Here we are again! An exciting new MIDI keyboard controller from of our favorite creators, Akai Professional. But wait a second…doesn’t it look a lot like those guys keyboard’s over at Native Instruments? Yes, yes it does. However, don’t get judgmental too quickly. It’s quite obvious they’ve taken a liking to the aesthetics of NI’s Kontrol S-Series keyboards; but we’ll take that as merely complimenting them. It doesn’t look like the features list is quite the same, and these are a little more affordable than the S-Series, but not by much. Let’s take a look at what Akai has given us this time around with the Advance 25 MIDI Keyboard Controller.Main features of the Akai Advance 25
4.3″ display (high-resolution, full-color)
8 backlit RGB trigger pads (miniaturized in this 25-key model)
8 control knobs (smaller as compared to the other key counts)
Pitch and mod wheels (rubberized)
25 semi-weighted, velocity-sensitive keys
Control any VST or plug-in via the controller
Works with Mac and Windows
Compatible with most major DAWs
Comes with 10,000+ sounds (16 GB)
Design and features of the controller
We know what you’re thinking. As soon as a new MIDI controller is out, the price is one of the most important specs to consider. Well, these are around the same price-point as the new Kontrol S-Series keyboards by Native Instruments. In fact, upon first announcement by Akai, our immediate thoughts were on the aesthetics — quite similar to each other don’t you think? Not that that is necessarily a bad thing, but it looks like NI has caught Akai’s attention here. This 25-key model has a bit smaller pads and knobs as compared to the 49 and 61-key models — it isn’t necessarily a ‘mini’ model, but does come with these smaller features, so it’s perfect if you want a more compact solution to add to your studio. If you do grab one, just know it can ultimately act as a standalone MIDI controller, so it’s not completely dependent on the new VIP software.All knobs, buttons and pads are fully assignable to whatever you like. The pitch and mod wheels work as intended. It will work with most major digital audio workstations, in fact it has a preset for most of the popular DAWs. Besides that, it’s mostly a standard MIDI keyboard controller. However, that isn’t what is justifying their price point and overall attraction to this model. It’s all in the software
