Akai Professional Advance49 49-Key Virtual Instrument Production Controller with Color LCD Screen

It's amazing product if you're looking high-end midi device just go for it

Oh NO ! It's there !!!!!In Looooove ..... looooooooove !

Got this to replace a Native Instruments S49 MK2; and I feel very happy with it.The price, compared to similar devices, is much lower; but that does not mean that quality or features are lesser. Akai has issues with quality; and that is known, so you may get the occasional lemon; but their support takes care of everything, so you will get your problem solved.With that out of the way; the rest of what I have to say is mostly positive. The hardware feel solid; good keybed with semi-weighted keys; 8 LED pads, which can be customized as you prefer, 8 infinite rotary encoders, also customizable; extra buttons also customizable, and overall a very nice coating for the top part. The LCD screen is nice and bright; and while it is not the same quality of the one on the NI S49, it does its job.The keyboard has most of the features already customized for different DAW, like Logic, Cubase, Ableton and such; you can write your own profile, if your DAW is not there. Basically you send CC midi commands from the keyboard to the DAW, so if you are using a DAW that is not ancient and is moderately popular, you will be able to configure all buttons and controls in very little time. Fundamentally the keyboard act as generic midi controller, so if you can assign a control on your DAW, you can assign it to the keyboard.The keyboard has an integrated arpeggiator and scale utility, that you can configure as you see fit. For the scales you have multiple modes, and the only thing I wish was on the keyboard is lights on the keys, to see which keys are set for each scale; but it is not essential; since I always use the keyboard in an illuminated environment anyway.The screen allow you to control all the features from the keyboard; there is a knob with push button and a 4 way directional cross, that will let you modify parameters, modes and what not. Keep in mind that these are features of the keyboard; not of the software, so these works with any software you use.Then there is the software; which is OK in my opinion. I own other VST so what I get is mostly an extra. The main thing is the VIP software; which is borderline atrocious, but does its job. Fundamentally it is a sort of library for your sounds and VST; the app scan those instruments and sounds; and create a database, so you can recall these instruments from the keyboard. Most of the advanced features of the keyboard require you to use VIP; so keep that in mind.VIP works as plugin, so if your DAW can load VST, then you can load VIP in a track and use the keyboard advanced features. To be honest there are so many, and you can watch youtube videos about those; but in short, you can create multi, which are a mix of different plugins/instruments, that play together. It is a feature that none of the other midi keyboard in the sub-500 dollars range has, so very useful. I can use VIP no problem on both Logic and Ableton.VIP also has mappings for instruments, so if you load a VST like a synth; all your controls, knobs and buttons will be pre-mapped with parameters for that instrument. You can create your own mapping of course; but it is nice to use the out of the box setup. Keep in mind that the software is lacking on the profile aspect; so if Akai did not create a profile, you won't see your instrument in VIP. To work around, use the forum and get the user-created mapping for most of the famous VST out there; otherwise, you have to make your own mapping, which is time consuming but doable. Just a warning, in case you buy this keyboard and then complain that there is no support for this or that plugin. Check on the forum what is supported. Komplete 12 is partially supported, while Komplete 10 and 11 should be fine.The rest of the software is more synths; like Loom, which is great. You can check the single apps on youtube videos; although I think the base selection is quite limited to some synths, so if you don't make RB or techno stuff, you will feel like there are not that many great sounds. I use Komplete and it works fine for me.So in the end, the hardware is great; software is so-so, but for this price, you can't find a better deal, on a keyboard with LCD screen and multi functionality to layer sounds. The UI is pretty clean and most of the features are mappable; the buttons are nicely placed, and the onboard features are a bit clunky at times, but just a matter to get used to it.It is my 5th keyboard, and second Akai product, and I could not be happier. Fits the needs of the beginner that does not want to spend 700 for a professional keyboard, and the professional that want to integrate a solid hardware midi controller to his existing setup.To be honest, unless you are into Native Instruments ecosystem and use only that; there is no reason to spend almost twice as much for an S49, which does mostly the same things, but it is severely limited by the fact that NI is not that friendly when using anything but their own apps and Ableton/Logic.

Je n'ai eu que des soucis avec ce produit concernant son installation malgré plusieurs échanges de mail en anglais avec le fabricant. J'abandonne, j'ai demandé un retour de cet article à Amazon. Je suis en rage contre les micrologiciels intrusifs de ce produit et dont la mise à jour m'a posée que des problèmes ....

nach 3 Jahren geht nichts mehr. Angeblich Lizens Irrtum. Laut ilok software aber ohne Ablaufdatum. 💩💩💩💩💩💩💩 Nie mehr Akai!!!!!!!!!

Great build quality! Using with mainstage and reason. Both need to be mapped as their are no pre-mapped templates for this keyboard. All good. Took me 30 mins.