Doepfer Drehbank

Back in 1998, this gem emerged as one of the first truly knobby MIDI controllers, letting you tame any synth or software with 64 endless pots at your fingertips—perfect for bridging vintage modular vibes with digital rigs.

Its gunmetal grey panel packs those pots in a tight 4x16 grid, each 10mm wide with labeling squares for custom notes, flanked by three sturdy black switches with red LEDs for bank switching and snapshot dumps. Two user banks hold 64 programmable knobs apiece, sending any MIDI message from CCs and pitch bend to SysEx strings up to 113 bytes, with adjustable thresholds and offsets per pot. Eight rear CV inputs (0-5V, great for A-100 modules or pedals) map directly to the rightmost columns, feeding external voltages into your MIDI chain. MIDI In/Out/Thru, external DC power, and rack ears make it a solid, no-fuss build.

Owners love its tank-like durability and instant hands-on control for everything from ReBirth tweaks to GM mixing, with Squarepusher among fans. The close knob spacing can challenge bigger fingers for precision, and Windows-only editor feels dated now, but that raw tactility keeps it a cult favorite on the used market.