Novation Launch Control XL 3

MIDI Control Surface

Controllers > Control Surfaces, MIDI Controllers

By Rory Dow

Novation’s popular MIDI controller gets a new lease of life.

Mixer‑style MIDI control surfaces occupy a middle ground in the modern studio. Too basic for those who want deep two‑way integration with their DAW, too computer‑dependent for those who want to control hardware directly. Novation’s Launch Control XL has lived in that space for over a decade, doing one thing — giving DAW users a bank of faders and knobs — reliably and affordably. The third generation has its sights set higher.

The Launch Control XL 3 is a mixer‑style MIDI control surface designed for anyone who wants hands‑on control of their DAW, their hardware, or both at once. Like its predecessors, it offers eight MIDI ‘channel strips’, each consisting of three rotary controls, a fader and two buttons.

What’s New?

The original Launch Control XL arrived in 2014 and quickly became a go‑to controller for Ableton users. Its familiar mixing desk layout made it a practical, affordable controller. The Mk2 followed a few years later with just one upgrade: RGB LEDs replacing the original’s three‑colour buttons. Useful, certainly, but hardly revolutionary. Beyond that, the two versions were essentially the same. Both were USB‑only, neither had a display, and both depended entirely on a connected computer to function.

The XL 3 adds a slew of improvements. The potentiometers are gone, replaced by 24 endless encoders. On a traditional pot, moving a knob to a position that doesn’t match the current parameter value causes an unwanted jump. With endless encoders, that problem disappears. You can switch modes, change presets, come back to the same knob, and trust that nothing is going to lurch unexpectedly. The faders solve the same problem: firmware 1.1 introduced fader pickup in Custom modes, meaning the hardware value must first catch the software value before it takes control, eliminating the same kind of sudden jump from the faders.

Aesthetically, the XL 3 has ditched the Mk2’s budget design for something far more classy. It looks great, though some of the legends on the front panel are quite small and hard to read in low light. The build feels solid — no flex in the chassis, consistent resistance across the controls, nothing that rattles or wobbles. Novation have also moved to USB‑C for power and data.

Hardware

At 250 x 239 x 43mm, it’s a solid but manageable desk presence. Three rows of eight encoders occupy the upper half of the panel, each with its own RGB LED that shifts in brightness or colour to indicate current value. Below them sit eight 60mm faders, and below those, two rows of eight assignable buttons, again RGB‑lit. Dedicated buttons for Shift, Mode, Solo/Arm, Mute/Select and DAW/Mixer switching are arranged down the left‑hand side alongside the transport controls.

Occupying the top left is the new OLED display. It’s monochrome, and roughly the size of a postage stamp. Whenever you move an encoder, the display shows the parameter name and its current value. If you’re in DAW control mode, it will also show you the name of the currently selected track. Being able to glance up and immediately confirm what a particular knob controls and its precise value is a huge improvement over previous models.

DAW Integration

For Live 12, Logic, Cubase, FL Studio and Bitwig users, dedicated integrations are available. Users still on Live 11 will need to fall back on manual MIDI mapping. Firmware version 1.1 added Mackie HUI support, covering the remaining DAWs — Reaper, Pro Tools and Studio One among them. HUI is hardly a new technology, but it will do the job.

The faders always control track volume, and the buttons can switch between solo, arm, mute and select. The encoder functions will change depending on whether you are in DAW Mixer or DAW Control mode. In DAW Mixer mode, the upper encoder rows control sends and panning. DAW Control mode swaps the upper encoders to device parameters — plug‑ins in Ableton and Logic, Quick Controls and Channel EQ in Cubase, Channel Rack in FL Studio — with the third encoder row given over to transport: scrub position, zoom, loop start and end points, loop on/off, marker selection, and tempo. Bank switching lets you navigate across as many tracks as your session contains, and flipping between the two modes is a single button press.

Custom Modes

The XL 3’s Custom mode lets you create your own templates. All of this is managed through Novation Components, a free browser‑based or desktop editor that handles Custom mode configuration, firmware updates, and device settings. It’s straightforward to use and doubles as a Custom mode librarian. Novation and the community have published ready‑made Custom modes for a small range of hardware — Elektron devices, Arturia synths and several of Novation’s own products, including the Peak and the Circuit range.

For everything else, you can configure any encoder, fader or button to send a specific MIDI CC or NRPN on any channel, define minimum and maximum values, choose LED colours, name it, and save the whole thing as a named mode. Buttons go further than encoders and faders by supporting MIDI notes, Program Changes, and keystrokes — the last of which makes them useful for triggering keyboard shortcuts. Up to 15 custom modes can be stored directly on the hardware, recalled without touching a computer.

For both NRPNs and MIDI CC, the XL 3 offers 14‑bit resolution, giving you 16,384 steps of control rather than 128 (as long as the receiving device supports it) — a meaningful difference when sweeping a filter or dialling in a precise send level. Sadly, there is no support for SysEx. For equipment that relies on SysEx for parameter control, the XL 3, at least right now, is not the solution you are looking for.

Standalone Operation

The most significant new feature is the trio of 5‑pin DIN MIDI ports on the rear panel: MIDI in, MIDI out and a second output that doubles as a thru. Previous models were, at their core, computer peripherals. The XL 3, however, can function as a standalone hardware controller. Send MIDI directly from the encoders and faders to your hardware — no computer in the loop at all. For anyone running a hardware‑only live set or simply wanting a dedicated control surface for a particular piece of kit, this is a major upgrade from the previous models. And if music isn’t the only thing on the agenda, the XL 3 is equally at home controlling Resolume, DMX lighting software, or video editing applications — anything that accepts MIDI input.

For its low price, the XL 3 makes an excellent MIDI mixer‑style controller.

Conclusion

For its low price, the XL 3 makes an excellent MIDI mixer‑style controller. Endless encoders, a display, USB‑C and 5‑pin DIN MIDI ports are welcome updates to previous models. The DAW Control and DAW Mixer modes remain excellent, and Custom mode is flexible enough to control many MIDI devices. The addition of 5‑pin MIDI ports frees the Launch Control from the computer, allowing you to move it from the studio to the stage with ease. The Launch Control XL 3 is an easy recommendation.

Round The Back

USB‑C handles power and data. There are three 5‑pin DIN MIDI sockets — in, out and out 2/thru. Out 2/thru can be configured as either a second independent MIDI output (useful for addressing two separate devices across different Custom modes) or as a MIDI thru, forwarding a copy of whatever arrives at the in port. The latter also enables the daisy‑chaining of XLs. Both DIN output ports support MIDI power, up to 3.3V at 10mA, which can power some smaller MIDI accessories. Lastly, the Kensington lock is a nice touch for those who need it.

Pros

Endless encoders are a nice improvement.
5‑pin DIN MIDI ports mean standalone hardware control.
Integration with Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase, FL Studio and Bitwig Studio.
HUI support for everything else.

Cons

The new standalone capability highlights the lack of SysEx support.
Full Ableton Live integration requires Live 12.

Summary

The Launch Control XL 3 is a solid generational upgrade. Endless encoders, a display, and 5‑pin DIN MIDI ports make the XL 3 the most capable and versatile Launch Control yet.