Quote:
Originally Posted by MBTC
Not sure if I'm reading the above right (you might have meant something different), but if considering the Ultranova as a primary MIDI controller, I'd say it's not the best candidate, it does have aftertouch but its not a Fatar key bed like the Remote SL MKII (I don't think the Impulse or Launchkey lines are either for that matter). Feel underneath the keys of both and you'll see what I mean, the MKII has solid keys and boards like the Ultranova or even my old Remote SL are hollow underneath.
|
yeah, you are right, the keys on MKII are solid underside. It baffles my brain that manufacturers of either midi controllers or all out synths, with no consistency whatsoever, will at times cheap-out and slap CRAPtastic keys on an otherwise interesting and unique synth! *Almost* anything I have with keys have after touch, which also usually means one of the better/best FATAR keys are utilized! The Novation Remote SL61 MKII was my choice because of overall features, being able to even program own templates in midi/sysex/NRPN/Hex...and after touch was my main prerequisite and the fact it also has two hardware midi out ports AND USB, etc. made me easily forgive the incredibly CRAPtastic and useless X/Y touch pad.
The only thing that came even close and I had to thoroughly check it out before making decision on admittedly, expensive MKII 61 controller was another in same price bracket, the M-Audio Axiom Pro. It's very nice but because at the time, before AVID recently dumped M-Audio line to die where Akai, , and Alesis are now, is rather than Automap, it had Hypercontrol, which AVID saw fit to make that more or less proprietary to THEIR products and when it along with all else "pro-sumer products" were dumped from AVID, there's not really much support and so glad I did not make THAT choice because I already got stung by AVID with the first audio interface, Fast Track C600, which was not cheap, was still under warranty, made pop sounds erratically, and get this, to this day on AVID's website under downloads and support for that interface, they actually have it posted the pops and output problems are a KNOWN hardware issue that cannot be repaired via software update!!!! Yes, I tried to return it and get money back but AVID refused to give RMA for it and their email to me stated "We recommend you try one of our other interfaces instead....", and it really made me have a really bad taste in mouth for that incredibly sh***y lack of customer service to their "pro-sumer base"!!! It's not worth even taking legal action of any kind in the $399. that cost me and when you look at Better Business Bureau remarks and score, they had a lot of disgruntled complaints very similar to mine, yet still have an outstanding freaking score with them
Rant over....sorry, the word AVID is like the code word for a military German Shepherd Attack Dog to go all teethe on someone when I think of them!!! Ehh! FYI--there's quite a few ex-Pro Tools users in the Reaper Community and Forum.
Anyway, there's quite a few custom Templates people have made for the MKII Controller and are posted for download on Novation's support and downloads for it and my Waldorf Q rack synth is also listed so even though it has quite a few dedicated knobs on it, ALOT require you to hit the edit button in each section of signal flow to dive deeper and the Template allows one to do all that from the SL MKII. There's many others and lots of software synths as well and people constantly adding new submissions to Novation and that makes me happy.
I have read where their newer Impulse Line of controllers do NOT have as nice of keys as the SL MKII, it's just strange for a company to release a newer line while a former, more feature rich and still sold, more expensive controller is on market, to me at least. But then again, Focusrite has totally revamped their Scarlett line all except the 2i2.
I enjoyed Tweakhead's sardonic post very much!