MAudio Radium 61-Key USB Controller
8 assignable knobs. 8 assignable sliders. Pitch and modulation wheels.
Overall User Ratings (based on 52 ratings)
Submitted April 27, 2013 by Pete L in Portland, OR
"Great traveler kb"
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This midi controller has been my go-to board for over a year, now. I travel a lot and it is great to have a board that fits in a non-oversized bag. One of the better features IMHO is that it can be powered externally. Why is that being excluded on newer boards? You need external power if you want to interface with an iPad - which I have been doing a lot, lately. The action is fast, the MIDI assignment is fairly easy, and the portability is unsurpassed. As mentioned in other reviews, the in increment on some of the controllers is a little jumpy, (especially true with the mod and pith-bend wheels). But if you're using it with Logic or any other DAW, you can smooth out modulations in the mix. The keyboard does feel a bit toyish, but that doesn't affect the performance.
Sound
N/A
Features
Using the setup for MIDI CC and channel assignments is a bit confusing at first. Would be nice if there were a few more buttons so you wouldn't have to use the keys.
Ease of Use
Easily interfaces with Logic, other DAWs. Needs an M-Audio UNO or other MIDI-to-USB device to communicate with the iPad 4.
Quality
Feels flimsy at first, but this keyboard has been practically indestructible! The keys can easily come loose, but then they'll pop back into place by simply touching them again. I've had this board since 2004, and it has gone everywhere with me. Other than surface scratches, it still performs like new.
Value
Great price for this little gem, especially when you consider longevity.
Manufacturer Support
N/A. Haven't had to deal with customer service. Their products have performed as billed.
The Wow Factor
I was really impressed when I first bought the Radium. It was the first board that I was able to use in a live performance setting with a laptop, and have complete control over MIDI on stage, CC included. Works great with the iPad, too! There are better boards on the market now, but not for the price, and more of them seem to be leaving off the external power option, lately.
Musical Background:
Composer and performing musician. Play keys, guitar, electronic contraptions.
Musical Style:
Orchestral/electronic, jazz, rock, blues, chill-out, world.
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Submitted May 21, 2005 by a customer from yahoo.com
"It dies after 30 days."
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Considering it doesn't work anymore, it makes a great frizzbee.
Sound
It's a controller, so there is no sound. But the response is not as accurate as it could be. Using REASON, the keys had to be pressed a certain distance before it picked up - and it's not because of latency. ALthough to some, it may not be important, but to those musicians who are "picky" about accuracy, this is very poor quality.
Features
I like the amount of knobs and faders. It's programming feature could have been a little more "on the fly" friendly, but for its price it's pretty decent.
Quality
For a 61-key non-weighted at this price it's pretty good. The knobs are solid, but faders feel cheap. However, the whole thing died on me on the 37th day. I just turned my desktop on and logged on to REASON. Five minutes in, the Window's USB disconnect sound came on and I couldn't fix it at all - even after trying different USB cables, the latest driver, the stock driver, and so on.
Value
For the price, its features and value in okay. But only for one that works.
Manufacturer Support
I emailed and called numerous times. No response.
The Wow Factor
Never again.
Musical Background:
Musician, sound engineer, choir leader, producer
Musical Style:
R&B, gospel, hip-hop
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Submitted September 21, 2005 by a customer from yahoo.com
"Excellent board for the price (and for use with Reason)"
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Features
I purchased this keyboard to be used with Reason 3.0. Honestly, this keyboard is very nice to have when working with Reason. The way the keyboard works with the program is very intuitive. 8 knobs for adjusting various parameters (and fully customizable in Reason) work nice. The only reason I don't give the "Features" category a higher rating is the 8 sliders could be of higher quality, but that would signigicantly increase the price range of this product.
Quality
Good quality for what you're paying for. I've not had anything break on me. Shipping worked out good for me; not a damaged box when it arrived. So, that may have some impact on some of the reviews around this one. Basically, don't beat the hell out of the thing and you won't have a problem.
Value
Very good value for the money. I've thought about purchasing a second one to have greater control and musical freedom when producing in Reason.
The Wow Factor
Looks great sitting with my silver PC, lol. But, it's just as big as it should be and not too heavy. Get this, Reason and a laptop and you're set to perform.
Musical Background:
Active Musician and Recording Artist
Musical Style:
Electronic and Metal
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by a customer from mtu.edu
"The Radium is Radiant"
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On its own this keyboard does the job and then some. In comparison to the Fatar Studiologic SL-161, the M-audio Radium absolutely rules.
Just dont forget to pick up a nice sustain pedal (should run approx $28 from zZounds)
Sound
When hooked to Propellerhead's Reason and a hi-fi system, it has to sound good.
Features
It didn't come with a sustain pedal like the Fatar SL-161 did, but overall this thing beats the Fatar SL-161 hands down. Make sure to order a seperate sustain pedal for the Radium.
The assignable knobs and sliders are impressive, this opens up new possibilities during performance and recording.
Quality
Very good quality, light yet sturdy controller. The 8 sliders are plastic and slide somewhat smoothly, and the 8 knobs are rubber and feel fine during the full range of travel. There is no center stop on the knobs, but that is ok because center position on the knob might not correspond to center on the software anyhow (but there may be a way to make that happen).
Value
This is definitely worth the price, it is $10 cheaper than the Fatar SL-161 and a far better quality item with more features.
Manufacturer Support
I dont know about m-audio support, but I do know that zZounds has done a great job replacing a defective set of Fatar Studiologic SL-161 keyboards (yes I tried 2 of them) with this thing which has way more options and is overall a better quality keyboard. My props to the zZounds customer support and returns department.
The Wow Factor
It looks really good. It is more compact than the Fatar, lighter, and still sturdy plastic. It is light grey and looks just fine.
Musical Style:
ambient
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Submitted September 7, 2005
"I expected more when I opened the box. Now I've found out that I got way less than what I payed for."
Features
great features, usb is convenient. missing some expected features like software interface to program keys and controllers. The programming of controllers is cryptic considering the useful usb interface.
Quality
This is the BAD part. Several key mysteriously broke away from its spring (plastic hooks that hold the keys down are weak).
Manufacturer Support
The product has mysteriously stopped working on my computer. I have tried reinstalling the drivers nothing happen. The support site is in about 2% English, which leaves me wondering if my $250 was well spent. Now the Keyboard controller is nothing more than a useless plastic box that stole money from my pocket. This time I am looking for something more portable and DURABLE with support.
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Submitted January 22, 2004
M-Audio Radium 61 Customer Review
This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
I plan on having this keyboard a long time. I'm not a big spender, I like to keep my cash and only buy necessities. so Until they update MIDI itself - I'm not updating my midi controller. I don't use it much. not because it's bad, but just because I have limited use for it - I program most my music by manually punching in values anyways. I just use it to plunk a few notes or chords and see if they work before putting them down - or add some human variation into a sound. I chose this one because it was cheap.
Features
More features than I personally wanted. I'm not the kind of person that needs every control bound to a slider, I'm capable of changing the bindings when I wanna control something else, all it takes is two clicks. So this worked out just fine. I do wish the keyboard was a full piano size. that's 88 keys, right? I would buy a Radium88. - The Hamster Alliance
Quality
It's a little slow. the readout is delayed and jumpier than the Oxygen 8. On the Oxy8, when you twist a knob the numbers look like they're doing exactly what you're doing. on the Radium they don't happen as fast.
Value
It's worth what you pay for, which isn't very much. Not a bad keyboard. Would be cool though if it had servo controlled sliders...but that's a-whole-nother price range. :P
The Wow Factor
This keyboard weights absolutely nothing, that's a good keypoint about it. Very sleek and thin design. Grey matches anything. doesn't have the company plastered all over it like big keyboard manufacturers label their keyboards.
Musical Style:
Anything. Rap, Rock, Techno, Classical, Bluegrass, etc - whatever the artist I'm currently producing does.
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Submitted August 15, 2003
"Great! Great!"
Sound
No sound included
Features
It can be powered thru USB, that I can work anywhere with my IBM X31 sub note book. It is very light and it has all those physical controlers on it. Which is really great to work with reason and other soft synthersizers.
Quality
Builty in nice condition. It is very small in its depth so it does not look nice on my regular key board stand.^^ The key feel is not that good. It was a little hard to get a very short note. but think about the price.
Value
If you work with soft synthesizers Radium is just a great gear to have.
Manufacturer Support
Never got the support. I think it would be great.
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Submitted May 20, 2003
"Great Midi Controller for Win XP!"
Sound
Depends What it's hooked up to, other then that it has no latency.
Features
16 Controlls ! I use this as a Synth with Reason 2.5 and in my opion is alot nicer then high end syths like the Korg Trition.
Quality
Slider knobs and mod/pitch whell are ok, but they could have been better.
Value
Equal to = Korg Trition when using software synths like Reason.
Manufacturer Support
Was missing a slider knob on mine, called support and they shipped one out next day. no long drawn out process. Great support
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