Compact midi controller

AbstraKt · Post by **AbstraKt** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:21 am

Enhance your performance...

with the latest compact USB controller from Kenton – effectively 81 endless controllers and 81 buttons at your fingertips

Kenton's new USB controller, with a footprint of only 320mm x 64mm, is the perfect companion to your laptop, whether you are using a sequencer, DJ-ing or VJ-ing. Just plug in the USB cable and go*.

The controller features a self-centering joystick, 9 push buttons and 9 endless rotary encoders with led position indicators. With 9 MIDI channels available at the push of a knob, you effectively have 81 controllers and 81 buttons at your fingertips in a compact attractive brushed aluminium unit.

This design is the result of collaboration between Ableton Live expert Martin Delaney and John Price of Kenton.

See a video of Martin Delaney demonstrating the Killamix™ Mini prototype version at Sounds Expo06.

When you reach the page, click the link called: 'Martin Delaney and the mini controller'.

Features & Specifications

The controller communicates via USB, has 9 endless rotary encoders, 9 push buttons and a joystick. It is USB bus powered for convenience.

The 9 encoder knobs can also be pressed to select any MIDI channel from 1 to 9, LEDs indicate which MIDI channel is currently active. (MIDI Channels 10 to 16 require a combination of 2 knobs pressed to select)

The encoders also 'remember' where they were when they were last used on that channel and display their position on the ring of leds around each knob, so you can change channel without fear of data jumps.

The self-centering joystick can send information on the currently selected channel, and can be used for bending pitch or modulation control, or any other operation you wish to assign it to.

The 9 push buttons send data on the selected MIDI channel and can 'remember' their on-off status, which is shown by internal LEDs.

With the 9 channels available at the push of a knob, you effectively have 81 endless controllers and 81 buttons at your fingertips in a very compact unit.

The whole unit is attractively styled in a sturdy aluminium box, finished in brushed aluminium and with matching solid aluminium knobs.

direct link> http://www.kentonuk.com/kenton/killamix/killamix.html
video link> http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=2811#

thoughts or opinions

andy james · Post by **andy james** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:17 am

looks sweet, but then i clicked on the link for the video and found the killamix controller to be even sexier

The Killamix™ DJ, as its name suggests, is aimed at the DJ market. Again this controller is mainly aimed at Ableton Live and Tractor users.

The unit has three channel strips and a master section.

Each channel strip has a Master Volume with six rotary knobs below that. Beneath that again are 6 buttons which illuminate when active, intended for mutes, AB selection and headphone monitor. Beneath that are two pads which can be used for firing off samples. It is intended that on production versions, these pads would be velocity sensitive, allowing them to be used as drum pads.

The master section is similar but beneath the master volume has four rotary knobs and a joystick. Again it has the six buttons, and below that a cross-fader.

The whole unit is finished in brushed aluminium, and has USB and MIDI ports for connection to your computer. Production models would be mains powered, although the prototype shown uses a power adaptor. Production models will have aluminium knobs too, rather than the Moog type knobs on this prototype.

fl0w · Post by **fl0w** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:10 pm

I've never used Ableton or Traktor, but I see no pitch control... Do you have to entirely rely on automatic beatmatching?

highmel · Post by **highmel** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:22 pm

u do the beatmatching "manuallly" before with some "Warp- Markers". Then save the new beatmatched track, and it wont dissapoint you

So the beatmatching work is done at home, not at the Gig u are playing

simondodson · Post by **simondodson** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:13 am

looks sick

relative q · Post by **relative q** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:46 pm

Holy sh!t is it expensive, though. Almost $400USD? You could get a Doepfer Drehbank for that...

BobStock · Post by **BobStock** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:55 am

relative q wrote:Holy sht is it expensive, though. Almost $400USD? You could get a Doepfer Drehbank for that...

400 DOLLAR. That is really expensice for what u get I think. Looks really nice. But 400 DOLLAR..
I just bought a CME Bitstream for less.