MusicRadar Verdict
It's hardly feature-packed, but the Q25 is a keenly-priced and playable controller keyboard.
Pros
- +
Playable keys. Proper pitch and mod wheels. Light and slim.
Cons
- -
Not many controls. Changing settings requires multiple key presses.
MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.
At a time when many MIDI keyboard manufacturers are keen to emphasise how many controls their hardware has and how easily they automatically map to your software's parameters, the Q25 feels like a refreshing change.
In some ways, it's a throwback to the old days: there are just two assignable controls (mod wheel and a data entry slider), a 5-pin MIDI output as well as a USB one (which can also provide power), and fairly conservative styling.
This isn't to say that the Q25 is an anachronism, though - far from it. The 25 full-size keys are lighter and more playable than those you'll find on some of this keyboard's rivals, and it's a pleasure to have proper pitch and mod wheels. It's a fairly svelte piece of hardware, too.
It might not do a great deal - and multiple key presses are required to change settings - but at this price and with this level of performance, the Q25 fills a niche for those seeking a compact keyboard that they just want to play.
“A synthesizer that is both easy to use and fun to play whilst maintaining a decent degree of programming depth and flexibility”: PWM Mantis review
“I feel like that song had everything we needed to come back with”: Bring Me The Horizon’s Lee Malia on Shadow Moses, its riff and the secrets behind its tone, and why it was the right anthem at the right time
“I said, ‘Are we sure we can write a song about death?’”: The story of Mike + The Mechanics' classic No.1 The Living Years
