CME Xkey 25 silver

Once in a while something wow, momentous and OMG comes along on the music hardware scene - like Moogs, Mellotrons, the Kyma Capybara, and now - this. It's wow wow wow!

This superbly built aluminium-bodied keyboard controller ranks with the best of Apple's design values and tenets. Attention to detail goes right down to the packaging too. If Apple built a MIDI controller this elegant baby would be it. Modestly priced, worth every penny and ultra portable it has highly sought after POLYPHONIC AFTERTOUCH on every (nearly full sized) individual key. Release your keyboard creativity big time! It's a no brainer compared to everything else out there, being able to do things like Polyphonic Aftertouch that only other keyboard MIDI controllers costing very silly prices can do. It's highly portable too, as wide as a laptop. Then we have the bargain basement Thomann price too. CME themselves are excellent and supportive - they reply to queries and suggestions quickly. Support is remarkably friendly and truly excellent. CME deserve to do well. They try hard.

The X-Key partners and integrates with iOS devices well, especially the iPad, for some true synth heaven. It also works with Android, Windows and Mac OSX seamlessly. The playing action is nice and sooooo responsive. It encourages experimentation. Tickle those ivories - get one!

All I want now is a 37 and 61 key edition too. I can't wait for the promised CME Mac/PC configuration utility app. iOS users are already well catered for with a CME config app - and shedloads of fantastic cheap synth apps elsewhere too, like Thor. Checkout the CME website and YouTube videos & reviews. Sonic State have a great video online waxing lyrical about X-Key.

Finally, well done Thomann for selling the darn thing ;-)