We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-30 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a complete recording front end that captures microphones and instruments in high fidelity, choose PreSonus Quantum ES 4; if you need a hands-on keyboard controller built to drive FL Studio, choose Audiosavings Novation FLkey 49. These are two very different tools that happen to share one thing in common in this matchup: both bundles ship with a pair of closed-back studio headphones, which makes them tempting to compare side by side. But that shared accessory is where the similarity mostly ends.
• PreSonus Quantum ES 4 — biggest strength: four MAX-HD mic preamps with +75 dB of gain, 32-bit/192 kHz-class conversion, and a full-color high-resolution screen make it a serious desktop recording interface for mics, guitars, and synths.
• PreSonus Quantum ES 4 — biggest trade-off: it is an interface first. It captures and monitors audio but gives you no keys, pads, or faders, so it does nothing to help you play or program parts.
• Audiosavings Novation FLkey 49 — biggest strength: deep, native FL Studio integration across the Sequencer, Channel Rack, Mixer, and transport, backed by 49 velocity-sensitive keys, 16 RGB pads, 9 faders, and 8 pots.
• Audiosavings Novation FLkey 49 — biggest trade-off: it is a controller, not an audio interface. There is no XLR input and no mic preamp here, so it cannot record a microphone on its own.
• The closed-back headphone angle: both bundles include closed-back studio headphones, which is the right design for tracking and monitoring because the sealed cups keep sound in and outside noise out.
• Who each pick is for: choose the PreSonus bundle if you record real instruments and voices; choose the Novation bundle if you write and produce in the box and want your hands on the controls.
The Quantum ES 4 is a 4x4 USB-C desktop audio interface, and its whole reason for existing is high-fidelity capture. The headline feature is four high-definition MAX-HD mic preamps with +75 dB of gain, which is a lot of clean headroom for today's popular microphones — including gain-hungry dynamic and ribbon models that weaker preamps struggle with. It also carries front-facing instrument inputs codeveloped with Fender engineers, which tells you PreSonus was thinking hard about guitarists and bassists plugging straight in.
Around that core, the ES 4 is generously equipped. You get 16 channels of ADAT I/O and S/PDIF I/O for expanding your setup, two reamp outputs, ten line outputs, and two headphone outputs. There is a DSP monitor mixer with loopback, auto gain, low-latency monitoring, and 48V phantom power across the mic inputs. A full-color, high-resolution screen handles metering and settings without forcing you to squint at a laptop. It records to Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android over USB-C, and it ships with a USB-C cable, two XLR cables, and the Polsen HPC-A30 closed-back headphones, so it's a genuinely usable kit out of the box. A limited two-year manufacturer warranty backs it.
Who should buy it: producers, musicians, and creators who need to get microphones and instruments into a computer or mobile device with quality. If your workflow starts with a vocal take, a guitar DI, or a drum mic setup, this is the tool. Who should skip it: anyone whose work is entirely in-the-box MIDI programming. If you never plug in a mic or a cable, the ES 4's best features sit idle, and you'd be paying for preamps and conversion you don't use.
The FLkey 49 is a 49-key MIDI keyboard controller built specifically for FL Studio, and that focus is its entire personality. Rather than a generic MIDI keyboard, it gives you direct, native control of the Sequencer, Channel Rack, Mixer, and transport. That means beat making, pattern editing, automation, preset browsing, quantize, metronome, undo, redo, and score log functions can all happen from the hardware instead of constant mouse trips. If you've ever lost a musical idea while hunting for a menu, that's the problem this board is designed to solve.
The control surface is substantial: 49 velocity-sensitive keys, 16 RGB backlit velocity-sensitive pads, 9 faders with 9 fader buttons, 8 customizable pots, pitch and modulation wheels, and a 16x2 character screen. Creative tools like Scale mode, Note Repeat, Fixed Chord, and one-finger chord options keep ideas moving, while step sequencer control and Channel Rack playability let you build patterns by feel. It's NKS-ready for compatible Native Instruments software, offers 5-pin MIDI out and USB bus power, and supports Windows 10/11 and macOS. The bundle also throws in a 6-month FL Studio Producer Edition trial plus software from GForce, Native Instruments, XLN Audio, AAS, Spitfire Audio, and Klevgrand.
The included PRO-M50 headphones round it out: closed-back circumaural design, 40 mm neodymium drivers, 32 ohms impedance, 97±3 dB sensitivity, and a 10 Hz–25 kHz frequency response at a net weight of 290 g. You also get a detachable 100% OFC coiled cable, gold-plated connectors, interchangeable leather and suede ear cushions, and a hard travel case. Who should buy it: FL Studio users and beatmakers who want hands-on control and a monitoring pair in one purchase. Who should skip it: anyone who records live microphones or needs an audio interface with preamps — this bundle doesn't provide that.
• Best for recording microphones and instruments → PreSonus Quantum ES 4, thanks to four MAX-HD preamps with +75 dB gain and front-facing instrument inputs.
• Best for FL Studio beatmaking and MIDI production → Audiosavings Novation FLkey 49, with native control of the Sequencer, Channel Rack, and Mixer.
• Best for playing and programming parts → Audiosavings Novation FLkey 49, with 49 keys, 16 pads, 9 faders, and 8 pots.
• Best for expansion and I/O flexibility → PreSonus Quantum ES 4, with 16 ADAT channels, S/PDIF I/O, 10 line outs, and 2 reamp outs.
• Best for mobile and cross-platform recording → PreSonus Quantum ES 4, since it records to Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android over USB-C.
• Best for a genuinely complete all-in-one starter kit → Audiosavings Novation FLkey 49, because the controller, monitoring headphones, case, and software trial cover writing and listening in one box.
• Best for guitar and bass tracking → PreSonus Quantum ES 4, whose instrument inputs were codeveloped with Fender engineers.
• Best for hands-on chord and scale work → Audiosavings Novation FLkey 49, with Scale mode, Fixed Chord, and one-finger chord options.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to whether you capture sound or create it. If your music starts with a microphone or an instrument cable, I'd buy the PreSonus Quantum ES 4 — its four high-gain MAX-HD preamps, deep I/O, and mobile-friendly USB-C recording are exactly what a recording workflow needs. If your music starts with an idea you program into FL Studio, I'd buy the Audiosavings Novation FLkey 49, because its native integration and 49 keys, 16 pads, and 9 faders turn the software into an instrument you can actually play. The shared closed-back headphones are a nice bonus either way, but they shouldn't be the deciding factor. Pick the tool that matches where your songs begin.
FAQ
what are closed back studio headphones
Closed-back studio headphones have sealed ear cups that block outside noise from reaching your ears and keep your audio from leaking out. That isolation makes them the standard choice for tracking and monitoring, which is why both of these bundles include a closed-back pair — the Polsen HPC-A30 with the PreSonus, and the PRO-M50 with the Novation.
It's the same design described from the buyer's side: a headphone whose cups form a closed seal around the ear rather than sitting open. The PRO-M50 in the Novation bundle, for example, is a closed-back circumaural model using 40 mm neodymium drivers, 32 ohms impedance, and a 10 Hz–25 kHz frequency response.
what are the best closed back studio headphones
I can't name a universal best, and it depends on your needs — isolation, comfort, and impedance all matter. In my opinion, the strongest closed-back pair is the one matched to your setup: the PRO-M50's 32-ohm impedance and interchangeable leather and suede cushions make it a flexible monitoring pick for the FLkey 49 bundle, while the Polsen HPC-A30 pairs sensibly with the Quantum ES 4's two headphone outputs for desktop recording.
what is open back studio headphones
Open-back headphones have vented cups that let air and sound pass through, which tends to give a more spacious, natural sound but leaks audio and lets room noise in. Neither bundle here includes an open-back pair — both ship closed-back models, which is the more practical choice for recording and everyday monitoring.
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