Novation Impulse 25

PRO's: Construction and feeling are good as expected by Novation. There is no equivalent products at the same price.
CON's: installation and sw compliance (I have Windows 10 and Cubase 11).
The sw installation is quite messy:
1) the start guide makes you land on a page where you can download the driver and a support software: "Automap";
2) If you follow the built-in instructions you will not succeed in properly setting up the midi in your Cubase: the Impulse will not work in "DAW" mode but only as a generic midi controller;
3) Then I discovered among Novation's support pages that, in this order:
i) you have to setup Cubase differently from the starting guide to make it recognise Automap (despite of Automap being unable to configure Cubase because is supports till Cubase 9.5 only. Cubase 10 if you find the unofficial beta version);
ii) BUT...you can get rid of Automap with the latest firmware update (you can perform it via Sysex)...and it works but...
iii) if you use it without Automap the product works only partially because the 8 rotary encoders (knobs) cannot be used as volume controller but only as pan+send for the first 8 tracks;
iiii) I went back back to i) configuration (with Automap correctly set in Cubase 11) and corrected the installation guide with pen to avoid struggling once again at next computer change.

Novation Impulse 25, a true virtuoso in the realm of MIDI controllers! Let me paint you a picture of this powerhouse instrument that's captured the hearts of musicians worldwide.

Imagine a compact yet mighty keyboard, packed with features that ignite your creativity like fireworks on the Fourth of July. The Impulse 25 is like a musical Swiss Army knife, offering not just keys, but pads, faders, and knobs that put total control at your fingertips.

Firstly, let's talk about its playability. The semi-weighted keys feel like butter under your fingers, offering a level of expressiveness that breathes life into your performances. Whether you're tickling the ivories or slamming out power chords, the Impulse 25 responds with precision and finesse.

But wait, there's more! This controller isn't just about keys—it's a full-fledged production powerhouse. The pads are like a drum machine and sampler rolled into one, giving you the tools to lay down beats and trigger samples with the touch of a finger. And the faders and knobs? They're like having a virtual mixing desk at your disposal, allowing you to tweak and sculpt your sound to perfection.

And let's not forget about integration. The Impulse 25 plays nice with all your favorite software, from Ableton Live to Logic Pro X, ensuring a seamless workflow that lets you focus on making music, not fighting with technology. It's like having a backstage pass to the hottest studio in town, with all the tools you need to make your musical dreams a reality.

But perhaps the best part? Affordability. You'd expect a controller with this level of performance to break the bank, but the Impulse 25 is surprisingly budget-friendly. It's like getting a sports car for the price of a bicycle—a steal of a deal if you ask me.

So, whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out on your musical journey, the Novation Impulse 25 is the perfect partner to help you unleash your creativity and take your music to new heights.

Let's talk about the design. The Impulse 25 is sleeker than a catwalk model at a fashion show. It's got curves in all the right places and a glossy finish that screams, "Look at me, I'm the Beyoncé of MIDI controllers!" I mean, who wouldn't want to be seen with this beauty on stage or in the studio?

Now, onto playability. The semi-weighted keys feel like you're playing on clouds made of marshmallows. They're so responsive, it's like the Impulse 25 can read your mind and translate your musical thoughts into notes effortlessly. Whether you're tickling the ivories or banging out power chords, this controller is like having a virtuoso pianist living inside your computer.

But wait, there's more! The pads on the Impulse 25 are like having your own personal drum kit at your disposal. They're so sensitive, you could probably play a symphony on them with just a gentle tap. And the faders and knobs? They're like having a team of sound engineers at your beck and call, ready to fine-tune your mix to perfection.

And let's talk about integration. The Impulse 25 plays so nicely with all your favorite software, it's like a match made in musical heaven. Whether you're a die-hard Ableton Live fan or a Logic Pro X aficionado, this controller will have you feeling like a kid in a candy store, with endless possibilities at your fingertips.

But perhaps the best part? The price. You'd expect a controller of this caliber to cost as much as a small car, but the Impulse 25 is surprisingly affordable. It's like getting a Grammy-winning producer as your personal mentor for the price of a cup of coffee—a steal of a deal if you ask me.

So, whether you're a seasoned pro looking to level up your studio game or a beginner itching to dive into the world of music production, the Novation Impulse 25 is the perfect sidekick to help you unleash your creativity and make some serious musical magic.

I had very specific requirements: Operability with Ableton Live, full size keys with some weight, aftertouch, bus powered (USB) small/portable keyboard so I can leave this lying around the house away from my workstation and simply plug into my laptop to be instantly running when needed. Novation and Live is pretty much guaranteed to work so it was kind of a no brain, plug and go choice. Even though there are lots of cool new toys on the block, I went for something that has been around for a while. I'm not really into customing all the controls, so I plugged it in, that was it, it just works. The control of Live is not written down anywhere (that I could find) so had to watch a video (It's Shift + Octave to change Live track ;) ). It is a lot bigger and heavier than I expected so the 2nd idea of having something to throw in my travel-on luggage is not going to work. I'd recommend to consider the 49 with the extra faders. The 25 is small/portable as in something you'll leave lying around the house / take to a jam, but not really portable as in something you'd travel with a lot. It's a fantastic, well made product, keys and pads feel great, the whole thing is solid and built better than I imagined given the price.

i bought this keyboard mostly to play basslines and use the integrated arpeggiator with rack synths,wich is a pretty rare feature. The semi-weighted keys feel great for plastic ones and the aftertouch works quite well, the drum pads are thick and responsive and as an mpc user i can say they dont feel so bad.
The knobs aren't great but they are infinite rotation and work fine,
all the buttons are thick rubber and the mod/pitch wheels are also covered in this sort of textured plastic/rubber, the pitch is a bit slow on the return but i actually like that.
Overall a great buy, honestly my only regret is not buying the 49 keys version. 4/5*

I'm using this controller with Ableton Live9 on a Windows 7 machine.

The installation was smooth, and the integration with the software amazing. I haven't had the time to read the instruction manual yet, as I'm having too much fun playing with this gem.

The layout of the controls is extremely comfortable, knobs are exactly where they're supposed to be! All the controls, knobs, pads, control buttons, wheels, slider, and last but not least, the keyboard, are very robust and highly responsive.

The device is powered via USB, which is quite handy, but may also be a limitation if you wanted to use the controller stand-alone, e.g. connecting it via MIDI to a synth (and without having to turn on your PC).

The Impulse 25 feels quite like a piano. Its keys are responsive and seem to have something like aftertouch, which at this price point is rare.

It's perfect for Ableton Live. It maps pretty seamlessly with Automap, and the drum pads are essential to break out of routines. If you want the best of both worlds -- both to have a responsive, realistic playing surface, with the convenience of a 25 key instrument which is small enough to compose on the kitchen table or on your bed, than this is the thing.

Novation stuff is very high quality. I play an old Korg M50, and sometimes a full-size keybed by M-Audio, but I find myself returning to the Novation stuff over and over again. It just works.

In sum, while there is bigger and more powerful, for the price this is a steal. Of course it'll work with other DAWs too, and of course it's only a controller, but hook it up with Kontakt or Ableton or Steinberg and you're good to go.

In sum if like me, you don't want to waste time mapping MIDI channels, and all that stuff, and get on with composing, remixing, and sound design, there is a whole lot worse.

And as a pianist most of my life, I can say that this reminds me of my grandma's piano. Just smaller, and capable of stuff my grandma would love.

This is a pretty decent keyboard with a lot of features. First of all its quite big. The keys are well done though you have to apply a lot of pressure to work the aftertouch. The pads are fairly hard but thats ok. The compatibilty with Reaper is not good although you can program the transport keys on your own. My problem with this board was that the rotaries where a bit sticky. Not really nice to twist. One of them got stuck every couple of twists so you had to increase your force. Sent it back to Thomann. Since they could not reproduce my problem I got my money refund and gonna try the AKAI MPK