interface including standard MIDI In and Out jacks
Powered via USB or optional power supply
I purchased this unit for a number of reasons. It's compact, high quality, has USB, encoders, beat pads, and good keys. I compose with Cubase as well as a few other programs and I needed a new compact controller for that use.
UTILIZATION
Out of the box, the unit is easy to use. Simply install the driver and go. Some softwares will require a bit of setup, but that has nothing much to do with the axiom itself. Most of the functions are ready to go. The factory settings have been well thought out and assigning pads and encoders is quick with most software. I really like using this unit with ableton live. It integrates quickly and effortlessly.
The manual does a good job of describing features. I really like the different velocity curves available on the axiom. You can choose from a variety of attack curves to match your playing style.
OVERALL OPINION
By far my favorite thing about this unit is the keys. They feel real. The weighting is much better than other controllers. It gives that real piano feeling that I need when I track. The pads on the other hand are just okay. Usually I set the velocity to flat because with a curve they are all over the place. Pretty annoying, but they work. The encoders feel sort of clicky in a way I'm not crazy about, but again, they work well. I don't use them much in the studio. They come in handy sometimes playing live. The menu is quite deep and requires a manual unless you REALLY know what you're doing. Don't try to program it on the fly. I doubt many users will need to do much programming though. It comes with most everything done for you. The abilities the axiom gives you are a great addition though for those of us who like to mess around.
If the keys didn't feel wonderful, this would be a so so value product. Fortunately, M-audio got this one right. The keys feel great, and for that I give it a high level of value. I can also say that the quality is great since I've banged it around for a while now and it hasn't hiccuped. Overall I'm very impressed. It's not perfect, but for the value it can't be beat.