anyone have experience or can say anything about the DJ controller? thanks!

megatron627 wrote:anyone have experience or can say anything about the DJ controller? thanks!

I'd love to hear about the keyboards!

inkycatz wrote:I'd love to hear about the keyboards!

They're not keyboards in the sense that you can plug them into the wall and immediately hear sounds. They're really MIDI controllers, so you have to use them with a computer & software to make noise.

Otherwise, I've got a Keystation 61 sitting in front of me and I think it's great. Use it every day.

If you have any specific questions, let me know and I'll try to answer them. And I apologize if you already knew that about the keyboards.

Edit: Looks like the M-Audio KeyStudio 25-Note Keyboard does come with on-board sounds; the other two do not.

brandie346 wrote:They're not keyboards in the sense that you can plug them into the wall and immediately hear sounds. They're really MIDI controllers, so you have to use them with a computer & software to make noise.

Otherwise, I've got a Keystation 61 sitting in front of me and I think it's great. Use it every day.

If you have any specific questions, let me know and I'll try to answer them. And I apologize if you already knew that about the keyboards.

Mac specific question which you may or may not know (but someone is likely to) - how does the included software compare to GarageBand?

Would this be a good mic setup for podcasting?

I got the AV30 speakers and they died with 30 minutes of use, $20 and three weeks later Avid sent me new ones, which died about a year later.

inkycatz wrote:Mac specific question which you may or may not know (but someone is likely to) - how does the included software compare to GarageBand?

Seems like some of the products come with Ableton Live, which I can't speak to, as I've never used it.

However, I've used Pro Tools for years and years and I think it's the best digital audio workstation software available.

I don't have too much experience with Garageband, because I have Pro Tools. I would say in general, though, Pro Tools offers more advanced functions than Garageband. That being said, I'm really not sure how the SE version of Pro Tools compares to GB. I'd imagine it's got a smaller track count, fewer plugins and perhaps doesn't have Elastic Audio, which, IMHO, is essential in a DAW.

Lastly, I *think* the SE version of Pro Tools has been discontinued.

My question would be, what would you like to use this for?

I have a set of AV40 speakers which are a step up from the AV30s. I use them for my home PC speakers and they sound excellent. If you have them positioned to point directly at your ears they you will be astonished how accurate they sound. I would think the AV30s would be similar and for the price I would buy them if I had a need for speakers.

Also I have had my AV40s for 2ish years with zero problems.

I've got the X-Session controller. Served me well on many mobile gigs, and it's pretty easy to key-map with. However, recently it's developed a problem with randomly freaking out during a gig... and if you've ever done mobile gigs you know that's a major no-no. I'm not sure if it's the mixer or my software, but I've reformatted, replaced the cable, and reset it and everything. However, it's stood up to these past few years of drunken people nearly spilling stuff on it, going on the road, and home mixing use. For 25 bucks, you can't go wrong.

brandie346 wrote:They're not keyboards in the sense that you can plug them into the wall and immediately hear sounds. They're really MIDI controllers, so you have to use them with a computer & software to make noise.

You can also use them with a midi compatible sound module. It's pretty old school by today's standards but no need for a computer.

Hello all!

I just have a few questions if anyone could help me out.

My friends and I have created a sort of small band and we are looking for some good recording equipment. Would this..
http://tech.woot.com/offers/m-audio-torq-xponent
Be a good place to start? Also, could I plug in the keyboards they have here into that and then record the sound onto a computer for track layering?

Thank you, and any help would be greatly appreciated!

Chris

inkycatz wrote:Mac specific question which you may or may not know (but someone is likely to) - how does the included software compare to GarageBand?

The version of Ableton that comes with it is basic and comparable to GarageBand. If you are looking to setup software some great choices are ProTools, Cubase, and Sonar just to name a few of the bigger names.

brandie346 wrote:My question would be, what would you like to use this for?

Mostly personal dorking about.

What do you use your stuff for? :D

cmsheats wrote:Hello all!

I just have a few questions if anyone could help me out.

My friends and I have created a sort of small band and we are looking for some good recording equipment. Would this..
http://tech.woot.com/offers/m-audio-torq-xponent
Be a good place to start? Also, could I plug in the keyboards they have here into that and then record the sound onto a computer for track layering?

Thank you, and any help would be greatly appreciated!

Chris

The MobilePre would be better for traditional recording. The Torq Xponent is used to manipulate and mix sounds that are coming to it. You would still need an interface to record sounds like the MobilePre. The track layering would all be done with the software.

anonymousblack wrote:The MobilePre would be better for traditional recording. The Torq Xponent is used to manipulate and mix sounds that are coming to it. You would still need an interface to record sounds like the MobilePre. The track layering would all be done with the software.

Thanks for the reply!

Ok, would something like this work good for recording?
http://www.alesis.com/multimix8firewire
And then use this board to mix the media?

Thanks for your help, I am still a blossomy at all this, but trying to learn.

Thanks!

Chris

One other thing... you are talking about the M-Audio MobilePre that is on Woot right now right? (The $69.00 one?) Would I be able to hook up the 49 key keyboard to that and record the track strait to a computer? (I use Windows, but also have a Mac)

Thank you for all your help!

Chris

cmsheats wrote:One other thing... you are talking about the M-Audio MobilePre that is on Woot right now right? (The $69.00 one?) Would I be able to hook up the 49 key keyboard to that and record the track strait to a computer? (I use Windows, but also have a Mac)

Thank you for all your help!

Chris

If you intend on using MIDI interfaces, the mixer you linked would not be a good idea. I personally use the M-Audio Fast Track Ultra. If you only intend on having the interface as a keyboard and you already have a keyboard just hook it up to your mixer, because if you thought of the interface as you wouldn't see it as practical despite they technically do the same thing.

Ok, that makes sense... Thank you for your help! I really appreciate it!

Chris

anonymousblack wrote:If you intend on using MIDI interfaces, the mixer you linked would not be a good idea. I personally use the M-Audio Fast Track Ultra. If you only intend on having the interface as a keyboard and you already have a keyboard just hook it up to your mixer, because if you thought of the interface as you wouldn't see it as practical despite they technically do the same thing.

brandie346 wrote:...Edit: Looks like the M-Audio KeyStudio 25-Note Keyboard does come with on-board sounds; the other two do not.

The KeyStudio 25-Note still needs to be connected to a computer. None of these can connect directly to an amp.

inkycatz wrote:Mac specific question which you may or may not know (but someone is likely to) - how does the included software compare to GarageBand?

I got the M Audio 25 keyboard (or its equivalent) sometime ago + used it with Garage Band to put audio to animations. Fun to play around with. I don't remember using its software, but I'm a plug + play not read the instruction manual type person so it must have been an easy meld.

Just double checked. Mine's actually an M-Audio Oxygen 8 + the actual musician in the house has an M-Audio 88 Keynote.

Just realized probably none of this answers your software question, but I've had a lot of fun with mine. Time to dust it off : )

Any one know how well the mics work. I do metal vocals and voice acting for flash animations.

megatron627 wrote:anyone have experience or can say anything about the DJ controller? thanks!

I have both the X-Session and the X-Ponent (and paid WAY more for both).

The build quality of the X-Session is excellent, though very basic. The X-Ponent is a solid piece of kit, but I feel like its build quality isn't as good as the X-Session, but it's still quite good. A few of the LEDs on my X-Ponent have failed, but the buttons and all functions still work as expected.

The Torq software included with both controllers is very basic, but solid and performs well. I've done a few gigs using it and it fits my needs perfectly. The newer Torq 2.0 software is much more advanced and I feel the sound quality is superior; but it is a $50 upgrade.

The AV30 speakers pack a lot of power and at under $60 are a great deal. I've used mine for 3 years, average use and they're still like new.

You should note however, that for watching movies or listening to music on the computer, there is very little built in effects besides the bass boost switch on rear. I recently upgraded to an Altec Lansing 2.1 system (woot) that takes up less desktop space, and packs more bass (with dedicated knob).

ontheedg3 wrote:Any one know how well the mics work. I do metal vocals and voice acting for flash animations.

I've been using the m-audio Nova mic for about 18 months now. It's large diaphragm is pretty sensitive and overall it's pretty clear and full-bodied for a cheap mic. I don't do metal vocals, but I suspect you should be able to get good results about 9-12" away with a pop filter. I've also used it for podcasting, and I'd say that for voiceovers it will be excellent.

Here's a Youtube vid of me using the Nova for vocals on a ukulele cover song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkXSM1xysDU&feature=plcp

Buyer beware! It appears that Avid is in financial trouble. They just closed the doors to their Sibelius office in the UK. Described as "Avid is a complex business currently going through a major corporate restructuring and asset sale program."

I've enjoyed the M-Audio products I've purchased from Woot in the past, but I thought you should know!

brandie346 wrote:They're not keyboards in the sense that you can plug them into the wall and immediately hear sounds. They're really MIDI controllers, so you have to use them with a computer & software to make noise.

Otherwise, I've got a Keystation 61 sitting in front of me and I think it's great. Use it every day.

If you have any specific questions, let me know and I'll try to answer them. And I apologize if you already knew that about the keyboards.

Edit: Looks like the M-Audio KeyStudio 25-Note Keyboard does come with on-board sounds; the other two do not.

I have the KeyStation 25 and it does not have built-in sounds. As far as I know, these are all MIDI controllers which require an external synthesizer (such as a Roland Soundcanvas or a GarageBand/Logic Pro) for any type of sound output.

Otherwise, these are good keyboards made of light, cheap plastic, but the knobs and keys feel very good. Even the 25-key is comfortable to play due to it's full-sized recessed keys.

anonymousblack wrote:The version of Ableton that comes with it is basic and comparable to GarageBand. If you are looking to setup software some great choices are ProTools, Cubase, and Sonar just to name a few of the bigger names.

It's worth noting that the bundled version of Ableton does NOT run on Windows 7 or Mac OS.

So basically, unless you have XP on your PC, the installer will tell you "tough nuts."

inkycatz wrote:Mac specific question which you may or may not know (but someone is likely to) - how does the included software compare to GarageBand?

I learned the hard way that GarageBand only gets you so far with these controllers. GarageBand does not having a learning mode for the knobs and buttons (as seen on the M-Audio 25-key). This means that the knobs are useless unless some SysEx MIDI data was included in a song (highly unlikely) to tell GarageBand how to handle the knobs. Very inconsistent and confusing.

To get the knobs working on Mac, look to Apple's Logic Pro ($200). It is the professional version of GarageBand -- actually GarageBand uses Logic's codebase.

I think it's worth it, particularly if you already know GarageBand and are looking to move on to something more advanced. YouTube videos can teach you how to program the knobs and get running from there.

inkycatz wrote:Mostly personal dorking about.

What do you use your stuff for? :D

I write music for video games.

brandie346 wrote:I write music for video games.

Oooo! If you're comfortable sharing with us, I bet I wouldn't be the only one who would click like mad to listen.

If not, that's cool, just know I am internally impressed. :D

I JUST BOUGHT MY FIRST WOOT ITEM!!!

aguadosg wrote:I JUST BOUGHT MY FIRST WOOT ITEM!!!

Awwwwyeah! Welcome to the madness!

I'm new to the scene on these and still learning to play. Would it be best to go with the 88? Also, it's been mentioned that the software is not compatible with Win7, so what other software (and equipment other than a computer) would I need? Advice to a newbie would be appreciated...

pkegley wrote:I'm new to the scene on these and still learning to play. Would it be best to go with the 88? Also, it's been mentioned that the software is not compatible with Win7, so what other software (and equipment other than a computer) would I need? Advice to a newbie would be appreciated...

The 88 key is full sized keyboard, the same layout you would find on an actual piano. I own the M-Audio 49-key and find that it's great for most of my work (with strings, synths, solos), but lacking for wider applications like organ and piano tones where you want the fuller range. That's where the 88-key (or another brand's 76-key) comes in handy. I suppose it depends what you really want to do with the controller.

The difference between a controller and a synthesizer is that the synthesizer has built-in sounds. A controller just generates MIDI messages to be interpreted by a external synthesizer which will output the desired sounds.

I haven't found Windows software that works perfectly with the controllers (someone else can probably fill in that detail), but you will need software like Apple's GarageBand (Mac OS only) that provides a software synthesizer.

Between a software synth on your PC and the controller (and the provided USB cable), you should be in instant business.

inkycatz wrote:Oooo! If you're comfortable sharing with us, I bet I wouldn't be the only one who would click like mad to listen.

If not, that's cool, just know I am internally impressed. :D

Sure! http://www.protoolsninja.com

brandie346 wrote:Sure! http://www.protoolsninja.com

Fun stuff in there! Thanks for sharing

brandie346 wrote:Sure! http://www.protoolsninja.com

Thank you for sharing with us! I love listening and seeing all the creative things that our community is up to!

Thanks y'all.

I've been wanting to go into voiceovers for a while now and needed a studio monitor. Guess that's what I get for not checking Woot daily.