Second, Arturia really care about customers. Recently, I posted about the new Arturia Keylab Essential mk3 and how it needed to send MIDI Program Change:
I was excited when I saw Arturia’s announcement of the Keylab Essential mk3 MIDI controller. The mk3 has some nice enhancements without increasing weight and size over the mk2. The price is only slightly higher ($219 USD for the 49 mk3). The mk3 adds a larger 2.5″ LCD display, USB-C communications and power, and expression pedal support.
I downloaded the mk3’s manual and was immediately crestfallen. Keylab Essential mk3 cannot send MIDI Program Change. This is a serious step back from the mk2.
The Keylab Essential mk2 is one of the few MIDI controllers that does it right, sending Bank Select MSB, Bank Select LSB and Program Change in one go. I’m still amazed that most other MIDI controllers send Program Change without Bank Select.
Well, guess what? Arturia saw my post and replied:
We really value our users’ input, and we are very sorry to hear that you were disappointed by the fact that the new KeyLab Essential cannot send MIDI Program Change. We know that it was a much appreciated feature on the mk2, and our R&D team is currently doing their best to implement it on the mk3 as soon as possible. For your information, a new firmware should be out in about three weeks, and we’re hoping you’d be willing to give a shot to the KeyLab essential mk3 then.
By the way, I’ll be looking at the new Part feature (split point!) as this is a super, needed advancement over mk2.
Thanks, Arturia, for reading the blog and being proactive! I think it’s always important to call out manufacturers and retailers who go the extra mile (or kilometer) for customers.
Test driving Yamaha’s CK88 motivated me to get off my tail and learn how to make the experience of playing MODX more CK-like. In particular, I want to make better use of the MODX front panel sliders for drawbar control.
This requires the most basic knowledge of MODX (Montage) Performance structure. All MODX folk should read through the first section of the MODX Reference Manual, titled “Basic Structure.” In this post, I’m going to concentrate on the Tone Generator Block.
Now, honestly, I don’t expect you to recall and understand every detail! Here are the essential basics:
A Performance is a single set of sounds consisting of multiple Parts.
Each Performance has two types of parameters; parameters unique to each Part and parameters common to all Parts.
An Element is the basic, smallest unit for an AWM2 Normal Part.
A Normal Part consists of up to eight Elements.
Each Part is created by editing parameters unique to each Element and parameters common to all the Elements.
Yep, those are direct quotes from the manual (with a few simplifying tweaks). That’s pretty much all of the “theory” that you need to know. The rest is button pushing. 🙂
I’m going to focus on single part organ Performances in this article. That will streamline the discussion. If you understand single part Performances, you should be able to scale up to multi-part. When navigating the CATEGORY screen, single part Performances are displayed in green text; multi-part Performances are displayed in blue text. I assume you know how to select a Performance…
Deconstruction
Knowing how to deconstruct a Performance is an essential MODX skill, even if you’re a player and not a sound designer. This is the way to wring the most out of the factory presets whether you ever intend to change a single preset or not.
MODX Performance “The Basics”
To get started, press the CATEGORY button, then find and select the organ Performance named “The Basics”. This is a single part Performance and, yeah, it’s basic. 🙂 Press the ENTER button to go to the main screen.
When the Performance name is highlighted, pressing the EDIT button takes you to the COMMON parameters for the Performance. I’ll discuss some of those parameters in a future note about effects (i.e., system-level effects like reverb).
“The Basics” Part COMMON parameters
For now, use the arrow keys to navigate down to the first part. (You can touch the first part, too, to select it.) Press the EDIT button and MODX displays the COMMON parameters for the first and only part in “The Basics”. There’s tons of fun stuff here including access to the insert effects like rotary speaker. [Another day.]
What we really want is information about the Elements in “The Basics”. You’ll find a row of on-screen buttons along the bottom of the display. These buttons are especially handy when navigating through Parts, COMMON parameters and Elements. We could step through the Elements one by one by pressing the “ElemX” on-screen buttons. Let’s hit “All” instead.
“The Basics” Osc table
MODX displays a table showing all of essential parameters (information) about the Part (the “Osc” tab). Each row in the table is an Element showing:
Element ON/OFF status
Extended Articulation (XA) control
Waveform
Velocity limit
Note limit
“The Basics” Balance table
Press the “Balance” tab. MODX displays another table showing:
“The Basics” consists of five individual drawbars: 16′, 5 1/3′, 8′, 4′ and 2′. In Hammond language, the registration is (roughly) 68 6210 000. There is also percussion, provided by Element 8. Element 6 adds a little bit of rotor grit. Element 7, rotor whine, is turned off initially. Press the on-screen ON/OFF button for Element 7 if you want to add rotor whine to the mix.
Extra credit. Press the on-screen “Elem7” button. This takes you to the main page of parameters for Element 7. You can turn Element 7 ON/OFF there and do a whole lot more damage to it! Press “All” to return to the table(s).
You can change the drawbar registration by adjusting one or more of the Element levels. For example, touch the Level parameter for Element 1 in order to select it. Then, hold a key, spin the data wheel and listen to the sound change. More dramatically, change the Element 5 level and listen to the 2′ drawbar come in.
Play the drawbars
Of course, this isn’t a practical way to change a registration while playing. That’s where the MODX front panel sliders come in.
MODX sliders controlling Elements 5 through 8
As shown in the picture above, use the top button to select ELEMENT/OPERATOR. Use the middle button to select Elements 5 through 8. Now move the first slider and watch Element 5 level change. Hold a key and hear the change.
Congratulations! You can now play the drawbars and you understand the relationship between the sliders and Element levels.
But, wait, there’s more. Move the fourth slider to change Element 8 level. This adds and removes percussion. Move the second slider (Element 6 level) and listen to the rotor grit. Now you know how to make your Leslie sound busted. 🙂
If you grok all of this, try deconstructing the “More Shade” Performance. Judging from its name, this Performance tries to emulate “Whiter Shade Of Pale.”
I always hesitate calling one of these posts a “review,” especially when the actual trial is serendipitous. Had to stop at Whole Foods and decided to drop into Guitar Center just to see what they had on the floor. Lo and behold, a Yamaha CK88!
It was a nice surprise, but I didn’t have the usual lead sheets that I use when testing. So, it came down to random plunking and noodling.
First, I’m going to lay out most of the good news. For instruments in the $1,000USD (61 key) to $1,500 (88 key) range, the CK sounds damned good. The user interface (UI) is intuitively direct and had only one “What the?” moment.
Yamaha CK88 stage keyboard
I played and listened to the CK88 through its built-in speakers. The built-in speakers are a bit unusual for Yamaha stage/synth instruments, but not so for its digital pianos and arranger keyboards. The CK88 has sufficient volume for practice and maybe enough for an acoustic-level rehearsal. Thus, I put the CK’s speakers in the “courtesy speaker” category. Being 2x6W, 12cm by 6cm ovals, they are not unlike the courtesy speakers on the Case CT-S1000V (or S500) — just OK. They are not boxy, something I don’t tolerate under any circumstance.
I started out with acoustic piano because, err, it was the 88 GHS keybed in front of me. I found both the main acoustic piano (CFX) and Rhodes (78Rd) to be satisfying. I would prefer to play the Rhodes on the GHS rather than the CFX. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been playing the Petrof grand occasionally, but the GHS just did provide the same enjoyment. On again, off again, I’ve been thinking about a digital piano for home and the GHS action ain’t it. The GHS seems to bottom out, for lack of a better description. Forget organ swipes on the 88, too, unless your hands are made of leather.
Practical tips department. The piano sounded muffled when I first started playing. The last customer pulled all of the EQ sliders to -12dB, thank you. Reset, always reset.
Next, I jumped into the acoustic, non-keyboard sounds. The CKs are like a “greatest AWM2 hits” from MODX/Montage. The brass voices are pleasant enough and would be useable in a band setting. The voices range from Jerry Bruckheimer to mellow, more musical horns. The only voice that threw me is “Sweet Trumpet” which is suitable only for mariachi covers.
The saxes are typical AWM2 saxes — emergency use only. I’m spoiled by Super Articulation sax. The oboe is a bit too bright for my taste. The clarinet and bassoon are not bad. The flutes are cool. Strings are varied and useable. I can’t be too harsh because the CK beats the up-scale, expensive YC61 for orchestral voices and, notably, pipe organ.
Venturing into synth brass, pads and leads, we’re back to greatest hits territory. You’ll probably find something close enough for rock’n’roll among the lot. There’s no point in getting too OCD on a machine with limited editing and few real-time parameters to tweeze. CK has what I would call “Yamaha Quick Edit” which apply offsets to the actual voice parameters. Want deep editing? Look to MODX/Montage.
Now to the organs. The CK cops the pipe organs from Genos™ — excellent choice. Maybe it was the EQ or sumptin’, but the VOX (V) didn’t pierce my ears and the Farfisa (F) didn’t have that Sam The Sham rasp. Oddly, I give Reface YC the edge as far as combo organs are concerned.
As to the main event — Hammond B-3 — the CK is much more than Reface YC in a tuxedo. The drawbars are nice and smooth, offering the right amount of resistance. The drawbar throw is a little short (a la Reface) when compared to Yamaha’s clonewheels. The CK drawbars slide and don’t have the Reface drawbar detents.
To my ears, the CK and Reface YC basic drawbar sound is the same — pretty clean and artifact (e.g., leakage) free. The rotary speaker sim and effects chain are what make the difference. Obviously, the CK is richer in that regard. You get so much more for the money with CK (full-size keyboard, better effects chain, acoustic piano, EP, decent acoustic/electronic instruments, A/D input, audio playback, etc.), why would anyone bother with Reface anymore, unless they absolutely must have the portability?
I like the CK vibrato/chorus implementation and UI more than Reface, too. All of the organ controls are more Hammond-like even if they are a bit small.
I developed a preference for the CK Rotary 2 sim over Rotary 1. I wish I knew which rotary speaker algorithms Yamaha chose for CK as I would like to recreate the CK sound on MODX. The CK horn/rotor turn a bit too fast and, unfortunately, the speeds cannot be changed.
The only “What the?” moment had to do with the DRIVE buttons and what they apply to the internal signal. If I were giving the CK a serious spin, I would study the effects chain and controls before sitting down in the driver’s seat.
So, there it is. The CKs offer great value for the money, no doubt about it. I personally would go with the 61-key model (CK61) since I play mainly organ/synth. The GHS isn’t for me and suggests that I should “go large” if I ever follow through and buy a digital piano for home. Having MODX, I don’t feel like I’m missing out although I need to make better use of MODX sliders for real-time drawbar control.
It looks cool — the limited edition Korg microKORG Crystal synthesizer and vocder. Videos: Ooh and Aah.
The picture to ship a thousand synths (or whatever the cliché is)
No word of new content. €539 transparent bag included. Available July 2023.
Yeah, Superbooth 23 has commenced. I don’t intend to make a big deal out of it. After NAMM 2023, I need a break from chasing shiny objects (Korg Crystal excepted).
I like the form. I like the size. I like the price ($199 USD). Roland AIRA S-1.
The Roland AIRA Compact S-1 Tweak Synth
I hope Roland grow the AIRA product line. Most punters — me — are more likely to buy a 200 buck expansion box than a $5,000 Oberheim OB-X8. Please, please, please add an AIRA like the D-05 boutique. Roland, you would sell zillions of ’em.
I’m happy to make a first report about the Korg NTS-2 Oscilloscope kit. The NTS-2 is bundled with the book “PATCH & TWEAK with KORG”, by Kim Bjorn. Whatever the reason for the delay, it took Korg several months to deliver after the NTS-2 was first announced. Fortunately, the bundle finally hit my doorstep. 🙂
Korg NTS-2: The box bundle
The NTS-2 kit and book are a fairly hefty package, mainly due to the weight of the enclosed book. The book looks, feels and weighs like a “coffee table” book. Tain’t light.
Korg NTS-2 Book and kit
The NTS-2 kit itself is packed in an unmarked white box. All the components are lovingly protected by bubble wrap. In addition to the printed circuit boards (PCB), you get the now-familiar corner and side pieces, hardware, USB Type-C cable, a way-too-short 3.5mm stereo cable and two acrylic stand pieces.
Printed circuit boards
The Nu:tekt manufacturing concept is rather clever. Korg design and manufacture one (or more) large-ish, break-apart PCBs for each kit. The PCBs are loaded with surface mount (SMT) components and other random stuff like the display and battery holder. No soldering is required. Thus, one gets all of the benefit of SMT without the grief of soldering components made for mice. [My old hands and developing cataracts can barely handle work at this fine level.]
Korg NTS-2 main electronics board
The main board consists of four subboards to be broken apart.
Korg NTS-2 screen and interface board
The color display (240×320 pixel 2.8″ LCD) is mounted on the flip-side of the main board. A second fully-assembled PCB has the jacks, ON/OFF switch and other gizmos needed for interfacing. The interface board plugs into the main board.
Korg NTS-2 main board detail (the money shot)
The image above is a close-up picture of the main electronics, including the ARM processor. Thank you, Korg, for wave-soldering this!
Assembly
The NTS-2 follows the pattern established by the rest of the Nu:tekt product line. The NTS-2 arrives disassembled and you do the work of putting the major components together. The kit includes assembly instructions, and “1, 2, you know what to do.” [Apologies to Junior Wells.]
The kit includes the cutest little screwdriver I’ve ever seen. Keep the screwdriver and use it to repair your eyeglasses. Yep, the kit screws are freaking small.
Korg NTS-2 bottom assembly
The image above shows the bottom assembly. You can see how the metal corner and side pieces tie everything together. Note the orientation of the interface board. Getting the orientation right is the only step that requires any real thought. Don’t forget to connect the battery lead to the interface board.
Korg NTS-2 top assembly
Screws secure the main board, AKA “the top”, onto the metal corners — after you’ve plugged the interface and main boards together, of course.
Assembly time is roughly the length of the Skye & Ross album (one hour). Overall, it was a fairly pleasant way to spend the morning, including coffee.
PATCH & TWEAK
The PATCH & TWEAK with KORG book fits the cliche, “richly illustrated.” If you want to know about synths — KORG synths, in particular — this is a fantastic book.
If you want to learn how to operate the NTS-2, not so much. The book has a few basics, however you must download the NTS-2 Owner’s Manual from the Korg web site to get the real dope. The Owner’s Manual (4 pages) isn’t much to look at although it does list the basic control parameters for each of the four operating modes:
The NTS-2 operates on either USB power or two AAA batteries. I put in two AAA batteries, hit the switch, and no smoke. 🙂 No idea about real-world battery life at this point.
The user interface is menu-driven and is a lot easier to understand than my old Gabotronics oscilloscope. The front panel buttons line up with the on-screen menus. Simply press the appropriate button to rotate (navigate) through the menu items.
I wanted to see what happens if I just put a (mono) audio signal into the NTS-2 without any set-up or prep. This seems like the most typical first use scenario. I’ll bet the NTS-2 was inspired by the Korg Minilogue scope; people love to watch signals dance around.
First, you need to know that the INPUT and signal THRU jacks are stereo and the OUTPUT jacks are mono. I connected the NTS-2 INPUT to the MONO out from Yamaha MODX, selected an organ patch and taped down a key to form a simple tone generator. 🙂 Select SCOPE mode and press VERTICAL to select Input 1L.
And, flat line. What the? Well, out of the box, the vertical voltage range is set too high, 10 volts. The MODX is line out (approximately 1V max). Turn the parameter knob and change the vertical range to 0.1V. (The current range is shown in the status bar at the top of the display.) Now, we got picture!
Korg NTS-2 first signal and no smoke!
Thanks to the simple NTS-2 menu system, I had fun playing with the function generator, too. I did have trouble grokking the FFT spectrum analyzer and need to revisit FFT mode after reading up.
I’m quite pleased with the NTS-2 and it should handle audio and control voltage analysis, no prob. I don’t know what to expect when analyzing high speed digital signals. The old Gabotronics does OK with digital and it has a logic analyzer capability which the NTS-2 does not. I use the Gabotronics with its Windows app because the Gab is absolutely horrible as a stand-alone scope. The NTS-2, on the other hand, does not have a personal computer-based app (at least not yet).
Thus, if you intend to do a lot of digital troubleshooting, you may want to consider one of the many inexpensive bench oscilloscopes that have popped up in recent years. If you want to do audio only and want easy fun, try the NTS-2.
Turn your back for one second after NAMM 2023 and Roland slip out the Boss Gigcaster 5 and Gigcaster 8. These are audio streaming mixers aimed at the podcasting community.
Astutely, Roland recognize that these mixer have application beyond podcasting. They are, after all, mixers! Gigcasters have all the features one might want in a small format studio mixer. Thus, Roland show musicians happily strumming, singing and playing keys in their bedroom studios. They are rather attractively and colorfully styled.
Boss Gigcaster 5
The Gigmaster 5 sells for $480 USD and the Gigmaster 8 costs $700.
There’s gold in those podcasting hills and small format podcasting mixers (desktop production boxes) are busting out all over. Yamaha, for example, introduced the AG08 USB streaming mixer ($630) at NAMM 2023. The AG08 joins the lower-priced AG03 mk2 and AG06 mk2 models.
Indiegogo: InstaChord
InstaChord is a MIDI guitar Indiegogo project. They are trying to get enough backers to go into production with expected delivery in April 2024. Early bird bundles go for $374 USD.
The InstaChord looks like a Klingon Bird of Prey. 🙂 There are six strummable “buttons” instead of strings, and a 2-D button matrix instead of a fretboard. Buttons in the matrix select chords using a numeric method similar to I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, dim vii notation within a scale.
InstChord
InstaChord produces sound through its own internal speaker. The internal tone generator is a Dream SAM2695 (GM sound set). The SAM2695 is the same chip inside of the Akai MPK Mini Play. InstaChord sends and receives MIDI via USB Type C or Bluetooth.
UJEII — AKA “My Main Man” — shows off an early prototype in this Insta Chord Demo (Katsunori UJIIE). UJIIE shows that he can rock out strumming, not just shredding keys!
The InstaChord reminds me of the old You Rock Guitar (still sitting in my closet). Unlike the YRG, InstaChord does not try to mimic guitar strings or fretboard. YRG requires standard fretboard fingering, which is a barrier for many casual players (like me). I simply don’t have the time to practice guitar skills on top of keys. InstaChord requires a modicum of music theory; any good keys player should be able to adapt.
Check out the free InstaChord-i IOS app, if you want a taste.
Not to pick on the InstaChord folks in particular, but, hey! If you have a new product, at least Google the product name before committing to the name. Searching on “InstaChord” took me to the W.A. Productions plug-in by the same name. Come on!
BlackBT SusEx Pedal
BlackBT® announced the SusEx® pedal which combines MIDI foot switch and continuous control (expression) functionality. SusEx is available for pre-order costing $150 USD. It is expected to ship in June 2023.
BlackBT SusEx pedal
I contend that the SusEx is not “the first” to combine footswitch and expression control in one pedal. The “first” title goes, instead, to the Boss/Roland EV-1-WL. I’ve been using the EV-1-WL for well over a year now… Like the Boss EV, SusEx communicates over Bluetooth BLE and USB. No 5-pin capability, tho’
None the less, the SusEx has a cool way of switching between sustain mode and expression mode. It senses foot position and automatically switches mode. With the EV-1-WL, one either adds an external footswitch for sustain, or presses down hard with the toes at the top of the pedal. Check out the SusEx demo video
The SusEx pedal is absolutely tiny and should be lightweight and easy to transport. Dunno about you, but I’m tired of toting around heavy, built like a tank expression pedals. Some folks may not like the pedal throw, but that is personal preference.
Donner
Donner established a reputation for bargain-priced guitar toys. Now they are coming for keys. Donner have a line of portable piano and arranger instruments. Products include the Donner Essential B1 Analog Bass Synthesizer, the DMK-25 PRO MIDI controller, and the D1 Drum Machine and Sequencer. Of course, they also have — TA-DA — podcasting gear, too.
The expanding Donner-verse
The Donner direct sales outlet is currently running a sale on select products including the B1. These guys want market share!
Donner are going to give low-cost specialists Casio and Akai conniptions. I don’t have any direct experience with Donner products, but do suggest getting native English tech writers to produce and edit their marketing literature and manuals. Slipshod writing gives people a bad impression of product quality and many people are unsure about Donner as a brand.
Just a quick Yamaha CK observation. The CKs are clearly aimed at the Roland VR-09, which sells at the same $1,000 price points. The CK beats the VR for non-organ sounds. Fight’s on!
NAMM 2023 is a wrap with all of the major products rolled out. Here are a few items that might have escaped your attention and are worth checking out on-line.
Hammond 122H Heritage Leslie
You just can’t buy a new Hammond XK-4 and not connect its 11-pin speaker port to a new Hammond 122H Heritage Leslie. This new model comes out in August: solid-core wood cabinet, 40 Watts, new servo motors, independently controllable upper horn and lower rotor, switchable from a 122 to a 147. Projected price is $7,000 USD.
Artinoise re.corder
The Artinoise re.corder is not new, but it was at NAMM 2023. The re.corder is a wireless wind controller based on the classic soprano recorder. I took a look at the re.corder a few years ago and decided that it wasn’t quite mature enough. It’s time.
It’s only $199 USD. Cheap enough to try wind today!
Audio Modeling SWAM and Camelot
Speaking of SWAM, Audio Modeling announced upgrades to SWAM (now v.3.7.0) and Camelot (v.2.2.4). These are the full fat personal computer versions. The Camelot upgrade includes a Yamaha CK Smart Map. That was fast work.
I hope that many of the enhancements will eventually appear in the IOS versions of SWAM and Camelot. I would love to see SWAM ensembles, too.
Audio Modeling, BTW, have a partnership with our friends at ILIO.
Bastl Bestie
Bastl have kicked loose a new box: the Bastl Bestie. The Bestie looks like a Dude, but it’s nasty. Bestie is a 5-channel stereo mixer with stereo distortion and saturation. It can mix clean with distortion kicking in during boost (i.e., rotating past 12 o’clock). Leave Channel 3 unplugged and it feeds the output back to the input.
Like the Dude, Bestie operates on either USB power or four AA batteries. The Bestie is 180 Euro through the B Shop. I didn’t see the Dude in the B Shop, so Bestie may be the new Dude. North American retailers include Patchwerks in Seattle.
This beast could be fun as a key-top small mixer that adds grunge.
mki x es.EDU DIY System
No, I didn’t accidently lean on the QWERTY keyboard. That is the name of the series of educational DIY synth kits developed by Erica Synths and Moritz Klein.
C’mon, dudes. Try your new product names in the Google before branding. If customers can’t easily search on a name (like “re.corder”), they ain’t gonna find you.
Kits in the EDU DIY series include:
EDU DIY VCO $79
EDU DIY VCA $69
EDU DIY EG $69
EDU DIY Sequencer $79
EDU DIY VCF $84
EDU DIY Mixer
EDU DIY Noise/S&H
EDU DIY Output
EDU DIY Wavefolder $109
You’ll find them wherever fine modules are sold. 🙂
Whimsy
Yamaha took a lot of heat by using the word “breakthrough” in its NAMM 2023 (self-)promotion. To some, releasing a modestly priced keyboard like the CK is not “breakthrough” enough, though I see Yamaha selling scads of these.
I’ll close with a little bit of Yamaha whimsy. Thanks and a tip of the hat to the person who posted this link on Gearspace.
It would be easy for a keyboard player to blow off the IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE. It is so obviously pitched at guitar and bass players.
Not so fast. Where else can you get a 1-in/3-out USB audio interface — with MIDI — for $130 USD?
IK Multimedia AXE I/O ONE
If you’re an iPad-toting keyboard player who needs MIDI IN and stereo audio out, the AXE I/O ONE has it covered. That’s 5-pin MIDI, by the way. The AXE I/O ONE has two expression/switch pedal inputs. Many MIDI controllers do not have an expression pedal input, so the AXE I/O ONE could fill that gap. The control panel application assigns MIDI channel, CC#, minimum and maximum data values. [MacOS and Windows only.]
The main audio input is a Neutrik jack backed by a Class-A mic preamp. You can go clean as well as down and dirty. Should be possible to post-process keyboard audio through an IK effect chain. Audio conversion up to 24-bit/192 kHz is supported. Unfortunately, you can’t hit the AXE I/O ONE with a stereo signal (mono input only).
AXE I/O ONE is USB-C bus powered. The box is 5.1″ x 5.7″ x 2″ (13cm x 14.5cm x 5.2cm) and weighs only 0.8 pound (0.37kg). Software includes AXE Control Panel, Amplitube 5 SE, and TONEX SE. Available today.
If you need to replace your aging Korg Plug-Key or Alesis Control Hub, the AXE I/O ONE is worthy of consideration as long as you can live within its limitations. An IOS control panel app would just about make this perfect for keys at $130.
The Arturia MiniFuse 2 provides similar features for $149 USD. The MiniFuse 2 does stereo input and also has a USB-A hub port. That means you can connect a MIDI controller to your iPad (or computer) through the hub port. Unfortunately, the hub port can source only 250mA of current. Still, a viable alternative.
Given the long run-up to NAMM 2023 (April 13-15), I expected manufacturers to trickle out new product announcements. [Not the usual supernova explosion nebula.] Thus, I’ve collected a round-up of pre-NAMM announcements:
I will continue to monitor the Inter-webs for interesting product announcements.
Keyboard-wise, that’s not a bad bunch of new issues in a global economy which is still recovering from supply chain problems, factory fires and that damned, bloody virus.
CK61 and CK88 keyboards are shipping and first impressions are reported on various forums. It’s good to have product ready when everyone’s passion is high. No point in raising the (marketing) heat when units won’t ship for months and months. Initial impressions are good, but keep an eye out for open box CKs from order-try-return customers.
MTW2 models slight pitch fluctuations due to tonewheel backlash and volume fluctuations due to de-centering. The virtual multi-contact keyboard simulates the feel of an electro-mechanical keyboard.
The XK-4 provides three vintage combo organs: Farfisa, Vox and Acetone. It also includes classical and theatre pipe organ stops which can be registered in the traditional way.
No manual (yet). Folks will want to know more about those assignable knobs, etc. Will the XK-4 make a good controller for non-organ voices on iPad? Will it interoperate with IK Multimedia B-3X? If the XK-4 is a good controller, it’s lack of non-organ sounds could be moot.
The new XK-4 replaces the old XK-1c model. You can find XK-1c advertised as low as $1,395 USD, if you can still get one, that is. Typical XK-1c MAP is $1,725. As usual, no XK-4 price announced as of today. Jim A’s source sez “2K MAP, available August.” Hold your breath. 🙂
