M-Audio Ozone USB Audio / MIDI Workstation

Other products by M-Audio

Product Features

• Built-in 2 x 2 24-bit/96kHz audio interface
• Inputs for mic, instrument and stereo aux
• Stereo and headphone outs, zero-latency monitoring
• 25 full-sized keys w/ 8 MIDI-assignable knobs
• Only 4lbs--fits in Studio Pack, Oxygen Tank or 19 rack

Product Details

Product Manual [1.18mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 6.1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 6 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000A2XT9
• Item model number: 9900-40809-00
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,785 in Musical Instruments (See Bestsellers in Musical Instruments)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The M-Audio Ozone combines a MIDI controller and audio interface with microphone and instrument preamps. This will turn your computer into a virtual music production studio. You can use the product in conjunction with a USB-equipped PC or Macintosh computer (with appropriate music software) to enter a full range of MIDI note and controller information, as well as record and play back your voice, guitar, or external sound modules. You can use the built-in audio outputs to monitor playback of loops, soft synth tracks, and recorded audio. Other features include: twenty-five keys, eight assignable MIDI controller knobs, zero-latency direct monitoring and stereo output on quarter inch TS jacks. The unit will fit into a nineteen inch rack.

What's in the Box
Mobile workstation, one standard USB cable, PC and Mac driver disk, power adaptor, owner's manual and ninety day warranty.

Product Description

Your laptop changed the way you live--and now new mobile tools can change the way you make music. That's why we designed the revolutionary new M-Audio Ozone--the world's first audio interface keyboard. It's an all-in-one USB audio interface and USB MIDI interface, mic preamp, MIDI control surface and keyboard that's no bigger than a laptop. Combined with your computer and software like Reason and Live, M-Audio Ozone delivers a complete personal mobile studio from input to output. Fits in a 19 rack or the optional Studio Pack or Oxygen Tank.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great concept, some bobbles in execution, February 4, 2006

By	Michael D. Sweeney (Berkeley, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For those times that you don't want the 88-key weighted, the rack of modules and the Mackie mixer, but just want to run a couple bass lines into Reason, it's great to have a little USB keyboard. M-Audio has upped the ante with a nest of programmable control knobs, a strong headphone amp, and a built-in sound card (2x44.1 kHtz in), with even a phantom-powered XLR for a (single) mic.

This is one of those tools that makes us old guys say "In my day...." Technically, I can go into the theater now with just this and the laptop, and be able to record, overdub, sequence, and play back the stuff I'm working on.

Installation was a breeze, EWQLSO recognized it easily, as did Reason, and everything hooked up quickly and intuitively.

But there are a few odd bobbles that make me want to save up for Version 2.0 First off, it's not USB powered. Better add the wall-wart and an extension cord to your gig bag (so much for composing on that flight from LA...!) USB limitations also mean although you can get the (single..!) mic input to 96 kHtz, you can't sample stereo at that rate. The touted "zero latency" simple means there's a switch for direct monitoring of the aux audio inputs. And the forest of control knobs do not remember settings after a power-down; there is no way to create a user patch of control knob assignments.

Lastly (and I do not want to be too harsh on this useful and practical keyboard), the touch is...bizarre. You know how light and plasticy Yamaha keyboards feel? This is plasticy but heavy, as heavy as a grand piano (but of course with none of the bounce). It is physically tiring to play! It is also a deep, yet soft keyboard. Forget sequencing a lilting penny-whistle on this thing -- it's more like pushing a melody through thick mud. Also, despite the copious mention of aftertouch, this is not an aftertouch keyboard. You'll have to assign that CC to one of the controllers.

In short, this is still a great gig-bag tool, and since it takes up so little desk space I'll never have to cross the room just to try that little melody that's running through my head. But it is not going to make me give up on having a real controller, with more than two octaves -- and a decent feel.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars You'll outgrow it quickly., May 19, 2006

By	Jay Rogers (Buda, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Playing this keyboard makes my fingers tired: the keys are really heavy. It's USB 1.0, and I get occasional latency glitches on a pretty fast PC. Also, occasional driver glitches - keys will "stick" every once in a while and continue sending. It doesn't *really* do 96khz - you have to turn off 1 pair of the ins or outs to get it to 96, and what good is that? I sure wish program select was a dial or button pair: as it is, all midi commands are enabled by a function button which turns the ivories into midi command buttons.

All that said, I use it constantly. Headphones, laptop, ozone and I'm ready to rock.

4.0 out of 5 stars Swiss Army Knife of audio input., November 17, 2008

By	M. Black - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this because of all the different inputs and output and that I could use it with Garageband for simple midi input. It is very much a Swiss Army Knife of computer audio. I've been impressed with M-Audio through this product. I would give this more stars if it had one more octave of keys - that would improve it a great deal.

It feels a tad "plastic-y" and sort of "cheap", but has held up for me very well over the past 2-3 years that I've had it. Keys are spring loaded and feel very much like they are spring loaded. It *IS* velocity sensitive . . . and there is no fine-tuning of this sensitivity. Personally, I have to hit the keys very hard in order to output at a good level.

If you are looking for an inexpensive keyboard *ONLY*, don't buy this unit because with only 2 octaves of keys, you *won't* be able too play much. OFTEN, while playing a moving melody, I would run off the keyboard either on top or on bottom and have to play parts of the line an octave up or down and then go back and select the notes and move them to the proper octave.

IF you are looking for an XLR mic input and/or (mono) instrument input and/or (stereo) 1/4-in input and/or midi controller, this is a GREAT and inexpensive unit.

The USB is only 1.0 - which doesn't matter for midi . . . but might matter if you try to push all inputs at once. I never tried that. It is rather finicky about what USB ports you connect to. Many USB hubs and this keyboard just don't play nice together. I usually always had to plug it *directly* into one of the ports right on my computer.

I __WOULD__ recommend this to anyone after explaining the limitations noted above.