M-Audio has started to ship its Axiom line of advanced USB mobile MIDI controllers. The new line, comprising the Axiom 61, Axiom 49 and Axiom 25, offers all of the features of M-Audio’s recently introduced Oxygen line of controllers and adds premium features needed by the most discerning electronic musicians.
The Axiom 61, Axiom 49 and Axiom 25 offer 61, 49 and 25 keys, respectively, all with semi-weighted action with assignable aftertouch and keyboard zones. Each also features eight rubberised trigger pads borrowed from M-Audio’s popular Trigger Finger for easy creation of expressive drum tracks or firing audio/visual samples.
Eight endless rotary encoders assign to mixer controls like panning and effects sends, or to any synth parameters you want to control. The Axiom 61 and Axiom 49 have nine sliders that can map to software mixer faders or the drawbars of virtual organs.
All models feature MIDI-assignable pitch wheel, mod wheel, sustain pedal jack and expression pedal jack, as well as six transport controls that can alternately be assigned to any applicable MIDI parameter. The Axiom 61 and 49 also sport an additional nine MIDI-assignable buttons.
All three Axiom models offer a backlit LCD screen for intuitive visual feedback. The Axiom 61 and Axiom 49 feature a 10-key pad and 15 dedicated function buttons for easy front-panel access to all programming functions. The Axiom 25 uses a combination of nine front-panel buttons and keybed functions for programming as employed on M-Audio Oxygen controllers.
All three models feature 20 memory locations for storage of setups. They also support SysEx and compatibility with M-Audio’s free Enigma editor/librarian for unlimited patch storage and management via Mac and PC. The Axiom line can derive power from the USB bus or an optional power supply. The built-in USB MIDI interface has both a USB 1.1 upstream port (Type B) and standard MIDI In and Out jacks.
You can assign all on-board hardware controllers to any applicable MIDI parameters, including independent, zone or global MIDI channel assignment.
Each model transmits a full complement of MIDI data from variable controllers including MIDI Controller Number, RPN/NRPN, Program, Bank LSB, Bank MSB, Pitch Bend and GM/GM2/XG SysEx messages. All buttons and switches transmit Note On, Note On/Off toggle, MIDI CC On/Off toggle plus value increment and decrement, Program Change, Bank LSB, Bank MSB, MIDI Machine Control functions and GM/GM2/XG SysEx messages.
The Axiom series is class-compliant under Windows XP and Mac OS X. The Axiom 61 costs $379 (£218), the Axiom 49 is $329 (£189), and the Axiom 25 is $239 (£135). The Axiom 25 is now shipping, while the Axiom 49 and Axiom 61 will ship April 15.
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