Akai Pro LPD8 Laptop Pad Controller Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought the Korg nanoPAD and just recently returned it because a few of the pads would stick down. This is really annoying when you're trying to play quick notes. I bought this midi controller as a replacement, and for the most part, I'm happy with it. I'll definitely be keeping this one.
Pros:
*Back-lit keys when you hit the pad are REALLY nice to have (this comes in handy later too).
*Control knobs! You don't get those on the nanoPAD. They are handy to have, and you can assign them to anything you want in Ableton Live (which like the other reviewer, I use also).
*In Ableton Live, the drum kits are in a 4x4 grid arrangement. With the nanoPAD, since it was 6 wide, the pads didn't line up with the on-screen grid. They do to a greater degree with this pad, so it's easier to see what you're hitting.
Cons:
*This pad is NOT as sensitive as the nanoPAD, so I find myself hitting it significantly harder than I had to on the Korg model. This is made better by the fact that they light up when it registers a hit, but I still wish it was a little more sensitive.
Summary:
This is a great pad for the money, and for me, the back-lighting and control knobs really make it worth the money.


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No matter where you are when an idea pops into your head, you can turn it into a beat by simply plugging the Akai Pro LPD8 Laptop Pad Controller into your Mac or PC. A great choice for musicians, producers, DJs and other music creators on the go, this compact controller easily fits in your laptop bag or backpack so you can always have it on hand.

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Logic Studio Retail Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I use to use Logic Pro back in the day of Atari Falcon and STE1080. then i went to PC and used Logic 4.7. Though i never used the audio with it back then due to the instability of the product. It was easier to use a Mackie HDR 24/96 with midi clock to sync.
Before obtaining Logic Studio i was using Ableton Live versions 5,6,7 and now 8. The reason i bring this up is that i am now back to Logic Studio Pro on a MacPro 8 Core. The major reason for this change back to Logic was for 3 main reasons that blow away Ableton 8:
* Midi control for external and internal instruments
* Clean, Tight, Dynamic Headroom, clarity of sound. Audio Engine is far better then Ableton even at 44.1 (though i use 96k)
* for the price and what you get, this software is incredible!
The new features of Logic Studio 9 is the Flex and Guitar suite. Though i have not been impressed with the flex (perhaps because i am not sure how to use it correctly yet) the Guitar suite is AMAZING. I have owned a Line 6 pro and a Line 6 bass pro and this Guitar Suite is amazing if you run it under 96k.
The Logic Pedal board has a great slew of guitar stomp pedals that sound amazing and better then most other emulations i have heard. the distortions are warm and tube like, unlike more software emulations i have heard. it rips just right even with a guitar straight into the A/D and processed by Logic. They have a Tape Delay that emulates the Roland 201 tape echo or EHX Memory Man Deluxe and it sounds sweet and mixes very well.
The automation features are tight and crisp as well. Though it takes a bit more time to get setup on Logic for controller setup then Ableton, it is tight once you get it there.
User friendliness is not as good as Ableton but then you are getting a more PRO engine then Ableton has thus been able to deliver. In Ableton it seems the 'warp marker' technology seems to 'fuzzy' then audio in such a degree that the clarity is not tight. the dynamic headroom and stereo separation is not there. I was wondering if i was loosing my mind, but it is not the A/D Presonus firepod it was the engine of the Ableton 8. Once on Logic Studio 9, the clarity and tightness of the mix returned. This proving this engine is far superior to Ableton for a studio mix.
NOTE: if you can handle the disk space and processing power required to run 96k, do it. It will tighten your mixes amazingly.
Should you buy this? here is my suggestion:
If you run a Mac it is worth the cost. for what you get for such a pro engine and features and plug-ins this blows away the competition. At now version 9.0.2, the system on Snow Leopard is stable. very stable. It runs cleaner and crisp on snow leopard with the 64bit processing. It utilizes all the cores effectively as well. With the new imac @ 4 cores, it really could be a mini pro monster for recording.
If you own a PC, you can't use Logic, so you have to consider Sonar, Cubase, Ableton, ProTools.
I have not tried protools due to the cost of upgrades and truly to use it as tight as the industry standard, it takes a year for upgrades to happen after a new OS and the cost is outrageous compared to Logic.
I have not tried Sonar. I have used Cubase. the engine is clean though cumbersome to use.
Hope this is helpful.

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With over 200 new features and enhancements, the new Logic Studio delivers everything musicians need to write, record, produce, and perform on a Mac. The center of Logic Studio is Logic Pro 9, which makes it easier than ever to create your own compositions. Produce and play nearly any sound imaginable with a huge collection of effects, instruments, and loops, including the new Amp Designer and Pedalboard plug-ins. Use MainStage 2 to perform live with the instruments, amps, effects, and sounds you used to make your tracks. Logic Studio also comes with applications and utilities that expand your creative options into audio post-production and mastering, including Soundtrack Pro 3, WaveBurner 1.6, and more.

Logic Studio. A studio on your Mac as big as your ambitions.

Top Features New Pedalboard with an assortment of 30 virtual stompbox pedals inspired by the classics.

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