DAW Controller - Opinions?

[ChrisW]

Looking to drastically reduce my mouse action.
I also hate extensive menu diving and shift keys.
Thinking about Avid Artist Control, SSL Nucleus (over my budget), or Mackie Control of some kind.
Anything else? The good the bad?

Need it to integrate well with Ableton chiefly, perhaps Logic too.

[Wiz]

I cant believe it.. the last two words through my mind, prior to hitting New Posts.. was Daw Controller...

LOL

I will be watching this thread.

[The Tasmanian]

iPad?

[Chinagraf]

I have the Avid/Euphonix units. The mix unit is more useful than the control for me, but the control might be good for Ableton. They are pretty much made to work with Logic.
I mainly use it for faders and transport, don't really use the touchscreen except for talkback.. The mix has a good feature where you can flip whatever you are editing and the parameters spread out over the faders instead of using the knobs. The control doesn't have that feature.
Mine are Euphonix branded, I think the Avid branded ones are black instead of silver?

[Wiz]

I have the Avid/Euphonix units. The mix unit is more useful than the control for me, but the control might be good for Ableton. They are pretty much made to work with Logic.
I mainly use it for faders and transport, don't really use the touchscreen except for talkback.. The mix has a good feature where you can flip whatever you are editing and the parameters spread out over the faders instead of using the knobs. The control doesn't have that feature.
Mine are Euphonix branded, I think the Avid branded ones are black instead of silver?

How well, does the touch sensitive faders integrate writing automation in logic.. do they jump all over the place?

cheers

[Manning]

I've been using a Mackie MCU for years and love it.

I keep planning to buy the expander to have more physical faders, but I've never gotten around to it and you only need to click one button to switch fader sets.

It can be fully customised for PT and Logic, and it's very easy to switch configs. You can use the faders to write automation and it's very smooth (although it doesn't have that nifty parameter-to-fader option that Chinagraf was talking about... that would be cool.)

[Ben M]

Neyrinck's V control Pro supports both Logic and Ableton plus countless other DAW's. If you have an iPad it costs about $40 or $50. I use it and like it.

[The Tasmanian]

And - don't forget you can route/gouge them into a vintage guitar - which makes it even more fun to operate your DAW

[Chinagraf]

[quote="Wiz"]
How well, does the touch sensitive faders integrate writing automation in logic.. do they jump all over the place?
cheers[/quote]


Hi Pete, I use Cubase but they are smooth as. That's one of the things I like about Eucon vs Hui or the like, the faders, knobs etc are much higher resolution. Pretty sure it would be great with Logic as from all reports that's the program it was originally designed for or at least tested on etc..
You could probably route out a guitar to fit one, but it would have to be something bigger like a Gretsch or the like.

[Drumstruck]

+1 on the Mackie MCU - was really happy with the one I had. The flying faders are a little noisy, and there's a bit of learning on the mapping of buttons, but it worked with PT (HUI) and Reaper (Mackie) well - just a reboot of the MCU to change protocol.

If I was starting again think I'd go for the SSL Nucleus......

[ChrisW]

And - don't forget you can route/gouge them into a vintage guitar - which makes it even more fun to operate your DAW

I'm sure you could chuck your iPad in Hobart harbour and use it as a Hydrophone (internal mic and Apple core audio)..... but I hesitated to suggest that the other day.

Someone already recommended the Mackie to me.
The Avid Artist series are less ideal for Ableton as Live doesn't recognise Eucon. Artist Mix seems to need more menu diving than Artist Control?
The Artist looks more sexy than the Mackie, but the Mackie maybe cheaper and actually do the job I need more successfully.

[ChrisW]

One more thing....
Avid/Euphonix is Ethernet, Mackie is USB?
I have a spare ethernet port on my iMac, but already have too many USB devices for the available ports.

[Wiz]

One more thing....
Avid/Euphonix is Ethernet, Mackie is USB?
I have a spare ethernet port on my iMac, but already have too many USB devices for the available ports.

USB hub?

[Chinagraf]

Yes Avid = ethernet. I run 5 units via an ethernet hub switcher thingy, but i think you need to use the fast one. gigabit or something like that?

[Drumstruck]

For e/net match your switch / PC ports to the highest common setting (prob 100MB/s) and turn off auto-sensing.

For USB the little 4 port apple hubs are good for things like your iLoks or a slow speed drive (e.g. for backups / old data) - it's better to go straight into one of the faster USB ports for more critical connections.

[ChrisW]

USB hub?

I bought one a while ago, but it doesn't seem to work.
Most of my USB devices require power from the USB connection, so maybe a hub can't handle that, or it isn't the right kind of hub?

[Chinagraf]

You may need a powered hub.

[ChrisW]

Probably.
Thinking seriously about the Mackie now, although I don't like the way it looks.
Previously I needed a midi interface, but not any more, right?
(I don't have or want a midi interface)

[Damien]

make sure you get something with touch sensitive faders, otherwise you will hate it.

i have an old motomix and it sucks for the reason.

ive had and old mackie (non touch)
used command 8 and the new avid 8 ch ones (they are really good, after you upgrade the firmware)
and still have a C42 (used to have the control 24, now the c24).

id be lost without my faders...

used on protools..

[Drumstruck]

Probably.
Thinking seriously about the Mackie now, although I don't like the way it looks.
Previously I needed a midi interface, but not any more, right?
(I don't have or want a midi interface)

I think the Mackie MCUs run over MIDI so you'd need a MIDI<->USB convertor (few $s)
- the new (silver) models have multi-MIDI ports so you can daisy-chain the extenders
- the older (grey) models need a multi-MIDI interface but that's only $100 or so

From what I've seen the very old (Euphonix? grey) models should be avoided - all the ones I've tried were pretty scratchy feeling.....

[Damien]

the euphonix (avid) units are scratchy/chattery UNTIL you do the firmware upgrade, then there fantastic..

i thought they were horrible and a huge disappointment, then i did the firmware upgrade and the became a real controller...

im not sure if you can firmware upgrade an old euphonicx one, but i know the new avid ones work.

[chribble]

Neyrinck's V ..

ipad2 or new ipad for this.
I'm about to buy one and I can get the ipad 2 for about $100 less sam GBs. should i jones up the extra $100.
Thats 2 cases of beer or 20 packs of iced vovos.

[steve_awesome_wells]

I hear you regarding the budget, but I LOVE my Nucleus with added LOGIC. A great machine. They should have integrated a muti-monitor controller, but it pretty much does whatever else you ask of it, feels great to use and has two superanalog channels to record or to mix down through. Given all that, it isn't that expensive. Well OK, it is...

It makes SUCH a difference! The jog wheel alone is worth the ticket.