The editor has included the essential Key Off parameter, i.e. hammers, dampers and tine noises (three options, Off, On and Stacc for Staccato). You can even add the noise made by the sustain pedal (right-click on Key Off). If you’ve ever had a real Rhodes, you know exactly what kind of noise we‘re talking about: dampers lifted, then fall of the pedal (two or three different samples in round-robin). The only missing noises are those made by the pedal when it unscrews, falls or creaks despite all our precautions...

Then there’s a Condition knob, which is supposed to “age” the piano sound. Its action was so faint that I have doubts about its utility (v. 1.0.0.2944). A switch allows you to choose the amount of samples loaded into the RAM, between Eco, Mid and XXL (there’s no streaming, but the library is not that big). There’s a tuning parameter, Fine Tune, from 392 to 494 Hz.

Note that a small LED placed under or at the side of a knob or a slider lets you return to the by-default value (Alt+click). A right-click opens a menu allowing you to assign a MIDI controller (besides the ones already mentioned) to a parameter (by a menu or by MIDI Learn/Forget). And a pop-up displays the parameter’s current value when you pass your mouse over it.

There’s not a click nor noise on any of the knobs or switches, and knob rotations don’t have any jumping value issues.

Small but... If almost all of this review was made with a MBox2 Mini, Digidesign also lent me a MBox2 Micro, their new interface/dongle. Made of metal (anodized aluminum), heavy and quite long, which explains the USB extension cord, the Micro offers a portable solution, at least for all-virtual production (no Inputs), and has quite nice audio quality, even if you won’t make a final mix on its 3.5mm headphone output. However, it’s an opportunity to get a Pro Tools LE solution at $279... There’s a snag: the MicBox2 Micro is designed to be the center of a portable solution and needs an USB port. Since it doesn’t handle MIDI, you need another USB port for a portable keyboard. And another USB slot for the iLok key (PT and plug-ins auths). If Windows-compatible laptops are rather generous with USB ports, on the Mac-side, the only laptop with three USB ports is the MacBook Pro 17’’. You can add a USB hub, but be aware that Pro Tools and USB hubs aren’t the best of friends. In this case, in terms of space, portability, MIDI, etc., you’d be better off buying an MBox2 Mini...