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M-Audio Axiom 49
By RickD on 04/18/2008 at 07:16 Serious about music, want to make it your profession.
By RickD on 04/18/2008 at 07:16 Serious about music, want to make it your profession.
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Characteristics 
- What technical features/characteristics motivated your choice?
I had previously owned the O2, also from M-Audio, and so what i really wanted here was a keyboard that worked...with no latency...with velocity curves you can choose...and keys that actually had some sort of touch to them.
Well, the Axiom has all that and more, although i'm not sure the 25 model has the adjustable velocity...check before buying cos that is one hell of a feature.
- What connection types are there (MIDI, pedals...)?...
USB, MIDI out, MIDI In, Expression jack, Sustain jack, power in, on-off switch, all on rear.
I had previously owned the O2, also from M-Audio, and so what i really wanted here was a keyboard that worked...with no latency...with velocity curves you can choose...and keys that actually had some sort of touch to them.
Well, the Axiom has all that and more, although i'm not sure the 25 model has the adjustable velocity...check before buying cos that is one hell of a feature.
- What connection types are there (MIDI, pedals...)?...
USB, MIDI out, MIDI In, Expression jack, Sustain jack, power in, on-off switch, all on rear.
Utilisation 
After my disastrous experience with the O2, i wanted to check this one out thoroughly and went round stores asking a lot of questions...and demanded to try it.
I tried some other keyboards in the process, of course, some of which were top of the range very expensive synths...none were as good as this except this with a proper heavy piano touch. But you can't compare them, really: this was the best of all the semi-weighted ones.
Haven't used it extensively yet but everything seems simple.
The endless rotary knobs are a plus. You even have pads! Loads of buttons all over the place...you also have faders! The array of assignable switches is virtually perfect.
I tried some other keyboards in the process, of course, some of which were top of the range very expensive synths...none were as good as this except this with a proper heavy piano touch. But you can't compare them, really: this was the best of all the semi-weighted ones.
Haven't used it extensively yet but everything seems simple.
The endless rotary knobs are a plus. You even have pads! Loads of buttons all over the place...you also have faders! The array of assignable switches is virtually perfect.
Overall Opinion I got this second hand for 160 €...instead of 250 € new. So the value is amazing (for me) ;-). I haven't used it much yet but it's a pleasure every time i do.
The only thing that could make it better? More keys (get the 61 model then!) and a proper weighted touch.
Is this the best MIDI keyboard of this size/price? Most probably, yes! Would definitely buy it again!
The only thing that could make it better? More keys (get the 61 model then!) and a proper weighted touch.
Is this the best MIDI keyboard of this size/price? Most probably, yes! Would definitely buy it again!
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Characteristics 
- What technical features/characteristics motivated your choice?
I wanted a small, possibly portable keyboard with a fair amount of assignable knobs & things. Oh, and i needed it to be cheap.
This one has those 'features'.
- What connection types are there (MIDI, pedals...)?...
Now i sold this so check before you buy...there is a USB connector, that's for sure, and i think there is also a MIDI out but i'm not sure anymore.
It's quite basic but, still, it has quite a lot of buttons & knobs to fiddle with.
I wanted a small, possibly portable keyboard with a fair amount of assignable knobs & things. Oh, and i needed it to be cheap.
This one has those 'features'.
- What connection types are there (MIDI, pedals...)?...
Now i sold this so check before you buy...there is a USB connector, that's for sure, and i think there is also a MIDI out but i'm not sure anymore.
It's quite basic but, still, it has quite a lot of buttons & knobs to fiddle with.
Utilisation 
- Is the action/feel of the keyboard nice? Does it suit your needs?
Ouch.
Need i say more? This keyboard is small, light & cheap, and that's exactly what the keys are: small & cheap.
Hard to talk of a 'feel' at this stage. I have very little experience with keyboards (i own a Yamaha PSR-90...which says a lot, doesn't it?...and a MicroKorg) but this is the worst i've ever touched.
- Is the general configuration/setup simple?
Using it is simple, very simple, but beware: no Windows 2000 drivers. You need XP. They probably have Vista drivers by now but that wasn't out when i had mine.
- Is the channel/patch selection simple?
Seemed simple enough, i didn't keep it long enough to really say, though...sorry.
- Is the manual clear and sufficient?...
Same as above.
Ouch.
Need i say more? This keyboard is small, light & cheap, and that's exactly what the keys are: small & cheap.
Hard to talk of a 'feel' at this stage. I have very little experience with keyboards (i own a Yamaha PSR-90...which says a lot, doesn't it?...and a MicroKorg) but this is the worst i've ever touched.
- Is the general configuration/setup simple?
Using it is simple, very simple, but beware: no Windows 2000 drivers. You need XP. They probably have Vista drivers by now but that wasn't out when i had mine.
- Is the channel/patch selection simple?
Seemed simple enough, i didn't keep it long enough to really say, though...sorry.
- Is the manual clear and sufficient?...
Same as above.
Overall Opinion In my experience, totally unusable. Absolute rubbish.
Yes, i mean it.
The action of the keys is about 2 mm (ok, i'm exagerating here, but you get my drift...).
You have to jump onto the keyboard with all your weight to get the velocity to his 127...and you can't set the velocity curves...aaarrrgh...!!!
The best thing about it was the knobs & buttons...i guess you could use those quite easily...but forget about the keyboard.
Overall? I feel sorry for the guy who bought this off me. Looking back, it's the sort of rubbish you'd probably throw out the window, break with an axe or burn just out of frustration if youo could afford to...
BUT....BUT....don't go & think all M-Audio products are this bad...!
After my terrible O2 experience, i bought the Axiom 49...a FANTASTIC MIDI keyboard...just brilliant throughout. Ok, it's twice the price and 10 times the weight...but WOW! You can actually USE it...think about that...
Yes, i mean it.
The action of the keys is about 2 mm (ok, i'm exagerating here, but you get my drift...).
You have to jump onto the keyboard with all your weight to get the velocity to his 127...and you can't set the velocity curves...aaarrrgh...!!!
The best thing about it was the knobs & buttons...i guess you could use those quite easily...but forget about the keyboard.
Overall? I feel sorry for the guy who bought this off me. Looking back, it's the sort of rubbish you'd probably throw out the window, break with an axe or burn just out of frustration if youo could afford to...
BUT....BUT....don't go & think all M-Audio products are this bad...!
After my terrible O2 experience, i bought the Axiom 49...a FANTASTIC MIDI keyboard...just brilliant throughout. Ok, it's twice the price and 10 times the weight...but WOW! You can actually USE it...think about that...
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Characteristics The M-Audio Oxygen 8 is a 2 octave MIDI controller with a volume lever, pitch and modulation wheels, octave up and down buttons and programmable knobs for control of plug-ins and virtual instruments. It has both MIDI inputs and outputs as well as a USB input which powers it if you don't have the power supply (which I don't).
Utilisation 
The feel of the keyboard seems normal to me. The keys are easy to press down and the action is very friendly. Overall set up was pretty easy for the keyboard, but it really depends what software you are running it with. I use it with Reason 3.0 and have had a few problems setting it up with that. On my PC, unless you install the keyboard right when you are installing Reason, you must go back and reinstall Reason so that the keyboard is programed with it correctly. The patch selection is simple enough, as I just toggle on my computer. I had no manual with it because I bought it used, but I can definitely see it coming in handy.
Overall Opinion I've had the Oxygen 8 for about 3 or 4 years and while its nice to have a small portable keyboard for playing lead lines, its tough to really play full keys with this. I do love how easy it is to use and the feel of it, but I wouldn't mind upgrading to a fuller sized keyboard. I used to have an M-Audio Keystation 49e and I wish I still had it. Although it didn't have all of the programmable options that the Oxygen 8 does, I prefer having the full size keyboard, but of course it all depends what you are using it for. I do wish it was a bit cheaper, which is the reason I had to buy it used. While this is a good controller for what it is, I think somewhere down the line I will look into something with more keys.
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