LiveControl 2
In terms of customization, the software emulation is clearly going to win out over the hardware alternative. While any piece of software is not going to have the familiarity of a physical device, the fact that it can be programmed and changed scores it a few points in the user department. MIDI control pads are growing like wildfire and each side think they have something they can offer to tip the scales. Controllers like the Ableton push are designed to work with specific software, giving the user the best of both worlds. Then there are generic controllers which are designed of many uses, aiming to fit a larger market of users who don’t know exactly what they want. Simulated controllers will still have their inherent flaws, like the lack of a physical response and the slight lag that is felt whenever a button is pressed on screen. Users know that there is a limit to how hard they can pound on their touch screen device before they risk damaging the unit. With all of these negatives, the flips side is that the unit can be anything they want. When they can design their own controller in seconds, it helps sway our decision. http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2013/06/05/livecontrol-2-live-control-ipad/