Ableton Forum

OK, it time to buy a controller keyboard. But I can't decide whether to get

a) a second hand Novation Remote SL25 for £180
25keys, 32 buttons, 8 pads, 8 pots, 8 encoders, 8 faders, X-Y touchpad

b) a new Edirol PCR-300 for £169 (or maybe less - it's not available for a couple of weeks, and they can only quote SRP at the moment)
32 keys, 7 buttons, 18 pads, 9 pots, 9 faders, cross-fader

I really like the cross-fader on the PCR-300, but the SL25 has more controls overall. I could add a BCR-2000 to the PCR-300 later to get more controls. Or I could use my X-Session with the SL25 so that I have a cross-fader. But either will make my rig less portable.

I've seen some people have issues with the SL25, but these mainly seem to be related to Automap, and I don't expect to use Automap live.

Any thoughts welcome...

SL hands down.

the LCD's make more of a difference than u can imagine and the SL has the touch pad and drum pad type things too

its so much more functional with Live. dont go for nothin else.

Plus the free update to universal automap or whatever they are calling it looks pretty cool and possible very useful for live performance - check it out at the novation website.

sweetjesus wrote:the LCD's make more of a difference than u can imagine and the SL has the touch pad and drum pad type things too

Thanks - but just to play devil's advocate...

I'm not sure how much I'd use the LCDs live. I anticipate having a control per function so I don't have to think "what's that knob doing right now?" (or look to see) I can just grab it.

The PCR-300 has 18 "pads", but I think they're smaller.

My heart wants the SL, but my head is making a case for the PCR-300...

pulsoc wrote:Plus the free update to universal automap or whatever they are calling it looks pretty cool and possible very useful for live performance - check it out at the novation website.

I'll check that out. But I note the PCR-300 has "Dynamic Mapping". Sounds familiar...

robbmasters wrote:

pulsoc wrote:Plus the free update to universal automap or whatever they are calling it looks pretty cool and possible very useful for live performance - check it out at the novation website.

I'll check that out. But I note the PCR-300 has "Dynamic Mapping". Sounds familiar...

Word, I don't know much about the pcr unit.

see with the realtime template switching on the sl, the controls become more controls .. i set my 8 drumpads up to switch 8 different templates..

then the automap stuff is a thing on its own..

with racks and the 8 macros and how they map out, you have ur instant go to knobs then you have your racks coming up in the automap for refined mayhem.

the experience cannot be described. if you do go with the SL, ill be happy to make you a mini template showing you how i set some stuff up.

Thanks again.

Hmm... just thinking that a second hand SL-25 would probably hold its value. So if I get that and I've made the wrong decision, it wouldn't be too painful to switch to the PCR-300, whereas the opposite isn't true...

Heart 1 - Head 0.

also worth mentioning the new update about to come out for the SL in a just a couple of weeks.

and the fact that novation are clued up on their shit and u can contact the teams directly and whatnot

How well integrated is the SL with Live at this time? Transport, etc. covered?

I was also considering waiting on a PCR-800 since I had read some issues with the SL. If that's a thing of the past though, then the SL is a definite option.

On a related note, how are the templates with the VSTis?

My heart won. I bought the SL. We'll see how it is when it arrives...

hi,

i have the pcr 800 here, you can read my first impressions on it here: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=168708

i used to work with an sl25 sometimes.

the pads of the PCR are larger! than the sl's pads - and as little sensitive as the sl pads are

the pcr800 hardware seems to be pretty nice in general (except the pads).
and that "dynamic mapping" seems to be pretty beta.. working in sonar now - but in other daw?

here in germany prices of sl61 are much higher than pcr800 - thats why i got the pcr.

cheerio

yeah, i'd vote for the SL as well. it's the perfect live controller. i can't describe how much the LCDs change things.

any other options for the same price? what about Korg MicroKontrol?

I use both with Live and I find the SL to be more useful.