I've had the 49SL Mk II for 2 days now and hate it. I hate the pads. I hate the crappola X-Y pad...what a joke that thing was. I hated Automap 4. It took like 3 minutes to scan AU every single time I opened LPX. I didn't like the size, the weight, the knobs. I hated the color.

When I opened the box...It was like when you knew the date was going to be bad as soon as she opened the door.

So is anyone using AKAI MPK 249 or 261? The videos look very promising.

Is there a way to save a channel strip with all the settings for a AU Plug + MPK controllers?

 

Get a Minimoog Voyager XL and be done with it. You won't leave your home for at least 2 years

 

hmmmmmmmmmm . . . tons of really great reviews on the sl mkii line all over the internet. i was pretty much convinced i was going to buy the 61-key. now i'm having second thoughts. but then again, the things you didn't like - the size, weight, color. not so important to me. scanning au every time you open lpx? um, sounds like apple stuff maybe? i don't use au and i don't even know what lpx is. so maybe this review is not really relevant to me.

 

I've a feeling that something new from Novation is in the pipeline ..

 

a new top-end model? i sure hope so. the sl mkii series is getting a little long in the tooth, which is the only thing that's holding me back from buying it at the moment. but novation just came out with the launchkey and impulse lines last year. and while the impulse seems yo have some pretty cool features, i don't think the quality is up to the same level as the sl mkii line.

 

I saw a post somewhere, one of the designers from Novation was talking about touch sensitive sliders in place of physical sliders. It was quite a while ago.

 

This "review" is more like you really had a bad day.
"I didn't like the size, the weight, the knobs. I hated the color. When I opened the box...It was like when you knew the date was going to be bad"

But, I advice to those interested in any Novation stuff, Automap 4 really have a very particular way to work, as it duplicates your plugins, which ends up in a real mess.
I have one of their devices, and the knobs are too loose, so by touching it, you already change the parameter they're assigned to.
These default only, make the device almost unusable.

I can compare with Arturia system,all knobs a bit hard to turn in this case it is good, as they don't move just because you play. The sliders are OK too.
No plugin duplication. You have to program the relation between you plugins and the controller yourself, but it's easy and works wonder.
Keylab 61 is the cheaper one in his category.
Defaults:
The pads are a bit too hard, but you can reprogram their sensibility.
The keyboard is for synthesist , not for piano players, they would break it in 10 minutes.
After touch is badly implemented, so it moves by too big steps.

 

for the touchpad of the slmkii to work, you have to press it with your finger or whatever else you are using, and THEN move it while pushing.that is very annoyng.
anyway i believe that for a second controller (the first being an oxygen2)slmkii is very good and is going to help for years...hopefully

 

always best to go to a shop and actually try them out before buying.

Bought from a shop? you may have some problems getting a refund, buying a product by mistake is not covered by the sale of goods act (UK).

Buying online however, you can have up to 14 days to change your mind (distance selling regulations)

 

The way your saying this it's like you bought it online.

BAD MISTAKE.

why didn't you try it out in the shop?!

 

I have the Novation Impulse and at the time compared to the Akai MPk the Impulse definitely won in terms of keys. (Akai's keys were garbage and the pads as well) The Impulse though felt kind of cheap and Automap more or less ruined things for me. I can't stand it..

 

I tried the AKAI MPK 249, Arturia Keylab 49, some M-Audio's, but the Novation 49 SL MKII I liked the most and so I bought that one.
Mostly because of the nice keyboard. The AKAI keyboard was also ok for me.

 

I still use daily an ancient Novation SL 61. It has always worked like a charm, but that Automat software never was my cup of tea. The duplication of plugins is a horror and I never liked using it either as it lagged on me. I never felt the love.