Is The Dock really any better than the MC Control?

[KeyplayerG]

I asked this on the Dock Board, but I only got one reply. So, I thought I'd give this board a shot with the same question.

Besides the higher on screen track counts, and clearly superior touch screen, is there really any significant improvement over the MC Control? What will The Dock do that the Control MC won't?

I'm seeing a lot of the same complaints for the Dock, even with the advantage of the iPad touch screen, that I'm seeing here for the MC Control; sticking buttons on the touch screen, knob/fader calibration, etc.

My biggest disappointment in both devices is the lack of feedback from the screens. We've got all these squares for navigation and plugs, but all the actual controls are pushed to "the margins" left and right. To me the better approach would've been to have the ONE CHANNEL view like the digital consoles. You select the channel and all the info is there as you would expect to see it.

So when I select EQ, the center of the screen turns into the EQ Window SHOWING THE CURVES being developed, not just a numeric readout in the left and right margins. The same would go for the dynamics. To me, these are critical omissions.

That aside, I just wondered if there were any other features where The Dock just soared above the Control MC?

[Southsidemusic]

The touchscreen is not included as it will be your iPad so if you have an iPad with the PT App that runs on eucon and a Avid Transport you will make due.

If you wanna use the dock you might need to buy a new iPad that fits and can handle the specifications. A cost added to the price of the dock.

You can download the Avid IPAD App free and see if that works for your system.

[KeyplayerG]

Originally Posted by Southsidemusic

The touchscreen is not included as it will be your iPad so if you have an iPad with the PT App that runs on eucon and a Avid Transport you will make due.

If you wanna use the dock you might need to buy a new iPad that fits and can handle the specifications. A cost added to the price of the dock.

You can download the Avid IPAD App free and see if that works for your system.

I am aware of all of that. The Dock is just a physical manifestation of the PT App on an iPad. So, you're looking at $2k investment vrs. the original $1400 for a new Control MC. The question is whether there is a significant enough gain in features and quality to justify the expense?

Will things go from so so to fantastic with a Dock and 2 Mix units, or is that reserved for a Dock and S3? If you spend $7k for a dock/S3 combo, you would expect a drastic upgrade in work flow. I'm asking if that big upgrade actually exists?

[Southsidemusic]

As the S3/Dock combo is supposed to work great together I would say it is a good purchase but 7K is a lot of money and there are other gear that I would get before getting an S3.

We hqve a unused SSL Matrix for sale which is a great DAW controller and console and even though it sits here looking sweet we still use our 2 Slate Raven MTi2 daily before firing up the Matrix or our SSL 4000G+ so if I already had a MC Control and an ipad I would use that. Remember these artist series units are very old now in tech years so wait if you can until the Namm and all the other shows and see what comes out.

I saw a mint S3 here for sale and still is for $3000 - ish converted from Euro
which IMHO is a great price so i would go try the different units and make up my mind later and see if there are anything new coming soon.

[YYR123]

Originally Posted by KeyplayerG

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If you spend $7k for a dock/S3 combo, you would expect a drastic upgrade in work flow.

Get a quote from a dealer, I was going that route earlier last year and got a quote for that same combo....I want to say it was in the neighborhood of $5500.

That's when you bought both together...it was a great deal.

I think that quote came from vintage King, but I know I got another quote from another dealer and it wasn't much more than the VK quote

Still a sizable investment but not $7000 by any stretch of the imagination

[albee1952]

With Artist units no longer being made, I would NOT buy a new one(but there are plenty of good deals to be had on the used market). I bought my MIX and Transport units for $650 with shipping

[EddieJones]

Originally Posted by albee1952

With Artist units no longer being made, I would NOT buy a new one(but there are plenty of good deals to be had on the used market). I bought my MIX and Transport units for $650 with shipping

The Artist Mix is still current and sold...it also works great with the Dock.

[KeyplayerG]

So no REAL major improvement then?