What's A Good Midi Controller?, Oxygen8 or Ozone? usb or firewire? Options

[everybodysnobody]

I'm using a mac g4 with digital performer with the motu828, and i'm confused on what midi controller to get. Is there a midi controller out there that uses firewire instead of USB?

Does anyone have any recommendations as far as m-audio oxygen 8 v.s. m-audio ozone? I'm just really lost as far as what midi controller to get. I'd really like to get one with firewire capabilities or plugins, but can't seem to find one.

all advice welcome! Thanks!

[annadyne]

BTW - I haven't received the MK-461C yet - tomorrow - Thursday 1/29/04's the day. Promise to post a review here.

By portable studio, this is what I use:

1) Motu 828 (b/c it has multi-client drivers AND works in OS 9 and X). I work in both OSs. Yes, it needs extra electricity but.... Most of the PCMCIA cards out there either work only in X or do not have multi-client drivers. Multi-client means you can use the audio card driver while flipping between 3 or 4 open audio apps. Very important if you need to switch from your midi/audio seq like Cubase or Live to a waveform ed like Peak or Sonicworx Studio.

When I need to be mega-portable I use a Dgigram VXpocketV2 PCMCIA card. Not multi-client friendly :-( but sounds great and has SPDIF and XLR audio connecs. And is OS 9 and X compat.

2) Midi keyboard.
Like I said I haven't received the 461 yet - I'll post a review when I've had a chance to use it - within next week... The thing is supposed to be powered by USB or optional (not included) power supply. USB cable comes with keyboard. Right now I've been using the Nord Modular with a Midipsport 2x2.

Alternately at the house I stay at when working an hour away, I use a Radio Shaft portable Casio-type keyboard with a Peavey PC 1600 slider box and the 2x2. The latter setup's not very portable, so to speak, but it works and it stays where it's at.

3) Pro headphones - AKG K171s though I'd rather have the K271s....the 171s fit in a smaller space.

4) Furman power conditioner racked up with the 828.
Never ever play live without a line conditioner. Bad electricity can be like a mega-virus on the weakest PC.

5) To be ordered today, PCMCIA firewire and USB adapter card which will allow me to simultaneously run a 7200 rpm OWC direwire drive, along with the 828 plugged into the main firewire port on the lappie: which unfortunately has only one firewire port.

6) 1Ghz, 1G ram, dual-boot (os 9 and X) G4 Powerbook.
Complete with Batz-maru sticker to hide Applegate logo.

Some of you will groan and say this is NOT a portable studio.

For the money and setup, however, for me, it offers the greatest possibilities, with the max amound of safety for myhard-earned equipment when traveling.

My earlier 'portable' setup was the Casio keys, PC1600, and a 45lb racked Kurzweil K2500RS, which I still have and which still sounds great, and AKG K240m headphones. Plus an occational gig tug-along Roland Jazz Chorus head and 4x12 cab.

If I were gigging in Europe, I'd take the VXpocket, rent the conditioner and take the keyboard in a tough-foam walled softpack to slap in the overhead.

Hope this information is helpful.

Cheers - and watch for my mk-4612c review soon!

Elizabeth
Annadyne
Auracene'
Secret Orange Star Studio
USA



P.S. The sooner the Bush 3 - Bush Beans, Chain-Chain-Cheney, and GinRummy, are out of office, the safer our planet and all its lifeforms will be. It's embarrassing that a country that proclaims freedom and democracy has so little toleration within its borders and a significant lack of consideration for the rest of the world. The Bush dictatorship perfectly embodies this.