Compact size (for the amount and variety of controllers), keys, pads (finger drumming & clip launch), knobs, faders, buttons… DAW functions, mixer / device / perform modes, can work wirelessly with bluetooth and batteries, chords/arpeggiator/scales, two USB ports to connect instruments…
This looks like it would be a great controller for Drambo. I’ve never used wireless MIDI, but that alongside two USB outs and one TRS MIDI out is tempting.
Quick review after 24 hours: very interesting for the price – if you need what this controller offers.
It can be an affordable all-in-one on the go. With this and a laptop or a powerful tablet, you can do a lot. The Bluetooth connection works well, I didn’t get a feeling of lag. Because of the price and the materials, you can go more relaxed than with expensive and polished gear.
It can also be an option for someone starting with electronic music and a DAW, getting a bit of everything while you figure out if you are going to need something more specialized.
It might also be useful when you want quantity and variety of MIDI controls in one affordable package. Everything can be assigned with MIDI learn. That’s a lot of knobs, faders, buttons, pads…
I find the Bitwig software integration very good. I’m actually impressed, I didn’t expect it. Navigating through tracks, devices and parameters is easy and quick. Transport, markers, automation, toggling panels… it does all the basic functions, and if you have something special you do, you can always assign it manually to a spare control.
Of course, the weak point are the build materials. But all these components work decently, well enough for what they are. The controls are responsive and reliable, and all in all the controller doesn’t feel like a cheap toy that will break.
I looked this up after reading your review. I think it’s nice that they added a physical midi jack, even if it’s TRS, and it does seem like a good blanket controller with a bit of everything.
Biggest things that would stand in the way for me though, are the obviously Amazon-esque build quality, and that $250 is not such a good price for a midi controller. Maybe an average price, but I would need to see it demonstrate value over or on par with more established brands.
Thanks for contributing some words about your own experience with it, I think that’s what is ultimately most helpful to others
I get your point, and this is one of the reasons that made me try… after checking the company (based in Münster (Germany), not that far from where I live, since 1996), realizing that they are a somewhat established brand for DJ controllers (which have plenty of controls and I guess are designed to resist touring), and also the intriguing fact that they had a previous iteration of this KeyPad, released a decade ago.
So yes, the build quality is more or less what I expected for this price and the amount of literally moving pieces. But below this obvious limitation I have the feeling that there is a lot of good thought and research about what features to add, what buttons to offer, and how all they interact in a product that must be useful and usable for music production and performance.
The deep DAW integration and the fact that almost all controls are MIDI-mappable give me the impression that a lot of thought went into this controller. Why aren’t they marketing it more and whether there is a market for it or not, I dunno.
I will probably return it, but with some regret and only because I already have the premium/niche controllers that I “need” and I try to keep my gear at a minimum (if something arrives, something else must go). This controller would have been ideal for me when I started with Bitwig some years ago (then I got a MAudio 49 MIDI keyboard also with pads knobs etc). And I would still keep it if I would need a controller outside of my studio, because there is no way I would carry around my more niche/expensive/delicate/heavy/fragmented controllers in the outer world.
I hope not to sound as a sales person. I’m just intrigued about this controller, their creators, and the crickets around it.
Is there an editor for it to map the controls? I have a Akai Mini MPK3 and the editor lets you change the MIDI message type and MIDI parameters for almost everything. I’m looking for that kind of functionality really I guess.
Do you still have it? If so could you connect it to computer and use something like MIDI Monitor to see if every control sends out MIDI messages. If they don’t then some of them are most likely hardwired to Bitwig. Much appreciated if you could test but no hassle if you don’t want to
There is no editor but if your software has MIDI learn, then you can map controls this way. Almost everything emits MIDI signals. I doubted about the 16 potentiometers and the buttons in the channel strips because the documentation didn’t refer to them explicitly, but they can be MIDI mapped as well.
I still have the controller. If there is a specific detail you want me to check, I’m happy to.
