Nektar Panorama P1 Control Surface Reviews

I'll add my voice to the chorus of users who find the P1 to be a fabulous tool. The integration of this control surface with Reaper is stunning. It's as though Nektar and Reaper were one company developing a single product. The P1 has sped up my work flow. Couldn't be happier with the P1.

After installing the proper driver/template (easy to do), the P1 worked seemlessly with Reaper. Reaper integration is deep, as advertised. I love the super clear TFTdisplay. The components are plasticy, but at this price I don't care. The unit feels solid and well-built nonetheless. And since it can access up to 64 tracks, there's no need for a giant, room-filling mixer.

If you have Reaper, I highly recommend the P1.

I purchased this controller about 6 months ago, and later added their iX61 keyboard.(nice) I went this route , separate keyboard and separate controller, as it is more in line with my workflow ... which is more post production. And as of Sept/2015 .... this setup is a godsend with their release of 'full' Logic Pro X integration.. No one has done a tighter/deeper integration with Logic than these lads. And it is all natively tied together. No VST wrapper. No AutoMap! No middleware. It is VERY tight. - It's stupid simple to use. Well designed. Looks great on my work table. Layout is very intuitive.

I must also give Nektar high praise for it's excellent and personal support. Funny, smart, dedicated. A top notch team.

If I was allowed one complaint ..... it's the glossy black finish. We all know why glossy black should never be on something you need to touch all the time. --- And .... No ... 'flesh tone' is not the answer.

Buy 1 ... and make some music ..... without the same droning 4/4 drum beat ... please. Thank you.

Their support is stellar! They are very responsive, the owner of the company contacted me personally to answer my questions. Works AMAZING with Cubase 8 Pro and almost every one of my VSTi plugins, the ones it didn't support out of the box were fairly simple to create a profile for. I love it.

I had read great reviews of the P1 and Panorama series, and decided to give the P1 a try to move beyond more basic fader/pad controllers I've used in the past. Without a doubt this is one of the best, if not the best programmable desktop fader, transport, knob controllers. My first P1 had a defective LCD that failed in the first week, but Sweetwater support replaced it quickly and was great to work with. Nektar support has also been excellent (thanks to both companies for the great service!). Second unit is working perfectly. The ability to program Internal mode to QWERTY commands (or CC, note, etc) is a huge plus for this unit. It is deep in capabilities and works very well with Cubase/Nuendo. Faders and knobs are smooth. The unit is well designed and build. The fader caps are a bit loose compared to Akai faders, but that is rather trivial by comparison. The LCD is clear and programming really is easy - it just takes a few minutes to learn the layout and screen options. All in all this is an excellent controller.

This is a really solid midi controller, and the best integrated one with Cubase. Its very easy and intuitive to use in practice, and the experience feels close to actually using hardware.

MIDI controllers are typically either the type where you map controls manually, or those that include some sort of automatic mapping feature. In my experience, the software used with the controllers that map parameters automatically usually gets in the way. But this is not the case with the Panorama controlling Cubase, and the user experience is very smooth.

It also has the ability to manually map parameters in the internal mode, which is more like the type found in simpler controllers. This also works with applications that do not have any internal auto mapping.

It obviously makes more sense to buy this if you use one of the integrated daws, which now includes bitwig and logic, besides cubase and reason. I recently tried the bitwig integration and its pretty good (the step sequencer is my favourite feature), though the integration is not yet as extensive as the one for cubase.

I have Reason 7.1.1 plus a decent selection of rack extensions (most by Propellerheads) and this controller handles all of them seamlessly! Since I already had an 88 key keyboard, I opted for this one, but the P4 (49 key) and P6 ((61 key) controllers all this one does, plus a keyboard and pad control area. I'd say if you use Reason (especially) this is what you want. It is also suppose to support Logic, Cubase and the new Bitwig Studio but I cannot verify the level of control those others have. I can for Reason though, and you simply forget to even look at your computer screen while you are tweaking synth parameters or whatever. It is that good.

The Panorama P1 is simply brilliant in my opinion! It does everything you could ask in one control surface. No more messing around with the mouse or keyboard. The P1 can handle it all! Transport controls, Virtual instrument parameters, Insert plugins, and any other midi parameter you can throw at it. The Macro Editor is incredible! Key commands can be matched and programmed accordingly to your D.A.W. of choice.(Real Cool). And if you're wondering? Yes, it does work flawlessly with Logic Pro. I use Logic Pro 9 and I had no problems setting the P1 up in a few minutes after registering it. I'm loving everything about the P1. From its sturdy build and professional looks, to it's seemless integration and streamlined workflow enhancement. It makes music production so much more hands on, and fun! I can't wait to see if it works with Presonus Studio One 2 like they say it does. Overall, the Neckar P1 is a great controler and I would definitely recommend it without a doubt! Great job Nektar!

Well I have had an interesting couple of weeks with my new Nektar device. In general I am very pleased with it. It has required a lot of reading, watching YouTube videos, and experimentation. But I believe I have the basic functions mastered and am working on the more esoteric programming functions necessary for it to become a truly useful part of my studio setup. The primary function of being able to control in real time CC messages such as expression, volume, and other MIDI parameters for my instrument plugins is quite wonderful. The Spitfire team is very big on being able to do this to get a realistic orchestral sound, and now I can do it. In addition I find it works well for electric guitar plugins as well.

Really the only thing I can say negative about this is the lack of documentation. There could be a whole course explaining this item. I was able to control Reason fairly consistently. But I needed videos and books on how to use it and how it is setup with Reason.

I like the controls. Very light weight. Sturdy. The LCD is very good.

I use this thing as a novice. A pro would be able to edit and store info and effects just with the interface.

Excellent integration with Reason 8. Smaller form factor works on my rig or at my production station.

Now to get it to work the Behringer XR-18!

Solid construction, smooth fader action, very responsive and clean layout.

The P1 is really nice. A couple of issues. 1. There are virtually no instructions for this thing. 2. It works best if you use the builtin USB ports on your computer rather than one on a powered hub. At least that has been the case with a Mac.

Without instructions, I have watched a couple of online demos. I can adjust things in Reason 8 pretty well with the P1. I use the transport controls all the time and switching and tweaking patches in Reason. I just wish there were more instructions. I looked to Nectar and found some instructions but they are pretty thin. That is the only thing I don't like about it.

This is a nice little controller.

Once I pulled it out of the box I realized the build quality was really good. Most controllers have a very cheap feel. This is nice and solid and feels like it could take a bit of a beating.

I am using this as a VST controller and an interface to Cubase. The integration with Cubase seems pretty tight. They have gone through the mixer/transport controls with pretty good detail.

The screen is a great feature. I was able to create a template setup for the VSL libraries within a few minutes. It was easy to navigate and figure out (because who really wants to read the manual anyway. :) )

This is a great controller for those who still want to be able to feel the controls and have some tactile feedback.

I use this exclusively in 'Internal' mode as a MIDI CC controller for my composing rig. I also like binding the transport controls to the DAW so I can use those too.

I just bought a second one for my remote studio. The only reason for 4 stars is that you need some way to prop it up on your desk - otherwise it lies flat. But there are some racks you can buy here on Sweetwater for that - just have to spend more $$$.

Overall a good unit and my original one has lasted more than 6 years.

I've used the p1 to edit Reason. It is bus powered USB 2. It is nice to use it for navigation controls. Additionally, I am able to edit Reason Thor synth. I don't perform with it. I am happy with the purchase. It is all plastic. I bought it because of price and function in Reason. I would have given a 5.0 but the documentation is minimal. You could write a book on all the features.

Another feature is that the skills you learn using the P1 works with the P4.

The Nektar D.A.W. controller really lets me get into all the parameters within Cubase. No more mouse!

This unit works well, and looks great. I have two minor complaints:

1. The gloss black finish is beautiful out of the box, but shows every oil print from resting your hand on the unit (you have to do this while mixing). Also, it shows every speck of dust! Takes a lot of work to keep it looking as good as when it came out of the plastic wrapper.

2. The unit would be much more functional if the top control surface were slanted, or there were "feet" like a keyboard to raise the unit on an angle. I used a couple strips of foam rubber from some old speaker packaging to angle the unit, and it helps a lot.

Otherwise, very much as advertised, and the Logic preset works like a breeze.

This is definitely a must have if you work in Reason 6.5/7+. Every instrument, track, and mixer feature are all controlled from the P1. I really how they integrated the SSL mixer with P1...there is not 1 stone unturned where where you need the mouse for something the P1 can't it do for you...I highly recommend this controller.

I bought one of these not long ago, thinking it could be a great way to customize my workflow. A little background - I'm technically very proficient with Midi Translator, and I come from a background where I'm used to making controllers do what I need them to do with MIDI, even when it requires a lot of work. Before I bought this, I emailed with the company, to try to get a better idea of the specifics for which it was capable. Since I don't use one of their supported DAWs, I figured it should be easy to customize. Well, Tim, who I believe is the owner, was extremely short in his emails, not wanting to take any amount of time to answer my questions, giving me answers that seemed almost like they were intended to lead me in circles. He was almost dodging my questions, and instead just telling me that it will do what I want it to do. When I finally got the unit, I got down to work, and realized that the lighted buttons didn't support MIDI feedback, and the unit was even more inflexible than I had figured. I was really disappointed, and it sat in the box for a couple of years. I unearthed it the other week, and all of the plastic had broken down and now it's a sticky mess.

logic is not apart of this toy this cant be life i would have brought it if it was compatible with my daw but i guess it wasnt meant be