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Despite not being much to look at, Venom really exceeds our expectations.

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M-Audio has built up a thoroughly deserved reputation for building high-quality keyboard controllers. Whether you're a studio based musician looking to control a raft of DAW plug-ins, or a live player wanting to trigger and drive sounds from a combination of performance controls, there's something among M-Audio's product pages for you.

Click to a different part of M-Audio's website and you'll also see a raft of audio interfaces too. M-Audio made its name producing high-quality, affordable interfaces and, of course, with the success of the M-Powered relationship some provide highly desirable Pro Tools integration.

"It was important to get the synth side of Venom right and we applaud them long and loud for their efforts."

M-Audio has experimented with keyboards that also provide audio interfacing before, through products such as the KeyStudio. However when Venom, the subject of this review was unveiled at NAMM, it wasn't the combination of keyboard and audio interface that had everyone buzzing.

The excitement stemmed from the fact that this is no mere keyboard but instead provides M-Audio's first foray into true synthesizer territory. Here, then, is a keyboard controller, a USB interface, a synth with a collection of sampled onboard synth sounds, audio input, performance dials and lots more besides.

Looking around

Venom features a 49-key keyboard with a nicely weighted touch. The front panel is dominated by a printed matrix of parameter controls with four knobs and one button above to modify the relevant parameter of whichever row (of six) is currently selected.

It's a system that has been adopted by other synths and UseAudio's Plugiator immediately springs to mind.

To the right, there's a generous and bright LCD display with Mode buttons to toggle between Multi and Single sound modes, Patterns and a Store button to make changes to sounds you've made yourself permanent.

The right-hand panel concerns itself with Multi Control, with buttons to select parts within a Multi-Part arrangement (Venom is a four-part beast), as well as a multifunction button to Mute, Enable or Select parts within a Multi.

The far left-hand side provides Pitch Bend and Mod Wheels, Octave Up/Down buttons, On/Off and Tap Tempo buttons for Venom's Arpeggiator as well as five dials.

These control the Master volume, the Synth volume, gain controls for the microphone and instrument inputs (both with signal present and clip level LEDs) and a Direct Monitor control to balance input and output signals.

At the back, you'll find the physical ports to enable instrument and microphone inputs as well as Sustain and Expression pedal ports. The MIDI trio of In, Out and Thru are joined by a USB port for audio interfacing and instant DAW integration of keyboard data signals while a 9V power port completes the line up.