BassDaddy
I went to M-Audio and the screen does look smaller. I don't look at the screen much anyway. Being able to use a full 24" monitor is part of the appeal for me. There must be a video on YouTube so you can see the screen in action.

Yep, I found some demo videos on the Sweetwater site here:  https://www.sweetwater.co...dvance49#video-gallery
 
Looks like the Akai Advance screen would let you just go into "hardware" mode and work with your virtual instruments without needing to use your DAW's monitor and the VIP GUI.
 
I guess now I am wondering if you can do all of these same things from the VIP GUI on your DAW monitor, just without the detailed feedback on the keyboard itself?
 
I guess I have always preferred editing on a large screen, rather than the LCD on a keyboard, even back in my Roland rompler days.  Back then I upgraded to MIDI Quest to do my patch editing on the PC monitor!
 
It looks like the Code 49 is $200 less than the Advance 49 ($299 vs $499), so if it functions the same in VIP, but without the detailed onboard LED, it might be the bang for the buck!

The screen sure wouldn't be worth $200 to me. I would trade that for $200 anyday. There are a few AIR instruments that come with it too I see. 

OK thanks.  The Advance looks killer, but I like that the the Code 49 has the sliders and the x-y pad.  It also comes in black, in addition to the white case.
 
I already have the full bundle of AIR instruments, so it would be nice to have a universal patch browser for all them, not to mention my other 10,999+ patches (and my 80+ virtual instruments)!

This is all very interesting... I have one main question...
 
Could this potentially make keyswitching simpler? Like having some preset visual cues for where the keyswtiches are? Maybe somehow make the pads do the keyswitches and then even better, have the names of the keyswitches on the little screen so you know which one is going to do what (without memorizing)?

polarbear
This is all very interesting... I have one main question...
 
Could this potentially make keyswitching simpler? Like having some preset visual cues for where the keyswtiches are? Maybe somehow make the pads do the keyswitches and then even better, have the names of the keyswitches on the little screen so you know which one is going to do what (without memorizing)?

That would be a killer feature, but I don't know if it would exist on this series of keyboards.
 
I have seen some comments from users of Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S-Series that they do have handy visual guides with their Light Guide system for keyswitches, for example when using Komplete instruments, or NKS compatible instruments, but not ordinary VSTi's.
 
KOMPLETE KONTROL: Light Guide | Native Instruments
http://youtu.be/7H59x8lHXxs

Yeah I've been interested in the Kontrol sereis keyboards for that very reason but even on those it doesn't seem to do it as clearly as I'd like... It's like yeah the switches may be lit up a different color but I still don't know which is which without hovering my mouse in Kontakt or reading and memorizing the specific library's manual. Hell what I'd REALLY like is an ipad app (i don't have an ipad but I'd get one haha) where I can just have big clear buttons for each key switch and sit it next to my regular midi keyboard. oh life would be so much better haha

Yep, I agree on that memorizing the keyswitches thing can be a bit of a pain.  And it can change from one instrument to the next.  If you could customize them so that they were all consistent, maybe you could put some tape above the keys with little sharpie pen icons, lol!  That could help until muscle memory kicked in...

abacab
Yep, I agree on that memorizing the keyswitches thing can be a bit of a pain.  And it can change from one instrument to the next.  If you could customize them so that they were all consistent, maybe you could put some tape above the keys with little sharpie pen icons, lol!  That could help until muscle memory kicked in...

haha right! trust me it's tempting...

Fleer

Zargg
I had this in my M-Audio account, without knowing it 
Nais 
Downloading it now. 1.7 GB..

Where did you find it in your account, Z?

I just logged in to my M-Audio account, and I had gotten it for an Oxygen 49 mkII or III I bought and sold last year.
I found it in http://www.m-audio.com/account/products
All the best.
Edited: Must have been a mkIV to have been eligible..

Fleer
Hey, I've got an Axiom AIR Mini 32 lying around. Thanks, Ham N Egz!

 

Glad to help and spread the joy!