It’s a simple matter to find your way around the user-friendly interface and use it to send program changes, adjust velocity curves, set parameters for Latch mode, and so on. INTERFACE AND EDITING E-mu built their Xboards with easy-to-learn, comprehensive editing capabilities. I was impressed by the battery life as of publication, a fresh set of Duracell AAs has given my Xboard 49 well over a week of juice, and it’s still going strong. “They float around.” A useful controller in a number of settings, the Xboard can receive power from a number of sources - USB from your computer, an optional 6-Volt adapter, or three AA batteries. The knobs are sturdy enough and provide good resistance, though Matt said, “I prefer the feel of the knobs on the M-Audio Oxygen 8.” Matt and I agreed that the buttons on the Xboards didn’t feel as robust and well-put-together as the keyboard action, and they rattled slightly with heavier playing. “And it’s got aftertouch, which is very cool.” Sixteen control knobs give you lots of tweaking power, and each knob can either be assigned to its own MIDI channel and controller number, or set to affect the same parameter on 16 separate channels via the aptly-titled 16 Channel mode. “The action feels good and smooth,” commented Matt Moldover, New York producer/electronic artist/mash-up specialist and my guest set of fingers for this review. HARDWARE The Xboards’ synth keyboard action is surprisingly solid and satisfying, especially given the lightness of the controllers. And with street prices well under $200, both axes offer an intriguing amount of production power for the dollar. Along with an impressive keyboard action and intuitive editing capabilities, the Xboards also come with three pieces of software - a programming interface, Ableton Live 4 Lite (full version reviewed November ’04), and E-mu’s Proteus X LE, a scaled-down version of their excellent soft synth (reviewed July ’05). OVERVIEW Two of the newest - and least expensive - entries in the featherweight keyboard controller category are the internally-identical E-mu Xboards 25 and 49, super-totable tools that can just as easily be USB’d to your DJ set in Ableton Live or MIDI cabled to your Roland V-Synth XT. Multiple power source options, including AA batteries. Editing/programming is fast and intuitive. PROS Keyboard action is arguably the best in its class. Pitch and mod wheels have a textured grip and provide good resistance.Ģ5- and 49-key USB/MIDI controller keyboards with editing, recording, and virtual instrument software. Latch mode lets you define a zone and toggle notes on and off, leaving your hands free to do other things. Sixteen control knobs let you do deep tweaking in real-time.Įdit buttons make for fast, intuitive programming of the Xboards 16 available patches. Keys are labeled with different programmable parameters, so you can quickly customize in Edit mode. Keyboard action is impressive, especially given how little the Xboards weigh. All three Xboard models are ultra-portable and can run on USB, battery, or AC power.E-MU XBOARD 25 AND 49 25- AND 49-KEY USB/MIDI CONTROLLERS by Michael Gallant The Xboards also allow you to set discrete MIDI channels for each controller and offer unrivaled real-time control and performance features, including Snap Shot that lets you send multiple program changes and controller values by pressing a single button, and Xboard Latch Mode that enables you to define a section of the keyboard as on/off triggers perfect for drum loops. The Xboard Control software provides an intuitive desktop interface that lets you effortlessly create custom templates for all of your favorite hardware and software instruments. The new Xboard 61 additionally features 16 patch select/program change buttons for quick sound changes during performance and ships with E-MU's Proteus X Software Sound Module with over 3GB of sounds (Xboard 49 and Xboard 25 ship with Proteus X LE with over 1000 sounds). The Xboardâ„¢ 61, Xboard 49 and Xboard 25 all feature full-size velocity sensitive keyboards with aftertouch, 16 programmable real-time controllers and Xboard Control editing software. The advantages being, you can use more RAM in your machine and benefit from faster real-time calculations that digital audio processing requires.Į-MU’s Xboard USB/MIDI controllers for PC and Mac offer unmatched playability, real-time control and programmability in a portable keyboard package ideal for studio and stage use. Now available as a free download from the E-MU website, the new 64-bit drivers enable you to use the E-MU XBoard range on the 64-bit CPUs if you are running the Windows XP 圆4 edition.
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