Alkex Instruments Now Shipping Professor 5 MIDI Controller
Alkex Professor 5, Arturia Prophet V 2, control virtual instrument, custom MIDI controller, Professor5
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (MuseWire) – Los Angeles based Alkex Instruments has started shipping their new MIDI controller designed to interact with Arturia’s Prophet V virtual instrument (and other plug-ins using set-up application). The unit has been designed to look familiar to any Sequential Circuits owner, or fan, with a similar design to the knobs and buttons, and hand-finished hardwood enclosure.
Described by the company, this way: “Take control of the virtual instrument you already know and love with our beautiful hand-crafted MIDI controller. THE tangible solution for virtual instruments!”
With an MSRP of $499, an introductory price of $399 and a few units being sold on eBay at slightly lower price to get the customer base going, the “Professor” features include: MIDI in and out, built-in USB-MIDI interface, optionally USB bus powered, control of 52 parameters, included power supply, and 5-year warranty (2-year warranty in the brochure).
It has 27 rotary dials, 25 switches, 27 LED indicators, and is entirely re-mappable via included software.
Length is 23-inches in length, 5.5 inches high, and 5-inches deep.
Because each unit is hand-built by company founder “Alex” the wait time is from 7-10 days to have one custom built.
More information can be found at: www.alkex.com .
Look for a review next month, as Christopher Simmons of MusicIndustryNewswire.com has one on order in mid July.
VIDEO:
Aug 25, 2011 @ 12:32 PM PDT
UPDATE:
as of Aug. 15, 2011, Alex has discontinued the “rev one” version of the Professor, in favor of a second generation model being produced for his company in Germany. Look for updated information in Q4/2011 or visit his website (noted in news article, above).
The first version had some fit/finish issues, wobbly knobs, and so forth due to hand built wood, metal, silk screen, etc. The new version will be “manufactured” and hence should be up to the level of quality most musicians expect these days.
-Christopher Simmons