So back when I started using ableton I was tryin to figure out what type of midi controller I should start with.... My choices: The Oxygen 8, The Trigger Finger and the MPD16. Obcviously my first choice was about whether I wanted a keyboard, or a pad controller. I went with the keyboard, so the decision was easy. That was about a year ago, and I've gotten a lot out of the oxygen 8, but I'm ready for a pad controller... and I find myself lucky in that I want/am ready for one when I actually have some cash to buy one.... The question becomes which one do I buy.... Unfortunately, the choice has expanded.... My choices are now: The Trigger Finger, The MPD 16 (for $50 less), The MPD 24 (for $50 more), or the PadKontrol (Also $50 more than the trigger finger).... Now I can spend up to $200, but judging from what I've seen in terms of reviews until now, the only one I prolly won't buy is the MPD 16 because I've seen quite a few issues with it.... But I'm still open to seeing someone's opinion on this.... my criteria are pretty simple outside of the obvious that it be a pad controller.... portability is a big plus (I'm thinking that this will be the controller I play out with, plus I'd like something small enough to take in a carryon along with my laptop), sturdiness (it's not gonna break and I don't have to bolt it down), and feel (This makes me lean toward the Akai's).... Of course, I have a monthly budget for ish like this (about $150), but I have some extra this month b/c I got a nice bonus... I already ordered the 2 gig ram upgrade.... so now I'm tryin to figure out what my best next move is with the cash that I have, so if anyone thinks something like operator or sampler is a better idea than a new controller, I'd hear them out too.... although you'd have to make a pretty good argument.... I know that the best way to figure out what you want is to go test everything out, BUT to do that I'm lookin at about 3 hours of traveling to get to the nearest music store that actually carries everything I would be comparing, so I'm kinda dependent on the net reviews....

Peace