Midi Controller, Assist

I've been using the m audio 61es controller and it has recently crapped out on me. I've tried fixing but to no avail. Any suggestions on midi controllers.

I have looked at a few under 300 by m audio and Novation that come with drum pads on it.

I say this because I may have been too rough with the keys when making drum beats which could be why a key went out.

I'm using a basic one; THe AKAI LPK25 and haven't had a problem. However, I tend to use all I have to control midi including sequencers and such so that includes my tablet and Caustic.. pretty amazing for a $5 app, and digital keyboard. I also have a Strat with a Roland GK3 pick-up so I've been experimenting with assigned drums to my guitar strings and recording beats that way. Of course there is also GuitarPro6 and just writing out the drum parts and exporting to midi, Reason etc.

Kinda more than you were asking, I know, but I didn't realize until a year or two ago that I don't need an actual "midi controller" when I had so many other devices and software that could generate midi parts...it's almost easier for me to use Garage Band or whatever to convert to midi and then manually tweak the notes/midi chart to taste. Just a thought.

Decided not to start another one, since there's already too much topic in the Open Discussion, but how do you make your drums? I'd like to be able to create realistic drum for my tracks, and would like to know - does anyone have experience with the Novation Launchkey as a controller or Nektar Panorama? Which one would be better? [br][br]upd: mistypo, mistook Impact for Panorama, been thinking too much about replacement lately[br]Still waiting for any feedback on these two![br][br]