Remember that feeling? Ten years ago, I was on the hunt for a straightforward MIDI controller – something with faders and a bunch of knobs I could map to Live and Reason for those laptop gigs. Back then, the landscape felt a bit barren. Now, though? We're swimming in intelligent controllers, packed with deep software integration, clip launch pads, and dynamic mapping. So, does a basic surface like the Akai MIDIMix still hold its own?
Well, before we dismiss it, let's talk price. The MIDIMix hovers around the £60 mark, and its compact, portable design makes it an undeniably tempting addition to any setup. It's not entirely generic either; for Ableton Live users, a specific remote script unlocks some dynamic control features. That's a nice touch for a budget-friendly unit.
A Closer Look at the MIDIMix
This little guy is seriously compact, measuring just 24cm across. It shares a shell with the APC Mini, and you get that familiar bank of nine recessed faders. Above them, two rows of buttons are pre-labeled for Live's Rec Arm and Mute functions, with Mutes easily switchable to a secondary bank for Solo. The bulk of the remaining real estate is dedicated to three rows of eight knobs.
Akai opted for low-profile knobs here, which is great for keeping the unit slim and protected in a bag. However, this design choice comes with a trade-off in ergonomics. The knobs are short, and their steeply angled sides can make them a bit fiddly. Add to that a rather prominent position indicator, and you often find yourself gripping the whole knob with your hand rather than a delicate finger twist. It’s a compromise, for sure.
Despite their size, there are plenty of these knobs. They aren't endless encoders, mind you; they have a physical range of 270 degrees. This means, as with all pots of this type, the physical control might not always align with the parameter it's mapped to. Live's clever scaled take-over mode helps mitigate this, and Akai suggests the 'Send All' button as a way to re-sync everything. It’s a bit of a blunt instrument, though, as it resets all your software settings. I can see its utility for live performance where you might pre-set values, but the explanation on Akai's site about transferring mixes from live to DAW felt a little… convoluted.
Diving into Live Integration
For Ableton Live users, the MIDIMix really shines thanks to its dedicated remote script. Faders, Mutes, Solos, and Rec Arm buttons behave as you'd expect, and those rows of knobs map nicely to sends. The 'Bank Left' and 'Bank Right' buttons cycle through banks of eight tracks, though it would be handy if they lit up to show your current position. It’s straightforward, but it’s worth noting that there’s no device control. I personally would have loved to see the top row of knobs controlling macros on the selected Live device. While you can remap controls, these are static assignments, not dynamic. Still, paired with a Launchpad Pro or a keyboard controller, the MIDIMix proved genuinely useful for quickly focusing tracks and setting rough levels.
Beyond Live: Other DAWs and Software
Outside of Live, and without other specific remote scripts, controlling other DAWs is largely a matter of manual mapping. I found it worked in Reason but not Pro Tools, for instance. However, it's a capable plug-in instrument controller in any DAW that supports MIDI mapping, which is most of them.
Like other Akai controllers, the MIDIMix comes with a decent software editor. You can tweak CC and channel assignments for all controls, and buttons can switch between Note and CC messages. There's no hardware banking of these assignments outside of Live, though. You can create, save, and load presets within the software editor. A small gripe: the original preset wasn't supplied, and I learned the hard way that you can't recall presets on the hardware itself after making changes.
So, What's the Verdict?
The MIDIMix is a very affordable and portable MIDI control surface. Its recessed faders and low-profile knobs are travel-friendly. Its feature set is undeniably limited, but for the price, you get a lot of hands-on control. It’s a strong contender if you're looking to add a specific function to an existing setup, especially if you're an Ableton Live user. However, if your needs are more specialized, you might find other devices, including other Akai offerings, a better fit.
