OXI E16

The OXI E16 is a compact, performance-focused MIDI controller from oxi-instruments (makers of the OXI One sequencer). Unlike a keyboard controller such as keylab-mk3, the E16’s interface is 16 metal endless encoders, each with an LED ring, plus an OLED screen — a knob box built for real-time parameter control of hardware synths and software instruments rather than for playing notes.

What it is

• Aluminum unibody, 114 × 143 × 36 mm, 370 g; ships with a travel case. €449 / $499, with detented or non-detented encoders.
• 16 scenes × 12 pages = up to 192 mappable MIDI CC controls, with 16 preset slots per scene for saving parameter states.
• Performance features that go past static mapping: an encoder grouping function (link many encoders to a master), snapshot morphing between page states, and knob recording to automate and replay parameter moves.
• Connectivity: dual USB-C, 3.5 mm TRS MIDI (two out, one in), and Bluetooth MIDI.

Firmware 1.0

The 1.0 update adds a MIDI parameter looper — eight minutes of shared recording memory across 16 tracks, with three sync modes (no sync / free sync / fixed sync) — plus a Lua scripting API for customization. It continues the spoke’s recurring firmware-as-product-evolution motif (cf. gr-mega FW 1.7): capability shipped after the hardware, and here it pushes the E16 from a mapper toward a sequencer-adjacent performance instrument (recording and replaying control gestures, not just sending them).

Source is a synthanatomy launch write-up (T3, vendor specs; no hands-on measurement).

Related

oxi-instruments · midi-controller · keylab-mk3 · modular-routing · synthesizer