Is the evolution uc33 a good MIDI controller?

The budget MIDI controller market is pretty crowded these days, but Evolution are giving you the most for your money with the UC33, eschewing expensive rotary encoders and large displays for affordable non-moving faders and wipe-clean overlays.

What kind of casing does the evolution uc33 have?

The UC33 has a smart moulded silver plastic casing, with a metal baseplate to add some mass. It feels strong enough to last for years in the studio, and (if used carefully) live. However, if it’s likely to get drop-kicked at gigs, you might prefer the all-metal cases of some of its competitors.

What kind of controller is the evolution UC16?

Evolution’s first foray into stand-alone controller territory was the UC16, which, as its name suggests, has 16 assignable rotary controls, plus a bank of control and snapshot buttons, and a straightforward three-digit LCD display.

How are the faders arranged on the uc33?

Most budget MIDI controllers arrange their knobs or faders either in one long line, or in two rows of eight, but the layout of the UC33’s controls is more like that of a small mixing console (see above). However, the very first thing you notice about the UC33 when you unpack it is its colourful overlays.

How many faders are in the evolution uc33?

However, the UC33 under review here is a more ambitious product, with nine assignable faders and 24 assignable rotary dials (hence the ’33’ of its name), 14 assignable buttons, a custom blue backlit LCD with a further bank of control buttons, and a USB MIDI interface.

What are the channel controls on the evolution uc33?

The smooth-moving 60mm ALPS faders, by contrast, at least have green LEDs set into their fader caps. Evolution have designated the channel faders as controls 1 to 8, with the associated rotary controls above numbered 9 to 16 for the bottom row, 17 to 24 for the middle row, and 25 to 32 for the top row, with the Master volume fader designated as 33.