It’s 41 inches/104 centimeters long, so you may need a USB cable extender for when you’re not going wireless. Although the connector is standard, the size is thin, and most commercial cables won’t fit-don’t lose the one that comes with the Xkey. Incidentally, all Xkeys ship with a USB cable that terminates in a micro-B USB connector for plugging into the Xkey’s USB port. This isn’t surprising, given the emphasis on portability. Fortunately you can always use the keyboard via USB.Īlso note that there’s no port for the breakout cable included with the standard Xkey 37 that allows for MIDI out, a sustain switch, and pedal. I always consider this a negative because at some point, the battery will lose its ability to hold a charge. However, dig deeper and you’ll see the on-off switch for Bluetooth, some LEDs to indicate status, and note there’s an internal battery that gets recharged via USB-but as far as I can tell, there’s no way to replace it. the Korg Nanocontrol 2 on Harmony Central. For details on the original, see my review of the CME Xkey 25 vs. Just Like the Xkey, But… There are no significant differences to the Air versions’ outward appearance or capabilities, and the feel of the low-travel keyboard is the same. Cost is around $49, so you may need to factor that into the sticker price (and don't lose it - it really is tiny). I tested Xkey Air with several devices (Mac, iOS, and Windows) and all of them needed the WIDI BUD. However, it is available only on the most modern hardware fortunately for everything else-whether Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, or Linux-CME recommends the WIDI BUD dongle, a small, low-latency, BLE-to-USB MIDI Bridge.
WIDI BUD BLUETOOTH
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE, which is also what the PUC+ uses) is faster and more efficient than standard Bluetooth.
![widi bud widi bud](https://ticticelectro.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/bluetoothdinmidi.jpg)
The 25-key Xkey Air - note the Bluetooth sticker on the C keyĪ Better Bluetooth. Also note they can still work as wired USB devices. However then the Xkey Air Bluetooth keyboards (25 or 37 key versions for $199 and $299 respectively) appeared, and seemed like the right solution at the right time. I could definitely see the merits of his approach, and was considering adding one of the Zivix PUC Wi-Fi or Bluetooth adapters ($79 and $99 respectively) so I could convert the Xkey into wireless operation. They’re both USB devices, but recently I visited a friend who got tired of cables, and converted as much as he could to wi-fi and Bluetooth. On the road, the 25-key version gives the velocity and aftertouch response I want, is light, and can survive portability (I'm sure the brushed aluminum foundation helps with that).
![widi bud widi bud](https://www.cme-pro.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/WIDI.BUD_.Pro_.05-1024x633.png)
Of course, I have “real” keyboards but I often need to test out presets that I’m developing, and having the 37-key model set up in front of my QWERTY keyboard makes for a much more efficient preset creation process. This isn’t my first dance with Xkey keyboards I’ve been using the standard 37-note model in my studio, and the 25-key version for travel when I have enough space to bring something bigger than a Korg nanocontrol 2. Now MIDI data can float through the air from your keyboard CME Xkey Air Bluetooth Keyboard Controllers