Gearank

Gearank Recommendation

The Maschine Jam appeared on our recommended list for MIDI Pad Controllers from April 2019 through July 2020.

Overview

While being around the same price point as the NI Maschine Mikro MK3, the Maschine Jam is not an "upgrade".

For example, the Maschine Jam's pads are not velocity sensitive.

Rather, It offers a different workflow and feature set that caters to performance, live looping and on-the-fly improvisation.

For people who have never had experience with the Maschine lineup, there can be some confusion as to which device fits best to their needs. Upon research, users who favor the Maschine Jam say they prefer the controls for their live performances.

The Maschine Jam is a great piece of kit that makes you want to use it like an instrument rather than a controller.

This is a desirable quality in products of this sort as finding the right balance of intuitiveness and features usually sways in one direction or the other resulting in either something simplistic and uninspiring or complex and frustrating. The Maschine Jam manages to find that right balance between the two.

If you can live without velocity sensitive pads, the Maschine Jam may be the right choice for your needs.

Specifications

• Pads: 64 Multicolor Pads
• Buttons: 5 x Pad Settings, 3 x Function Buttons, 8 x Solo/ Mute / Transport buttons, 16 x Selection buttons
• Knobs: 1 x Universal Encoder Knob
• Other Controls: 8 x Dual Touch Smart Strip
• Standalone Mode: No
• Power: USB-powered
• Connectivity: USB Slot, Kensington Lock Slot
• Compatibility: Mac with Mac OS X 10.5, Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 or 10
• Software Bundle: NI Massive, Monark, Reaktor Prism, MASCHINE Essentials
• Dimensions: 12.6" x 11.6" x 1.2"
• Weight: 5.9 lbs