Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The general concept of the Novation Nocturn series is that you have a responsive MIDI controller that is less expensive because a lot of the display parts and intelligence are handled through Novation's AutoMap software. AutoMap can be great, but it can also be very frustrating if the mappings for different devices aren't up to date, and Novation has a poor reputation for keeping their mappings current (in particular with Reason).
I originally had an Akai MiniMPK, which worked great, but wanted something a little larger, so I figured that the Nocturn 25 was just the ticket and only a bit more expensive (and still less expensive than the MAudio Axiom Pro 25 or the Akai MPK25).
It showed up, I installed it, and everything seemed fine, until I tried to use the drum pads. The drum pads under Windows were sporadically responsive, sometimes they'd show up, sometimes they wouldn't. I tried calibrating them, and AutoMap never registered them. Hmm. This is on a Mac Pro 2008 running Win 7. On a hunch, I booted into OS X...and they work perfectly.
So it's not a hardware issue, it's software issue, and one with their drivers. According to another user on the Novation forums, he reported this a year ago and support claimed that they were aware of the problem and 'looking into it'. Non-functioning drum pads on Windows would seem to be a fairly significant issue.
Support hasn't responded to me in 3 days, so I'm guessing they're not going to address this, at which point I'll need to return this. Disappointing since I'll have to spend more money.
Overall I give it 2 stars. If you're solely an OS X user and can live with the Automap quirks, it's probably a 4 star product, but if you use Windows, one of its major features may or may not work for you at all.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Novation Nocturn 25 USB MIDI Interface Keyboard Controller, 25-Keys, NOCTURN 25
The Nocturn Keyboard from Novation is an intelligent plug-in/sequencer controller.It is a high quality professional keyboard that plays like an instrument rather than a computer peripheral.With a high quality 'Fatar' keyboard, 8 velocity-sensitive drum pads, and a total of 33 MIDI assignable controls, the Nocturn allows you to get hands-on control of your plug-in instruments, effects and sequencer. Brightly lit 11-segment LED rings around the eight smooth encoders, and backlit buttons throughout provide instant visual feedback for every physical control. All 8 oversized encoders are touch-sensitive, bringing up mapping information and automation data on DAW's with a ‘touch' mode. In addition to the high quality hardware, what really sets Nocturn Keyboard apart is the Automap control software, which is included with each Nocturn Keyboard purchase. Automap acts as a software interface for the unit. It allows you to map parameters in your software plug-ins straight to dials and buttons on the controller by simply clicking on a parameter, then touching the controller.The Automap feature also enables you to keep track of what assignments have already been made.Instead of a small monochrome LCD screen, Nocturn Keyboard displays control information where you really need it - on your computer monitor. The Automap software graphically displays Nocturn's control surface. The controllers themselves also tell you what is going on: LED rings around the 8 encoders show their current settings, and LED's behind the buttons tell you if they are on or off. The Nocturn Keyboard can be set up for use as a serious DAW/sequencer controller, including its ground-breaking Automap control of all VST/AU/RTAS/TDM plug-ins.The Nocturn Keyboard is powered by USB-saving valuable plug sockets. It can also be powered down without being unplugged, preserving battery power in laptops. Fantastic build quality, true musical instrument feel and intuitive controls are just three of the many reasons why Novation's Nocturn Keyboard is simply a joy to play.
