2 MC Mix or 1 Mc Mix + Mc Control

[Fidelis]

Hello friends,

I just bought one MC Mix for my PT HD3 Accel. Very happy with it. The limitations on the HUI protocol didn't bother me, 'cause I using it for fader automation and just a few plugins changes. So I decided to add more faders to it.

I'm trying to decide between one more MC Mix (total of 16 faders) or one MC Control (12 faders + touch screen control). One down side I see on the MC Control is that HUI sees 8-bank faders and with just 4 faders on it I could only see 1-12 first channels and if I bank it to the right it would jump for the 17-28, missing channels 13-16. The upside would be the transport control plus the touch screen controls.

Question is: Is there much use of the touch screen for Protools? What can I do there that I can not with keyb shortcuts (i'm really fast on that)?

Thanks for the help!

PS. I can not test MC Control down here in Brazil cause Euphonix doesn't have an official distribuitor down here so I have to import myself!

[zeeman]

hey Fidelis
i have the same setup you are using.
i have the mc mix and 1 mc control in 2 different rooms.

the whole banking issue is a drag. but i have gotten used to it.
i do use the mc control quite a bit for plugins.mostly the ssl/emi plugs.
i really like the control i get. i never use the jog wheel. i do use the transport section all the time.

if you are not using the mc control to control plugins and you don't need the transport function of the mc control, then my thought would be to go with another mc mix. you wont have the odd banking by 12 issue.

also keep your eye out for updates from euphonix, they do updates quite frequently.
hope this helps

zeeman

[JSR]

Hi,

I am right about to go with the 2 x MC Mix; have you guys inquired about if the devices would be supported past this next version of Pro Tools? I'm in NYC, so I'm going to run it by the Euphonix reps at the AES show next week. I'm assuming HUI, etc will continue to be supported, but wanted to be sure before dropping a few grand.

Thanks.

JSR

[zeeman]

yea it's been on my mind, that's for sure.
right now it's working in PT 8.0.1

only a matter of time before the hui protocol is gone i would think
we'll see

zeeman

[Fidelis]

Hey Zeeman,

thanks for the fast answer. Let me get it right: You use you MC Control for plugins control. So you control your plugins from it using the the 8-rotary soft knobs or from the touch screen? If it is from the 8-rotary soft knobs, that would be no difference from the MC Mix right? If it is from the touch screen it news for me. I didn't know it works that way. And what else do you use the touch screen for?

Thanks again!

[sleadley]

I have been Demoing the MC Control and Mix in my edit room and I am very impressed. Yes, Hui limitation, but guess what, at least you can put the channels into auto modes unlike the C8 and you get 12 Faders. The Touch screen is brilliant for shortcuts and the Mac Software is very simple to use once you get your head around it.
The Surround panner works and best of all the unit is very slick and has a great profile for editors and Premixing TV work.
I would have liked Digi to create a mid controller like the MC, with ICON protocol and expanded features like the MC but still no Go on this front. The other DIGI controllers are simply to large for most edit rooms, not to mention portability. We need a C8 Pro, With a touchscreen and the ability to hook into larger ICON systems if necessary.
my 2c
Simon L.

[zeeman]

i don't think i use the touch screen at all.
i use the 8 rotary knobs.
at first before i got the mc control i tried to control the plugs from the 8 knobs on the mc mix but it became a little cryptic but i did get used to it.
i was still faster with the mouse.
on the mc control things seem to be laid out better and i use the knobs in a much faster way.
i was trying to get away from so much mouseing around.

as far as the touch screen i know you can select/solo/mute tracks and such but i really don't ever use it or the jog wheel.

like you i use the faders and knobs and that gives me( for the money) a nice little controller

hope this helps

zeeman

[BradLyons]

Well, this is really a decision only you can make----I recently considered selling off my Control24 and getting (4) MC Mix plus an MC Control unit---but decided to keep the Control24, buy a C24 later, and still get an MC Control for Final Cut and later add an MC Mix for Logic. ANYWAY....the advantage to another MC Mix is obviously more faders. The advantage to the MC Control is to get anywhere quickly and easily, you're only a touch-away. If you want to pull up your groups, BOOM....how about selecting your Playlist, BAM....etc. IMHO, I don't think that the MC Control can replace the Mix and vice versa. Either way, it's no C24----but it certainly does have its advantages as well. I've sold quite a few of these to Protools users after having reservations early on, but so far---the feedback has been good---depending upon their needs of course.

[Mark Ziebarth]

Hi,
I just reviewed the MC Control and tried it with Pro Tools and Logic. HUI is a bit of a problem in three ways I think:
-You can only control four plug-in parameters per page although you have eight encoders. With stereo plugs you only have two if there are controls for the left and right side.
-Fader locking doesn't work with Pro Tools.
-Sadly you can't combine a MC Control with a Command|8.
But the Soft Keys help a lot for editing and navigating through Pro Tools.

Kind regards

Mark