Nektar Impact LX Mini: Feature-packed USB keyboard controller for the road

15 Oct 2021 by Lasse Eilers |

5,0 / 5,0 | Approximate reading time: 2 Minutes

Nektar Impact LX Mini · Source: Nektar

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Nektar has announced the Impact LX Mini USB keyboard controller. Despite its small size and 25 mini keys, the Impact LX Mini packs a full DAW integration and many features for controlling your software synths and MIDI instruments.

Nektar Impact LX Mini

Shortly after announcing the Impact GX Mini, Nektar is now expanding the LX series with a 2-octave variant of its own. Like the GX Mini, the new Impact LX Mini features 25 mini keys and fits easily into your luggage. But it’s a member of the LX family, so it offers far more bells and whistles than the bare-bones GX Mini.

Nektar Impact LX Mini

The keyboard is velocity-sensitive and offers a choice of four velocity curves. To the left, you’ll find buttons for switching octaves and transposing the keyboard, as well as a joystick for pitch bend and modulation. The Impact LX Mini has also inherited the very useful Part 2 feature from the GX Mini. This allows you to temporarily transpose the keyboard, switch to another MIDI channel, or layer a second sound on top at the push of a button. Once you release the button, the keyboard returns to its original state. That’s a very cool performance feature that greatly enhances what you can do with two octaves.

Eight velocity-sensitive, illuminated drum pads and eight assignable knobs help to control your DAW and software synths. Thanks to Nektar’s integration protocol for many popular DAWs, you can skip the tedious process of assigning the controls in many cases. On the left side, the Impact LX Mini has a USB port that also supplies power, as well as an assignable foot switch jack.

Connectors on the side

Two arpeggiators

With not one, but two arpeggiators and note repeat engines – one for the keys and one for the pads –, Nektar has integrated another cool performance feature. After activating the arpeggiator, the knobs provide instant access to parameters like rate, swing, accent level, interval, tempo, arpeggio mode and octaves.

As a compact keyboard controller with pads and knobs, the Nektar Impact LX Mini goes head to head with competitors like the AKAI MPK Mini Mk3, the Novation Launchkey Mini Mk3, the M-Audio Oxygen 25 MKV and the older Arturia MiniLab MkII. If you’re looking for a travel-friendly keyboard with extensive controller features, there’s now another interesting option in this segment.