When M-audio first introduced the Oxygen 8 25-key MIDI controller, few could have predicted how widespread and popular it would become. By all accounts, that early model looked like a toy keyboard aimed squarely at bedroom producers. The strange thing was, it worked well, lasted forever and seemed to creep into just about everyone’s collection. So when I heard that M-Audio would be releasing a full-size MIDI DJ controller, it did not surprise me that it also looked a tad bit toyish. The only question was if it would be as handy and reliable as my Oxygen 8, which ironically was recently retired to keyboard heaven after nearly three years of destructive use as a dedicated DJ controller. Although it will take a few years and a lot of gigs to really put an Xponent to the test of time, first impressions are good, and it appears that it is just the tool to have in your arsenal of DJ weaponry.
Full review of the M-Audio Xponent
