ProControl vs. Control/24

[Nickoli]

Thanks for checking this out~

I’m going to either get a used ProControl or a used Control/24. What are the ups and downs of both? How should I weigh my decision? I understand I should get what best suits my situation…But I’m torn between the two. What’s your opinion?

>Rock On<

Nick

[email protected]

[Erik Braund]

I am in the same boat as you - have been trying to decide. After sitting behind both, and talking in person to a digi rep for an hour, i made up my mind!! ProControl all the way!

I do not need the so-so monitor section and the so-so preamps of the control 24.
I am picking up a used PC + Fader pack from a local guy here shortly.

The digi rep said the C24's faders are rated at 200,000 "moves" for their lifetime - they are the same faders as in the 002 i believe. He followed this up with telling me the ProControl's faders are rated at 1,000,000 moves, and each one costs about 5x as much to replace.

from a stricly control surface point of view, i really liked the PC alot better. Size wise, it is nice because it isnt super tall like that C24...

Hope that helps some!
Erik B

[Markk]

Same boat - went with the pro control. Now that it costs less than a Control 24 it is really the way to go. Depends on your work, though. Some people need the 24 channels. 8 is enough for me.

[1150Post]

The digi rep said the C24's faders are rated at 200,000 "moves" for their lifetime - they are the same faders as in the 002 i believe. He followed this up with telling me the ProControl's faders are rated at 1,000,000 moves, and each one costs about 5x as much to replace.

Not sure what this means, but I can vouch for 4 years of heavy useage on one of our Control|24's with no fader problems. And I would bet that it would be easier to replace C24 faders than ProControl faders moving forward, as the C24 is still being sold and serviced, and the PC is not an "active" product, though service is available. And don't let price be your determiner on fader qualtiy... sometimes there's a benefit to a mechanical device that costs less. I recall the hand wound neve faders on one of our boards that cost near as much as a C24 to replace if one stopped working correctly.... Very expensive, and it seemed like some were good and never needed replacing, there were not so good. I guess it depended on the quality of the "winder". hehe. The control 24 faders are very simple devices, not a whole lot to break in one of them, short of motor burn out or a broken belt, and I don't mind the touch at all, having used many pricier faders, and some cheaper. There is definately not the same feel as a super high end fader, but the "feel" certainly doesn't impede my working. The C24 faders are about $30 each, I would hate to pay $150 for a PC fader... that seems awful high. Can someone confirm that?

But then the way faders feel is a personal thing, kind of like what monitors you like to mix on.

Also, as I recall, neither controller's monitor section was ever heralded as being audiophile quality.

As to the size/height issue, you have a valid point there. But I wouldn't let "total fader moves" be your main determiner. The C24 faders should serve you for quite a good long time. The PC , though, has some other nice features as well, though as of late, software has not been too supportive of it, and I am not certain that the automation feature updates made available in 6.9 and 7.0 ever made it into the PC. There also seems to be a buggier release history with new versions than with the C24. Though I'm not certain about 7.0.

FWIW.

Brad McIlvaine
Sr. Mixer/Designer
Henninger Media Services
Washington, DC 20036

[A Spooner]

I was talking with a digi tech and he said ProControl is still supported in PT7... and would probably be supported for some time. But who knows???

[N-G-NEER]

I think Brad was refering to the product no longer being available and therfore parts are certain to be more dificult to obtain. I use a C 24 and a year ago when I was in Washington I couldn't imagine having a control surface, and now I can't imagine not having one. as for the monitoring section etc. It is really the luck of the draw I've heard gastly stories about quality and how the master volume had notches. I used a Mix Plus at John Burrs studio for four years and there is little to no difference in quality but then again I haven't tried coming directly from the HD convertors either. My unit has no notching and seems to not have many of the issues I've head about. I've heard of fader chattering but I've never seen it. If I have a complaint it would be haw some things are layed out. But perhaps all the years on Neve's and SSL's have spoiled me in some ways. But in others I hope to never go back. Total recall was never this total. and the voice of Rupert Neve coming through the spaekers insulting some of the newbee's was a hoot for us but devastating for the newbee's.