The MIDI Association has published a series of articles by author Mark Vail on alternative MIDI controllers.
The series offers an overview of a wide variety of electronic music controllers, including MIDI controllers and analog controllers for modular synthesis, and offers a look at many unusual and rare instruments.
The five articles are available at the MIDI.org site:
Vail, right, is the author of The Synthesizer: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding, Programming, Playing, and Recording the Ultimate Electronic Music Instrument, Vintage Synthesizers (1993, 2000) and The Hammond Organ: Beauty in the B (1997, 2002).
Contrary to the claims in the article, the WX5 is still in production and can be bought new at all the usual well stocked stores. I prefer it over the Akai since it has bite pressure in addition to wind pressure.
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/music-production/midi-controllers/wx5/
hum the akai has also a bite sensor, it uses it for vibrato.
I am aware it has a vibrato depth parameter and I have worked with it. It’s not the same as what the WX5 offers. Try it out. it’s particularly musical, which is something I appreciate in a controller and – related to this article’s topic – is rare to find.
Irony: the picture chosen for this isn’t a MIDI controller at all.
The irony is that you clearly didn’t read the blurb……..it’s not just about MIDI controllers.