[Ben Jenssen]

Well, I finally got mine. I've had it for 24hrs now, I thought I'd share my initial reactions and thoughts.

It went like I expected, I plugged it in and it worked right away, as I had PT running with a session with SSL plugins and SSL 360 running also. It's built like a tank, looks lovely, only thing was the pots. They might not feel as solid as I expected, and also a very slight difference in the resistance on them. And the square buttons a tiny bit flimsy as well. But this are tiny, tiny issues that I forget about when I use it.

In use: If you've seen and used a channelstrip, there is almost nothing to it, you can dive right in. Navigating is easy, displays are loud and clear, feedback on values are easy to see.

Together with my 8 fader Command 8, I can now look away from the screen when mixing, or turn it off. This is provided that the session has been set up correctly. This is the one thing that require some work for things work. F.ex you need to have the channelstrip plugin instantiated on all active tracks and they have to be active, not bypassed. If not the solo function on the UC1 will not function correctly as it works on the 360 app and not the solo in PT. 360 is like a 'shell' between PT and UC1 which administers activity between UC1 and every instance of the plugins you have in PT. Or any other DAW for that matter, as this thing can switch instantly between DAWs. And one must remember to solo-safe bus compressors on submixes. Also done in 360, not w/PT's solo-safe.

I mixed away all night. I really feel it gives me speed, and a flow that lets me mix better! I can hear the results. I think I'm pushing limits more also, because I'm not looking at curves and values so much, and the plugins can take it, extreme settings, no problem. I can go thru tracks eq'ing and compressing, solo'ing, latch solo'ing more tracks, all on the UC1. Clear all solo's with a click of a button. And of course control my bus compressors, it just works.

On the Command 8 I have the transport, faders, mute, solo, pans and sends to navigate the big picture, and control other plugins.

The only times you need the PT screens are to insert plugins, change routings, things like that.

But the main thing, overshadowing everything else is that it lets me focus on what I'm hearing in a totally different way than when I'm using half my brain looking at tons of on-screen info. Makes a world of difference. And it's why I got it.

I'm loving it.