Control Surfaces

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 2:27 pm

Perhaps we can get some opinions on control surfaces, what people like and don't like about particular models- Cool

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 4:14 pm

I'm game. I bought a Radikal Technologies SAK 2.2 because it appeared to offer more "bang for the buck" over a Mackie Control, and I was able to pick one up for about $400 less than the Mackie would have cost. All in all, I think it is a great product.

However--it seems there's always a however--I'm using the SAC with DP4, and there is no driver for DP4 to date. I'm using the control surface in Mackie emulation mode, and a fair number of the buttons don't work, or don't work as expected. Basic controls are there, but I know that I'm missing quite a bit.

The last word I received from Radikal Technologies is that MOTU agreed to develop the driver for them during NAMM. Prior to this, Radikal Technologies was going through a 3rd party to write the driver and that fell through.

Tim

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 4:38 pm

That's probably because the Radikal is designed by Frontier ... Why would they want to support MOTU? The SAK 2.2 is supposed to be killer with Nuendo or Cubase.. I am using the Frontier Dakota and I have been thinking about it but I would need to upgrade Cubase from VST 5.1 to SX 2.0. I have a major project I need to finish first before I think about switching.

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 5:59 pm

I used to have mackie control (for DP) and I thought it was overpriced for what it did do- the most useful feature I thought was the button to clear the overs- After I sold my studio I didn't buy another one as I was not impressed- I'm waiting for it to fall in price to about $500, then I'll buy one- (or perhaps something better will come along! Very Happy

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 8:10 pm

I can't see that as a reason, Kurt. Frontier designs hardware for lots of companies. It would be like saying that Frontier couldn't have designed the Tascam FW-1884 because it would compete with the Mackie Control.

Radikal Technologies seems like a good company, and I've been dealing directly with Jörg Schaaf in Germany on this issue. Last November they had arranged for the programmer who wrote the plug-in for DP3 to create the new one for DP4, but--as I understand it-- MacOS X is so completely different from the previous OS that he was dead in the water before he even started--but it wasn't until January that he threw in his hand.

Personally, I'd like to see DP4 have a midi-programmable interface like Propellerhead Reason. If you haven't seen it, Reason's great in this aspect. You pop into edit mode, select the feature you want to control, move the control on the surface to establish the midi message and you're done. With a feature like that, it wouldn't matter who had a driver and who didn't.

I can record and mix in emulation mode, so the lack of a plug is not a show stopper. I just wish I had more faith in MOTU that they will follow through. Big company, small issue. It doesn't seem worth their trouble.

Tim

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 8:15 pm

Check out the MOTU website- the just put up the SAC 2.2 driver for DP4 today! Yea!!!! Very Happy

I have the Radikal and love it. Very solid.

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 10:32 pm

What incredible timing! That was fast! That'll teach me to 'dis' the boys from my old hood. I've been reading too many websites where people complain about MOTU. I can't wait to check it out--thanks for the head's up! Very Happy

Tim

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 5:56 am

i only like 2 control surfaces out right now.. and one i don't even think is out..
the 24channel tascam us2400 surface... at only 1500 is one of the best buys out there.
other than that... the radikal is the other one on the top of my list... i don't know which one i'ma get but i'll be ordering one soon

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 7:46 am

I'm waiting to see the DXB 200 in person.

Seems like a pretty cool piece of hardware. Some might say expensive, but when you think about the fact that if you had one you can put off computer upgrades for a long time it kinda' evens out.

http://www.mackie.com/namm/dxb.html

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 9:13 am

How much is the dbx200?

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 10:19 am

They don't really know yet...

the 400 is supposed to be around $20,000.00 usd

the 200 is projected to be around $12,000.00

Seems pricey, but considering what you get for the money it's pretty amazing I think. Full control of your daw, full meter bridge... taking the load of vst's off of your computer and taking the UAD's off of the PCI bus. Automation... eq and dynamics on all channels. All of these processes taken off of the host computer to leave it just for file handling, back-up and editing. For Post work these little guys look like they will excell. Makes a lot of sense to me... I think this is where things will go in the immediate future.

This stuff is still in the baby stages. Pretty exciting times...

Here's some more screen shots... The transparent keyboard that pops up on the touch screen is pretty cool...

http://aes.harmony-central.com/115AES/Content/Mackie/PR/dXb.html

apparently they are talking about support for external VGA also.

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 2:08 pm

'dem a lotta clams...

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 3:51 pm

Hey 'levihoward', I took the new SAC driver for a quick spin this morning and so far, it's looking pretty good. There was no documentation in the download, so I'm just poking buttons and watching what happens.

The issues I see right now is that I can't seem to figure out how to record enable channels, and I can't figure out how to select inserts other than the first one.

If there are other users of the SAC/DP4 combination here, maybe we should start a thread to document the functions?

Tim

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 3:55 pm

Has anyone found an interesting use for the Evolution UC-33? I got one with a Reason bundle, but I don't know Reason well enough to make serious use of it. It's definitely on the deep low end of the "control surface" spectrum. But hey, the price was right.

Tim

This topic sponsored by: