Ableton Forum

is anyone using this as their main interface/controller and having good or bad experiences?

Hi there,

I am using the Ozone as my audi interface and as one of my midi controllers. I think it is well-built, although many would disagree, saying that M-Audio products are built shoddily. This is something you are going to have to make up your own mind about. I am currently having a bitch of a problem with mine, where power spikes cause it to release its driver, making it necessary for me to power it off and on again to get windows to recognize it again. So basically any time a friend turns on the light in my bathroom, it's bye-bye Ozone. However, I have scoured the net for other reports of this problem, and come up dry. This leads me to believe that I am just very unlucky and got a lemon unit. This same thing has happened with EVERY piece of gear I have ever bought, so I just have bad luck with gear.

The sound quality is wonderful coming out of this thing, the knobs are sturdy and easy to program (same with the keys). It's a snap to plug in to it and record whatever source you need. I have a blast plugging in my Minidisc recorder, EMU XL-7, and a Microphone to create my source sounds for further manipulation in Live and Reaktor.

I couldn't recommend this thing more, and with the sweet bag you can buy for it, I can fit my Ozone, laptop, external hard drive, and some other shit all on my back, and neatly organized. It even has a cell phone holder.

hope that helps, and sorry to sound like an M-Audio rep, but I promise I don't work for them

- Nick

a master output and individual l/r inputs whould be nice. who the hell came up with that shitty insert cable design for the input? i also wish it were usb powered....
i'd trade mine for the uc33 by evolution though...i just dont use the keys much, just in reason.

am using one too for my ableton live 3.0 it's pretty sturdy, dropped it a couple of times and it still works. knobs, buttons are pretty solid. i wish it had more multiple outs and no wall warts, but i guess m-audio's primary intent with regards to the design was the small size; that's why it's like that. sound wise it's very very clear, u can use it to play back Ableton Live without much EQ needed. and it's cheap! latency wise, it has a teeny bit but it has a control panel wherein u can adjust latency in 5 modes.

Anonymous wrote:is anyone using this as their main interface/controller and having good or bad experiences?

So Ozone is not usb powered?

their site says it can be usb, battery, or AC powered

No it doesn't http://www.m-audio.com/products/midiman/ozone.php It does say the Oxygen 8 is USB, battery or AC powered since it doesn't have audio, it is only a MIDI controller. But the Ozone is a more complexed beast, and thus is not USB powered.

Im thinking of buying one second hand for circa £150....Is it useful for live performances?,

previous I just used the laptop, the mouse and a kaoos pad

Just to update you, I got a new Ozone and it works flawlessly now. I guess I just had a lemon before. My Ozone is indispensable for my live dark ambient sets. I use the knobs to control track volumes, and the keys to trigger clips in Live. Then I use an XL-7 as another MIDI controller to tweak the clips out with the crazy Live effects. Assign your keyboard keys to oneshots and whatever else, and you have a really tweakable, portable setup.

- Nick

Ozone's average market prize has dropped to 299 Euro/USD already, so Ableton's special offer is not so special at all.

HajoCorsten wrote:Ozone's average market prize has dropped to 299 Euro/USD already, so Ableton's special offer is not so special at all.

No kidding, it was cheaper to buy both Live3 software and the Ozone separately at http://www.cdbm.com

hey nickmaxwell, I hope the powersupply in your house is not buggered. That would explain your intermittent bad luck. If you do have a problem, your milage may vary from device to device (even identical units). If your second Ozone starts acting up, I would considder the prospect of faulty electronics in the house a distinct possibility.

If I were you'I would be using rechargeable batteris just to be safe (if that is possible).

I thought, since I'm gonna spend the $$$, I may as well get me something that is gonna last for my needs, so I got the OmniStudio USB instead, with an eye to getting a dedicated midi controller (hence me trawling this forums for advice on controllers).

Anyone have any feedback to give on the Oxygen8?
(and where is the cheapest place to buy it)

I thought you meant iZotope Ozone. Version 3 is stunning

nickmaxwell wrote: My Ozone is indispensable for my live dark ambient sets.

Hey nick,

Do you play out often with that setup? Where? Have any music out? Sorry for the thread sidetrack but I didn't see any PM options for you and my curiosity was piqued by the mention of dark ambient and your setup. I've got an xl-7 but haven't tried using it as a controller for Live (my Kenton control freak currently handles that duty).

ok... back to your ozone discussion...

-scotty

i was really psyched on the Ozone until i found out it needed a wall wart. that kind of killed it for me right there.

tjwett wrote:i was really psyched on the Ozone until i found out it needed a wall wart. that kind of killed it for me right there.

what's a wall wart?