I’m confused, I thought the current model was already MPE, and this one is just adding a sequencer?
I second any more reviews on this control as this could be ideal for so many things live. I’m no drummer but I like to bang stuff on stage and we’ve stated earlier how crazy it is that there are no better options for this type of use cases.
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How does the Erae Touch feel when used as a drum pad? I really like the idea of an MPE drum input but it just doesn’t look like you should be hitting it hard with a drum stick.
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Was it? I think it came out before MPE had some proper specifications and the implementation wasn’t a complete MPE one, but maybe I’m wrong about that.
@papernoise The new red QuNexus has a polycarbonate finish, so… thankfully it should be easier to keep clean over the years. KMI are also selling that new red chassis separately so one may upgrade their old QuNexus to have the new silkscreen for quick reference. Also, one may use teenage engineering’s stereo splitter in place of KMI’s CV cable kit. They’re rather pricey and definitely shorter, but they can be neater.
The new firmware added a shortcut which allows one to quickly toggle all LEDs off or on to avoid CV noise on the fly. Not ideal I’ll admit, since the LEDs can certainly be necessary at times. Thankfully a ground loop adapter can alternatively be leveraged here.
The QuNexus now also includes a new 3.5mm to MIDI DIN cable (which is available separately as well). We’d just need to power the QuNexus, but we’ll certainly be able to pair QuNexus with non-USB host devices without needing the somewhat clunky and very pointy MIDI expander box any longer. I imagine this would be another way of dodging the potential CV ground loop concern (using a battery or something besides what the audio-path itself is powered by)?
@21echoes The original implementation of MPE output for QuNexus was a workaround based upon channel-rotation. The latest firmware update adds full MPE compliance, “using proper manager/member channel settings that can be instantly recalled with factory preset C”.
Overall, I found this update to not only be long-welcomed, but thankfully really impressive. It is just unreal how much better the QuNexus now works and feels to play after KMI have addressed so many of its glaring issues. They made quite a few noteworthy improvements all around and the new features are all pretty fun and useful!
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I am thinking about getting a replacement, because it has all the labelling for the sequencer and arp functionality… which is surprisingly usable I have to say!
It would have been so much easier to just get 3.5mm MIDI from one of the CV outputs, but this also seems like an ok solution. Definitely better than the MIDI expander.
And it needs to be said, that other companies would just have abandoned the thing time ago.
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Parts:
https://www.keithmcmillen.com/products/parts/
looks like you can get either the retrofit kit or the new red enclosure to upgrade your current one. Not sure how smooth replacing the enclosure would go considering they claim it can get run over by a truck and survive, lol
thank you so much for sharing that striso link. was not aware this little beauty existed 
I’ve been looking for smth like this and updated
just discovered this amazing app and wanted to share
cheapest midi controller that you already have but didnt use.
AudioSwift for macOS transforms your trackpad into a set of MIDI tools like sliders, triggers, XY pads, mixing controllers and MPE. With support for MacBooks and Magic Trackpads, the app runs in the top menu bar waiting to be called. Tap the trackpad with a four fingers tap gesture to activate and a console window appears showing the current controller mode. You can then start sending MIDI with simple touch gestures and when you finish, press the Esc key to turn AudioSwift off. It’s the perfect compact MIDI controller for the mobile or desktop producer.
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Noting that we may have finally reached a tipping point on multidimensional expression.
Polyphonic aftertouch is sort of MPE lite, but it has two specific advantages: (1) it’s extremely straightforward to “patch” to modulation destinations, and (2) for keyboard players, it doesn’t require learning an entirely new playing technique.
- Ashun Sound Machines Hydrasynth line is a proprietary keybed with poly aftertouch, and it’s probably the cheapest point of entry in a slab synth (as low as $600)
- the Waldorf Iridium, the new Waldorf Quantum Mk2, and the forthcoming UDO Super Gemini have Fatar-supplied polyphonic aftertouch keybeds, or else a third party is making parts for converting a FATAR TP/8SK keybed to support polyphonic aftertouch. I’m not sure which, but I’m pretty sure neither company is rolling their own solution. These are super-pricey flagship synths, but poly-aftertouch + FATAR is one of those finally moments.
Of course, it would be a key development if one of the big outfits (Korg, Roland, Yamaha) released a poly aftertouch product, but the eventual path to mainstream seems to be cracked open.
Full three-axis expression has been around in some specialized products, but is now in two relatively mainstream, “affordable” ones:
- The Osmose seems to be shipping and to be generally well-received
- The new Ableton Push 3 comes with a grid quite similar to the Linnstrument, with some particularly compelling applications in percussion modulation
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