Novation Impulse 25

The Novation Impulse 25 is a 25 key MIDI controller that will work with any of your DAW programs you choose to use it with. It is very easy to set up because all you have to do is load the drivers then go into your program and set it up through your MIDI connections. It is very portable and it gets its power from the USB hub so there is no need to have a wall plug for it. It has MIDI in, MIDI out and USB connections but I only use it via USB for my portable set up. For it to be a smaller controller with only 25 keys it sure does have a lot of functions like the 8 pads and 8 encoders. If you need a controller to take around with you and still want to have all of the transport controls and pads on hand than this is the controller to have. You will need to protect it though because it does not seem like it can take too much punishment. One drop on a concrete floor could be all she wrote because the knobs and fader does not seem to be very solid.

UTILIZATION

Also for this to be a smaller 25 key MIDI keyboard I didn’t expect to get a LCD display screen. You do not have to use the screen if you don’t want to but if you learn how to use it correctly with your DAW then it will work to your advantage. I have used it with Cubase and Fl Studio, it was easy to set up in both of them and assign all of the functions to what you want the knobs and pads to do for you.

OVERALL OPINION

The keys are very light and not weighted but on most 25 key controllers you will not get nice feeling weighted keys at all. For the price, I put the Novation Impulse right in the middle of the pack for 25 key controllers.