Akai's new wind controller - EWI USB

[Cheez]

Akai announced their new wind controller - the EWI USB. The main differences from their flagship EWI4000 is:

• It uses USB (and not direct midi and hence no wireless midi)
• It has no built-in sound but has Garritan's ARIA player with samples - need to hook to PC/notebook
• It has range of 5 octaves instead of 7
• It's price.....299USD (instead of about 1000USD for the EWI4000)!

Definitely something to look into!

 

[iansoh]

looks remarkably like this one

http://www.turbogadgets.com/2007/03/07/ion-ewi-more-music-via-the-usb/

and the article was dated 2007. i think akai simply bought the instrument design from them. explains the big disparity in price and range (5 octaves) because ION would have constructed it differently than if akai were to build their own ewi usb. likely using cheaper materials and parts too, hence lower price

 

[Cheez]

Actually, the EWI4000 and the Akai EWI series has been around for ages. The ION seems to be a rip off from the Akai design. The Akai EWI USB is exactly the same as their EWI series except it became USB. It's not difficult to convert the EWI from midi into usb. But you're right - ION may have used cheaper materials and Akai may have adopted that to cut cost.

So, it's a chicken and egg thing - who copies who?

But one good thing - EWI now as the EVI fingering programmed into it. Which means brass players doesn't have to re-learn fingerings. But then, few brass players will want to play a wind instrument because of embouchure.

 

[potion]

Saw several clips of the ewi4000 on youtube, and it looks really cool. Very keen to try it. The usb version is quite affordable.

Do we have an Akai distributor in SG, or shall I ship in from US?

 

[potion]

Demos on youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ewi+usb&search_type=&aq=f

Does anyone know if this is available in SG?