Miditech Midistudio Pro 49 Reviews 
3 / 5 based on 1 reviewsThis is Miditech's midrange 49-key controller, with the pitchbend and modulation wheels, 3-digit LED display, and a bunch of programmed buttons along the top (no volume or assignable knobs).
I've been playing for 13 years, and currently gig with a funk/rock/soul 6-piece, using mostly rhodes, wurly, clav and hammond patches.
Bought in high-street store for £149, but it is about half that price elsewhere online. I have since returned it for full refund.
Like most USB MIDI controller keyboards today, it was a matter of plug straight in and get going right away. The pitch and modulation wheels were really nice and smooth action, and the whole unit feels pretty solidly built (unlike many other plasticky mini controllers). The LED screen is simple, but really handy to give you that visual feedback when shifting octaves, changing settings etc. to let you know you have actually done something.
The unit I purchased seemed to have some quality control issues, such as a sticky high E (kept transmitting even after key-off, which was awful for organ patches), intermittent failure of the octave shift to work, and some confusion when trying to send patch-change signals.
Also, as to be expected from a seriously budget midi keyboard, the velocity sensitivity is pretty poor. For synth work and home recording this isn't so much of an issue, but hammered instruments like piano, rhodes, wurlies etc they become all but unplayable.
It's got 'budget' written all over it, from the cheesy 'miditech' logo down to the flimsy buttons. That said though, in matt black with a sturdy enough casing, it doesn't feel like you're going to break it right out of the box. Also the blue LED display is a nice change from the more usual red.
I bought this to use as a much more portable controller to use with my soft synths and VST instruments for practice and gigs. Unfortunately some quality control issues and the bad velocity sensitivity made it all but ungiggable for me. I returned it to the store a few days later for a full refund, and will be looking into other keyboards.
If all you need is a simple no-frills controller for home studio use, pick one up from Thomann or DV247. It's really cheap, simple, and does the job. If you are a more serious player, you will feel let down by its mediocre featureset and (its such an issue for me!) velocity sensitivity.
rated this unit
on
2010-09-23.
