:::Axiom Pro vs. Novation SL MK II::: What do u think???

[Max the mac]

PPS: I'm not suggesting anything about the poster, just pointing out that in a forum it's impossible to know.

ahhh sorry, My reply assumed you might be.......

[RussUK]

just in case you're implying that I am a dealer, I am not..... I do not sell these things , I am a Studio designer , installer, Audio engineer, and pro-audio 24/7 front line support supplier.... I make no money from sales whatsoever..... I've had no financial remuneration or investment interest in any MI retail operation since about 2001, and I've been around as long as you have...... and you can check me out at Sound on Sound..... (User name = Max! , formerly "Max the Mac" )

I think my second post answers that.

Although why not, as I have done, declare who you are, that would remove any ambiguity from the equation.

As to there being no such thing as independence.... if one's client's pay you for your unbiased opinion as to which product suits their needs, based on your assessment of the product..... and you are NOT going to be selling them the product..... or making any commission, brown envelopes, kick backs or other benefits... then there is no profit motive in recommending one over the other.... it is purely a decision based on trying both units for myself.... and deciding which I prefer, and whether that preference is relevant to my clients...

surely that qualifies as a measure of independence?

Yes it does require a 'measure', but does not guarantee impartiality.

Therein does lie a bit of a paradox though, unbiased, and opinion...... By forming one's own opinion and preference , one by definition becomes biased..... and SOME aspects, like the Keyboard action, or the general aesthetics of the finish, will almost certainly be a matter of personal preference.... in that, other people may well prefer the hard edged profile of the Axiom's keys, and find that the feel at the limit of travel suits them...... I happen to dislike it.... but you may well love it..... Others may feel that Automap's shortcomings when stacked up against Hypercontrol's rather splendid abilities in terms of plug in control, are not outweighed by the hardware's visual feedback advantages.... one would hope in all cases that potential purchasers would find and try both units and make their own minds up.....

I would agree that making purchase decisions based purely on such an article is folly however..... end users should ALWAYS actually try the product for themselves.... however they manage it... for the very same reason.... their tastes and opinion may differ from that of the article's author.

I'm in the process, between actual jobs, of writing up my experience of using the units "in anger" in several DAW's... largely because it represents something of a challenge.... My "opinion" has been delivered, and writing this so far has been a refreshing change from talking about Mic pre-amps, Bass traps, and interfaces.... it's been nice to actually get to play with "toys" that one interacts with on a very personal and immediate level... as opposed to set and forget, or switch on, set gain, leave alone, types of things....

What my comparison really tried to relate is not just the control abilities of the devices.... where frankly, the Axiom's Hypercontrol system wins in some (but not all, and not the ones you would expect given M-audio's ownership) DAW platforms , but the experience of living with it and using it ....

as I Intimated here, and detailed elsewhere (in a thread at gearslutz i think) , as a DAW interaction system, Hypercontrol is brilliant, if the Axiom's hardware lived up to Hypercontrol's potential, then M-audio would have a world beater on their hands....


Basically ,what I would REALLY like is to have the GUI of Automap, the functionality of Hypercontrol, The Axiom's drum pads, and with the Novation's keybed , user feedback and control surface....


here's hoping someone is listening.

Some of your feature includes inaccuracies about the Axiom, so much so, it made me wonder if you had really thoroughly used and understood it?

I'm not trying to start a bun fight, but you have written with such authority that I think it is important to make sure all readers hear both sides of the story.

In closing, any help I can give you in your work on your other various projects then let me know airusersblog AT gmail DOT com

PS: Oxford is commuting distance from Novation HQ isn't it...

[Max the mac]

it's also spitting distance from SSL , yet I generally don't find myself recommending their products over Neve or even Audient... unless the feature set and user mission makes it the obvious choice.


My house is short walking distance from SAE Oxford.... yet......... I find myself disinclined to suggest everyone go and study there......

offhand i can think of another dozen or so pro-audio related companies based within 30 or so miles of my house.....



I am however, curious about these inaccuracies.... or what I may have missed (bearing in mind I'm still playing with it and trying to sum up some practical aspects of the differences.... ) I'll be in touch by email

[JCPZero]

Axiom Pro:

Can someone explain how to do this? I can see the effect options on the axiom display, but have not figured out how to make the gui pop up on the computer: I am using cubase 5.

From a former post:
neat tricks....
1) actually opening the desired plug in window in logic or Cubase from the controller..... ! (note this doesn't appear to work In Protools though....!! )


Jon

[johnkrogh]

AUTO-ADMIN: Non-MP3, WAV, OGG, SoundCloud, YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter and Facebook links in this post have been protected automatically. Once the member reaches 5 posts the links will function as normal.

Hi All.

I'm John Krogh, marketing manager for the Axiom Pro and all M-Audio keyboards/controllers. I wanted to weigh in on several points and issues raised in Max's post.

Full disclosure: I've worked at M-Audio for four months. Prior to this, I served as the technical editor at Keyboard and EQ magazines during various periods (dating back to '97), and for the past 5 years I've held the title of editor-at-large for Keyboard. I mention this because as someone who's read, edited and written numerous product reviews over the past 12 years, I know how important it is for users to have accurate, balanced product reviews to help inform their buying decisions.

There are a few areas where Max's assessment isn't entirely accurate, and other areas where features have been overlooked or seemingly misunderstood, possibly because Max hadn't spent enough time with the Axiom Pro to understand its full capabilities.

To be fair, this is a sophisticated controller with an extensive feature set for live and studio use -- it's not a keyboard that you can expect to fully understand within minutes of taking it out of the box. With that said, I've asked the product manager for the Axiom Pro to weigh in regarding HyperControl. His comments are added near the end.

I certainly respect Max's opinion and enthusiasm for Novation, and I've kept our comments focused on the Axiom Pro, and the factual differences between the SL where appropriate.

>>
the labelling is plain, and relatively clear , although somewhat mundanely cryptic...... manufacturers expect users to be savvy enough to work out and remember what things like S3 , P2, E6 mean...... sometimes I wish people would be more creative in their labelling.... things might be easier to remember if they had more useful proper names
<<

"S" denotes Sliders, "E" denotes Encoders, "P" denotes Pads, and "N" denotes Numbers on the numeric keypad. This is stated in the User manual (plus, the words Slider, Encoder, Pad, and Number are spelled out in entirety on the LCD screen when editing settings for each of these control groups).

So, E6 would mean the 6th encoder and S3 would be the 3rd slider. We chose to be literal in our naming scheme rather than creative, as was suggested above.

>>
and in the top left is a multifunctional alphanumeric input pad..... which is why the compeer thinks the device is a keyboard/... should you connect the thing to a mac before installing the software, your mac will fail to identify it, and you get the Mac OS keyboard identifier assistant running at log in....
<<

The computer will recognize the Axiom Pro as a MIDI device, even without installing any DAW personality profiles. Certain programs require a personality profile to be installed before you'll be able to use HyperControl features, however. It's no more involved than configuring a Mackie Control or other type of control surface.

The computer will also see Axiom Pro as a generic USB QWERTY keyboard. This is because QWERTY key command functionality is built into the keyboard. You're free to assign any DAW key commands and shortcut to the Axiom Pro's pads, function keys and numeric keypad, and these assignments can be saved as part of a preset, so even if you power cycle the Axiom Pro, the key commands are retained. No additional software is required for this functionality.

QWERTY key command functions aren't mentioned in the context of Max's Axiom Pro coverage. However, similar functionality was touted in reference to the Novation SL. To clarify, the SL relies on Automap software to handle QWERTY key commands, which do not get stored to the keyboard's internal memory, so without Automap there's no way to send key commands.

>>
interestingly, and usefully, the axiom pro has 9 faders rather than the often usual 8... with the last fader always dedicated to the master level of the DAW, irrespective of which bank of 8 is being addressed by the others....
<<

This is true, but the 9th fader has an equally important use for live performance: It gives keyboard players the necessary number of drawbars when playing virtual Hammond B3s. This is something that many keyboardists who play live appreciate about the Axiom and Axiom Pro controllers.

>>
The faders are another story.... one minute stiff, the next moment, flying to the end of travel.... difficult to move accurately,
<<

The faders (sliders) are a new breed for sub-$1,000 MIDI controllers. Most controllers have low-resistance faders that can be flicked up and down with barely any effort. The Axiom Pro's metal faders are velocity sensitive, meaning that they have varying viscosity depending on how quickly the fader is operated. Move it slowly, there's more resistance, so you don't overshoot fader rides and you have more control. Move the faders quickly and there's less resistance, so you can make fast filter sweeps, etc. The feel does take some getting used to, but the same could be said for faders on high-end motorized control surfaces.


>>
the lack of any obvious visual positioning cue on the rotary encoders makes them a bit of a guesswork thing.... also, you have to move one for it to be selected and shown on the LCD screen to show the controller position....
<<

This is not accurate. Fader and Encoder positions can be viewed from the LCD without having to touch or operate the controls. At any time you can see the current parameter value and assignments. To view the current parameter assignments for a particular set of controls (e.g., Sliders, Encoders, etc.) you press the Zone/Group button and then the button for the desired group (N for numbers, S for sliders, and so on).

Additionally, you can "peek" at controller assignments by pressing a button combination (this is labeled on the keyboard's surface). This is helpful in live situations when you might be fully engaged in the performance and not paying attention to technical details. Suddenly you want to make a tweak. A quick peek at the controls ensures you don't accidentally grab the wrong knob or fader and have an unexpected burst of noise jump out of the PA.

>>
so.... studio use only. definitely NOT a stage players keyboard....
<<

Given that there's no discussion of editing or assigning any of the Axiom Pro's controls to MIDI parameters (which is a big part of programming the keyboard for live use), this comment feels a little unfounded. There are a number of features that make the Axiom Pro suitable for live performance. For example, the pads and faders can access four layers (called "profiles" in AP-speak), giving you essentially 32 possible pad assignments and 32 fader assignments per preset. (A total of 50 presets are on board.)

Additionally, any control - a slider, knob, pad, whatever - can be programmed to send just about any MIDI command: NRPNs, RPNs, MIDI CCs, GeneralMIDI commands, toggle note on/off, MIDI Machine Control, you name it. About the only kind of data that can't be sent is a string of Sys Ex.

Furthermore, all of the control groups (i.e., the entire set of sliders, pads, etc.) and the controls themselves can be given descriptive names allowing you to create presets where the slider group is labeled "Envelopes," and the individual sliders are labeled appropriately with Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release.

And speaking purely from a programming perspective, having a numeric keypad to type letters and numeric values is a bonus over the limitation of using a data entry knob.

>>
i'm ambivalent about devices that use firmware in the manner the axiom does.... it opens the door for user error, power cuts, and other gremlin activities to render the device unusable... if a firmware update fails midway.....
<<

This is true, but updating firmware is fairly common with high-tech instruments. More precarious would be the requirement of an intermediary piece of software to manage communication between the Axiom Pro and your DAW. This is where HyperControl and Automap take very different approaches.

>>
[RE: HyperControl] … it does things in a relatively useful manner... and it can do lots of things..... Logic's own plug-ins, as well as third party ones, can be controlled quite well.... BUT it means peering in to that screen on the axiom.... you rapidly get to feeling that you either need more screens, or a much bigger one, or both,

yes, it seems okay at first glance, but any time spent using it rapidly inclines one to feel short changed and wishing maybe someone had upped the price to provide more useful and immediate user feedback .....
<<


Product Manager: "Your DAW is the primary interface for music production and therefore we felt it important that the Axiom Pro should be integrated into the DAW rather than the other way around. As such Axiom Pro with HyperControl is a control surface for your DAW specifically and will communicate with any Instrument or plug-in supported by the DAW, 3rd party or otherwise. By keeping HyperControl transparent, the aim is to streamline rather than interrupt workflow.

In designing HyperControl we looked at existing protocols such as HUI for DAW integration, but none were deemed sufficient. The Axiom Pro is a keyboard after all. Existing protocols have been designed with mixer-based devices in mind. For this reason, HyperControl has been customized for each DAW to ensure the keyboard player has the best possible experience - improving workflow, and significantly reducing the need to reach for a mouse or QWERTY keyboard during song composition.

As an example, when a track is selected in the DAW, the keyboard and the controls of Axiom Pro immediately become focused on that track. This means that you can switch between Instruments with a single press of either 'Track up' or 'Track down' on Axiom Pro. Instrument Mode also differentiates between an Insert and an Instrument, which means switching the device to Instrument Mode will immediately focus controls on the Instrument within the selected track. There is no need to be concerned with which instrument relates to which track. You need only know the selected track, and the name of that track always appears on Axiom Pro's display for reference."

I encourage forum members to check out our Axiom Pro videos, which illustrate some of the features mentioned here. (www.m-audio.com/tv (http://www.m-audio.com/tv))

- John

[rreeman]

Hi again,

I'm not sure how relevant this is to the ongoing debate but I had a look at the Axiom Pro 61 a few weeks ago (couldn't find an SL mk II - and I live in LA) and decided against it.

While there were no significant problems that I could see, I realized I'd been sucked in by the marketing regarding an all-in-one controller. I was primarily in the market for a keyboard controller because of the keyboard. I tried a VMK-176 Plus in the same store and parted with my money on the spot. The controller aspects and templates on the VMK are clunky to say the least but I plan to get hold of a Bitstream 3x for all remaining aspects of MIDI control. The model is also a few years old now and looks very retro but the playing feel is simply a different class. It's keyboard is weighted as opposed to semi-weighted so it's not fair to compare the two.

My point is not to provide advertising for Fatar but to point out that both the SL and Axiom Pro are somewhat hybrid devices, attempting to provide an all-in-one solution with decent keyboard, drum-pads, software control, etc. In my experience, hybrid devices - whilst being convenient and compact solutions - do not provide as much control as is available in separate dedicated devices.

Richard

P.S. If there is a Studiologic or WaveIdea representative reading this, I accept Euros.

[skarnka]

This is a very good and informative thread to read. For anyone else using it in the future I can add these video demos to the info pot here:

http://en.audiofanzine.com/misc-midi-co ... .6231.html

http://en.audiofanzine.com/midi-keyboar ... .6132.html

[Uncle E]

Nice post, John! The Axiom Pros' controllers and pads are clear winners for me but the lack of multiple Novation-style LCD panels should have allowed you guys to push the prices lower, at least on a pure cost of materials scale, don't you think?

[electro]

John, will we ever see an 88es with Aftertouch?

[electro]

no more reply?

[johnkrogh]

Hi Electro.

Sorry for not replying sooner - I didn't get the usual automated message from KVR saying that there were new posts on this thread.

For obvious reasons, I can't say whether we're planning an 88-note ES with aftertouch, or what the future development plans are for our Keystation ES line.

But I can say that we are actively developing our various keyboard controllers to ensure that we continue to provide players and producers with tools that are easy to use, and integrate with software and hardware in a useful way.

Best regards,

John

[electro]

Hi Electro.

Sorry for not replying sooner - I didn't get the usual automated message from KVR saying that there were new posts on this thread.

For obvious reasons, I can't say whether we're planning an 88-note model with HyperControl, or what the future is for our Keystation ES line (which is what you're referring to, I believe).

But I can say that we are actively developing our various keyboard controllers to make sure we continue to give players and producers the kinds of tools that are easy to use, and integrate with software in an intelligent, useful way.

Best regards,

John

Hypercontrol sounds like a communication protocol. Aftertouch has to be generated by the keybed.

[electro]

With all these fancy control surfaces and automap technologies out someone needs to concentrate on a solid no frills MIDI controller that doesn't break the bank.

61, 76, and 88Keys Semi Weighted (Synth action)
Polyphonic Aftertouch
Mod Wheel
Pitch Wheel
No Knobs
No Sliders

[Madness]

I owned the original Axiom....let me tell you I sold it within 4 weeks.

I tried and tried to understand the criptic manual, all I wanted to do was program my own Midi CC's and use the knobs to control efx...

Well it was terrible, chineese piece of turd, the complete craptacular package, rotary's were terrible, one notch did not equal 1 midi cc step and there was no easy to use Software for PC based setup. I tried to do it in the end and gave up.

So I downloaded the Novation SL editor, and decided very quickly Novation was the way to go....

So I sold my Axiom (lost $200) and purchased an SL, much better unit, knobs seem small at first but they are very accurate, same for the sliders, pads are OK, construction seems flimsy when you first see it but you quickly realise it is solid as, but I'll go a dedicated controller for pads.

Let me tell you, I have spilled a full pint of Beer on my SL, during a gig and the thing just kept on, I've been very happy with the life its had.

In the end the User Interface and LCD display is what makes the difference for immediate feedback and control of knobs.

Go an SL if you really need to dig into the beast...for casual jamming and controlling VST's I am sure the Axiom does the job but the Novation stuff rules.

I'll never by another piece of MAudio gear I really got burned by the Axiom, the ignorance of useability is what hit me most, it really was terrible to use and interface with the PC.

[ckatrun411]

comparative review of M-audio Axiom pro 49 and Novation remote SL 49 Mk2


Intro.

having been asked by a few clients to give my opinion of these units, i've obtained one of each of the mid sized units , from friends and contacts , with a view to deciding which would be my recommended choice for composer clients , to act as a central input and control device in their mobile rigs. and for other clients to use as their master control surface in home studios and educational suites

so on test i have an axiom pro 49 and Sl remote 49 mk 2 .


I'm starting with the Axiom pro.....


Physical impressions

appearance.

The M-audio is a chunky beast.... finished in a rather austere and glaring white, with largely back controls, and a little red printing..... and some understated blue backlighting. of some function button labels. outward appearance implies it's built like a tank..... i've yet to take it apart..... but experience of earlier units implies that it's appearance only.. the inset end cheeks appear to be dense rubber.... how thick they are i'll find out when i look inside, but overall it's quite hefty, and relatively deep... with no top surface rake angle, making it unsuitable for those with relatively high desk surfaces , as the screen is impossible to see from anywhere other than more or less right on top of it..... and the front of the keys is quite high up..... so a higher operator position is required to avoid risks of tendon strain/ RSI/Carpal tunnel issues....

frankly it's also a bit on the ugly side IMHO. but tastes vary..... it looks like it belongs in space 1999 , not Andromeda or Next gen star trek..... if you see what i mean.... and the casing molding is a little inaccurate in places... there are bits where the case ends don't precisely match for example...

there's a single backlit display towards the left, that is responsible for giving virtually ALL the visual feedback on control data, settings and navigation of pages... frankly it's a little small for all it has to achieve ... but it functions well enough...

In some cases, the blue button illumination is a tad too discrete.... you have to look carefully if you're more than 6 inches off the surface...... so it might be a little dull on stage..... brighter would be more use. it's also quite hard to read the "on-button" legends by the screen the blue being a bit dark, makes them less ideally contrasted against the black buttons, and the brightness differential between states on , for example the transport controls, is insufficient to be completely unambiguous.

the labelling is plain, and relatively clear , although somewhat mundanely cryptic , as is typical for a device of this type...... manufacturers expect users to be savvy enough to work out and remember what things like S3 , P2, E6 mean...... sometimes I wish people would be more creative in their labelling.... things might be easier to remember if they had more useful proper names.... but , to be fair.... there's only so many ways to skin the cat.....

Layout.

at the left there's a pair of mod and pitch wheels , only the pitch wheel is sprung... the modulation controller requires the user to return it to zero after use.

above this is the octave switching, which can double up as a +/- data input switch.
and in the top left is a multifunctional alphanumeric input pad..... which is why the compeer thinks the device is a keyboard/... should you connect the thing to a mac before installing the software, your mac will fail to identify it, and you get the Mac OS keyboard identifier assistant running at log in....


to the left of this is the screen, set above two rows of menu buttons...
the centre 4 of the upper row are soft keys, that relate to menu options at the bottom of the screen ,
the row below is responsible for navigating between channels in your DAW, and performing some common switch tasks in the selected channel.... (mute , solo, arm etc.) fun ctionality that is ALSO available using the multi-function soft keys under each fader..... located just to the right.

interestingly, and usefully, the axiom pro has 9 faders rather than the often usual 8... with the last fader always dedicated to the master level of the DAW, irrespective of which bank of 8 is being addressed by the others.... handy....
the soft button below the master fader is used to cycle through the functions of , Track Select , mute, solo, record arm, for each of the 8 channels in the currently addressed bank....

to the right of the master fader are the 8 rotary controllers....
these can control a range of input functions , depending on the function displayed in the screen... from home" the 4 soft keys under the screen can switch the rotary controls to control Pan, Send levels, EQ parameters and plug in parameters.... midi controller/automation data and so on...

the labelling and graphic display of the information is done in that little screen, somewhat cryptically, it takes a little while to get used to which controller does what .... the feedback is poor, but it DOES actual work , even with Logic's OWN plug ins..... and with practice it could become fairly routine , and therefore easy.... but better graphic display arrangement would help enormously.


to the right of all this is a collection of decent sized velocity sensitive drum pads.

.

The rear panel has a decent, positive action on off switch..... nice and easy to find by feel , and easy to tell when you move it....

along with this are the 9V dc input, and USB socket, a single pair of Midi sockets (in/out, but no thru), and inputs for expression and sustain pedals.

the thing runs on bus power quite happily, so the 9V socket is only required for users of laptops that don't have enough USB bus power, or users of hardware only.... not working with a computer as such.

The Midi sockets can act as a Midi port , when using USB, such that another piece of hardware can be connected to the computer via the axiom....



"Feel"

the keyboard.... Hmmm..... for an allegedly semi weighted action.... it sucks.... it's barely more tactile than an average cheapo synth action.... lacking in a positive feel, and it might best be described as "springy" at the limit of travel... and hard square shouldered black notes??? WTF???? OUCH the first time you try a harp glissando on this will be the last.///// it's HORRID!

the pitch and modulation wheel both lack an accurate and positive feel to their movement , in terms of performance control, i'd hate it.... and their "funky" round shouldered design makes a secure and sure fingered player input almost impossible...

on the upside, the movement range of the smaller buttons is sufficient to give the user a definite idea that they've pressed a button.... and that it's not jammed.... although some would prefer a more sophisticated feel to them ... they are at least seemingly reliable in the physical feedback....

The faders are another story.... short and with inconsistent response to pressure.... one minute stiff, the next moment, flying to the end of travel.... difficult to move accurately, and thanks to the meagre 35-40 mm length.... accuracy and consistency is really what you need......

the lack of any obvious visual positioning cue on the rotary encoders makes them a bit of a guesswork thing.... but the same could be said for many others... also, you have to move one for it to be selected and shown on the LCD screen to show the controller position.... the lack of touch sensitivity means that you can't see what the setting is on the control surface without editing it.... quantum control????? and a bit hairy in a live performance setting...

so.... studio use only. definitely NOT a stage players keyboard.... nor a mix tool....

but maybe still a reasonable writing tool....



IN USE.

now then... to software interaction....

first DAW tested with is Logic Studio 8 .

The installation process was mundanely uneventful.

as was the firmware update.... and installation of the logic controller definition...

i'm ambivalent about devices that use firmware in the manner the axiom does.... it opens the door for user error, power cuts, and other gremlin activities to render the device unusable... if a firmware update fails midway.....

on the flip side... it means taking the latest version with you no matter what computer you plug in to....
for many people, that's not an issue, but for the mobile jobbing muso , engineer or composer, it can be a good thing.... you know your mappings and presets will be available ....

the Axiom-Pro uses a system M-audio , like to call "hyper control" to interface with your DAW and assorted plug ins....

Hypercontrol's integration in to Logic is fairly neat...... it does things in a relatively useful manner... and it can do lots of things..... Logic's own plug-ins, as well as third party ones, can be controlled quite well.... BUT it means peering in to that screen on the axiom.... you rapidly get to feeling that you either need more screens, or a much bigger one, or both,
yes, it seems okay at first glance, but any time spent using it rapidly inclines one to feel short changed and wishing maybe someone had upped the price to provide more useful and immediate user feedback .....yes it works, and seems to do so fairly well, but it COULD be so much better......
it wouldn't perhaps be so bad if it's layout related in any obvious and annotated way to the hardware, or if more of the hardware controls were somehow also actively feeding back information , especially in a manner that made it obvious which control , which data related to...... as it is though, the thing gives me a a desire for shares in Anadin.

neat tricks....
1) actually opening the desired plug in window in logic or Cubase from the controller..... ! (note this doesn't appear to work In Protools though....!! )

2) assigning the rotary encoders to different tasks , simply and without great fuss.....

3) the numeric keypad makes screen sets easy to use from the controller...

4) it seems to make no odds whether it's a third part plug in, or a native DAW specific one... access to parameters is available and relatively painless.... if a little random in the ordering of the controller's assignments and thus it's screen pages.

but herein lies something of the essence of it's shortcomings....





you see what i THINK M-audio were considering , was the combined DAW screen and axiom ability to provide detailed feedback... but as a user, you can't look at both things at once..... either you look at the computer screen , or the controller..... not both...... so the user feedback is hamstrung by the user's own perceptual shortcomings... not having multiple sets of eyes and the ability to use them simultaneously.....

and many users , for one reason or another, may not have their controller right in front of the computer screen.... myself included....

..

There are also some irritating inconsistencies in how the assorted track control buttons work... track select is flaky, more often working with the scrolling/ left-right buttons in the 2nd row under the lcd screen than the direct buttons under the faders, and when you do use the button mode switch, the screen display telling you the mode disappears quickly, as does the function status indication when in single track mode..

when using the function buttons in single track mode, you have to press mute or solo 3 times to get the lcd screen feedback text to agree with the DAW .... which is a bit useless really.

and going back to the plug in and send control, actually moving between them is a bit of a mission... papering the hallway through the letterbox... users of dx7's will be getting flashbacks.

I also managed to crash the unit during the review.... and it took Logic , and some of the Mac's mouse functionality with it..... i could still move the cursor, but mouse clicks didn't;t respond.... until i switched off the Axiom and force quit Logic.... ...


and as for editing the thing to customise the control surface to best suit your own needs..... jeeeezus.... again, we're papering hallways thru letterboxes.... that screen simply aint big enough......

Hypercontrol has great potential, it's ability to access every plug in and control i tried it with is wonderful... if only the hardware unit's design and the overall user feedback was up to it's promise, they'd have a winner..









NOVATION ReMote SL 49 Mk2

Physical Impressions.

Appearance.
although the physical dimensions are not utterly dissimilar, the Novation's appearance is altogether sleeker, more Andromeda, less Space 1999.
Finished in a fairly tasteful black and silver.... it looks a bit more delicate but actually, i reckon it's easily as robust as the Axiom...

There isa gentle rake to the unit as a whole, with the front edge dipping down more steeply than the rear... it's front key height is a tad lower, and more approachable.... the keyed is a Fatar design, and i'm told is identical in every way to the previous generation.... it certainly feels it... apparently all the major changes are ot the control surface aspect.

it's definitely ergonomically more user friendly and visually appealing.

What Labelling exists, is generally clear and relatively concise.... if a little sparse.... more labels on the control section would be welcome.... Lexan overlays , or some blank boxes and stickers for users to fill in as desired or something maybe.... as it is a lot of button functions are only clear if you look at the on screen display on the computer's Automap software, or press them

what is LEAGUES ahead of the Axiom, is the user feedback ....

ALL the control buttons (barring the drum pads) light up.... giving very clear indication of functionality... and setting.
The rotary encoders have LED Rings... giving instant visual feedback of the current settings... AND the faders, encoders and pan controls are all touch sensitive, merely touching one brings up that row's status feedback in the electronic scribble strip....

WOO HOO!!


Layout.

at the far left there's both an X/Y controller, and a track pad....

now then, this might seem mundane, but the XY is a bit funky.... why?? it lets you choose whether the modulation parameter action (up down) is sprung or un-sprung ! Hooray!! full marks to novation for considering that some people might actually use these things for performance !!!!
under the base of the unit , there is a little slider, you depress the latch and slide it backwards or forwards to engage or disengage the spring action for the modulation control axis.... brilliant...


the spring action on both is fairly , but not unreasonably heavy, and definitely counts as a "positive action" serious performers will love it....

the close location of the track pad to the XY makes one handed operation of both at the same time something that is actually achievable .... and with a little practice those of a certain deftness will be having a wail of a time!

Unlike the Axiom, there's a fair bit of empty panel space , above the XY controller.... and on the far side beyond the rest of the control surface.... actually enough to reasonably stick a small mouse pad and use a small mouse actually on the controller's case.... again, ergonomically useful....

The Main control surface array is laid out neatly and logically in the centre of the main panel...

on the left is a column of fully back lit translucent buttons then at the top, the electronic scribble strip..
followed below by a row of illuminated buttons, then the LED ringed touch sensitive Rotary encoders, another row of lit buttons, then the touch sensitive pan knobs, then the velocity sensitive drum pads.... which are quite a bit smaller than the Axiom's but still useful....

then in the centre, a column of master control function buttons (also Lit) line up above a push button equipped rotary encoder... used for preset selection and other global tasks.

to the right of this column are the 40 mm faders... again a bit short for my tastes, but much more consistent in their movement resistance than the Axiom's.... and again, like the other controllers, touch sensitive..... below which there are two rows of buttons, one of which functions as transport control, and then another third row containing the octave switch and some control functions , for selecting banks of presets and learning midi functions etc... finally just to the right... a third column of buttons serving as "active function" indicators... like the far left..... they illuminate next to whichever set of controls is being represented in the scribble strip at the time...

The button action isa little more refined than the Axiom, but still with enough movement to be a positive action, and , with all this illuminating going on.. it's obvious whether you've done something or not !


The rear panel contains the USB socket, a DC input for users not able to power by USB, (and a power switch that select between those power modes) , sustain and expression input sockets, and not one but 2 Midi ports, a FULL set of midi sockets for port 1, and a second Midi out as an independent port 2.
This is good news for users wanting to control external hardware synths!!! or perhaps multiple DAW's.... or Both!!


"Feel"

It's a fairly typical mid level synth action , as one would expect from the Fatar keyed... although i'm not convinced about the marketing blurb which claims it's semi weighted..... it is however MUCH nicer to play than the Axiom.... the profiling of the black keys makes for a much less painful playing experience, glissandos will result in fewer bruises !! the Key action is better defined, and doesn't suffer form the annoying "boinginess" of the M-audio action

all the controls feel a fair bit more "refined" in their action.... generally lending the unit a more expensive and user friendly feel.... the fader friction response is smooth and generally consistent... the rotary controls are also smooth, and while light, somehow also tactile enough to give a certain weight to their feel when manipulated, and consistent , so that the user is confident about the amount of input force needed to achieve a give rotational angle and speed... in addition to which, the LED rings on the encoders make for an obvious reference point, to know where the control is before moving it inspires confidence....

the track pad is responsive and consistent.... a joy to use.... setting it up for controlling filters and such like makes it a brilliant expressive tool, just easily to hand with the joystick.... which itself is also, a really nice feeling, positive actinide thing.... precise consistent response, and solid feel... add the two together as expression control and frankly, it's almost perfect.....

and as mentioned earlier, the Joystick's ability to be sprung or un-sprung for modulation control is really handy..... and quick to change, although it does mean turing the unit up on end, or over... as the physical switch is on the base of the case at the end.... but with practice it might be possible to get the knack of changing it more or less on the fly..... without flipping the case....


and the ergonomic sense of the layout is obvious.... and much easier to navigate at speed than the Axiom. or at least , it is when you've stuck a few labels on to give you reminders of functionality....

having previously used a Mk1 ReMote SL Zero , i was initially disappointed by the loss of one scribble strip.... Novation say this was a production decision, in order to bring the unit out at roughly the same cost as the Mk1, in order to have the illumination and touch sensitivity, they had to drop the second screen...

generally though after a little use, i could get used to it.... the instant switching of feedback data on the scribble strip in response to touching a control, meant that in practice , it wan;t a major issue... although i would , on balance, still prefer to have the second screen, i can appreciate the decision's rationale, and users not already familiar with the 2 screen versions , will probably never notice it's missing .

one of the few things i WOULD like to see changed is the horrid feeling power status switch.... a little flimsy slide switch on the rear connection panel, acts as a power switch , and can determined whether DC input power or USB bus power is used..... it's the only control on the entire unit i think feels unacceptably "cheap" , it's also more vulnerable to damage than a rocker switch would be


also, on a negative note.. the Drum pads are too small, and too close to some touch sensitive controls.... and the layout feels awkward for paying rhythm parts.... they're useable, but not really up to the standard of the rest of the unit in terms of ergonomics and performance related design.... they're MUCH more use simply being used as additional control surface switches....

In Use.


Automap server....

it would initially appear that perhaps to some extent, Novation are making the same mistake as M-audio, in thinking that the user can see both computer screen and controller simultaneously....
The on-screen display GUI shows all the hardware controllers and their functions...
however , the amount of visual feedback on the ReMote SL does rather imply that actually, they've thought about this rather more...... since there is a lot less need to look at the DAW screen for many tasks..... thanks to all those lit buttons, and the electronic scribble strip..... in fact , when actually in full flow, the screen is almost secondary in some respects..... full marks for getting the user perception focused and fully informed ....

When you actually start to use the automap GUI though , it suddenly enters a new dimension.... editing the control mappings is child's play.... and fast.... naming functions is equally slick... and get this, any button/control can have qwerty key strikes assigned.... BUT not just 1 key and modifiers... but ANY number of simultaneous keys, AND , Key sequences.... and combinations of modifiers and key sequences, and so on..... it's bloody clever..... although to be fair, not that many apps can make real use of qwerty key sequencing.... it's inclusion allows it now, and in the future.... when key sequence triggered macros may become more common...

if one uses multiple DAW's using the same protocol (HUI for example) then it makes sense to get your key commands "homogenised" , so they're broadly the same in all applications.... once you do that.... the Novation qwerty assignment makes a real impact on the workflow... added to which, cleverly, the transport keys are a switched bank.... when the transport "group" key is lit, they're hardwired to the transport functions, but if you hit that key and turn it off, that entire row of buttons become available for assignment .... and it remembers this when you switch between modes for that row... it's like a shift key for the transport.... and opens up more possibilities....

so you can effectively use the automap set ups , and program your most commonly used key commands, to create a bespoke and very effective control surface that helps you work the way YOU want to..... or alternatively, key commands you can never remember , but use occasionally, or that require too many modifiers to make it handy on the keyboard..... might be an alternative plan...

sure it'd be nice to have even more keys available, but between the drum pads and the transport row... there's enough to cover a fair bit of territory.... and then there's the question of pages. being able to switch through the rotary encoder functions, and have other things switch along with them....

Although the GUI has clear labelling, and all those labels are repeated in the onboard scribble strip, it would be nice if there were some more direct means of labelling that was a tad tidier and professional looking that using a CDR marker pen to write on the casing of the unit..... although at least that IS possible.... (it would be difficult to read if the case around there were black..... )

another master stroke, is the "View" switch.... when this is lit on the control surface, Automap GUI stays on top on the computer screen all the time , (unless you minimise the window) , but if you hit the switch, the GUI vanishes.... until you use one of the touch sensitive controls.... when it reappears while the control is active, and shortly after, vanishes again when you've released the control... AND the GUI is resizable... .. so once you've got used to this.... which takes very little time... it integrates into your normal screen real estate perfectly.... no need to have it open all the time.... so no impact on your DAW display as such.... I love it.....

assignment of performance controls like the XY track pad is also a doddle.... simply clicking either to the left of the icon, or below the icon in the GUI accesses the relevant direction for control assignment and naming....


moving between Mixer, Plug in FX, and virtual Instrument control is also, intuitive and easy.... there's a row of 4 "navigation" buttons on the SL, to the right of the "View" button.... like everything else, they're back lit, and status is obvious.... simply hit mixer to be in global DAW control, Instrument for controlling synth plug ins... , and FX for processing plug ins.... provided you've enabled that plug in in the Automap Plug in manger, it'll come up and give you full control over all the available parameters... labelling is as clear as it can be made (let's face it, condensing a 4 word function label in to about 6 characters is always going to be a little cryptic sometimes..... but the way it does it seems pretty intelligent, and if there's anyway to make it obvious, it seems to manage it.... although it IS reliant on the plug in reporting it's controller names fully.... some plug ins (like one of Digidesign's own synths for example) only report a generic controller name (A1 , A2, A3 and so on) while labelling them fully only in their own GUI,... apparently because different patches within the plug in use the same graphic controllers for entirely different purposes.... so although the external parameter control input is the same, the actual function changes.... this affects not only the Novation but the Axiom as well... and is in my view, simply a result of poor design of the plug in , not a flaw in either control surface.








some conclusions.

which unit am I going to be recommending to my clients?? and indeed, using myself???

The Novation.... No question....

As a live performance tool, and as a DAW controller, this thing wins hands down.... there is almost NO contest..... and the amount of visual user feedback on the surface makes it very intuitive, very fast, and the learning curve is short..... this is an area where again, it's leagues ahead of the Axiom Pro...

if I had a wish list it to bring to it from the axiom it would be this....

1) the master fader idea is a good one.... please santa make the mk3 have one...

2) the ability of hypercontrol on the m-audio to access ANY plug in, including Logic's own internal ones... AND open the GUI... is also rather tasty.. if any way can be found to match that.... i'd be delighted...

3) the Novation's drum pads, while incredibly useful as controller switches, are frankly too small and too close to the other controls to be seriously considered as drum pads..... especially with the touch sensitive nature of the pan pot controls.... they feel nice , but their position and layout limits their use as rhythm input devices... in that respect the Axiom is better... so keep the position for a switch bank , but add larger , more dynamically playable dedicated drum pads elsewhere...

and that is IT..... only 3 things..... (so far)

everywhere else.... the Novation kick's the M-audio's proverbial behind ..... Quite thoroughly !


I've got quite a lot more to say on the subject.... regarding hardware control, templates and their uses, editing and so on..... but it's taking a while to write up....

I'll post another additional section once i've finished arranging and documenting my notes , concerning assorted DAW operations and functional processes..... which are fairly extensive, so may take me a little while... especially as i keep coming up with morethingsto try...... i'm going to be mucking about in Ableton and a few other applications as well.... so far i've really only experimented with Protools 8, Logic 8 and Cubase (SX3 so far)


if anyone has any questions, or things they want me to try on the hardware, i'd be happy to answer them.

I like Star Trek too.