[Neil Parfitt]

Hi Guys,

I wrote this review for another forum.. but I think this is pretty relevant to the topic here. Hopefully it sheds a little more light on this..

I've used the Logic Control aka. Mackie Control aka Mackie Control Pro since 2002 - and it has been perfectly integrated with Logic (i'm still on 7, 8 is a different animal) since the beginning. Many controllers have come and gone since, claiming to offer the same features, speed, tactile control. Of course, claims and reality don't always match - so for me, the MCU has always been the benchmark surface to compare all other surfaces to.

Let's see how the Euphonix MC Mix stacks up against the MCU! I have 1 MCU + 2 additional XT fader packs at my studio. I was able to test out 4 MC Mixes + 1 MC control... and then abandoned the MC Control (more on this at the end). Some may say "why aren't you comparing the MCU XT vs. the MC Mix?". Answer: The MC Mix is designed run alone with or without the MC Control, whereas the XT can only realistically work as an extension of the main MCU.

I'll list out similar specs / tasks and of course... real-world usage comments.

Size
Mackie Pros: built like a tank.
Mackie Cons: almost 2.5x deeper for the 8+1 faders, heavy. You will need to plan your desktop Layout for this badboy. Doesnt elegantly connect with additional fader packs.

MC Mix Pro: Sleek, compact and lightweight.
MC Mix Con: Multiple unit connection is flimsy.. you CAN break the mount very easily. The built in stands are plastic junk. Be VERY careful if you have to move multiple bolted units. It's comparable to extending a long tape measure. If you apply too much stress - it will break.

Real-world use: For build quality the MCU pro wins hands down it's a solid piece of gear. I've dropped one of these off a desk and it survived and is still in service. The Euphonix would be like knocking your macbook off a table.. it's light and mostly plastic. If you dont care about this - their both equally fine so far.

Connectivity
Mackie: MIDI
MCU Pro: USB + MIDI for sidecar units
MC Mix: Ethernet

Real-world: Don't buy into ethernet is better than MIDI hype. Sure it might be a cleaner setup, but it doesn't control track volume any different. These surfaces are all glorified mice. The MIDI version requires a dedicated MIDI in/out port per unit, The USB version is USB with MIDI for sidecar units (you'll most likely need a hub if you have a stack of dongles). The ethernet version will require a switch to run multiple units. They all work EQUALLY fine.

Layout
Mackie Pros: 8+1 faders, Dedicated Transport, 95% single function button access to everything - without requiring modifiers. Of course, for those moments there are option, command and shift buttons right where you need them. Dedicated Bars/Beats or SMPTE display.

Mackie Cons: The screen is a EL backlit Text with Blue background. Fades over time, hard to read from a distance. MCU Pro Buttons are square and jagged vs. the 1st gen MCU. .. it's not as easy to slide your fingers across the board to either record arm/solo/mute a stack of tracks. The Shuttle wheel is junky.

MC Mix Pros: Looks smart and slick. The buttons feel good. The screen is great- high contrast/resolution black BG with Yellow text. Bright indicators.

MC Mix Cons: Too many Shift + button presses to get to simple IMPORTANT functions such as automation modes, transport. Automation button is also shared with record arm when not holding shift and they're in the middle of each strip. If you have your session on touch mode and go to change something, there's a good chance your finger will touch a neighbouring channels fader by accident, writing automation. Also, Record arm and select keys are on the left side of the fader - which feels weird to me.. my instinct would be to go to the right side of the fader. The Mackie buttons are all in a tidy vertical strip.

Example of automation control on mackie: While in play or stop 1) Select track 2) Press dedictated automation button - touch, read, latch or off 3) get to work (a light indicates what mode you're on). You can also press option + automation mode and it puts the entire session in that automation mode

Example of automation control on MC Mix: While in play or stop 1) Select track 2) hold down shift 3) Press the track's record button until you see a tiny "r" "rw" "w" "off" in the scribble strip.

Realworld use: As much as I prefer the MC Mix visually - there's some simple cosmetic/Aesthetic "oversights" that drove a semi-old user like me crazy. First off, The 'solo' button lights up red... which on most consoles in the universe, is mute/cut. Secondly, I prefer having dedicated automation mode buttons instead of holding down a modifier to cycle between modes. Latch also doesn't show up on the MC Mix - which I use all the time. Transport is also on a modifier access layer- which is useless, because you lose those track's solo/mute control. dumb! You can 'lock on' the modifier key.. but then you lose out on key navigation access for plugins control etc... so it's a useless feature. MCU wins again.

Faders
Mackie Pros: Calibrated, so the silk screen "0" lines up with logic's "0" nominal position
Mackie Cons: Prone to calibration errors after about 3 years of use. Noisy/chattery faders under *heavy* automation conditions

MC Mix Pros: Lightning fast, quiet faders.
MC Mix Cons: Silk screened fader position is not accurate.. +/- maybe 5% accuracy. Also, the fader isn't as logarithmic as the MCU - a smooth motion from -inf to 0 seems to ramp up in a weird way - takes a second to adjust. Also when you close Logic the faders snap down with such force you could probably launch a pen across the room! It scared me the first time!

Verdict: I really like the MC Mix faders.

Operation
The Mackie is so tightly integrated with Logic that everything is 1 to 2 strokes deep at maximum to get to even the most advanced parameter control. I found with the MC Mix, some basic access modes took 3 - 5 button strokes to take you to the same place. Flip mode is also on a modifier button - annoying.

Plugins: A serious issue I ran into on the MC Mix is you literally have to be in channel mode on the console at all times or you have no indication of what FX insert or Bus slot position you're accessing. If I have to check logic, it defeats the point of having a controller!! On the Mackie - the Bar/Beats display says 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.... so at least you know what insert slot you're accessing if you're viewing your mixer and not an individual channel.

Little things that also bothered me is that on MCU, any parameter in flip mode can be nulled to it's default by pressing the encoder - the means pan is reset to center, volume to nominal etc. On the MC Mix - this works with pan - but NOT volume. Annoying... again I have to go the mouse to option+click a fader to reset.

Verdict: They both control plugins, busses equally well.. I prefer the mackie.. but they're both EQUALLY as powerful. Mackie has a dedicated save button with LIGHT.. when you need to save. More useful than you could ever imagine!

Integration
Mackie Control Pro: Works with just about everything.. Logic perfectly. If a dialogue window opens, the text appears on the screen and you can use the Vpots to select buttons such as OK or cancel. On the MCMIX - there's no indication until you look on your LCD monitors. Yikes, I just wasted 10 seconds.

Euphonix: Although it claims to fully support the Mackie control spec.. It does NOT work in Logic 7, and instead freaks out. They won't fix it but are aware of the issue. This is comparible to having an ADAT port on a piece of gear - and it not accepting an ADAT signal. If you're claiming to support the spec.. then it should work in all apps that use the spec! Logic 8 works fine. I found it Buggy with multi-app control (swapping between protools HD and Logic 8 ) as it forgot it's display and/or button status lights on random tracks. Weird. There's also a bug where if you bank shift when you're at the top of your session - you can shift into 'blank' faders. I'm not sure if that's normal - but it seemed odd!

Conclusion:
Well it's a tough one. They're both great controllers. For me, the Mackie is still winner... even if the MC Mix looks better, sleeker, offers modern connectivity and has better quality faders. The MCU is so seamless with it's integration that I don't even have to think twice about what's going on.. and that was 8 years ago now! The MC Mix has too many modifier + button press switches that you need to access constantly - hindering speed and quick control - which defeats the point of a controller in the first place. There's still a little bit of growth needed in the software to make it flawless. The fact that it doesn't work with L7 is a deal breaker for me - as I still have a ton of sessions that I still need access to. If I'm ready to mix, I can turn off my LCD monitors and mix. On the MC Mix - you cant... which proves how solid the integration is.

I may eventually switch to these though, as soon as Logic 7 is phased out of my day to day usage. Again, I like the size and faders, and the small footprint they take. I'd be even insane enough to solder-swap the LED lights so solo was not red!


SIDENOTE about MC Control
You can argue me on this, but I'm firm on the following:

1) It's a waste of money. It's a 4 fadered touch screen gimmick that I found to be absolutely useless* . I'd recommend another MC Mix + their transport control over this without blinking an eye. It's also very expensive for what it does (which is what 20 minutes of thoughtful key command planning can do without dropping $1700). It was 'neat' to see a checkerboard of tracks you could mute, select etc.. but again 'neat' is the word. Useful all the time? Nope.

*The deal-breakers for me:

1) the scribble strips and knobs are not above or close the faders you're using. That bugged me - more than I'd expect. My eyes had to hunt to see what I was doing... already wasting time.

2) Having menu functions for the app nested in submenus you can scroll through is no different than having it nested in menus on your actual computer you can mouse to. Mousing was faster for most immediate functions. Why on earth would I select a mouse tool from the MC Control when I can use my mouse?

I dub this box.. the MC overControl.


Hope this was a helpful glimps of 2 controllers' strengths and weaknesses.

Cheers!

Neil