HELP! Mixer or control surface?

[Gelatin]

Hey guys, one newbie question. I've been recording for almost two years now and I'm thinking of ways to expand my studio. I'm pretty fed up with mixing in the box so I'm interested in getting either a mixer or a control surface.

Currently I've got a Presonus Firestudio and a Presonus Digimax FS for a total of 16 channels. My DAW is Cubase Studio 5. Since I've mixed in the box from day one, I'm not sure how to expand my enviroment. I've got a offer to buy a Soundcraft Spirit Studio LC but I'm not sure how to integrate that into my enviroment.

Would it maybe a better solution to get a control surface to control cubase..

 

[colonel kurtz]

you'd probably be better off with a control surface...

in order to mix in analog, you would have to take your digitally recorded tracks and send them back through a D-A converter, into the mixer, and then send them back through another generation of A-D conversion to get the final product onto your hard drive

in addition, you would want(if not need) some good outboard gear to mix on, and that shit's not at all cheap...who knows, maybe you have a stack of 1176's and pultecs, but if not, i'd just get the control surface and be done with it. it'd be one of those things that would enhance your current workflow, rather than completely change it.

 

[Gelatin]

Thanks man, that was exactly the kind of advice I was looking for.

Maybe then the question is, what control surfaces are people using around here and what would you guys recommend?

 

[colonel kurtz]

*shrug*

only ones i've used were a mackie d8b, which was more a self-contained digital mixer, and a digidesign d-command, and i doubt you're in the market for one of those!

personally, i've had the mackie control and/or tascam us-2400 on my wish list for a while. behringer makes that BCF2000 for about $200...but yea, it's a behringer...

 

[crillemannen]

Command 8, Euphonix (only mac atm) i guess those are the cheap ones out there.
Unless you are ready to make a 4-10$ investment

 

[ParsonsMatt]

I've got a Presonus Faderport, and I love it!

 

[colonel kurtz]

is that one of the single-fader deals?

if so, i don't much get the appeal of those...it'd be nice to have tactile control of transport and plugin controls, but for me, if i'm going to have a CS, i want a nice big fader bank in front of me so that i can mix w/ my eyes closed

 

[Gelatin]

yeah that's pretty much what I had in mind, I'd like to have a control surface with more than one fader..

 

[lordtech]

will the presonus faderport work in reaper?

 

[Wolfeman]

will the presonus faderport work in reaper?

Yes.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Thanks man, that was exactly the kind of advice I was looking for.

Maybe then the question is, what control surfaces are people using around here and what would you guys recommend?

I have one of these:

And I am selling one of these for $140 + shipping if anyone is interested, I took the shitty stock knobs off and ordered the better ones from Frontier Design. I think this is nicer than the faderport due to it having some features that I used a lot when I used it (like that touch pad for scrolling).

The fader on the Alpha Track is much more accurate and responsive to touch. The knobs are also touch sensitive (the mackie is not). The mackie has 35mm touch sensitive faders and the FD has a 100mm touch sensitive fader.

My only beef with it is the pan resolution is WAY to high in cubase, you have to turn the fucking knob 3 times to go hard L or R. It's perfect in pro tools, not sure about other programs.

 

[mick thompson]

if you are looking for a desk i recommend one of these. they're cheap as fuck with 20 channels and phantom. connects through usb. if you hate it at least it wont break the bank and you can sell it to some kid on the block.

link: http://www.thomann.de/ie/peavey_pv_20_usb_mischpult.htm