Best Midi Controller compatible with Mac and Reason

[biz-tsar]

I have a budget between 100$ and 200$ to buy a 25 key midi controller and was wondering what the consensus around the forums seems to be..

I'm looking at the Alesis Photon 25, Emu X-Board and the M-Audio Axiom.

I do a large array of music such as jazz, ambient, industrial, and basic rock as well.. Thanks again guys.

[studiomaster]

Axiom 25 is nice....don't double post.

[blazingstrings]

I had the Axiom 25 for use with Reason but it never worked as it should have.
So I would look at the alesis or another M-Audio board.
WHy only 25 keys? M-audio makes some nice 49/61 keys controller for the range you are in.

-Blaze

[dirtyp]

yeah look at the 49/61 there around 150.

[bigwillz24]

I use a 25 key M-audio oxygen with reason no problems.

[biz-tsar]

So my budget just went up and I'm looking at the Korg Microcontrol 37 key which seems like the best of all the choices... I'll probably be purchasing this unit tomorrow afternoon unless I hear some negative attributes to this thing.

Thanks again guys.

[altitude909]

What did it go up to? I absolutely HATE the Korg. The mini keys are the same as the micro korg (pretty much not playable by an adult), the pads have the consistency of gummy bears, and the programming software is the worst I have ever used. You can get the older Novation remote 25 for ~ 200 if you look around. If you want the cadillac of controllers, that would be the Remote SL which has the automap feature that automatically assigns all the controls to the appropriate knobs/faders as you switch instruments in reason

[biz-tsar]

My budget went up to around 300 dollars... Wow with that review it's a good thing I didn't purchase it today.

[altitude909]

the remote 25 sl is 319 at zzounds btw

[blazingstrings]

I'll second that on the remote sl.

If I had the cash I would get the 61....

[biz-tsar]

The Remote Sl25 is looking to be a little bit too pricey for me so I have narrowed it down to these three, I think...

Between the Korg MicroKontrol ($249 B-Stock, which I am also curious to anyones purchase with B-Stock or blemished products from ZZounds), Alesis Photon X25 ($179) and M-Audio Axiom ($160) which product is the best bang for the money? How much better will the Korg MicroKontrol work for the price, and which most easily compatiable with Reason and Live?

I also slant torwards the Korg because of the software that says it's specified to work for the controller. Is the software that comes with the Korg really that much more intuitivley designed for the Korg or is my 2.5 Regular Edition of Reason and my Live5 just as compatiable?

The mini keys are the same as the micro korg (pretty much not playable by an adult), the pads have the consistency of gummy bears

It seems that the the Korg MicroKontrol has been changed as far as the keys go and that they are now full size, or so it seems at their website and ZZounds.

I appologize if I seem to dirrect myself to the same types of questions but this is a pretty big rarity for me to be able get a nice piece of hardware.

Thanks again.

[ssscientist]

Originally Posted by biz-tsar

I also slant torwards the Korg because of the software that says it's specified to work for the controller. Is the software that comes with the Korg really that much more intuitivley designed for the Korg or is my 2.5 Regular Edition of Reason and my Live5 just as compatiable?

You are talking about somthing 25 years out of date.

After the advent of the midi standard that proprietary stuff became a thing of the past.

That was and is the beauty of midi --- it's universal compatability. The Micro Korg - if you were still to buy it over altitude909's strong negative review - completly compatable with all midi software, all midi modules, midi lighting and other midi controllable stuff.

The one exception is 'pro tools' with their MAudio dongles...

.

[blazingstrings]

Originally Posted by biz-tsar

The Remote Sl25 is looking to be a little bit too pricey for me so I have narrowed it down to these three, I think...

Between the Korg MicroKontrol ($249 B-Stock, which I am also curious to anyones purchase with B-Stock or blemished products from ZZounds), Alesis Photon X25 ($179) and M-Audio Axiom ($160) which product is the best bang for the money? How much better will the Korg MicroKontrol work for the price, and which most easily compatiable with Reason and Live?

I also slant torwards the Korg because of the software that says it's specified to work for the controller. Is the software that comes with the Korg really that much more intuitivley designed for the Korg or is my 2.5 Regular Edition of Reason and my Live5 just as compatiable?



It seems that the the Korg MicroKontrol has been changed as far as the keys go and that they are now full size, or so it seems at their website and ZZounds.

I appologize if I seem to dirrect myself to the same types of questions but this is a pretty big rarity for me to be able get a nice piece of hardware.

Thanks again.

I'll still point out that the M-Audio Axiom wont realy work as they say it does.
I asked a M-Audio guy to make it work for me with Reason and in front of 30 people he couldnt make the trigger pads do what they should. LAME!

Korg or ALesis are my vote.

-Blaze