M-Audio Oxygen Pro 61 review

The Oxygen Pro 61 gives you a full studio controller layout at 61 keys. M-Audio lists its PrecisionTouch semi-weighted keybed with channel aftertouch and assignable zones, 16 RGB velocity-sensitive pads with Note Repeat, eight assignable knobs and nine assignable faders. You select your DAW on the keyboard and transport, faders, record arm, solo, mute and pan map automatically in Ableton, Pro Tools, MPC Beats, Cubase, Logic, Studio One and other major DAWs. Smart Chord plays full chords from one key, including custom shapes you teach it, and Smart Scale locks the keys to one of 16 scales. An arpeggiator with type, octave, gate and swing controls rounds out the creative tools. It has a 5-pin MIDI out and sustain input. The bundle includes Ableton Live Lite, MPC Beats and AIR instruments such as Velvet, Mini Grand and Hybrid 3. M-Audio's page showed no US price in our check. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test it.

Who it is for

Producers who want 61 keys, pads and faders together and work with MPC Beats or Ableton Live Lite.

Price

See vendor pricing (USD check pending).

US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.

Key features

• 61 semi-weighted, velocity-sensitive keys with channel aftertouch
• 16 RGB backlit, velocity-sensitive pads with Note Repeat
• Eight assignable knobs and nine assignable faders
• Auto-mapping for Ableton, Pro Tools, MPC Beats, Cubase, Logic and Studio One
• Smart Chord, Smart Scale with 16 scales, and an arpeggiator

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: 61 keys plus 16 pads and nine faders in one unit
• Strength: Channel aftertouch on the keys
• Strength: Ableton Live Lite, MPC Beats and AIR instruments included
• Weakness: Small OLED screen
• Weakness: Pro Tools and Studio One mapping is generic auto-mapping, not deep scripts
• Weakness: US price was not shown on M-Audio's page in our check

Key facts

• Keys: 61 semi-weighted with channel aftertouch
• Pads: 16 RGB, velocity-sensitive
• Controls: 8 knobs, 9 faders
• Connections: USB-MIDI, 5-pin MIDI out, sustain input
• Scales: 16 Smart Scale options

Where it ranks

M-Audio Oxygen Pro 61 is No. 7 in our Best Midi Keyboards verdict.