From Austin, Texas, Livid Instruments announced the upcoming release of the OhmRGB, a new controller based on the design and functionality of the company's flagship Ohm64 controller, which adds multiple color LEDs, new scripts, better functionality, and expansion jacks.

Livid Instruments has been wanting to integrate multiple color LEDs for a long time. About the new controller, Travis Redding, Livid’s Director of Hardware, said, "The OhmRGB currently supports seven colors for every button, adds internal preset banking, and has expansion jacks for adding controls like foot pedals and sensors directly to the unit.

"The easy way would have been to simply release the new Ohm with two or three colors, but we had more ambitious ideas. We wanted to maintain USB power and keep the awesome layout, but make it worthy of a new release. We've offered customizations on the Ohm64 through our shop with different colors and woods. With the RGB model, we can still do that, but the user has the customization in their studio now, with instant control over the LED color and even the types of controls, using the expansion module. In the end, the OhmRGB is a natural evolution of our controller line."

The OhmRGB is fully programmable and provides you with your choice of seven colors per button. The firmware has been developed to allow for multiple presets and banks to be saved to the controller. As for expansion jacks, the unit has two 1/4-inch jacks for connecting Roland-style foot pedals and other expressive analog devices such as faders, accelerometers, sensors, rotary knobs, and components in Livid Instruments' DIY Builder series.

What makes the OhmRGB stand apart from the company's other controllers is its ability to be programmed for your own layout of color. You can use the editor to assign different colors for different functions, no matter what software you are using it with -- a nice feature for users wanting a custom setup.

Livid has also developed a remote script for Ableton Live that exploits the potential multiple colors for different functions, allowing you to leave the computer in the background and perform with the "instrument."

The OhmRGB has a sleek aluminum enclosure and hand-finished Mahogany ends. Though the OhmRGB won't be available until July 20, 2011, you can pre-order one now for $749 (MSRP). For more information, visit lividinstruments.com.