Keyboards are getting to be a lot of fun, on the cheap.
The latest mini-keyboards from Alesis feature X-Y joysticks, audio I/O,
and the psuedo-photo-theremin Axys dome (wave your hands in the air
above the dome!). That I knew — but I hadn't checked prices to realize
how cheap these things are. Alesis appears to have the best 25-key
deals.
- Alesis Photon 25 is a USB/MIDI controller with joystick and 12 knobs; street $130
- Alesis Photon X25
has the theremin-style controller dome, 12 360-degree knobs, 10
buttons, full-size pitch and mod wheels (nice ones like the Ion's!),
24-bit balanced stereo audio I/O; street $200 - Both have 20 template presets for software and an LED display
360-degree knobs are perfect for working with software, and the 3D
domes are fun. (Note I say theremin-style as the Alesis domes are
IR-based; they're not
as sensitive as a true theremin but they're rugged and reliable.) Even
as an additional toy for your occasional mono synth lead, this is a
deal. The X25 in particular looks like a great upgrade from M-Audio's
Oxygen8 / Ozone.
Want a synth, too? Alesis' Micron is a mini 49-key version of Alesis' Ion analog synth, and it's just $400. (No 3D dome, though.)
The Photon X25 is a great keyboard, but the drivers for Windows XP still have lots of problems that need to be ironed out.
Driver problems on Windows XP include bluescreening on Dell laptops. I've made a list of my own problems, hoping for quick improvements from Alesis: http://www.bjornwang.com/blog/2005/04/alesis_phot…
😕
driver problems in xp…don't know any remedy as of yet…can't get the machine to be recognized by my computer…shows a big yellow question mark in my device manager where it reads "photon 25" and when i look for appropriate drivers there are none to be found.
looks like a real deal, hope the xp-issues work out though