SeriesBehringer U-Control

It has the essential features like volume control, pan knob, etc. It's pretty cool for a cheap MIDI Controller. UTILIZATION Yes to all questions! - Behringer did a good job on this points! thumbs up! OVERALL OPINION It's pretty simple &amp; very easy to use. No complicated installation required. The price is okay, it could be cheaper, for the fact that its so simple, but it's "okay". <img class="smiley" src="/images/audiofanzine/interface/smileys/icon_mrgreen.gif" alt="mrgreen" /> The quality is pretty much like any other MIDI Controller. It's actually my first MIDI Controller. I don't think i would make the same choice. - I would rather get a m-audio one.

I was looking for something portable but functional. I'm mainly a guitar player so I didn't want to spend a fortune on a controller - so I was looking at the entry level market but still with enough features and functions that it was usable as a composition tool and controller. The fully assignable knobs and 25 keys were the main technical features, and the knobs work really well. The keys are pretty average I guess, but it's definitely a step up from my laptop keyboard. The other characteristic that motivated my choice was the size. It's very light and so is good for me as I am currently abroad. I was able to take it abroad with me and take it around so I can still work on music whilst away from home. The unit connects to my laptop via USB and is also USB powered (so no extra power source required). The midi functionality works via the USB and the unit also functions as an audio interface, so that meant there was one less thing to bring (in theory). The audio interface itself is not great. I find the sound distorts so I use a separate audio interface, which I already had (and was about three times the price of this unit). So that is something to bear in mind - if you're buying this and expecting to be able to monitor the sound via this unit you may want to think again. I still think for the price this is a good unit though. UTILIZATION This is a simple USB powered, plug in a play midi controller. All of the knobs are fully assignable so you can set each knob to a parameter on your DAW. This is great for controling effects in real time and it's amazing what you can come up with just by playing around with this. You also have controls to control playback and record, which is very handy. Also included are some CDs with a free DAW and a heap of VST plug ins. I use Logic so I haven't used these but if you're using this device as an entry level controller and don't have a DAW it could be a good entry level choice (although Logic is so cheap now I would probably recommend you save another couple of hundred bucks). If you have even a basic understanding of using controllers this should be a very simple unit to setup and operate. OVERALL OPINION What I like about this is the ease and simplicity of use. I just plug in and play. I can easily control effects in real time. Recording is very easy. The keys although average are adequete for what I am doing. The unit is light and feels a bit cheap but I am not taking this out live and it gets looked after. No damage so far. I also like the bright red finish. It looks really cool and because it is light it feels like you can throw it around and have fun with it. It feels like a toy so whatever I do with it feels like fun, whereas if I'd bought a more expensive unit I maybe would feel like I'd have to make more serious music. It also comes with a carry case so there is some protection if you do decide to use it live. I guess again you can go out and gig with this unit with a lot less stress than if you're carting an expensive Nord or something around with you. I think for the price this is a great controller. It's simple to use, it looks cool, it's light and you can use it anywhere. If this is your main instrument maybe get something a bit more professional, but if it's an extra bit of kit for your arsenal then I think it's a lot of fun.

The keyboard is very simple, it has some knobs, two modulation wheels and pads. The connection is via USB, no midi out. It's a 4-octave keyboard, and it's hard to get one for the price, so I bought it. UTILIZATION The keyboard itself is not an example of fidelity, but you get used to it pretty fast, it's not unpleasant at all. The general setup is pretty easy and most of the time it's just plug & play with computer music software, there's no need to reassign the knobs, it's taken care of directly. OVERALL OPINION I've been using this keyboard for about a year and I didn't try any others before. The particularity of this keyboard, its 49 keys, may discourage mobile users, but it is also perfect for a home studio. I think this is the first time I'm not disappointed with Behringer, it's perfect in terms of value for money, and if I ever have to get another one (at the same price point), it would be this one without a doubt. FYI, Missill, the artist, uses one live!

I got this controller because I wanted a second MIDI input device that would have a few other bells and whistles. You can connect with USB since it has a built in interface. You can also go the traditional way and just connect it with MIDI cables. It has input for a foot switch, power switch on back as well as plug for an AC adapter, and it also can be battery operated if you want to use this live which is a handy feature. UTILIZATION The action on this keyboard is not really great. It is very, very bouncy, and so it is very hard to get a good capture of different velocities. You really kind of have to learn its velocity curve and play to the keyboard instead of playing to the material, which is a pain. Setup of this controller is very easy though - you just load up the driver and plug it in with USB or MIDI. Mine worked straight away on windows XP and Cubase. The manual is not very in depth, but it is sufficient to get you started well enough. OVERALL OPINION I have been using this for about a year now. My favorite thing about this keyboard is the low price - it is hard to beat this in terms of value. The mod and pitch wheels work very well, and the assignable pots and output fader are really nice to have. It's only 49 keys, but you can easily change which octaves of a normal 88 key piano are represented with buttons on the front panel. The ease of connectivity is also a big plus with this controller. On the downside, the action is very poor and not realistic at all. You will need to take some time to get used to the velocity curve before you get any dynamically sensible results from playing this keyboard. If you just need a basic MIDI input device with a few extra bells and whistles at a very low price, this will definitely suit you. I would probably buy it again considering it's just a backup for me, but I wouldn't want to use it as a primary MIDI keyboard.