Controller (Mackie VS Presonus VS ??)

[GeertSamuel]

Ok, after getting some new monitors yesterday, KRK VXT6, I really need an extra monitor controller. Pref. also one that supports talkback and some of those features.

When I did a search on internet I heard a lot of people complaining about the Mackie Big Knob for it's coloration, and also alot about the Presonus Monitor Station & Central Station for having a stereo imbalance at lower volumes. The problem is that I'm looking for something in that budget (Mackie Big Knob, Presonus Monitor Station). So I would like some input in this, is it really THAT bad? What are the other options, because when I check it out there's nothing in that price range with all those options that doesn't have the problem.

Cheers,
G

 

[Metaltastic]

SM Pro Audio M Patch 2

 

[GeertSamuel]

SM Pro Audio M Patch 2

I've seen that one. I myself use the Nano patch at the moment also with my KRK Rokit6. Now with the upgrade to a new studio room, and also with the KRK VXT6 I would like to have talk back option.

Possibly/Optionally also have the monitor mix option like Presonus Monitor Station & Big Knob.

 

[006]

I can speak with a pretty good amount of experience with the Big Knob. While it does color the sound a tad, it's not so dramatic that all of a sudden your mixes are fucked or anything. I used one every day for quite a long time and never found that it was really affecting anything and hindering any progress...dunno any other way to put it. Plus the mic in the unit for talkback is pretty damn good! I remember one project we actually used it for a vocal effect in one song, haha.

However, recently I have been looking for the same thing as you, monitor management with talkback. I have been leaning more towards the PreSonus because it has talkback, but it also has level adjustment for each individual speaker set, that way when you switch to it and leave the main vol at a certain level you can have all the speakers running at the same volume. I like that idea, but it's not completely necessary...thats why monitors have their own level adjustment on the back of them

And to add, the knob on the Mackie is extremely smooth, I love it.

~006

 

[Metaltastic]

If you've got a free input on your interface, you can just plug a mic into that for talkback and get like an M Audio Audio Buddy (or some other dirt cheap pre) to put between 'em

 

[unsilpauly]

if not a central station i would go with the sm pro. passive is where its at for monitor control. the sm pro is cheaper than the big nob so i would go with that. if you can afford it the central station is great. i had the samson before that and it was ok. the central station was a noticable improvement. good luck.

 

[006]

Found some interesting information on the M Patch. However, it does mainly regard the original M Patch, which has been discontinued, and not M Patch 2 which is currently available. But, at the very end is the quote from the SOS magazine review, which basically says the M Patch 2 is junk

Inside that thread is this switcher as well. But it's like $495! Supposedly they are super high quality though...

I may try to build my own, with the help of JBroll (I love that he lives in the same city ).

~006

 

[ElektricEyez]

Here's another alternative; just use a mixer. You can put multiple interfaces in them (I have 2 firepods and an Mbox going into mine). Plus I use the monitor out as a sub woofer control. Sometimes guitarists whine about not being able to hear their guitars so in the mixer I'll add some more mids just during tracking, or cut some bass. I also just stick a cheap Nady mic into one of the inputs of the Firepods, or the mixer if I wanted to. Plus it even has a built in compressor, which can sometimes help boosting volume levels during tracking.

Just my .02

 

[Metaltastic]

Well I appreciate the link 006, but I'm still definitely getting the M Patch 2 for my rig this summer, and its inexpensiveness will just leave me room to upgrade, cuz I definitely need that dedicated switcher/volume pot.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

The volume balance thing concerning the presonus unit sounds accurate. I have the same issue with the HP4.

 

[006]

Are you guys talking about how when you get to certain volumes, it seems as though one side drops out or it goes mono?

If so, I've noticed that too, but only in like super cheap computer speakers or headphones, like shitty shit. Dell computer speakers to name one specifically...interesting if the PreSonus units do that too.

~006

 

[GeertSamuel]

@ 006 - Yeah. I've read about the Goldpoint, apparently a really good one! Also read really positive reviews about the SPL, ranging from 225 euros up to 700 euro's. Apparently the Presonus CS & MS both have the problem that with low volumes one speaker is louder then the other, also apparently when it's completely @ zero, there might be 1 speaker still outputting a little bit..very frustrating that sounds to me. I read that the CS has a Passive connection for the Monitors, so that's a possitive thing, the MS doesn't have that, it's active same as the big knob.

@ GuitarGodgt - Is it anoying? Or you barely notice it? Sometimes I've got the feeling when I'm reading reviews of users that their really NOT taking notice of any price vs quality in a product review. The only thing that would satisfy them is having that 10.000 euro piece of gear + a pretty hooker giving them a blowjob under the desk just because that adds the little coloration they only like.

@ Metaltastic - I have the Nano Patch from SM Pro, nice product, but since I'm looking for an upgrade on everything, I'm really looking into upgrading. I've bought KRK VXT6 monitors, and I also would like an upgrade on my volume control, something that gives me more options also, like headphones, talkback etc.etc.

@ ElektricEyez - I've done that int he past, before I had the Nano Patch, really not my kind of style, I got annoyed by the bad annoying coloration in the sound & bad stereo imaging.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Are you guys talking about how when you get to certain volumes, it seems as though one side drops out or it goes mono?

If so, I've noticed that too, but only in like super cheap computer speakers or headphones, like shitty shit. Dell computer speakers to name one specifically...interesting if the PreSonus units do that too.

~006

The chain is:

Presonus firepod cue outs (the pair of outs next to the main set of outs) into the headphone amp ins L and R then balanced cable to BX8a monitors. At lower volumes the left side stops working (on the headphone amp).

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

No it's VERY VERY noticable. You drop the volume down low enough on the main outs of the headphone amp (presonus HP-4) and you lose the left side entirely in the monitors, turn it up to a certain point and they are equal in loudness.

While I realise it is a cheap headphone amp ($99), IMO it should not be happening.