Command|8 or Mackie Control Universal?

[SSRJazz]

One of the artists I produce is going to get a 002R in the very near future. He may also have enough money to get a control surface.

I've never used either, so I need some advice.

I know the Command|8 will be the most compatable and will probably respond better via USB than the MCU which runs on midi.

But the MCU we can get fader packs for. And it just looks SO much sexier than the Command|8.

My worry is that if we invest in the MCU, somewhere down the line Digidesign might tell Mackie to take a flying leap and we're stuck with what we got.

...but I REALLY like the way the MCU is set up better than the Command|8..and it's a couple hundred cheaper....

help!!! =)

(also posted on Nikki-k's wonderful forum....I'll be checking both. =) )

[GapeOne]

You can get a Tascam US2400 on ebay for just a couple hundred more than either of them (i.e. ~ $1300)..

That would be my move if I could afford it..

[SSRJazz]

I've thought about the Tascam product. I just don't care for the design at all. Nor do I really want to purchase a studio item off of eBay. Thanks for the suggestion tho.

[bb_aus]

you can get the tascam new for couple of hundred extra than the command 8
however i would go with the command 8 - as support for a HUI device is already diminished and will most likley drop away compleatly in the next few versions of PT
also the control of the digi controll surfaces is almost seemless
while you may be pay a bit more the command 8 you will do betetr in the end
the only drawback is being limited to 8 faders, however i dont find it an issue as its so easy to select which channels you are working with

[SSRJazz]

Again, I'm not really interested at all in the Tascam product. Yeah, it'd be nice to get more than 8 faders for the $1000-1200 I'm already going to be spending, but I've had such bad experiences with Tascam products and their support that I REALLY do not even care to put them in the running.

bb_aus: Those are exactly the points I thought about the C|8 having over Mackie. I'm a little concerned that Digi is going to force other controllers out of the ProTools compatability market. I think that would be a HUGE marketing and PR snafu for them to do tho.