The QuNexus Smart Sensor Keyboard Controller Offers MIDI, Control Voltage, OSC + USB. And Polyphonic Aftertouch.

Keith McMillen Instruments has announced a QuNexus – a new multi-platform controller that is pressure, location and velocity sensitive.

QuNexus is the first keyboard controller to unite four generations of synth control: MIDI, Control Voltage, OSC and USB.

Features:

  • 25 Smart Sensor Keys detect Pressure, Location, and Velocity
  • Polyphonic Aftertouch
  • 7 Octave range
  • Pitch Bend Pad
  • 2 CV/Gate Inputs
  • Gate and 3 CV Outputs (16-bit)
  • Blue and White LED Illumination with 16 levels of brightness
  • Portable: 14 oz, 3.5″ x 10″ x .5 “
  • Plug and Play: USB powered, no drivers needed
  • MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux

KMI is funding the new QuNexus as a KickStarter project – with backing starting at $150 for a first edition QuNexus. They previously developed the QuNeo controller using the same model.

Check this out and let us know what you think of the new QuNexus!

via Peter Kirn, who shared a QA with Keith McMillen today at CDM about the new keyboard.

36 thoughts on “The QuNexus Smart Sensor Keyboard Controller Offers MIDI, Control Voltage, OSC + USB. And Polyphonic Aftertouch.”

    1. I know GOD they really screwed us over by waiting to release QuNeo so that it was ACTUALLY built well. I was really hoping to get one of those half ass working QuNeos, so I could complain more. I love to complain I hate small companies and corporations. I dont support mom and pop shops or independent business but when I do I sure like to complain about how they didn’t do something because they aren’t corporate enough.

  2. There are a lot of things to love about this, but I would like 3 octaves so it is actually useable as a keyboard. But you had me a Poly Aftertouch so I’ll get one anyway.

    1. Before they can build a three octave one that probably will cost 2-3 times as much, they probably need to see if there’s enough interest to justify building this at all.

      I’m guessing this will be funded once Synthtopia readers have a chance to think this through. Where else are you going to get a CV keyboard that has expression for a price anywhere close to this?

    2. Everyone’s going to do poly aftertouch in the next 24 months. The only reason it wasn’t widely available until now is that there was patent granted to Ensoniq in 1992 or so, which is now expiring. It’s somewhat more expensive to do, of course, but not that much more.

      1. Now here’s a REAL advance in controllerism. Best news I’ve heard in ages. I hope they’ll include release velocity proper. Unless you’ve had a chance to use poly pressure on strings and brass, you won’t really understand, but I think you’ll see it trumpeted as a feature and rightly so. It puts a lot of expressive power back in your hands. Multiply that times the ways it can affect a complex synth sound and let the madness begin.

  4. I’m sure it will be fun to play with but as an ivory tinkler, I was just coming round to the idea of using a tablet for this kind of thing.

  5. 150 bucks for a laptop sized board with poly after, volume, pressure an position! Step sequencer looks useful, and who doesn’t like lights and buttons!

    Support this company, they are as ad as a bag of cats. We need more of that before korg, Roland or Yamaha release another romper workstation….

    1. You likely need to use one of their MIDI Expanders for the MIDI In/Out. Every other product of theirs works like that. It’s not just CV and USB. Thanks.

  8. If Keith or anyone else at KMI reads the comments – what can you tell us about routing information between the different input and outputs?

    For example – what can one do with the CV inputs?

    What can you route to the CV outputs?

    What other routing can you do? Ideally, it would be anything to anything – but that might be a pipe dream!

    1. I own a soft step, and my guess is that you can route anything based on the programmability of the soft step, which is amazingly flexible, and any osc midi parameter can be accessed. The company seems to have a thing for flexibility.

  9. Why is that cool, cheap, controllers are always so FUGLY. Korg Nano series? FUGLY. Launchpad? FUGLY. That new Livid thing? FUGLY. Quneo? Only it’s mother could want to look at it. It really would only take a tiny amount of effort to make these controllers look good. Akai seem to manage it, novation usually get it right. M audio have it sussed. All the features of this controller look amazing, I just want to go out on stage with something that doesn’t look bargain basement.

    1. who cares what it looks like? in any case, the days of quality construction (mid 90s-mid 00s) are behind us. this is the period of chinese plastic.

      1. actually not just mid 90s on…..basically 70s onwards. but i was thinking more along the lines of midi equipment and performance equipment (rugged dj mixers etc)

      2. Of course aethetics are important to me! It’s because it’s been important to every artist I’ve ever admired. Would Bjork be as engaging if she wore a hoodie and jeans and played her music on a spongebob squarepants ukelele? What if Jimi Hendriks had worn a suit and had a side-parting choosing to play an archtop? Part of the joy of music making is being able to choose between laser harp and a cello. Being able to choose between a grand piano or a sprawling modular. Being able to choose between a gameboy and LSDJ and a banjo. AND being able to make these choices because you like the look and feel of these instruments not just the sound.

        1. Apparently you didn’t choose “a sprawling modular”, or else you would be ALL EXCITED about this keyboard. I can even give you a hint as to why: if its step sequencer transmits CV/gate too, this one alone justifies purchasing. (Eurorack step sequencer module costs $200 for example!)

          Or let’s look at competing products (MIDI/CV converters or keyboards with CV/gate). For more price you can get a little metal box that will do the ting, but this doesn’t include a keyboard. From the top of my head, there are only two recent keyboards with CV, one is four times the price (okay it has more octaves, but FOUR times), and another is also a synth which at that point no one but the luckiest few managed to order anywhere. 😉

      1. Fugly, huh? How pretty is it supposed to be? Form DOES follow function. Its too small for my particular hands, but the CV aspects are pretty appealing, since modulars abound lately. Smart move. Besides, if it was shaped like a blown-glass Aeolian harp, human hands couldn’t play it. As oddball as it is, even the Eigenharp follows the flow. Don’t let the esthetics throw you if a tool answers a need. Let’s just see how the build behaves after a few months in the field. I think a CV option causes this to make the grade.

  11. i think i would rather have this than my quneo. the only features on the quneo i have found use for are the big pads, and this keyboard seems to fill that need quite well…..

  13. Would the increased $50 shipping outside USA include (uk) import/vat duties ? expensive postage for a small light box otherwise .

  14. So I imagine that there’s not really a step sequencer on board, rather, through OSC, the pads can be programmed to perform step-sequencer functions in, e.g., Live.

    It would be cool if there was really a step sequencer in it so that I could plug it into my 808 voice clone, laptop-free.

  17. I was just looking for yet an other stupid Oxygen-8 derived keyboard to take to cafes when i stubled upon this. Looks like I will use my make shift solution for a while longer and save up for this instead,

    My only request is to echo the 3-octave thing and also request longer key since finger location is a feature. Longer keys will allow this to be used as a Mixer/Fader controller too!!

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