EUPHONIX ARTIST SERIES CONTROL SURFACE

[Anderton]

Euphonix Artist Series: Prologue

Anyone who's read my articles over the years knows I'm a huge fan of control surfaces when running DAWs. I was brought up in the days of analog mixers, and while I certainly like using a mouse for editing, it's a "serial" device in a "parallel" world--there are so many times when mixing that I want to grab multiple faders that using a mouse by itself is just plain frustrating.

So I was pretty stoked when I heard Euphonix was coming out with the Artist Series control surfaces at Winter NAMM, for a couple reasons. First, Euphonix's reputation is such that I figured these would be pretty classy little controllers. Second, they wanted to do a pro review to help get the message out, so I figured I'd get a chance to really run them through their paces.

As it turned out, the Artist Series controllers were a big hit at NAMM. They're beautiful and functional, and surprisingly inexpensive given the specs and pedigree. There are two videos in the HC Theater (http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM08/) as part of our NAMM 2008 coverage; when the video player appears, scroll down to the two Euphonix videos. I've also attached a couple pictures that Euphonix provided (top view and angle view). I'll be taking additional pictures as well.

Here's the press release from Euphonix that came out at NAMM:

Euphonix Announces MC Control and MC Mix Professional Control Surfaces for the Personal Studio

Euphonix, a world leader in large-format mixing consoles and controllers for over twenty years, has announced the MC Control and MC Mix professional control surfaces for its new Artist Series line of products that boasts revolutionary ergonomic, slim-line designs and brings the unparalleled speed, resolution and DAW integration of Euphonix's high-end professional consoles to the personal studio. The MC Control and MC Mix easily integrate into any studio, fitting perfectly between a computer keyboard and screen, and up to four units can be connected to create a larger, integrated control surface.

The MC Control and MC Mix feature EuCon(tm), a high-speed control protocol developed by Euphonix that enables simultaneous control of multiple applications and even workstations over an Ethernet cable at 250 times the speed and eight times the resolution of MIDI. EuCon automatically detects whatever application is in the foreground and instantly sets the high-resolution touchscreen and OLED displays, motorized faders and arsenal of controls to match.

Euphonix has worked closely with the world's leading software developers like Apple, Steinberg, MOTU and others to deeply integrate native EuCon support into their DAWs to provide high-resolution, high-speed control over almost all DAW functions for an unmatched editing and mixing experience. The MC Control and MC Mix also support the HUI and Mackie Control protocols for even greater flexibility, at a faster speed and higher resolution than any other controllers. The new Euphonix MC Mix will ship in late January 2008 and be available at authorized Euphonix retailers at an estimated street price of $999.99, while the MC Control will ship March 2008 and sell at an estimated street price $1,499.99.

About Euphonix

Euphonix, a leading manufacturer of large-format digital audio consoles and controllers has provided customers worldwide with trusted broadcast, post, live sound and music production solutions for 20 years. Key products in the Pro Series line include Max Air, System 5 and S5 Fusion consoles as well as the System 5-MC and MC DAW controllers. The new Artist Series line includes the revolutionary MC Control and MC Mix controllers.

[Anderton]

I don't want to get too deep too fast here, but the heart of what makes this tick is the EuCon protocol. This is a high-speed, Ethernet-based protocol that transfers data at a higher resolution and faster speed than MIDI. Here's what Euphonix says about the protocol on the Euphonix site:

EuCon is a high speed Ethernet control protocol that allows the MC Control and MC Mix to seamlessly connect to any Mac OS X application. EuCon has been developed by Euphonix working closely with industry leading media application manufacturers such as Apple and Steinberg to implement this next generation MIDI control protocol.

EuCon is 250X faster and 8X more resolution than MIDI. Because it's faster, its control connectivity is much more responsive and feels like a real console. Euphonix implements EuCon in all of its large format pro consoles such as System 5, S5 Fusion, System 5-MC and MC Pro used by thousands of professionals throughout the world to mix movie, TV, music and live venue performances.

With the MC Mix and MC Control you get the same high-speed, high-resolution connectivity and control as the pros. The great thing about EuCon is that it not only works with applications that directly support EuCon, such as Nuendo and Logic Pro, but also with applications that support HUI, such as Pro Tools, or Mackie Control protocol applications, such as Final Cut Pro. There is no other protocol out there with this amount of versatility and power.

Multiple Workstations
Thanks to the EuCon protocol, any combination of the MC Control and MC Mix units can connect to a second Mac workstation.

Any Mac computer such as a Mac Pro, Macbook Pro, Macbook or an iMac, can act as the master Artist Series workstation. It runs both the EuControl and the MC Client applications which are included with each Artist Series unit.

EuControl not only manages how the MC Control and MC Mix units connect to the main workstation but also handles passing on EuCon commends when a second workstation is connected - all this is done seamlessly in the background.

The second workstation has the MC Client application installed to communicate EuCon commands from the first workstation with the applications on the second workstation. Workstation control selection can be done from a dedicated button on the MC Control or MC Mix units.

Keyboard commands from the first workstation can be passed over the EuCon connection to the second workstation or a second keyboard can be used. Preferences in EuCon allow either mode of operation.

DVI switching of the two workstations screens is required, or just simply use two monitors.

Audio from the second workstation needs to be fed into the Studio Monitor Express monitoring application in the first workstation - in the example above the Mac Pro's digital optical ports can be used.

No other controller has this type of architecture for easy switching between two workstations.

For the record, currently supported products include Digidesign Pro Tools, MOTU Digtal Performer, Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Soundtrack Pro, Propellerheads Reason, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, and with version 7.02, Cakewalk Sonar. But wait - that's not a Mac OS X application. Well, apparently I need to hook the Euphonix into the Mac, then go to Sonar from there...or something like that. I'm sure I'll find out the full story during the course of writing this review, but I have plenty of Mac programs to keep me occupied in the mean time.

[Anderton]

Before getting into the review itself, for all the tech-heads out there, Euphonix did a detailed white paper on the EuCon protocol at the October 2006 AES. It's downloadable from the Euphonix site but as a convenience, it's attached here for downloading. It's a bit technical but hey, so are a lot of the people reading this.

[Anderton]

And while we're at it, here's the brochure about the Artist Series that you can download as a PDF file. It serves as a good introduction to the unit.

Okay, now I'm going to set up my photo studio (i.e., put a piece of cardboard on the floor and open the shades all the way so the sun comes in!) and take some photos.

[Anderton]

The packaging is pretty substantial; thick cardboard, with lots of foam inserts that look like they could withstand even the baggage handlers at Atlanta-Hartzfield airport.

The attached photo shows what comes with the unit. Clockwise from upper left:

* CD-ROM. This includes software for installing the Euphonix Artist Series, as well as software for specific applications, and the user manual.

* The unit itself.

* Ethernet crossover cable.

* Power supply.

*Optional mounts for angling the control surface.

* IEC-type line cord for the power supply.

* Quickstart guide and warranty information.

The Quickstart guide has instructions in English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Korean. Each section is mercifully brief - you only need to go through seven pages for the English section.

Although you're advised to go to Euphonix.com/artist/support for the latest updates to the software and manual, it was a dead end. I presume the product is so new that it's simply not there yet.

In case you're wondering why there aren't pictures of the insides, which I usually do for Pro Reviews, the screws holding on the bottom plate need a small star-type wrench to undo them. I'll be going out after I post these photos to go get a set :)

[Anderton]

The eight faders on the front panel are long-throw faders with a good feel. The long-throw aspect is important, because the EuCon spec allows for 1,024 steps of resolution for faders, as opposed to MIDI's 128 steps.

This makes a big difference. I have a Panasonic DA7 digital mixing console that interpolates MIDI's 128 steps to generate 1,024 steps, and the feel is much more like an analog console. There's no "stair-stepping" and the sound is just plain cleaner. One of my pet peeves is control surfaces with short faders, so I'm glad these babies give you some room to move.

[Anderton]

Above each fader is a group of switches and a knob. The switches have a "soft" touch, sort of a rubbery feel. They don't click, which is kind of nice when you're trying to keep noise levels down in the studio.

In the first photo, you can see that some of the Solo and On buttons do double-duty as transport controls. You can also see the Select buttons.

The little Euphonix logo shows up in the display for each channel when you turn the unit on with nothing connected...I couldn't resist showing it :)

The second photo shows the page buttons to the left of the channels.

As someone who "plays" EQs and aux sends instead of treating them as set-and-forget parameters, I do wish the knobs had just a slightly larger diameter. I realize that there's a tradeoff, because if the knobs were too big, then that would interfere with using the switches and you could also hit the switches accidentally. But I think even an extra 1/8" or 1/4" of diameter would make for a bigger "target" if you have relatively big hands (as I do).

[Anderton]

The first photo is a close-up of some of the navigation buttons. The second photo shows selection buttons that give you an idea of what to expect in terms of parameters you can control: buttons for inserts, EQ, aux, pan, etc.

That's pretty much it for a guided tour of what the front panel looks like. As luck would have it, I have a loaner Intel Mac here that I'll be setting up tonight to use with the MC Mix for this Pro Review. I do have a dual G5, and the Artist Series will work with that; but I think that the Artist Series is the type of product line that will probably be used by a more "cutting-edge" type of musician, so it's probably important that I move some things around in the studio so I can use the Intel Mac for testing. As a bonus, it has the latest version of Logic installed so we'll see how the Artist Series works with that as well as other apps I can install such as Cubase, Reason, Live, etc.

[Anderton]

I finally found a set of Torx wrenches with tips small enough to take the case apart (thank you, Ace Hardware). By the way, I like to take gear apart not just out of a love of undressing a nice piece of gear and seeing it naked, but also, because I'm always curious whether something is easy to service or not. When a unit contains things like faders--particularly motorized faders--this is an important consideration because if you can repair something in the field, you'll save yourself the time of sending it back to the factory.

When I took off the back (where I saw that the unit is made in China, so don't feed it to your pets), I was pleasantly surprised to see a wrap-around metal grounding sheet (first photo) to minimize any possible EMI. They could have saved a few bucks by not including this, and no one would have noticed (well, at least until this Pro Review went live!). So, props for helping promote a cleaner studio environment from an electro-magnetic standpoint.

I started poking around to find the brains of thing, which appears to be a Freescale Semiconductor Coldfire MCF5328 (second photo). If the name Freescale rings a bell, then you might have seen the video from AES where Marcus Ryle of Line 6 talks about using their development system to let basically anyone with rudimentary DSP chops program their effects units for custom effects.

Anyway, the MCF5328 is a microprocessor that handles the LCD but also includes a fast Ethernet controller, timers, clocks, and the like. The core system clock runs at up to 240MHz, which is pretty speedy for an embedded controller.

[Anderton]

The first photo shows a close-up of the moving faders. I tried to see the brand, but couldn't make it out...maybe someone from Euphonix can chime in.

As to service, it seems that Euphonix follows the old maxim: The products that are easiest to service hardly ever need servicing. Euphonix has a good rep for reliability, but if a fader should go, it appears to me that the technically adept could replace it easily.

Moving faders take some current, so I wanted to check out the power supply. The second photo shows what I'm pretty sure is the power supply, what with its regulators and electrolytic caps.

Finally, the third photo shows an overall view of the circuit board. As you can see, it has a fairly spacious layout...not a lot of parts crammed close together, which promotes cooler operation and less component stress. You can make out the white Ethernet connector in the upper right.

Okay, bottom line: Despite the sub-$1000 price, the MC Mix is well-designed and doesn't seem to cut corners on construction. It's eminently field-serviceable, either by simply swapping out the board, or in the case of the faders, being able to replace them without much effort.

I don't mean to dwell on this except for the fact that Euphonix makes pro-level gear, and people using it probably can't tolerate much downtime. Even if a product is 99.999% reliable, if you're that 0.001% and something goes out just before you're scheduled to take something to the Fed Ex dropoff, it makes a big difference whether you get back up and running in minutes or whether you have to run to an authorized service center or worse yet, send the product to the factory for servicing and wait a few days.

Well, I like to put in at least an hour a day for a Pro Review, and...time flies when you're having fun, but it also seems to fly if you're taking units apart and photographing them. Next up: Installing the software, and plugging in the magic Ethernet cable. The suspense builds! See ya tomorrow.

[Anderton]

All right...software time. I had mentioned that the Artist Series URL at www.euphonix.com/artist/support was a dead end. Well, not anymore...I went there again, and it's fully populated with downloads, support, FAQs, etc.

So I downloaded the new software to check things out.

First, I'm in the middle of getting the system going and so far, I have to say that the manual and installation software really holds your hand throughout the process. (I might not be saying this if I was going through a router instead of directly to my computer, because networks and I don't seem to get along very well. Maybe I'll get to check it out at some point.)

That process basically involves double-clicking on a .DMG file, sitting back, and letting it install its applications or drivers or whatever it needs...all I know is I just followed the directions, hooked up the Ethernet cable, and the controller was definitely communicating with the computer.

I figured I'd start off with the Mackie Control emulation thing as I'm very familiar with Digital Performer. For Mackie Control, you drag the application icon over to a preferences pane, select Mackie Control, then reboot. I noticed, though, that if you call up the preferences pane after rebooting, it doesn't show the application...we'll see if it "sticks" or not.

Well, off to the other computer to set up DP for Mackie Control. I haven't done this before, so hopefully I'll be back in a couple minutes and report all was well.

[Anderton]

For some reason, the controller is just kind of sitting there. I can't enable buttons, and moving controls doesn't do anything in DP.

The only two things I can think of are 1) pilot error, like I'm missing some preference in Performer, or 2) the fact that the Euphonix window under System Preferences doesn't list the application after a reboot, and you need to reboot it in order to (at least in theory) save the preference.

I think I'll quit for tonight, and try again with Logic Pro tomorrow.

[Anderton]

This was the complete opposite experience...can't get much more plug and play than this:

* Installed software in Intel Mac.
* Plugged in Artist Series MC Mix.
* Opened Logic.

Everything worked! Yup, faders faded, panners panned, select buttons selected, etc. etc.

I'll get more into this tomorrow, and maybe someone from Euphonix can tell me what I'm doing wrong with the Performer/Mackie emulation thang. I'm a little short for time today because I'm fixing two older computers (one fixed--I needed to swap out the motherboard--and one to go, it just needs a new power supply) and it took me longer than I had hoped. But I must say, having the MC Mix work perfectly with Logic Pro was a nice way to close out the day.

[Anderton]

The more I think about it, the more I think I'm doing something wrong...I've never used a Mackie Control with Performer before, so it's very likely I don't have Performer set up properly. However, the fact that the Preference doesn't "stick" makes me wonder if there isn't a bug. Maybe I should try the older software instead of the update and see if that makes a difference.

Oh by the way, one more P.S.: The faders are indeed Alps faders.

[Dr. Gruv]

very nice ;) for logic

[modul8]

I have been awaiting a Euphonix product release like this for at least a year now.

I am very excited by the Logic Pro integration. My primary curiosity is how well one can navigate plug-ins and the mix process in general while concentrating on interacting with the surface more so than the computer display.

Any possibility you will have the change to test third party plug-in support such as with the UAD-1? It would be very nice to know how well these plug-ins can be nagotiated directly from the control surface...?

Thanks Craig and thank you Euphonix for filling the void :-)

[Anderton]

I am very excited by the Logic Pro integration. My primary curiosity is how well one can navigate plug-ins and the mix process in general while concentrating on interacting with the surface more so than the computer display.

Any possibility you will have the change to test third party plug-in support such as with the UAD-1? It would be very nice to know how well these plug-ins can be nagotiated directly from the control surface...?

Thanks Craig and thank you Euphonix for filling the void :-)

I will be checking out the integration, for sure. I haven't used Logic much recently, but Logic Pro 8 is changing that...so this will provide an excellent opportunity not just to learn about the MC Mix, but also, it should help hone my Logic chops.

[Anderton]

I got a call from Euphonix today about my Digital Performer problems. Seems they'd encountered this a few other times in the past, and repairing permissions solved the problem.

So I repaired permissions, and...yes! Everything works fine. The track names show up in the display, the faders and panning moves, etc. etc. The integration is clearly not as tight using Mackie emulation as it is with Logic Pro, but hey, it does what a Mackie Control does :)

I also checked the System Preferences > Euphonix pane and the MOTU DP settings now "stick."

Props to Euphonix for getting on this so fast. I realize this is a high-visibility situation, but based on what I've heard from others, Euphonix in general is good about tech support.

Note to Euphonix: May I suggest adding something to your FAQs about how people should try to repair permissions if Mackie Control mode is non-functional.

[Anderton]

Question...

When I'm using my G5 Mac, which has only one Ethernet port, I'd like to be able to run the MC Mix and access the internet so I can post here while using the setup. My internet comes from a router.

What's the simplest/cheapest way to be able to run both internet and MC Mix at the same time? I'm really a moron when it comes to networks, so be patient...

[basshag]

If your Mac is not close to your router or it doesn't have any more available ports, you would just need to add an Ethernet switch. This is also how you would add additional MC Mix or MC Control units to your system.

[Anderton]

I am very excited by the Logic Pro integration. My primary curiosity is how well one can navigate plug-ins and the mix process in general while concentrating on interacting with the surface more so than the computer display.

I think that's a very good standard by which to judge the MC Mix, and I'll concentrate on that next.

I started playing around by calling up the various projects included with Logic Pro. Interestingly, they all worked fine except for "Le Disko" by Shiny Toy Guns; whenever I called it up, the EuControl application crashed although Logic remained open. If I tried to re-open EuControl, it just crashed again. It was the only song that did this, so there must be some element about it that EuControl doesn't expect. About the only clues I have are that it opens up with a movie window, and that if you click on play, it goes through a process of rebuilding fades and such -- none of the other files did this.

I mention this not as a diss, but because it seems so repeatable that hopefully Euphonix can call up that tune and see why this happens.

[Anderton]

Let's look at the basics. When you turn on the MC Mix with Logic, it's ready to go:

* The display shows the track name.
* The knob defaults to pan.
* Each channel's mute/solo/on status is reflected on the control surface.
* The fader settings are reflected on the control surface.
* The selection buttons toward the lower right default to the Mix/Pan function.

Let's look at each aspect in a little more detail.

Track name: The Euphonix display is 8-10 characters wide, and very readable, with yellow lettering on a black background (which implies to me that the Euphonix engineers know about the study showing that yellow on black is the most readable color combination). You can see this in the attached photo.

A word of advice: A long time ago, I got into the habit of naming DAW channels using 8 characters because then even if I made the channel view narrow so I could fit more channels onscreen, I could still determine what the track was. I would recommend taking this approach with the MC Mix -- or any controller, for that matter -- because if you switch banks, seeing a channel change from BACKING to BACKING isn't as helpful as seeing BCKVOC1 change to BCKVOC2. I'm not sure why some MC Mix channels show 8 characters and others show 10; that's not a complaint, as I'm used to naming with 8 characters...I'm just curious.

The selected (what Euphonix calls "attentioned") track is underlined, which is helpful. As we'll see later on, the left side of each display shows a meter (either mono, stereo or 5.1, depending on the type of track) with clip indicator, while to the right of the knob strip you'll see the automation status (R, W, RW). To lengthen the life of the OLED (organic LED) display, it dims after a user-settable amount of time (from 1 minute to never), as determined in the EuControl application. After dimming occurs, you can return the display to full brightness simply by touching or moving anything on the control surface.

Pan knob: When you turn the panning knob (which of course can control other parameters, this is just the default), a numeric value appears above the pan knob graphic (the strip that shows the pan position). As soon as you stop turning, the label goes back to identifying the control. This is smart, as opposed to showing the value continuously, because you always know a a glance which parameter is being controlled by the knob. But wait -- it gets better! The knob is touch-sensitive, so you don't need to turn the knob to see the value: Just touch it. If you've ever had devices where the only way to see the value was to actually move the knob, you'll appreciate this to no end. Very cool.

Mute/on/off: This is pretty obvious. Again referring to the photo, each channel has an On button and a Solo button, which work the same way as on a normal console. If On is not enabled, then the channel is muted. Solo, of course, mutes other channels while soloing the selected one; but the Solo function is additive, so you can enable multiple Solo buttons to solo multiple channels -- you don't need to do Ctrl-Solo or anything like that. I haven't figured out a way to cancel all Solos at the same time, though, and didn't see anything in the manual that explained how to do this. Maybe someone at Euphonix has an answer...if not, I have a suggestion: It seems that hitting Shift then hitting a Solo button doesn't do anything. Perhaps a function could be added where going Shift/Solo button disables all solos.

It's also worth noting that at least with Logic Pro, this is all bi-directional: Click Solo on Logic, and the Solo button lights on the MC Mix. Ditto channel on/off.

Fader settings: Yes, the faders reflect what's on screen, and if you move either the physical or on-screen fader, the other fader follows suit. Like the knobs, these are touch-sensitive: Touch the fader, and the track name is replaced with a numeric value representing the slider setting (e.g., -3.85 for -3.85dB). I didn't find any way to "fine-tune" the fader setting (e.g., holding a shift key while moving the fader), but we're talking about pretty fine resolution anyway -- for example, the fader value passes through eight discrete values while going from 0 to -1dB: -0.04, -0.16, -0.28, -0.40, -0.53, -0.65, -0.77, and -0.90.

The only questionable aspect was moving ganged faders, as the ganged fader you're not moving follows along, but with a lag. That's to be expected; every device I've seen with moving faders works this way. However, when you stop moving one of the faders, the other usually ends up in the same physical position, but not always; there was often about a 1/8" offset. Fortunately, the fader value does not reflect this offset -- both faders are set to the same electrical level, even if their physical position is slightly offset.

Also, due to fact that we are dealing with mechanical devices, a quick flick of one ganged fader will often cause the other to appear to "overshoot" before settling back to the correct position. However, this most definitely does not overshoot at Logic Pro's mixer, which follows the motion of the fader you're moving faithfully, and the ganged fader follows suit perfectly within the program. My advice is to just consider the fader you're moving as "the real thing," and not be concerned about any apparent discrepancies with the ganged fader, as these do not affect the program at all.

Selection buttons: We'll get more into this subject later, but these are the buttons that select various functional groups. For example, if you want to control EQ with the knob, you can hit an EQ button and now the knobs are in "EQ-land." Hit the Mix/Pan button, and the knob goes back to being a pan control.

Next time, we'll check into how to move beyond the default control functions for the knob.

[Anderton]

Before I forget, I should mention that in addition to lighting up, the buttons have a very tactile, rubbery feel. You can punch those suckers a lot without causing the ends of your fingers any grief :)

[basshag]

The problem that's causing EuControl to crash when the "Le Disko" project is loaded was fixed earlier this week and is part of the Version 1.0.2 software release that will be posted on the Euphonix download page early next week.

[Anderton]

Thanks for the update!

[Anderton]

I've always said that controllers need to be learned, and the MC Mix is no exception. Granted, there are some good graphic aids to help you along, but at least to me, a controller is an instrument and as such, you need to learn it and practice it.

Case in point: The knobs. Now, it's common sense that a small box with eight faders, eight knobs, and a bunch of switches is not going to replace an full-blown analog mixing console. So the question becomes, how well can the box fool you into thinking you're working with a console?

The MC Mix knobs have two main modes: Normal mode, where a knob affects the same parameter across multiple tracks, and Channel mode, where a knob affects multiple parameters within the same track.

For example, when you punch the EQ button in channel mode, the left-most channel in the display is the channel you're affecting. But the knobs are a different matter: With Logic Pro, from left to right the eight knobs control Frequency and Gain for the four EQ stages. But, if you hit the Select button, the knob controlling Frequency now controls Q...and the On button underneath the stage control turns the stage on and off. Remember, because we're in Channel mode, all the knobs affect one channel.

But wait, you say...Logic Pro has eight stages of EQ. And indeed it does! Hit the Page button, and now the eight knobs control the high cut/low cut/high shelf/low shelf parameters.

So...which is easier, using the screen, or using the knobs? Well...it depends. For making a single, quick tweak, I'd vote for the screen. But where the knobs come in very handy is if you're working on a track and want to make a series of adjustments. In that case, you can keep your hands on the controller and move easily between midrange, high end, low end, etc.

But the most important thing - and this is a big deal - is that you can edit two parameters at once because you have two hands. For example, suppose you want to edit the high and low cutoff frequencies to add a bandpass effect. Using a mouse, you adjust one parameter, then the other, then go back, etc. until you get where you want to go. With the MC Mix, you can turn the knobs associated with each parameter at the same time.

Now, here's an example of "someone was thinking": For parametric stages, the Freq knob does double-duty as the Q control (you alternate between the two by hitting the SEL button). The gain remains as a separate parameter on a separate knob. It makes sense that you'd choose the frequency, and then, decide on the amount of gain/Q at that frequency.

[Anderton]

As I've mentioned before, I really like to use controllers. However, the usefulness diminishes inversely in proportion to how often you use a function.

Faders? Use 'em all the time, and find it a major inconvenience to go back to using a mouse after using a control surface. On a recent project, I was mixing only four tracks from a harpsichord recording (left room, right room, left main, right main) so we're not talking a major multichannel mix - and even then, using a control surface beats using a mouse, hands-down. I needed to get the blend between all four channels perfect, and making changes one channel at a time was pathetic compared to having four faders I could move sumultaneously.

Or take a soft synth. I haven't tried controlling a soft synth yet with the MC Mix, but have done it a lot with Cakewalk's ACT technology. If I'm using the control surface to vary the blend between different voices, or affecting all parameters of an effect (e.g., delay time, delay feedback, delay mix), then a control surface is great. But for a "hit and run" tweak of some esoteric parametric, it takes me longer to select a bank/preset/whatever, remember which control affects which parameter, and change it compared to just grabbing a parameter with a mouse and making a change.

In a way, this is what's cool about Native Instrument's KORE controller. Because NI controls the instruments being controlled, they can make sure that, say, filter cutoff is always the same knob. MC Mix does the same thing, in that while it takes a while to learn which knobs and switches control which parameters, once you have it figured out then it becomes second nature to reach for a particular control at the right time.

But I can't emphasize enough that you need to LEARN a controller. It's only after reaching for a control becomes second nature that you really start to reap the rewards of using any controller, and the MC Mix is no exception.

[Anderton]

The more I work with the Artist Series, the more I "get" the workflow, and the more I see what kind of thought went into defining the functionality. I will say that my comments about having to learn a control surface seem even more relevant as I work more with the Artist Series; in particular, there's extensive use of the OLED display to clue you in on what's happening. Much of this takes the form of "visual shortcuts" that aren't obvious until you're a little further up the learning curve, but once you do that climb, it makes sense.

For example, I mentioned Channel mode and Normal mode before, but to recap, in Normal mode, the display for each channel relates to that channel. In channel mode, multiple parameters for one channel are spread across multiple displays. There are two ways to know you're in channel mode: The CHAN button you need to hit to get in to Channel mode illuminates, but also, the OLED display places a series of dots around the faders.

Take a look at the attached photo. As you can see, the Chan button toward the left is illuminated. But look at the displays. Note the matrix of dots just under the Intro Vocal labels identifying the channels. The dots indicate that the displays are showing channel mode; in normal mode, no dots are visible.

More importantly, though, note that for the Main Voc display, the matrix of dots extends behind the track name itself. What this tells you is which channel has the "attention," i.e., which channel's parameters (in this case, Aux Send for Main Voc) are being spread out among the various displays.

So, while the Chan switch at least lets you know you're in channel mode (as does the presence of the matrix of dots), being able to see which channel has the attention is obviously very helpful.

This is also what I mean about a learning curve. Having read the manual, I had a head start :) but I will say that once you figure out the dots indicate Channel mode, you're not going to forget that, especially because you have the constant visual feedback of the Chan button being lit.

If you want to change which channel has the attention, it's easy: you just hit the Sel button for the channel fader associated with the channel you want to have the attention.

But there's more...

[Anderton]

With channel mode, you can show up to 8 aux sends, which you control with the knobs. What about Normal mode?

Referring to the attached image, first of all, you can see that there are no dots in the display. You can also see that the left Intro Voca channel has a send, and shows the Bus the send control will send signal to; the right Intro Voc shows that there's no send for that channel.

As to accessing the different sends to different buses , that's done with the page buttons. Pressing Page steps through the send slots, and does so for all channels simultaneously.

For example, suppose you have the channels set up as follows:

Channel 1, slot 1: Bus 3
Channel 1, slot 2: Bus 14

Channel 2, slot 1: [no send]
Channel 2, slot 2: Bus 13
Channel 2, slot 3: Bus 14

You'll start off seeing "Bus 3" in channel 1's display and nothing in channel 2's display, because the control surface is showing what's in the first slot for each channel.

When you press the Page > button, you'll now see what's in the second slot. So, in channel 1, you'll see "Bus 14" and in channel 2, you'll see "Bus 13."

Press Page > again, and you'll see what's in the third slot. This means you'll see nothing in channel 1 and for channel 2, "Bus 14."

Once you know the surface works this way, you'll understand that it's more important than even to pay attention to how you insert and assign buses. For example, if several channels have reverb sends, ideally you would want these all in the same slot so that if you're in Normal mode, and you use the Page < or Page > to access that slot, you'll be able to adjust all the reverb sends simultaneously. This is something that's worth doing anyway just to keep a session organized, but with the Artist Series, doing your assignments intelligently will allow for a much faster workflow.

The only problem I have about all this involves Logic, not the Artist Series: You can't name a bus so it says, say "Revrb" or "Delay and as a result, you won't see a name like this in the display, only "Bus 3," "Bus 4," etc. [Edit: The preceding is incorrect, you can name the buses and the long bus name can show up in the MC Mix...see subsequent posts.]

[Anderton]

During the course of doing this Pro Review, I think that I accidentally stumbled on the best way to learn it, so I'll pass along my observations here for two reasons: 1) If someone from Euphonix has a better idea they can mention it, and 2) anyone who ends up buying the Artist Series controllers -- and I suspect that's going to be quite a few people! -- may find it helpful.

First, you learn the general lay of the land in terms of buttons, select buttons, where the "Function buttons" (Aux, Pan, EQ, Inserts, etc.) are, and the like. That basically familiarizes you with the "toolset" the program offers.

Second, you dig into one function at a time and learn as much about it as you can: Adjusting levels, adjusting EQ, editing sends, etc. As you do so, you'll find out about what functions they have in common (e.g., channel vs. normal, use of Page buttons), as well as what special tricks there might be for each function. Once you've learned a function thoroughly, then you can move on to the next one.

[modul8]

Hi Craig,

You indicated Logic does not allow you to name Busses. Please forgive me if you are aware as I do not wish insult, but, if you go to Options->Audio->I/O Labels, you can assign Names and Short Names to the Buses that are available.

When you select a bus for a send or I/O option, you will see the menu display your Bus list as: "Bus# (bus name)" respectively.

Had you provided names for the Busses and Logic simply did not pass this info on to the MC Mix? I'm curious to know if this is helpful as we Logic users might want to request this issue be addressed in a future rev...

[Anderton]

Hi Craig,

You indicated Logic does not allow you to name Busses. Please forgive me if you are aware as I do not wish insult, but, if you go to Options->Audio->I/O Labels, you can assign Names and Short Names to the Buses that are available.

When you select a bus for a send or I/O option, you will see the menu display your Bus list as: "Bus# (bus name)" respectively.

Had you provided names for the Busses and Logic simply did not pass this info on to the MC Mix? I'm curious to know if this is helpful as we Logic users might want to request this issue be addressed in a future rev...


Thank you! You are 100% right, but my confusion came about because when I entered ONLY a short name and not a long name, the short name did not show up as a bus label or in the MC Mix. Apparently, it's necessary to enter a long name for the MC Mix to show that in its displays. If it's too long to fit in the display, the MC Mix shortens it intelligently rather than select the short label. Logic, on the other hand, substitutes the short label on-screen if the long label is too long.

Thanks again!

[therage57]

Why is this thing so expensive?

Does it have built in DSP to run plugs?

[Anderton]

Why is this thing so expensive?

Does it have built in DSP to run plugs?

Well, list is about $1,399, street is typically $999. Perhaps someone from Euphonix can chime in, but my assumption is that a fair amount of the price went into the Alps motorized faders, and the power supply needed to power them. I don't think the OLED display is cheap, either, but it's a crucial part of the deal--it's so much more informative than, say, 7-segment LEDs or less expensive LCD types. There are also the knobs, a lot of switches, and a fair amount of software development both for the unit itself and for compatibility with various programs.

It also looks cool :) so the industrial design is probably something that needs to be amortized.

There is no DSP built in to run plugs.

By way of comparison, the Mackie Control Universal is about $100 less (street or list), while the Mackine Control Universal Pro is $1,299 street and $1,549 list. Things with moving faders tend to be costly.

[basshag]

You are absolutely correct, Craig. High-quality controllers are not cheap to build, and the MC Mix's price is pretty sweet when you consider that it not only has touch-sensitive ALPS motorized faders, but is also the only controller at this price to offer touch-sensitive encoders and hi-res OLED displays. Everyone else is still using the usual encoders with the same low-res LED's that we've seen for years.

[~Musicman~]

OK, this may seem like a silly question.

The end result of a controller is to use a knob/slider/whatever to control a parameter of the program.

So how would this Euphonix set up compare to Novation's Nocture in regards to an end result?

Novation has the Auto map universal 2.0 and it seems to control everything the home studio musician would need. Right?

So does my mouse, or anything else I can program, but my concern is How much does one spend on a controller, How much of the controller does one really need. What factors would you use to justify the level of want in a controller?

If I am recording and playing back 2 tracks with 3 effects, I don't really need a controller. Where as a mix of many tracks and effect are used, a controller would be a big help. The question here is, how would a less expensive controller (Novation) stand up against a more expensive one (Euphonix)?

[Anderton]

I haven't used Nocture, but I'll google it and see what comes up.

If it doesn't have moving faders, that's a huge point of differentiation right there that may or may not be crucial to what you want to do.

Also, I'm starting to see a "dividing line" forming between control surface concepts: One, like the MC Mix, seems intended to reproduce the experience of using a console in a DAW context. The other seems more intent on reproducing the experience of having an analog synth, with its collection of knobs and faders for real-time contro. With the latter, moving faders isn't as important, because you're using the controls more to program a sound. With the former, moving faders are crucial in terms being able to interact with the audio on a continuous basis.

[~Musicman~]

I haven't used Nocture, but I'll google it and see what comes up.

If it doesn't have moving faders, that's a huge point of differentiation right there that may or may not be crucial to what you want to do.

Also, I'm starting to see a "dividing line" forming between control surface concepts: One, like the MC Mix, seems intended to reproduce the experience of using a console in a DAW context. The other seems more intent on reproducing the experience of having an analog synth, with its collection of knobs and faders for real-time contro. With the latter, moving faders isn't as important, because you're using the controls more to program a sound. With the former, moving faders are crucial in terms being able to interact with the audio on a continuous basis.

Good point about the dividing line. I have played around with controller assignments in Logic and I could control almost every parameter in Logic using only my DX7 data entry slider.

The smaller more compact Controllers require the operator to select one section (Fader/mix screen, or the Insert screen, or some other screen) at a time, where as a giant Daw control console has faders/knobs/buttons all laid out at your fingertips. Again it all goes back to needs. If you don't needs it, don't gets it.

[Lawrence Farr]

Craig: Thanks for the review as I am very interested in these devices.

Can you do us a favor? Look in the memory manager (or whatever Mac calls it) and tell us how much memory the EuCon software uses?

Thanks.

[kaboomer]

Hi Craig:

Thanks so much for your super in-depth review! I wish I had this much information available to me every time I was considering dropping a thousand bucks!

You mentioned the divide you're seeing developing between console control surfaces and soft synth controller surfaces - can you speak to how well the Euphonix works as a soft synth controller?

I use Logic Pro 8 and make extensive use of the program's internal instruments, especially the B3 emulation, and I'm hoping the Euphonix and its faders will make a useful and somewhat intuitive control surface for that, as well as Logic's mixer.

Again, thanks for all the 411!

[daviddd]

It shows about 60MB usage and 1 GB virtual memory.
But you cannot compare Apples memory system to Windows.
And you can define, how many channels are stored in ram from Eucon settings.
I wouldn´t care about that, RAM is cheap.

You can control B3 emulation with McMix, but as far as I checked it out,
you are better off with Novation stuff, where you can assign what to control.

FX and Mixer control is great.

Any Nuendo McMix users around?

David

[Anderton]

Hey everybody - sorry for "going dark" on you, but I've had to get all my video/audio/music gear ready for Frankfurt (I leave in about 10 hours). One of the drawbacks of a hardware pro review is that if I'm traveling, I can't really do anything...but the advantage, of course, is that I can pick up where I left off once I get some of the Frankfurt videos edited. Meanwhile, perhaps some others will have taken the plunge with the Artist Series and continue to post their experiences as well.

See you in about 10 days...although I will be monitoring the thread as much as possible.

[TonyPost]

A great review so far. Thanks a lot for that. As soon as a local shop stocks them I'll be trying out the faders. And in the meantime I'll be watching very, very closely for Windows support. I surely hope the devs of my favorite DAW (I do sound design on it mostly) Reaper can be persuaded to support this protocol. Most of the functionality is there, and I'd love to have a good bunch of faders with touch sensitive knobs, set up this well.

Have fun in Frankfurt.

[jmk]

Thanks for your review. One issue I've not seen mentioned anywhere is that when you're using a volume pedal to control midi volume (CC#7) while recording into logic with a keyboard controller the fader is chattering about trying to deal with the 128 steps of midi verses the 1024 Eucon fader throw. (Perhaps there's a fix for this using the Logic environment but I dont' know of one)
It would be helpful to have a toggle in the EuCon software that would "disable faders" in order to deal with this problem. During mix playback this would be a good feature to have as well.

I would also like to see a fix for the faders snapping to to zero when clicking in the finder or another app while Logic is open.
Other than that it's a great product and I look forward to future updates and developement.

Best,

John

[Chaim]

Thanks for the review, I bought this thing. (before reading the review)

There are 2 things I wish Euphonics will change here:

1. an option that when scrolling the banks on the MC mix, it should NOT scroll my tracks in my DAW (DP) - Mackie control has a preference for this in the hardware.

2. Give us please an option to lock the MC Mix to my DAW, that it SHOULD stay in focus even when my DAW is in the background.

These 2 things bother me VERY much.

[Chaim]

There are 2 things I wish Euphonics will change here:

1. an option that when scrolling the banks on the MC mix, it should NOT scroll my tracks in my DAW (DP) - Mackie control has a preference for this in the hardware.



Update: there IS an option for this in the Eucon software but it doesn't work while the MC is in Mackie Control emulation mode.

[Chaim]

I was in contact with Euphonics, they said, they are working on both issues above.

[Anderton]

Okay...I'm back from Frankfurt, I've posted 3 hours of Frankfurt videos in the theater (check 'em out!!!), went through 10 days of a nasty flu, and I'm ready to get back to the Pro Reviews.

But before continuing, first of all, congratulations to Euphonix for winning a MIPA (Musikmesse International Press Award) at the 2008 Frankfurt Musikmesse. That's a very prestigious award and Euphonix definitely should feel good about it.

[modul8]

Welcome home Craig :-) I am sorry to hear you have been under the weather. International flights (flying in general) can really put your immune system to the test.

Now that both the MC Mix and MC Control have been released, Euphonix have made a nice video tour for each unit available on their website. These tours are a fantastic resource and marketing tool.

I was waiting (hoping that Euphonix would enter the project/home studio market) for the Artist series before it had ever been announced simply because of the System 5MC video tours and Artist spotlights. They give a nice overview of the units. Truly amazing integration of native DAW technologies.

Any chance you will have the opportunity to merge your MC Mix review to include the MC Control Craig? I appreciate the Euphonix approach in allowing both units to be used independently, but, I really see the benefit of both units working side by side.

It is very exciting to see companies like Euphonix and Apogee creating professional, scalable technologies that make natve DAW solutions come to life. Low latency, tight integration... exactly what I've been hoping for. Now if we could just get ahold of that SSL patching matrix as a stand alone, Eucon aware product... :-)

[Anderton]

Well, I just got the latest software upgrade (1.0.4.53477) and there's a new installable piece of software called EuCon Workstation, which you install on a different computer (not the one that already has the MC Mix software). This lets the MC Mix control applications running on the second computer, but at the moment, it seems to be Mac-only.

As I've already covered quite a bit about what the MC Mix does and the workflow, it seems like a suitable challenge would be to try and get the Artist Series controllers working with a Windows program, like Live or Sonar. Anyone have any clue on how to do that? At the moment it doesn't seem possible, because Sonar requires that you have EuCon software loaded on the machine before you can add a EuCon control surface.

[Anderton]

Just got a heads-up that 1.05 software is coming soon, with enhancements for Logic.

I mention this just because Euphonix seems to be pretty on the case about doing updates and enhancements...the 1.04 software was dated 4/11/08, which wasn't exactly a long time ago :)

[mcpepe]

What would you use for a little home studio? MC Mix or MC Control?. I cant afford to have both.
Most of my songs are 8-10 tracks. (some more, some less).
Of course, MC Mix is cheaper, but will i miss the jog wheel for easy operation?

[replicant]

What would you use for a little home studio? MC Mix or MC Control?. I cant afford to have both.
Most of my songs are 8-10 tracks. (some more, some less).
Of course, MC Mix is cheaper, but will i miss the jog wheel for easy operation?

For the jogwheel operation you could get a Griffin PowerMate (http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powermate)

For easier transport operation there are several solutions that doesn't cost as much, BUT the touch screen of the MC Control probably makes it worth it to get the MC Control over the MC Mix ;)

I'm in the same corner, but I'll probably get the MC Control when it's been on the market for a couple of months, and then get a MC Mix if/when I feel the need more faders:rolleyes:

[gigolo]

@Replicant, I dont know but it seems to me that there is not much midi controller which would give an overall control over logic (exclude mackie control/logic control).

[Anderton]

Certainly for Logic, the MC Mix has extremely tight integration - you really can pretty much run the program without looking at the computer monitor.

[basshag]

There have been two major releases within the past two weeks - the MC Control has started shipping in the U.S. and the Version 1.1.1 Software Package is posted for download on the Euphonix website.

Version 1.1.1 is for both the MC Mix and MC Control, and includes both software and firmware updates. All users should be sure to update their software and firmware with this latest release, as it offers significant performance improvements.

[Anderton]

Great! I've kind of been waiting for that...I'll go grab it now. Thanks for the heads-up!

[Anderton]

Okay, I've downloaded the software and also, for the past week I've been re-configuring my studio to allow for easier operation with the Euphonics (I guess I must like it if I re-did my studio to accommodate it!). I've also networked two Macs (Logic running on one, DP on the other) so I can test the EuCon Workstation software.

Note that the new software also provides a firmware update. I'll continue with setup this afternoon, and start posting comments later this evening.

[Anderton]

The software installed without incident, and the firmware got updated. However, the MC Mix seemed reluctant to recognize the computer at first. A couple of restarts fixed things, and the system has been working fine ever since.

The first thing I noticed with Logic was that upper right of the display for each channel shows the track number. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is in terms of knowing where you are at any given moment. I also noticed that grouped faders seemed to track each other a little better than before, and the font issues that caused varying numbers of characters in the display appears to be fixed as well. Those are just the obvious ones for now...I'm sure I'll run across more.

[Anderton]

Having the little plastic legs that clip on to the bottom of the MC Mix is a good start, as it slants the panel somewhat toward you. But I found that raising the rear by between 1 and 2 inches (I use small boards) makes a much better experience for me. It's easier to see the display, as well as see the faders straight on.

Another point worth mentioning is that the MC Mix is slightly "right-handed": If you adjust the knob with your left hand, your hand will cover up the display somewhat, whereas this won't happen if you use your right hand. The solution is to bring your left hand in fairly low.

Tomorrow, I'm going to see if I can figure out the EuCon Workstation software thing by myself - or whether my lack of networking experience gets in the way. Should be interesting... :) Meanwhile, it definitely seems like the fader action is snappier and tighter since the update.

[Anderton]

The Euphonix controllers have a feature where they can control a different host on a different workstation (i.e., a different computer). This requires a separate application, EuCon Workstation, to be controlled on the target workstation.

Having successfully used the MC Mix with an Intel Mac running Logic and a Dual G5 running Digital Performer, and after verifying they both worked after the software/firmware upgrade (they did), I uninstalled the EuControl software from the G5 and installed the Workstation software, with the goal of making the G5 the "Workstation" computer.

However, the G5 didn't show up as an eligible workstation under the EuControl app on the Intel Mac. Now, this probably isn't too surprising, because I'm no expert on networking Macs. The situation is this:

The Intel Mac has two Ethernet ports; one connects to the MC Mix, the other to the ethernet router.

The G5 has one Ethernet port which connects to the Ethernet router.

Both computers can access the internet.

When I go to connect the G5 to the Intel Mac, it connects and I can read all the hard drives and such from the G5 on the Intel Mac.

However, I can't really do anything until I get the G5 to show up as one of the workstations in the EuControl application on the Intel Mac. If there's anyone out there with an MC Mix who has gotten this configuration and has any tips, let me know! Otherwise, I'll wait until after the holiday weekend, and contact Euphonix tech support.

[mstutter]

I'm wondering if you might have to plug the MC MIX into the router - so it can see both machines.

I'm wanting to see someone review these two controllers with regards to Pro Tools and how it compares to a HUI. I've currently got a HUI and don't mind it's way of working at all... But this Euphonix rig is looking mighty sweet (and much smaller on the desktop).

Until I see such a review, or at least a whole bunch more published information from Euphonix on how useful this would be with Pro Tools - I won't be spending a dime. I just don't quite get how 4 faders on the MC Control (or 12 with MIX as well) can bank across on a pseudo HUI under PT. And I wanna know if you can use the automation button to select the newly added automation feature Touch/Latch from the control surface. And I wanna know if you can map plugin controls across the faders? And I wanna know everything it can and can't do in PT :):confused:

[Anderton]

I'm wondering if you might have to plug the MC MIX into the router - so it can see both machines.

Hmmm...I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the suggestion.

I'm wanting to see someone review these two controllers with regards to Pro Tools and how it compares to a HUI. I've currently got a HUI and don't mind it's way of working at all... But this Euphonix rig is looking mighty sweet (and much smaller on the desktop).

Well, here's the problem...I run Pro Tools on Windows, and the MC Mix is Mac-only - at the moment. From what I understand, the EuControl Workstation software will be made available for Windows, and I that point I can check it out.

[basshag]

To run multiple workstations and/or controllers, we strongly recommend that you connect everything via a router. You will have EuControl installed one Mac (which acts as the EuCon "brain"), and install the Workstation software on your second Mac. You then access the EuCon settings window on your host Mac and select what surfaces and workstation that you want to connect. This is also where you set your EuCon preferences.

As for how EuCon handles Pro Tools, it is via HUI, but the Euphonix controllers offer some features that go beyond the standard HUI capabilities. Most of these additional features are specific to the MC Control related to its programmable touchscreen and data entry wheel, but the MC Mix also offers the ability to access EQ and dynamics directly from the surface (not through inserts), and view eight parameters of EQ at a time (standard HUI only supports four).

The MC Control additionally offers preprogrammed Soft Keys that provide instant access to most top-level Pro Tools functions, as well as a Soft Key Editor that will let you create custom Soft Keys for any additional Pro Tools function or macro commands (the Soft Key Editor is in the upcoming Version 1.2 release in the next few weeks). The data entry wheel additiaonlly allows you to jog/shuttle; zoom in/out; trim head/tail, slip edit and move region; trim head/tail and move selection in PT.

[Anderton]

To run multiple workstations and/or controllers, we strongly recommend that you connect everything via a router. You will have EuControl installed one Mac (which acts as the EuCon "brain"), and install the Workstation software on your second Mac. You then access the EuCon settings window on your host Mac and select what surfaces and workstation that you want to connect. This is also where you set your EuCon preferences.

I have both Macs connected to the same router, and EuControl installed on Mac #1 and Workstation (but not EuControl) on Mac #2. The MC Mix is patched into Mac #1 via the Ethernet cable supplied with the MC Mix. The problem is that the EuCon software doesn't seem to see Mac #2. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks!

[mstutter]

I have both Macs connected to the same router, and EuControl installed on Mac #1 and Workstation (but not EuControl) on Mac #2. The MC Mix is patched into Mac #1 via the Ethernet cable supplied with the MC Mix. The problem is that the EuCon software doesn't seem to see Mac #2. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks!

I think what Basshag is saying (who I assume is a Euphonix person) is that network wise you need a router, and all computers and controls connected directly to that.

So, network cable wise you'll want :

Router
| | |
------------- | -------------
| | |
G5 2nd Workstation MC Mix

So the MC Mix is relaniant on the G5, it's independent (network wise). Depending on your router you may have to specifiy an IP address for your machines (MC Mix included). But from my readings of the manual for the MC series, DHCP should be golden.

[mstutter]

damn - my diagram got all screwed up!

I"ll try and be descriptive instead:

Router with the G5 connected in port 1 (for example)
2nd Workstation in port 2
MC Mix in port 3

[Anderton]

Thanks for the advice. I talked with Euphonix today (I must say they are good about tech support, I'm not the only person to notice that) and their suggestions mirrored yours. I'll be trying it out tomorrow, it's gotten a little late around here...

[Anderton]

Tech support suggested two things: That I go into System Settings, select Universal Access, and check "Enable Access for Assistive Devices" (see the first image). The other was connecting the control surface's Ethernet connection to the same router feeding the two Macs. So I did, and...no luck. Both Macs saw the internet through the router, both Macs saw a printer on the network, but Mac #1 (with the main EuCon software), and Mac #2 (with the Workstation software) refused to see each other.

I restarted (many, many times!), swapped cables, checked and re-checked, but still, nothing happened. Finally, to make a long story short, I decided to uninstall the Workstation software from Mac #2 and re-install it.

Success! I was finally greeted with EuCon recognizing both workstations (see the second image). By attaching and detaching the appropriate workstation, I could control Logic Pro on Mac #1, and Digital Performer on Mac #2. Cool!

Tech support had said that it probably wasn't necessary to connect the control surface to the router, but recommended that I do that anyway to minimize variables. So, after I got things working, I disconnected the control surface from the router and plugged it into Mac #1's second Ethernet port. Again, success; it was checking "Enable Access for Assistive Devices" that was key to making things work.

At this point, the review is going to "go dark" for a bit as I will be traveling for the next week or so, and can't take two Macs, a router, and the Euphonix control surface in my carry-on bag :). But we've pretty much accomplished everything we needed to do so far:

1. Successfully tested the MC Mix with Logic Pro and Digital Performer.
2. Successfully used the MC Mix with both Intel and PPC Macs.
3. Successfully used the workstation mode to switch the MC Mix between two different computers and two different programs.
4. Installed all the recent updates, both software and firmware, and observed the incremental improvements that occurred as a result.

I was told there would be new software coming out soon, so when I get back, we may have some new goodies...and, the MC Control is now out, so Euphonix will be sending me one to integrate into the Pro Review. What's more, I hear that the much-anticipated Workstation software for Windows computers will be arriving here soon. This will allow me to test the Artist Series with Sonar, which has EuCon support. I suppose this also means I'll be able to control my Windows-based Pro Tools system by using HUI.

So it looks like this Pro Review will be sticking around for a while longer...stay tuned!

[mstutter]

Woohoo!!

I'm looking forward to reading more about HUI implementation under PT!

Actually, Basshag - if you're still listening, can you answer my questions about wether the automation select button on the fader strip toggles through all available automation modes under PT 7.x (they added touch/latch at some point, and of course the HUI doesn't offer a button for that).

Also - another thing I'm looking for, but not sure it will do - is there any form of 5.1 panning under HUI usage for the MC Control/Mix?

[basshag]

Yes, you can toggle through all PT automation modes, including touch/latch.

As for surround functionality, our high-end MC Pro features a joystick that can do surround in PTHD, and we are planning on adding this feature using the touch-screen in a future release.

[J.F.]

Running Pro Tools with EuCon under the HUI protocol, are you able to get more resolution (specifically with the faders)? I understand EuCon is operating at 250x the speed and 8x the resolution, but is that being compromised or truncated by the limitations of HUI?

[Anderton]

Running Pro Tools with EuCon under the HUI protocol, are you able to get more resolution (specifically with the faders)? I understand EuCon is operating at 250x the speed and 8x the resolution, but is that being compromised or truncated by the limitations of HUI?

Excellent question! I don't have the answer, but I bet Euphonix does.

[basshag]

We are limited in resolution by the HUI spec - there is no getting around that. The EuCon protocol really sets itself apart with applications that support it natively, as we are then able to use the full bandwidth and feature set of our protocol. Having said that, the Artist Series gives you HUI performance on par or better than other HUI controllers (especially the MC Control).

In speaking with Pro Tools users over the past few months, the main reasons that I hear again and again for why they bought the MC Mix/Control is that the Artist Series are the only PT controllers with a form factor that easily fits into their studio, with expandability up to 36 faders.

[Anderton]

Glad you brought up the form factor issue, because the Artist Series devices can fit between your keyboard and monitor - an important feature lacking in most controllers.

[The Chinese]

I picked up a MC Mix last week. nice layout, as I would expect from Euphonix. having used the S5MC's a ton, I am looking forward to picking up the MC Control as well. I dig the Eucon protocol... just works nicely. I largest wish would be for Digidesign and Euphonix to kiss and make up, but I realize that's probably never going to happen. I used Nuendo with the MC Pro's and I was impressed with the level of integration- It's pretty cool, and I look forward to seeing the MC mix work with Nuendo as well. I have a 6 month Trial license of NUendo, but apparently I can't register it to a level enough to get an unlock code from Steinberg/Yamaha- That's a bit of a knock on it in my book, although that's not Euphonix's issue.

Here's a coupl eof tips, coming from the school of hard knocks... take this with a grain of salt, because this knowledge was earned on a System 5MC...

A) Used Shielded Ethernet Cables. If you have any length on your run between controller and computer, I would highly recommend this. We were experiencing module drop off and erratic performance until we switched over to the shielded cabling. I noticed it as well when I initially hooked up the system through a Gig E router- It was struggling a bit until I made up a shielded cable. YMMV- If you have a very quiet (electromagnetic-wise)room you may be fine without.

B) do not share the Eucon Enet port with Internet ot other network traffic. Get a second Ethernet card (100bT is fine) if you don't have the ports available. This will work wonders.

C) Static IP= headaches

D) PC support is coming. The Eucon software work fine on the MC Pro/S5MC setups using PC's, so I woudl imagine it would be fairly simple for the Euphonix fellows to get it running. I know I am going to Run Nuendo and SME on a PC.... i hope.


Have fun!!!!

Todd A.

[mchenetz]

I have the MC Control and, for the most part, I am very happy with it. A few things I noticed along the way.

First, I think we need to establish what a control surface is for. The purpose of a hardware controller is so that you do not need to use you mouse and keyboard for much. The MC Control excels at many things. It a great controller for mixing and mastering. It works well with plug ins. It is very expandable and has a lot of potential. The one little caveat that I have found is that editing could still require the mouse.

I know that you cannot get away from the mouse and keyboard for everything. But, I would like to use it as little as possible. There is this neat little jog wheel on the bottom right hand corner that i think could be used for more than it currently does. It jogs, and zooms and generally moves. The one thing it currently does not do is assist in selection.

What I purpose is a softbutton that you can switch on/off in order to allow selection of clips. This is how it would work...

- Select a track
- Move the jogwheel to the appropriate start time
- click the select soft button
- Move the jog wheel to the end time
- press the soft button again

It would really help in the creation process. I find everything else about the MC Control very intuitive. This is the only piece that i feel is severely missing in order for my dependance on the mouse and keyboard to be diminished.

The only way i found to kind of do what i am talking about is to select a track, change the start and end locators to encapsulate the area i want to edit and then hit the select button on the slider that corresponds to the track that i am on. This is okay, but i must change the locattors, every time i want to edit something. If it's a looped region then, you will have to turn off the loop and move the locators and then move the locators back and re-loop. Additionally, you must select the, "bank" of 4 tracks that contains the track you want to select for editing in order for it to work.

Just a few observations. Oh yeah... This is with Logic 8.02. It may work differently with other software. I contacted Euphonix about this and they said there is an update coming very soon that will allow definable keys that may help this scenario.

- Mike

[basshag]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the feedback. Version 1.2 software (which is in the final phase of testing) will definitely open up a whole new level of functionality for you with the included Soft Key Editor. This will allow you to customize the soft keys for each application to handle almost any function - especially for EuCon-native apps like Logic Pro.

[mchenetz]

I am really looking forward to version 1.2. It sounds really interesting. The ability to map my own softkeys will be incredible. I asked to be part of the beta, but did not get a reply yet.

On another topic... I tried SME the other day to see how changing control room and monitoring parameters would be through the MC Control. It seems to work very well. There are a couple of caveats that I think need to be address there too. My first concern would be extra latency that could be inserted by using an intermediary app as a connector to a audio driver. It seemed to be fine with my limited testing. It was just a thought.

Secondly, There needs to be an unlimited amounts of inputs to map. I have 18 inputs coming through my Apogee Ensemble and connected a/d converter. I need to be able to map all 18 to be usable in my audio app. Maybe it can and I am missing something. If not... I think that should be a feature update.

Again, I am really loving the MC Control. These are just little things that could enhance it's functionality.

- Mike

[kokobeware]

Hi Basshag, is there a way to force more than 36 faders. A dealer told me this was possible. Any future plans to increase this amount. Would be nice to be able to get a least 64 faders.

[basshag]

Hi Kokobeware,

The 36 fader maximum (more specifically, running four MC Mixes and one MC Control simultaneously) is one that we can increase if needed in the future, but there are no plans to do so at this time.

[mchenetz]

I just wanted to mention that Euphonix has just released their latest version of Eucontrol that includes soft key mapping. Basically you can create softkey screens and assign the soft keys text, color, icons, and commands. Very, VERY useful. I really like the way Euphonix is going with this. Thanks guys...

Mike

[zax2]

Any inside word if Ableton will implement the EuCon protocol natively in an upcoming release?

I see the benefit of it in Logic and would love that in Live!

[skijam]

Hi Craig and All,

I started a thread on Logic Pro Help re the MC Mix and someone pointed me here. Glad to see such an in-depth discussion on this unit. I recently acquired one. Loving what it's doing for me. Using it with Logic 7.2.3 (the main version I work with) and also Logic 8.0.2

Couple of questions...

1) Static IP... it's easy enough to assign a specific IP address to the unit itself, but I run into wall when it comes to properly setting up the Mac's network settings via the System Preferences). The reason I've been wanting to explore this is because sometimes it's a bit hit 'n' miss as to whether or not my system recognizes the unit.

2) Has anyone been able to successfully configure it to work with the Mackie Control or HUI emulator for use with 7.1.1 (which doesn't natively support the Euphonix protocol)? After many many attempts at getting this to work, I ended up basically like this: :facepalm:

3) Seemingly curious omission... when you cycle through the automation modes via the MC Mix (shift+select button) you can select Off, Read, Write, and Read/Write (Touch) modes, but not Latch.

4) Someone above mentioned that there was an update which addressed the behavior whereby scrolling the banks on the MC scrolls tracks on the DAW. I don't see this option (but I could have missed it). If it exists, where can I find it?

5) Will it be possible in the future for users to edit, re-map, or nudge the display of plugin parameters? For example, when EXS-24's parameters spill across the display, ENV2's parameters are divided between two pages (specifically, ENV2's release time parameter doesn't make it to the same page as attack/attack v.mod/decay/sustain.) If the parameter display was nudge-able (which I don't believe it currently is), that would be fine. Or, it would be useful to be able to map out a little-used parameter earlier in the list, essentially moving the following parameters "down by one" so that the ENV2 release time would appear on the same page as the other ENV2 parameters.

Cheers!

[replicant]

3) Seemingly curious omission... when you cycle through the automation modes via the MC Mix (shift+select button) you can select Off, Read, Write, and Read/Write (Touch) modes, but not Latch.


You set this up in Logic under Global Commands, see this thread over at GearSlutz:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/3249045-post585.html
;)

There's loads of info to absorb in that thread, but well worth the read IMHO.

[skijam]

Replicant, thanks for the linkage. :thu:

[MahaAtTheVishnu]

BUMP.... PC support anytime soon?

[Artist_Support]

We are pleased to announce the release of EuControl 1.2.2

What's New

MOTU Digital Performer 6 (v6.01 or later) now directly supports EuCon, giving you added in-depth control of DP from MC Control and MC Mix. You no longer need to configure DP to use Mackie Control. Detailed setup instructions are found in the EuCon Application Setup Guide (PDF), included with this installer.

EuControl now remembers which surfaces are in the My Surfaces list. This helps in facilities where other EuControl users are on your same network, as only surfaces that belong to you are added when EuControl starts. If this applies to you, go to the Surfaces tab and change the new Automatically add: pop-up button to My Surfaces only.
The default setting is All Surfaces, which is used when you are the only person running EuControl in your home or studio. It provides a no hassle, plug and play experience, automatically adding your surface(s) so you never have to manually edit the My Surfaces list.

MC Control users can speedily scroll through Pro Tools tracks using the jog wheel. When controlling Pro Tools, go to the Soft Key tab and assign the EuCon command Left Edit > Nudge to a soft key. Toggle this soft key on. Turn to jog wheel to nudge forward and backward through all tracks.

Bug Fixes

Improvements in knob sensitivity when controlling certain Pro Tools plug-ins. If using Waves plug-ins with Pro Tools, be sure to select the HUI control surfaces support (low res) checkbox in the Waves Preferences dialog box that comes up when launching Pro Tools. You can hold the shift key during Pro Tools launch to show this dialog.

In the Insert Special pop-up button found in the the Soft Key Command Editor's Add... Key command, the \, Keypad Enter, Return, and Spacebar keys now work correctly.

General stability fixes.

[MahaAtTheVishnu]

PC drivers soon, artist_support?

[supahd]

Quick and hopefully easy question...

How do I turn a track input on and off in Logic Pro using the MC Mix? ie I'm recording a guitar, it's running to analog 1, which is routed to track 1, I need to turn the input on in track 1 to hear the guitar/get a signal to record. I've been mucking with it and looked in the manual and haven't been able to figure it out yet.

Thanks in advance.

[wintaper]

(bump)
Over a year and still no PC drivers?!
I know more than a few people interested
Like myself
-Dan

[vas_co]

Hello,

I just got the MC Control arrived. But I am having troubles starting up Logic after I installed the software for the Euphonix MC Control. Logic crashes at the splash-screen exactly when it shows "Starting up EuCon Support". When I remove EU Control Software everything is back to normal again.

I tried software version 1.2.1 & 1.2.4 with firmware update but the problem remains.

I'm using Swich , but I also tried connecting it directly without swich and is the same. I changed the cables (cros/normal) and that did not work...
I wrote to Euphonix support and still waiting for a respond.

Please, somebody tell me what I can do in order to use this product with Logic, because now it is completely useless to me.

[MahaAtTheVishnu]

Hello,

I just got the MC Control arrived. But I am having troubles starting up Logic after I installed the software for the Euphonix MC Control. Logic crashes at the splash-screen exactly when it shows "Starting up EuCon Support". When I remove EU Control Software everything is back to normal again.


Do you have a real Mac or a Hackintosh? On my hackintosh, I have this same problem if I use 1.24, but not 1.2.0...

[vas_co]

I'm with retail version.. 10.5.6. All updated.. Logic 8.0.2
I try on hackintosh too - Ideneb - the same problem!
I have just 1.2.1 dmg from Euphonix CD and 1.2.4 from the Web.

[vas_co]

I have reinstall Logic 8 without the conntent and the 1.2.4 dmg from the Euphonix website. I follow this steps:

I would quit the Euphonix EuControl, start logic, then start the EuControl but just the first time. Let logic come up. Set logic to not open up a song by default. Quit logic then start EuControl, turn on your console and wait for it to boot, and then start logic. should be good to go from there. Open a song.

the problem was Logic Update 8.0.2.. with 8.0.0 works fine Smile))
I'm very happy and impressed from this toy!

[vas_co]

I'm using MC Control from two days. Everithing works fine for now. I begun to create my sounds on Instruments with Soft Knobs. But I have a problem with Ultrabeat. The other instruments are fully controlable (all parameters) but when i select the Ultrabeat i have just 7 parameters on the Soft Knobs and they are for the Sequencer: Power - on/off ; Start-Stop ; Voice - Step ; Lenght ; Resolution ; Pattern Mode ; Voice mute mode.
Is it an update problem or i must set something else for full ultrabeat control ?!?!?!

[nothin2choose]

hi ... i am a student and currently i m doing a studio designing project
can you please tell me whether i can use the mc control with mc pro ???
and also i tried a lot but could'nt find the price for CM408T fader strips...
plz help :)

[mchenetz]

You would have to give us more info. What are you trying to do? What type of computer setup do you have (Currently mac is only supported). Do you have a compatible DAW? Currently there are several supported protocols. Eucon is the proprietary protocol that works with Steinberg products, Logic and Motu DP6. There is also support for HUI and Mackie Control. Please provide more info so that we can assist you in assessing your needs.

Mike

hi ... i am a student and currently i m doing a studio designing project
can you please tell me whether i can use the mc control with mc pro ???
and also i tried a lot but could'nt find the price for CM408T fader strips...
plz help :)

[nothin2choose]

thanks for the quick reply :)
well .... i m taking a windows pc.... installing nuendo in it..... n control it through mc pro .... now i need extra fader units..... so i was wondering if i can connect mc control to mc pro as fader strips?????
if not can you suggest me some nice and not so costly fader strips that i can connect to mc pro .....

[mchenetz]

The MC Pro is a great control surface and it works with windows. The MC Mix and Control are Mac only. If you want some cheap faders (non moterized) you can always go with the Peavey 1600s. For a little more you can get Mackie Control... The problem is that when you start mixing controllers, you have to make sure that your DAW supports the use of different protocols at the same time. Euphonix uses EUCON with Nuendo. Mackie Control uses, well, Mackie Control protocol. There are a lot of solutions out there. Most of them are going to duplicate some of the functionality of your MC Pro. Depending on what you want to do, your best option might be to get a keyboard with faders. CME makes a nice one with moterized faders. This way you are not duplicating all of the functionality of your MC Pro. It also depends on the deskspace that you have and again what you want to use it for.

[MahaAtTheVishnu]

The MC Mix and Control are Mac only.

Despite many promises for Windows drivers...

[nothin2choose]

well i can spend about 3000$ for 24 channels of motorised faders ...... so what do u suggest i should buy ???

[mchenetz]

for that price i would say you could go with the Mackie control and extender. I am not sure how many faders you need. Or... You could go with CM Labs Motormate (i think its about 2600). If you don't care about a touch screen solution, then i recommend Jazzmutant Dexter... I like that solution. I have a Lemur/Dexter that i use quite often. My favorite control surface, but out of mine and your price range is the new SmartAV Tango... But it is something like 8 grand starting price.

Mike

[nothin2choose]

well ..... 3000$ is onli for buying extra fader units..... i can afford MC Pro .... that i am buying for sure.... but i need extra faders to control my tracks ..... need like 24 extra faders......

[mchenetz]

There really aren't many solutions that are just faders. Most of the solutions are a combination of control surface and then faders or fader extensions. It's hard to find what you are looking for. As I said, if you want non-motorized faders, then you can use the Peavey 1600, but otherwise you have to buy a solution that has fader expanders.

[wintaper]

So, even if...

1. I host the EuCon Control App on a MacBook
2. I run the EuCon Workstation App on a PC
3. I run Sonar 8.31 which is EuCon aware
4. All of the above connect to same ethernet switch and see each other

I can only use the MC Pro and Not the Artist series?

I've been under the impression that hosting the control app on the mac is what is necessary.

-Dan

[mchenetz]

I don't think it would work. The Eucontrol daemon that runs on the mac and comes with the Artist series supports the Artist Series controllers. I believe you need to run the Eucon aware app and the Eucpontrol on the same machine. Since the Eucontrol for the PC only supports the MC Pro then i do not see how the Artist series could work.

[wintaper]

Well I just got the MC Mix, and it works PERFECTLY with Sonar 8.31 on Windows (hosting the control app on a Mac). Note that Sonar has a EuCon plugin that needs to be downloaded, in addition to the MC Client software from Euphonix.
-Dan

[wintaper]

Here's the steps ...

First I grabbed http://connect.euphonix.com/software/EuControl_v1.3.1.dmg and installed that on my Mac. Reboot Mac.

Next, I grabbed the Euphonix PC client software from http://connect.euphonix.com/software/EuConWS_1_4_1_061166.zip and installed that on my Sonar PC. Reboot the PC.

Then, I downloaded and installed the Sonar EuCon plugin from here https://www.cakewalk.com/support/kb/reader.aspx?ID=20080104. Reboot PC

Connect the MC Mix, add Windows PC to My Workstation and Attach

Now, from the Sonar help file, it says:

2. In SONAR, use the Options-Controllers/Surfaces command to open the Controllers/Surfaces dialog.
3. Click the Add Controller/Surface button, which opens the Controller/Surface Settings dialog.
4. In the Controller/Surface field of the Controller/Surface Settings dialog, select EuCon Controller.
5. Click OK to close the Controller/Surface Settings dialog.

Everything on the MC Mix works beautifully with Sonar as my DAW

-Dan

[mchenetz]

That's great!!! It's good to know if I want to use my Artist series with my pc. I have a mac mini that is doing nothing and could definitely host the control app.

[agitsan]

wow its wonderfully musics forum, i am newbie, i hope i can found new knowledge

[mchenetz]

New 2.02 firmware adds the capability to assign soft keys to functions that can then control the jog wheel. Now your not limited to the hard coded funcitons of the transport seciton and a few other commands to control the wheel. Additionally, there are sensitivity settings for the wheel too.