# Oxygen Pro 49 vs nanoKEY2: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Oxygen Pro 49 (M-Audio) and nanoKEY2 (Korg) among midi keyboards. nanoKEY2 is the cheaper of the two at $99.99.

## Side by side

| Spec | Oxygen Pro 49 | nanoKEY2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $299 | $99.99 |
| Brand | M-Audio | Korg |
| Released | 2021 | 2011 |
| Keys | 49 | 25 |
| Key type | semi_weighted | synth |
| Drum pads | 16 | 0 |
| Knobs | 8 | 0 |
| Faders | 9 | 0 |
| Aftertouch | Yes | No |
| Connection | usb_midi_din | usb |
| Bundled software | Ableton Live Lite, Pro Tools First, MPC Beats, AIR Hybrid 3, Mini Grand, Velvet, TubeSynth | Korg Kontrol Editor |

## Key differences

- Keys: Oxygen Pro 49 49 vs nanoKEY2 25
- Key type: Oxygen Pro 49 semi_weighted vs nanoKEY2 synth
- Drum pads: Oxygen Pro 49 16 vs nanoKEY2 0
- Knobs: Oxygen Pro 49 8 vs nanoKEY2 0
- Faders: Oxygen Pro 49 9 vs nanoKEY2 0
- Aftertouch: Oxygen Pro 49 Yes vs nanoKEY2 No
- Connection: Oxygen Pro 49 usb_midi_din vs nanoKEY2 usb
- Bundled software: Oxygen Pro 49 Ableton Live Lite, Pro Tools First, MPC Beats, AIR Hybrid 3, Mini Grand, Velvet, TubeSynth vs nanoKEY2 Korg Kontrol Editor

## What reviewers say

**Oxygen Pro 49** — Two hands-on reviews of the Oxygen Pro 49 survive verification: Sound on Sound (May 2021) and MusicRadar (27 May 2021). Both recommend it as a feature-rich, competitively priced controller, and both flag the light, springy keybed and the time needed to learn the feature set. Neither outlet published lab measurements. Note that MusicRadar's build-quality passage is a verbatim reprint of Sound on Sound's text under its 'The web says' heading, so chassis assessment rests on one independent source, not two. No claim is made here about coverage by outlets that were not fetched. (2 sourced reviews.)

**nanoKEY2** — One verified review of this exact model survives: MusicRadar (by Computer Music), 1 June 2011. It rates the nanoKey2 a clear improvement on the original nanoKey — velocity response is now consistent regardless of where you strike the key, the keys no longer catch on the casing, and the overall feel is much better — while noting the action stays very light and a little awkward, and that the original's CC Mode was removed. The verdict is 'The new hardware looks and feels better, though some may be disappointed that certain features have been left behind.' All judgements are subjective; no measurements are published. (1 sourced review.)

## Sources

- Oxygen Pro 49: https://www.m-audio.com/keyboard-controllers/oxygen-pro-49.html (m-audio.com, verified 2026-06-19)
- nanoKEY2: https://www.korg.com/us/products/computergear/nanokey2/ (korg.com, verified 2026-06-19)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/midi-keyboards/m-audio-oxygen-pro-49-vs-korg-nanokey2/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Oxygen Pro 49 ($299) vs nanoKEY2 ($99.99) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/midi-keyboards/m-audio-oxygen-pro-49-vs-korg-nanokey2/
License: CC BY 4.0.