E-mu Xboard

I’ve come to realize I really need a MIDI controller for my laptop. After scanning around for a day I stumbled upon E-MU’s XBoard series, featuring aftertouch among other gimmicks.

They were pitched against the M-Audio Oxygen series in one review where the XBoard was hailed as the superior. I tried finding more info about the Korg K-series but didn’t come up with much (but it seems to lack controllers(?))

Do you think the E-MU would make a good buy? Is there something else I should think of or consider, or perhaps even a new range of controllers that looks promising…

I value the input and knowledge of you guys; cash is short and I want to be satisfied with my purchase.

I have got an oxygen 49 and all I can say it works well. it does not have aftertouch but I have managed without it this far.

The Xboard and Oxygen seem to have the same amount of contollers but the Xboard has lots of knobs and the Oxygen has 9 faders instead (at least the 49 and 61 versions) so I guess it’s a matter of taste in the end.

First, thanks for your input :)

I just read a raving review about the XioSynth from Novation and I feel bewilderment. Semi-weighted keys, audio inputs etc… I find myself asking the question “do I need this?” I know I want a synth that’s a pleasure to play [with], and if you can route the internal sounds via USB for flawless sampling that is lovely too… but it’s not what I went looking for originally.

Does anyone know how well it does for the purpose of MIDI controlling? Will the Aftertouch of an XBoard raise its value?

I feel, right now, that the saying stands true: the more you ask, the more questions you end up with.