M-Audio's Oxygen line of MIDI Controllers update?

The Orphanator · Joined: Jun 16, 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Edmonton

I want to buy M-Audio's Oxygen 49 or Axiom 49 as my first MIDI Controller. But I am wondering if any of you know if there is going to be an update soon (if they do them at all). Before the Oxygen line, they had a very similar midi controller with the name Radium. They improved upon the design and called it the Oxygen, and they discontinued the Radium.

I don't want to buy the Oxygen (or Axiom) yet if they are going to do one of these updates soon. I know its hard to guess when they'll do an update, but you could at least help me out by telling me how old the Oxygen line is, or how long the Radium line lasted or something similar for the Axiom.

Thanks.

elektro80 · Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 5:33 pm Post subject:

I wouldn´t even consider making any guesses here. The geniuses at M-Audio are a bit unpredictable even though they seem to have many products running for years and years. With the Axiom they seem to filled a slot in their lineup and it competes directly with products from Roland/Boss/Edirol and others.
Off the top of my head I cannot come up with some features that the current Axioms are lacking considering what the competetition have on offer in the same price segment. I dunno really. Your guess is as good as mine.

The major problem with absolutely all MIDI controllers is the fact that they are MIDI controllers. MIDI itself is pretty much totally dysfunctional and doesn´t really belong on the market any more. A long story really, but the sad state of the MIDI protocol shouldn´t bother you much when you simply need something like an AXIOM. If you need something like this now then simply buy one. My only advice is that you should at least get a 61 key keyboard. You won´t regret it.

The Orphanator · Joined: Jun 16, 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Edmonton

I am leaning towards the axiom because of the assignable aftertouch and the drum pad thingys (I assume they are assignable to not just drums) and the expression jack that the oxygen doesn't have. The oxygen is USB 1.1, but I don't think that is a big deal because midi signals are not very big in the first place. Is that right?

Another question: There is an expression jack on the Axiom. Is it assignable to something like distortion or filters or things like that? Can I use the expression pedal as a sustain pedal (by either assigning it to the sustain function or plugging it into the sustain jack)?

The Axiom goes up to 61 keys. I will probably get that one since it is only about $40 more than the axiom 49, and I am a piano player that would appreciate the extra octave.