M-Audio Keystation 49e Impressions

I recently purchased the M-Audio Keystation 49e midi controller and I’m very pleased with it.  For the price (129.99) you can’t really beat the quality, which doesn’t surprise me given M-Audio’s impressive track record. 

The keys are slightly weighted, making them feel a lot more like a real piano, and they are thankfully noiseless no matter how hard you tend to rock out when you play, avoiding that irritating clicking that can come with some midi keyboards.  Another great feature: it’s USB powered, so you don’t need to plug it in. However, if you feel the need, it takes a fairly standard 9V DC power adapter.  For even more flexibility, you can connect via USB or MIDI, so even if you lack MIDI capability on your current system, you can still use the device.  That’s a great feature for people looking to try out electronic music production without buying a ton of gear.  Along with a 49 key spread, it features pitch blend and modulation wheels, foot-pedal input compatibility, the keyboard is velocity sensitive, and has a volume control knob.  It includes drivers for not only previous versions of Windows, but also for Mac OS 9, making it a very versatile device.

The Keystation 49e is a great choice for seasoned electronic musicians as well as beginners just looking into having a keyboard to play with.  On a scale of 10, I’d give it a 10, for sure.

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