M-Audio Axiom 61
Has M-Audio come up with a controller keyboard that’s as good for players as it is for producers? Hollin Jones finds out.
Price: £358.00
Manufacturer: M-Audio
Website: http://www.maudio.co.uk
Axiom 61
Manufacturer M-Audio
Price £358
Contact M-Audio 01753 659590
Web www.maudio.co.uk
Once upon a time, M-Audio was known primarily for its audio and MIDI interfaces, but these days the company is just as prolific in the field of USB MIDI controller keyboards. Its latest is the new range of updated Axiom keyboards, coming in 25-, 49- and 61-key versions, the latter two with a full set of tactile controls thanks to their larger form factor.
Our review unit was the 61-key model: lightweight but sturdy and with a sleek, modern appearance. Connectivity is much as you’d expect, with the rear panel housing expression and sustain pedal input jacks, MIDI in and out ports, a USB connection (which carries both power and MIDI data), a power socket for the optional adaptor and an on/off switch. A Kensington lock port is provided for securing the unit.
Plug and play
The keyboard is class-compliant under recent versions of Windows and Mac OSX, so it’s not necessary to install any drivers. Plug it in, select it in your DAW as a MIDI device and you’re away. The piano keys are semi-weighted and offer a pleasing and responsive action, heavy enough to get the best from a good grand piano patch but light enough to allow runs up and down the keys for organ playing. If you run out of keys there’s a large Octave control on the front panel that enables you to quickly shift the keyboard up or down as well as the obligatory pitch and mod wheels. Anyone playing more conventional keyboard sounds will also appreciate the option to use a sustain pedal.
On the front panel can be found a range of real-time controllers that can either be manually assigned or used in DirectLink mode (of which more in a moment). There are nine faders and fader buttons, eight soft rotaries and eight large pads, as well as transport controls and a number of edit buttons. Feedback is via a medium-size LCD display, which is well lit but restricted to quite basic characters, which gives something of a retro feel sometimes as you try to work out what a slightly cryptic phrase might mean. With a little practice this gets easier, although reading the manual is advised.
Take control
Like other USB MIDI keyboards, the Axiom implements a form of DAW control to map its many physical buttons and faders to your software without you having to set up your own assignments. For this to work you must download and install the relevant file from M-Audio’s website, go into your DAW’s control surfaces section and specify the Axiom as a device. Afterwards, you can access two main modes: Mixer and Instrument.
In Mixer mode, physical controls are assigned to corresponding mixer parameters such as level and pan. By switching between different banks you can control larger projects. In Instrument mode the controls will be assigned to virtual instrument parameters for the selected DAW track. Holding the Instrument button will open the instrument’s software window. Pads can be used to trigger drums, notes or samples and the transport controls enable you to navigate between tracks and control playback and recording without using the mouse.
We tested DirectLink with Logic Express 9 and GarageBand and it worked perfectly, though Cubase AI5 did not (we found that only the full version of Cubase was supported). If you have an older or entry-level DAW it’s worth checking M-Audio’s support site to ensure that it will work. It does ship with a serial number for Ableton Live Lite, however, which is a bonus.
The Axiom 61 is a solid and well thought-out MIDI controller keyboard that balances the playability of a semi-weighted keyboard with the DAW control features of DirectLink. You’ll want to check that your specific software is compatible before you splash out and we’d like to see a somewhat more refined display, but overall this is an excellent controller for stage and studio alike. Once upon a time, M-Audio was known primarily for its audio and MIDI interfaces, but these days the company is just as prolific in the field of USB MIDI controller keyboards. Its latest is the new range of updated Axiom keyboards, coming in 25-, 49- and 61-key versions, the latter two with a full set of tactile controls thanks to their larger form factor.
WHY BUY
Lightweight but solid
Very playable keyboard
Well laid-out and constructed
Lots of assignable controls
DirectLink mode works extremely well for DAW control
Get intuitive, hands-on control over your virtual instruments
Mix and record without using a mouse
WALK ON BY
Not all versions of all DAWs are compatible with DirectLink
Screen readout is a little basic
VERDICT
A solid and dependable keyboard controller with keys and an action that are good enough to satisfy players, but also useful control features for producers.
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)
Score: 8
This review first appeared in Music Tech Magazine issue 91
Filed under
Hardware,
Hardware Instruments,
MIDI Controllers / Interfaces,
Reviews
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