Most portable keyboard/controller

xxxmorphicxxx · Post by **xxxmorphicxxx** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:17 am

I'm looking for the most portable midi keyboard on the market right now. I have the largest X-Station they make for my home studio, but I need something that I can use when I'm on the road, or collaborating at a friends house.

I've been reading the forums and so far the best thing I can come up with are:

The Edirol PCR-M1
http://www.edirol.net/products/en/PCR-M1/index.html

The M-Audio Axiom 25
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Axiom25-main.html

The Korg MicroKontrol
http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?A_PRO ... crokontrol

I'm having a REALLY hard time deciding. The PCR-M1 seems to be the smallest... the Axiom 25 looks bigger, but has some nice features, like decent pads, a decent number of knobs... The MicroKontrol is PERFECT for my drums (I use Guru so 16 pads is perfect)... the faders are a nice plus over the other two. The biggest negative of course, are the mini-keys.

So what you do you guys recommend for a secondary portable keyboard?

The ultra-portable PCR-M1? The slightly less portable but more functional Axiom 25? Or the even less portable, mini-keyed, but superior all around controller, the MicroKontrol?

All advice is welcome and appreciated. Thank you!

sebovzeoueb · Post by **sebovzeoueb** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:21 am

I have the M-AUDIO Axiom 25, although I would not define it as portable exactly, it is relatively small, and it does the job for controlling MIDI very well. This said I have no experience of the other two.

xxxmorphicxxx · Post by **xxxmorphicxxx** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:27 am

Thanks for the response.

It looks like the Edirol PCR-M1 is 2 inches less across, 2 1/2 inches less front to back and 1 1/2 inches thinner and 2 lbs lighter...

Do you think that would really help the portability?

rolfski · Post by **rolfski** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 2:41 am

This video review should be helpfull as it compares some of the models on your shortlist: http://www.sonicstate.com/articles/article.cfm?id=100

R.J.Dubya · Post by **R.J.Dubya** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 2:56 am

I had that PCR-1 for a while. I didn't like those little knobs and they had a notch half way that bothered me. Also I remember the black keys were more sensitive than the white, which is horrible for playing, because the black were higher velocity. But I'm sure that's not the case with all of them.

I got an m-audio O2 instead and I like it more. Real size knobs, but just as compact (except the knobs are bigger). I also tried an O2 that I didn't like before that.

Just make sure you try it out before you buy, to make sure the keys feel good to you.

D K · Post by **D K** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:20 am

had the edirol, hated it.
for the size of the other choices, i would suggest the novation remote 25, remote sl...
which is a bit bigger but close...
i also have a novation remote 25 le which i like alot.
good playability, 9 knobs, 9 switches, an y-x touchpad, joystick..(came with novation bass station and v-station software and unlock key) for 80- bucks usb powered.

MarkH · Post by **MarkH** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 4:40 am

How about a midi controller made of cloth that can roll up?

flogistox · Post by **flogistox** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:34 am

Hi, as a portable keyboard I would go for Novation remote Le 25

http://www.novationmusic.com/product.as ... hive=False

rikhyray · Post by **rikhyray** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:27 am

Edirol is compact indeed, very nice but useless,keys are so bad that you will be better of using laptop keys.
Axiom, Novation SL are definitely bulky. Probably microKontrol is the best deal, though the keys are small they work better then Edirol and 3 octaves makes lots of difference.
Anyway wait, maybe something interesting will be seen at the Messe.

mohler · Post by **mohler** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:15 am

Hey I'm going to weigh in here as I've used all of these.

I had a Microkontrol and sold it. It's OK, works well with Live & Logic but wasn't up for taking much abuse. one of the faders came off a few times. The Automap for in in Live is good. If you are a serious keyboard player you'll find the keys way to small. I'm not even a keyboardist and I only mostly just used it for triggering samples mapped to the keys.

My Dad has an Edirol and it's pretty terrible. the keys don't travel far enough to give you any feedback also it doesn't have any midi in and out, which I found disappointing.

I have a 49key Axiom and it's nice, so nice that I'm thinking about getting the 25key version to travel with. Or else get a UC33e and use my Faderfox LV2 for triggering samples. The Pads are really nice on the Axiom the only thing I miss is the LCD displays for each track, more useful in Logic that live but the big display on the Axiom is also good. The automap for Live is well implemented.

nobbystylus · Post by **nobbystylus** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:45 am

I've got one.. and its a great laugh... but the midi is a little bit inacurate .. note off's seem to act rather randomly...

MarkH wrote:How about a midi controller made of cloth that can roll up?

rikhyray · Post by **rikhyray** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:38 pm

mohler wrote:Hey I'm going to weigh in here as I've used all of these.

I had a Microkontrol and sold it. It's OK, works well with Live & Logic but wasn't up for taking much abuse. one of the faders came off a few times. The Automap for in in Live is good. If you are a serious keyboard player you'll find the keys way to small. I'm not even a keyboardist and I only mostly just used it for triggering samples mapped to the keys.

My Dad has an Edirol and it's pretty terrible. the keys don't travel far enough to give you any feedback also it doesn't have any midi in and out, which I found disappointing.

I have a 49key Axiom and it's nice, so nice that I'm thinking about getting the 25key version to travel with. Or else get a UC33e and use my Faderfox LV2 for triggering samples. The Pads are really nice on the Axiom the only thing I miss is the LCD displays for each track, more useful in Logic that live but the big display on the Axiom is also good. The automap for Live is well implemented.

Indeed mK faders are shit I had 2 mK and the problem with both, also the rotaries are junk quality- compared tp Doepfer or faderfox. with time become jumpy. The worst part- faders are stuck to the platinum so you cant easily replace them
Edirol 300 might be slightly bigger but probably it is the best controller at the moment. Have 500 and no complains so far.

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 2:37 pm

I've owned an O2, microkorg, and the Edirol PCR-m1 and the M1 is only one still in my studio. It fits in my laptop backpack, and is in my opinion the best feeling and most rugged out of all the controllers listed so far in this thread. The keys are of course only half as high as normal, but I still think they have better feel than any other budget controller. They have a nice solid feel to me, I don't think they are cheap feeling or too sensitive at all. I can go from my beautiful action on the Virus TI to the Edirol without too much diffculty, where as the M-Audio O2 made me cringe at the super light-weight action, and flimsy keys. The keys on the Microkontrol make great triggers, but suck for actually trying to play anything.

Obviously we all have different opinions.

I don't think the microkorg was all that portable either, which is why I got it initially too. It's a couple inches too long to fit in any of my backpacks, and it's pretty heavy too. The joystick is cheap too, I was always afraid of breaking it off in transport.

hacktheplanet · Post by **hacktheplanet** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:10 pm

MarkH wrote:How about a midi controller made of cloth that can roll up?

FUCK.
I had this idea last year... Guess I missed the boat by two years. I was going to pitch it to a company and see if I could acquire a patent. My design was pretty much identical to that.

Kodama · Post by **Kodama** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:14 pm

Remote LE is quite nice also!