Keyboard: Oxygen 25 or Axiom 25

[LD307]

Hello everyone,

I'm pretty new to the game of DJing but I'm looking into buying a keyboard for producing music and also maybe using as a live midi controller. I've seen Ean's mapping for the Oxygen and it looks awesome but I just don't know if I should upgrade to the Axiom 25...

Is it better to buy the Oxygen 25 or the Axiom 25?

any thoughts?

[pilmat]

There is a thread in the Music Production forum on this:

http://www.djtechtools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11348

My opinion is the Oxy 25 would be best for DJing and a little bit of production. But if you want to play anything, I just went with a 49 key and have found it to be borderline limiting (would consider 61 key). I had a Oxy 49 crap out on me and went with a Novation 49SL Mkii instead of the Axiom. No regrets as the weighted keys are really nice.

I still have my Oxy 25, but am thinking of getting rid of it and the Novation Nocturn as the new keys replace both.

Phil.

[Kainos]

I picked up an Akai MPK25 from Guitar Center for $150 on sale in February. It makes a great controller! Now I use it with my VCI for hot cues and loop control.

[LD307]

The Novation 49SL Mkii looks awesome but I can't afford it. I'm gonna look into the Akai MPK25, thanks for the heads up!

[pilmat]

I'm not knocking the MPK25, the keys have a nice feel (and Akai's tend to be built like tanks). But I have heard some funkiness issues with the drum pads, and that one of the things that steered me away from the MPK49. The issue is there is 12 pads, and the note layout does not follow. In other words, the note layout follows as if there was 4 rows of 4 pads, not 4 rows of 3 pads.

This is easily overcome with a little programming, but is to be remembered.

Good luck and enjoy, Phil.

[Kainos]

You are correct about the note layout on the pads. However this was fairly easy to work around.