If you could only have one.. Control or Mix surface?

[Rectifried]

have both on loan... I know: keep both!
but just a random survey, of long time users.

[Frank Kruse]

The product line is cleverly designed so every unit is lacking something that you will miss without buying the other in the long run.

The essentials:

Control: No flip function
Mix: no customizable soft-keys

Personally, I'd get the control first and at some point a mix. Without the soft-keys your life won't be much easier than having no controller at all. Apart from the faders of course.

But it depends on what you do mainly. Since you have both units on loan you simply have to work with them a bit to find out yourself.

[Emcha_audio]

The mix, I prefer to have 8 faders than 4, and most none editing function are available from it. For editing though, I keep the keyboard close.

[Rectifried]

good point about the functionaltiy.. cant figure out how often Id use each thing.... since im used to nothing for so many years

8 faders is great for the master vcas rides or multi gtrs..

with all the new summing things at aes ... daw control is still missing from most, and eucon while buggy... is supported

[noiseboyuk]

The Mix, by a mile. No display on the Control for the faders massively limits its usability (the old "can't see what you're doing" conundrum). I've never found the soft keys or shuttle controllers all that useful, I tend to just get around quickly on the DAW. With control surfaces, it's all about the faders, clear displays and quick switching between modes for me.

[Brent_Sydney]

Depends on how you use faders.
If you just want to use trim and touch automation and bank around grab a mix.
If you like preview, autojoin, use latch and other more advanced automation features you will probably appreciate the touch screen and its macros and ability to put anything on it.

I regularly unplug a mix and plug in my control that I bring with me when I freelance.
I normally only ride 3-4 faders at the same time and layouts and the ability to "follow selected track" makes 4 enough to not feel cramped imho.
Thats coloured by my experience on an icon, used to working in a way that the faders in front of me are often not laid out the same as they are in my sessiona and using a focus fader to access plugins for regularly scene based automation.

Gross generalisation: for music Id get a mix, for post Id get a control

[Brent_Sydney]

Fyi
http://www.protoolsprofessional.com/...rtist-control/

[Rectifried]

Hey thanks great reply..
I like your focus fader +3 ..good idea
Im not coming from any surface so trying to get a flow going... theres no in depth video out there it looks like... just have to read the manual and see what I need as I go. all workfow ideas are welcome [needed]

[Xill]

Mix+Transport, if you can test it before buying to make sure you have no compatibility problems.

[OTARI]

None.

If you don't want to become a beta tester for soft- and hardware that should be working in the first place (since it's been out for how many years now?), stay away. Run.