Avid unveils Oxygen 88 keyboard controller
(Dave Molter | Posted 2010-10-02)
It's rare today to find a musician who doesn't do some kind of home recording, whether it's with an iPod or a USB-driven laptop or desktop setup. Avid has taken a major step forward in the way it empowers aspiring and established musicians to achieve their creative vision—however they define it. The company has introduced a set of tools -- including the new Pro Tools® Mbox® family, the M-Audio® MobilePre and M-Audio Oxygen 88 keyboard controller -- for a range of musicians who are seeking to create, record and mix music at home or on the road.
Pro Tools Mbox Family:
Designed for musicians and audio engineers looking to turn their Mac or PC into a portable professional recording, mixing and production studio, the third generation of the Pro Tools Mbox family -- Pro Tools Mbox Pro, Pro Tools Mbox and Pro Tools Mbox Mini -— offers customers premium sound and open workflows with support for the industry’s most popular DAWs. Based on customer feedback, new features in the Pro Tools Mbox family include:
• Re-designed hardware with pro features delivering best-in-class audio—Delivers best-in-class audio quality, enabling customers to achieve professional results at home or on the road. Redesigned from the ground up leveraging Avid’s expertise in professional studio gear, the new Pro Tools Mbox family also features several workflow enhancements including: A professional-grade soft clip limiter that improves overall audio quality by letting users capture hotter signals while recording; and a multi-function button allowing Pro Tools Mbox and Pro Tools Mbox Pro users to control software parameters without using the computer mouse or keyboard.
• Freedom and flexibility to compose using Pro Tools LE or your DAW of choice—Gives customers more options to compose, record, edit and mix with seamless support for the industry’s most popular DAWs, including Pro Tools LE®, Ableton Live, Apple Logic, Fruity Loops, Steinberg Cubase, and more, ensuring sessions are compatible with studios around the world. New drivers include ASIO, Core Audio, WDM, MME and multi-client drivers.
Oxygen 88:
Ideal for use in the studio or on stage, the new M-Audio Oxygen 88 USB MIDI controller keyboard is designed to satisfy players who need the feel of a piano combined with the power of a modern MIDI controller. The latest addition to Avid’s industry-leading Oxygen family of USB MIDI keyboard controllers includes the following features:
* DirectLink technology—Automatically maps keyboard controls to common mixer and virtual instrument parameters, giving users hands-on control over their mix and their music, without any complicated set up or user configuration required. DirectLink works with popular DAWs, including Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Apple Logic Pro and Steinberg Cubase.
* 88-note hammer-action keybed—Delivers a musically satisfying playing experience with an authentic piano feel—ideal for playing virtual instruments.
* 32 assignable buttons, knobs and faders—Offers customers complete control over virtual instrument and DAW parameters. Dedicated Track up/down buttons enable customers to focus on the creative flow of recording and mixing music, rather than going back and forth between QWERTY keyboard and MIDI controller.
Oxygen 88 is available worldwide for £540/€640/$849 USD.
