Control Surface for 'in the box' post mixing?

[anders]

Just curious for some impressions of the various control surfaces which are being used for re-recording? I'm interested in anything anyone may have to say about any of the options available for this, whether modest smaller surfaces or larger.

thanks

[TVPostSound]

I have a Mackie Control Universal, its great, well the 3rd one is, the first 2 were returned within a week each,

Mackie support is great.
They send me a new fader overnight, when one goes down every 3 or so weeks!!! I replace them myself, if I had to wait for an authorized repair facility, I would have 60% down time.


But when it works its great!!!!

[dr sound]

Anders,
This is my choice:
http://www.thedubstage.com/facility.php

[anders]

DIAFXMX,

Are you using an expanded bank of faders or just the the 8? If just the 8, do you find it cumbersome having to switch backs? Do you have a good workflow system in this case? I have a DA7 console which can be used as a control surface(well a group of eight faders on the board), although I'm sure not with the user-friendliness of a dedicated control surface. I find that because of the eight fader limitation, instead of switching banks, I just go straight to the mouse. I consequently tend only to use the faders for things like a more organic fade on a music cue.

The reason I created this thread is that come come from a music mixing background on analog boards and feel very comfortable with a survey of faders in front of me. Although I've gotten used to that not being there, every time I go into a mix which has a nice big bank of faders, I wonder if I'm missing that. So I just want to see what people are using and how their using them.

Dr Sound,

I didn't see an equipment list for your place, but from the pics it seems that you have Control24's?

thanks again

[Travis_BCN]

Hi,

I used the Mackie with no extensions and even with only 8 faders is useful, cause is easy to use the group assingments in PT to keep only 8 tracks in screen, even faster sometimes than switch the banks in the controller.
I would like to check the Tascam US2400, it seems a cheap alternative to Control|24, at least it has 24 faders and the joystick.

(and well, the most affordable controller is the little Behringer BCF2000: its faders are non-touch sensitive, but if you are talking about recording (not mixing), could help. It's so cheap that anybody should use the mouse anymore.)

[dr sound]

Poster: anders
Subject: Re: Control Surface for 'in the box' post mixing?

SNIP

Dr Sound,

I didn't see an equipment list for your place, but from the pics it seems that you have Control24's?

thanks again

Read the link I gave you. I have 2 Control 24's, 2 HD3 Acell systems with 2 G5 2.5's etc. What do you need to know? I've been mixing Post for 26 years also come from an Analog background. My preference is 24 faders in front of me, all within arms reach without moving my chair. The Control 24 gives me that!

[anders]

Dr. Sound,

Thanks for the reply. I went to the link when I first read the post. The page doesn't mention the control24 in the text. They are of course in the pics, but I couldn't tell them for sure by sight.

Do you approach mixing strictly from the faders? Perhaps with an occasional move to the mouse? I'm just curious of the workflow. My analog mixing experience is all with music. I moved into post with DAW only and have developed an addiction to the mouse and playing with the node points and rubber bands. Kills my back and neck staring at the screen. I want to approach mixing a bit more organically(not to mention the nice stretching you do with a long bank of faders in front of you.) Thus the control surface questions.

Thanks again to yours and all responses.

anders

[dr sound]

Anders,
There is a time for faders and there is a time for mouse mixing. I do both.
That's what great about the Control 24 and a trackball. Use them when apropriate.

[PTLance]

Of course there is always The Icon!

[Chief Technician]

Yea, but unless you are six feet tall (at least), your arms aren't long enough to reach the top rotary encoder on a channel unless you lift yourself out of the chair.

The Mackie is decent when it works. As DIAFXMX said, and I can concur, Mackie control surfaces fail...often. If you want something like that, check out the Command|8.