Controller advice wanted please

[teknofilth]

Hi people, am after some advice..
..looking to get some more MIDI controllers to use with Ableton for live stuff and Logic for studio – currently using an AKAI MPC32 but want to beef it up a bit..not really needing a keyboard, more a mixture of faders, knobs and trigger buttons..wouldn’t want to spend more than £300 ideally but could stretch it for the right bit of kit..
..anyone used any of the M-Audio stuff? Have had a few people recommend their stuff eg
M-Audio UC33e MIDI Controller 159
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_gb/UC33e.html
M-Audio Trigger Finger Controller
http://www.m-audiodirect.co.uk/m-audio-trigger-finger
But it seems a bit cheap? too cheap to be worth it?
This caught my eye
http://www.novationmusic.com/products/midi_controller/zero_sl_mk_ii
but then I did a search and people recommend something with motorised faders?
anyone use M-Audio stuff? any others you recommend?
Cheers ;-)

[pd2h]

Hi there

I have a UC33e and have really enjoyed using it for the past 6 months or so, as it looks like it is kind of like having a mini mixing desk at your finger tips, enough pots and faders to keep you happy when producing your project. i too use it with Ableton and have had no problems setting it up or using it has been just perfect!
I won't say it seems built well cause actualy it doesnt; but it's not broken yet so that must be a good sign and I use it about 3-4 times a week for a good few hours!
Sorry can't comment on the rest but hope this helps.
Any questions give us a shout.

[curly]

teknofilth, I can only comment on the ones that I own.

the uc33 is nicely laid if if not a little small, I have found it to be reliable, but I only use it for home use, It does feel cheep and plastic but has not broken in the 12 months I have owned it.

I would also recommend the BCF2000

http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/behringer-bcf2000-total-recall-usb-midi-controller-desk--21929

It is solidly built 8 long faders and 8 rotaries with a hand full of buttons. The faders are motorized, and work with both logic and live and is the only one with this in this price range that I am aware of.

The advantage of the uc33 is more controls and a better layout, the BCF2000 is better built with motorized faders.

[The_Laughing_Man]

teknofilth, I can only comment on the ones that I own.

the uc33 is nicely laid if if not a little small, I have found it to be reliable, but I only use it for home use, It does feel cheep and plastic but has not broken in the 12 months I have owned it.

I would also recommend the BCF2000

http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/behringer-bcf2000-total-recall-usb-midi-controller-desk--21929

It is solidly built 8 long faders and 8 rotaries with a hand full of buttons. The faders are motorized, and work with both logic and live and is the only one with this in this price range that I am aware of.

The advantage of the uc33 is more controls and a better layout, the BCF2000 is better built with motorized faders.

I would thoroughly recommend the BCF2000, there simply isn`t anything like it in the price range.
8 Full length motorised faders (Although you have 8 banks of them, and as they are motorised, as you flick through banks they shift position relative to the fader positions used last time you were in that bank)
8 rotaries (again with 4 virtual banks and memory function as a above, so thats 16 rotaries) that have various configurations ie stereo width, pan, 0-127 (the lights on the rotaries change behaviour according to config, very clever)
Then you have a mute and solo button for each channel (which can be assigned to anything) and another 4 freely assignable buttons.
Also all the rotaries are push button too, so can have on/off functionality or whatever you like.

Build quality is solid.
Mine has been all over the world used in clubs, festivals, raves, radio stations, and has been thrown into aircraft overhead lockers many many times.
Never let me down at all, still like brand new and I`ve had it for years.

Alternatively I would save up a bit more than £300 and get an Akai APC40
It is simply a godlike controller for ableton.

[judas_beast]

Alternatively I would save up a bit more than £300 and get an Akai APC40
It is simply a godlike controller for ableton.

Have you had a chance to use one yet? I've been lusting after them since I first saw the demo vids.

[The_Laughing_Man]

Have you had a chance to use one yet? I've been lusting after them since I first saw the demo vids.

Yeah I had a demo
I`m really gonna try hard to get a freebie or a discount once I get my ableton certification.

[judas_beast]

Yeah I had a demo
I`m really gonna try hard to get a freebie or a discount once I get my ableton certification.

Late night burgling missions are on!

I will be buying one in September when I go to Uni. Looking forward to having another crack at MAX/msp with it as well.

[Patrick DSP]

i agree with Steve on the BCF2000, the mackie mode on it is great and to have flying faders at that cheap price too!!! it's a great alternative to the full blown mackie control at a really cheap price, perfect for bringing to gigs. I had the uc33e and found the midi on it lagged a bit. the apc40 is an amazing unit, but i don't like how it has a limited number of send knobs (for the way i do my live pa's), i'll wait till max for live comes out to get the apc maybe. reprogramming that slut is going to be fun.