Thanks for this bit of information. The MCU Pro seems to be a suitable choice for the price.
My thinking is that purchasing the control surface will make some processes a bit easier as I can use the buttons and motorized fingers to adjust different parameters. I guess it's more of a "preference" as I'm sure you can perform these same actions by using the short-cut key strokes of VoiceOver. Lex On Feb 7, 2011, at 1:11 PM, Bryan Smart wrote: > This is pretty much how it works. Control surfaces aren't popular with most > low-end/home users of recording software. Blind people are a special case > because a control surface has special value for them. For most sighted > people, though, they're on tight budgets, so would rather buy two huge > screens rather than a control surface. Many enthusiasts now use their iPad as > a control surface, of a sort. If they aren't on a budget, then they don't > bother with a little 8 channel surface. > > It appears that Avid is pretty much content with cashing out the M-Audio > brand, and letting it be used to push bargain basement plastic toys at Guitar > Center. That's my conclusion for why nearly all pro/prosumer gear from > M-Audio has been canceled, and they have a fleet of $200 controllers and > low-end interfaces. > > Besides any of the above, the economy is terrible now, and the recording > industry is rapidly fading in to the bedroom studio. Truly pro customers are > a dramatically shrinking market, while the casual users with small budgets > are on the rise. Even so, music gear is not a necessity, and so many people > have significantly cut back on their gear purchases. The result is that many > companies are shrinking their product lines, and, in many cases, dropping > their mid-range products altogether. > > Sorry to be gloom and doom, but that's how it is now. Lots of companies are > really just trying to make it through the next year or two without going out > of business. Control surfaces are not a hotly selling item, and so don't look > to see many of them in the near future. > > The MCU is still available. I suggest it for your situation. You can expand > it with XT and C4 units. I don't know when, but I worry that it won't be too > long before Mackie discontinues it, also. > > Bryan > > On Feb 5, 2011, at 12:06 PM, Cameron wrote: > >> Hi. Yes, that's correct. I've seen some b stock units from various dealers >> on e bay for the project mix. Also, sweetwater still has some in stock. >> There are also a ton of FW1884 units out there, in various states of well >> being, if you want to take the second hand gear plunge. >> >> On the topic of the 003, do you know if avid have any plans to make that a >> MCU compatible surface? I know they have made the new m box drivers >> universally compatible, it'd be nice if they did that with the 003 but I >> have come across nothing discussing that at all yet. Being that they have >> done away with the project mix, and due to the fact that avid owns m audio >> now, could that be their game plan to corner the market for an all in one >> unit in that price range? I mean now there is really nothing left to fill >> that gap. >> >> I mean that new 16 channel ssl control surface/interface combo looks nice >> but it's got two mic preamps and is freaking USB. For five thousand >> dollars, I'm not exactly sure what their intended market is... Their 24 >> channel interface/control surface looks like a serious bit of kit but will >> set you back a whopping seventy nine thousand dollars. >> >> Cameron. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: ptaccess@googlegroups.com [mailto:ptaccess@googlegroups.com] On Behalf >> Of Bryan Smart >> Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2011 7:56 AM >> To: ptaccess@googlegroups.com >> Subject: RE: Final Questions of Pro Tools before I Purchase >> >> The ProjectMix has been discontinued for a few months now. Since the FW1884 >> has also been discontinued for about a year, that leaves the Avid units as >> the only interface+surface combos available new. >> >> Bryan >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: ptaccess@googlegroups.com [mailto:ptaccess@googlegroups.com] On Behalf >> Of Cameron >> Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 12:52 AM >> To: ptaccess@googlegroups.com >> Subject: RE: Final Questions of Pro Tools before I Purchase >> >> Hi. The project mix under OS X with pro tools nine has had good reviews >> thus far. >> >> What country are you located in? >> >> In the states, the project mix sells new for $1249. >> >> The pace Ilok is approx fifty dollars. >> >> If you're only going to be using pro tools on mac, then I'd suggest trying >> to find a second hand Digi 003. That would be another very good option. >> >> Cameron. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: ptaccess@googlegroups.com [mailto:ptaccess@googlegroups.com] On Behalf >> Of Elexis Gillette >> Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 12:18 AM >> To: ptaccess@googlegroups.com >> Subject: Re: Final Questions of Pro Tools before I Purchase >> >> Hello, >> >> How much is the Ilok in addition to Pro Tools 9.0? >> >> Secondly, I'm using MAC only, there will be no windows/sonar use. >> >> Third, I have read about the audio project mix previously. Would this be a >> suitable interace to perate with pro tools? I would rather spend the money >> to invest in something stable and surable. I believe that the project mix >> is a little over a grand. >> >> Lex >> On Feb 1, 2011, at 11:20 AM, Cameron wrote: >> >>> Hi. >>> >>> Yeah, avid pro tools 9 is what you want. You'll need an Ilok too. >>> >>> You won't find an interface and control surface combo new for 500 >>> bucks, probably not even second hand. >>> >>> Regarding the interface, How many tracks do you need to record at once? >>> >>> What you could do would be buy a cheapo surface like the bcf2000 and >>> then buy a small firewire interface, focusrite, Mackie, motu, older >>> presonus, etc. Just make sure the interface you buy is AU compliant. >>> >>> Or, buy a more robust interface and save up some cash. Then, buy a >>> second hand Mackie control universal or universal pro. >>> >>> Or, you could try to find a second hand tascam fw1884 or m audio >>> project mix. Both of those units are a combination audio interface, >>> midi >> interface, >>> and control surface with motorized faders. There is also the Digi 003 >>> of course. It's a well built unit with decent mic preamps etc. >>> however, >> with >>> all of the three interfaces I just listed, keep in mind that if you >>> are running windos xp/vista under bootcamp on your mac, like if you >>> use sonar for some things you can't accomplish yet in pro tools, then >>> you may have issues with crappy drivers. If you are bootcamping with >>> windows seven, >> this >>> is less of an issue. >>> >>> So, if we are talking pro tools on mac only, that is one thing. If we >>> are talking about a cross platform interface for multiple DAW >>> applications, >> then >>> that alters your choices a bit. >>> >>> Lastly, I would advise you to go with a firewire interface and not a >>> USB interface. >>> >>> Good luck, >>> >>> Cameron. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: ptaccess@googlegroups.com [mailto:ptaccess@googlegroups.com] On >> Behalf >>> Of Elexis Gillette >>> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 5:51 AM >>> To: ptaccess@googlegroups.com >>> Subject: Final Questions of Pro Tools before I Purchase >>> >>> Hi, >>> >>> To ensure that I purchase the accessible version of Pro Tools for my >>> MAC, >> I >>> want to know is it called "Avid pro Tools 9.0"? I'm sure I have seen >>> the correct version, it is $599.00. I'm not interested in getting the >>> HD version. >>> >>> Also, I need advice on an interface. I'm wanting something where I >>> can possibly have some control surface functionality. Specifically, >>> something no more than $500 if possible? I'm hoping I can acquire >>> something useful >> in >>> that price range. >>> >>> Thank you for your help in this matter, and I apologize if I have >>> repeated prior questions from other users on this list regarding this >>> matter. I >> just >>> want to make sure I'm securing the necessary items for recording. >>> >>> Lex= >>> >> >
