Digi Icon

[seriousfun]

Cooincidentally, yesterday I was on the phone with two different facilities who had to keep the call short because the Digi guy was there helping them get their ICON to work right. Two *very* high end, respected people, formerly using analog consoles with moving-fader automation. I think this says a lot for the type of people buying ICONS and for Digi's customer service - they probably won't deny that they want to take over the (studio) world, and realize that they have to give good service at this point (at great expense) to do this.

If you are recording with Pro Tools, or any DAW, obviously anything after that, analog or digital, that is anything other than a control surface, can't make the sound "better", it can only change the sound, hopefully in a euphonic manner.

From what I've heard, C.Lambrechts' numbers about ICON sales are correct. Also from what I've heard, this is about four times the sales of new analog moving-fader-equipped consoles. I would like to think, for personal reasons, that most music mixers would want to use analog moving-fader-equipped console, but of course that is not the only paradigm.

[Ricey]

Originally Posted by title

I do consider it a console in every sense of the word. some folks want to be picky and say it's not because no audio flows through it.

picky. LOL - i think audio is kind of important to most folks around here....

i'm used to thinking of consoles as having audio flow through them and having some kind of on-board processing, otherwise they're control surfaces. my friends in post-production love the icon, it's great for doing tons of sessions that get revised all the time(tv stuff). 100k is not a lot to a post facility. i'm wondering if there are composers that find it is improving their creative workflow...

[jonnyclueless]

I love the idea of the ICON, and I wish I could use one and be able to recall stuff really fast. But I just can't get PT mixes to sound as good as board mixes. I went a few years mxing only in PT and for a good part of that time felt that my ITB mixes were better than board mixes Then when I went back to doing board mixes, I realized I had just been fooling myself in thinking I could get the mixes just as good ITB.

For post I think it's a non-issue. But for music, it's a tough call. I would love to hear some of Mike Shipleys mixes done ITB with the ICON though. My guess isthe big stuff he does on a console, but the small projects he does at home he does ITB. I'm sure if anyone can get really good mixes ITB, it's him.

My peronal take is that it's a lot of money to spend on something that you can get the same results without. I would have to be making a lot more money to justify it since it's more a convenience factor. For some people it makes perfect sense. Just not most.

[Ziggy!!]

Originally Posted by Ricey

picky. LOL - i think audio is kind of important to most folks around here....

i'm used to thinking of consoles as having audio flow through them and having some kind of on-board processing, otherwise they're control surfaces. my friends in post-production love the icon, it's great for doing tons of sessions that get revised all the time(tv stuff). 100k is not a lot to a post facility. i'm wondering if there are composers that find it is improving their creative workflow...

Lol exactly... He must come across $60K a lot. I know i don't and when I do, i'm going to be f&%king picky!

[raal]

looking very much forward to seeing crystalphonics' and resonator's comments on their Icon rooms. these guys have given much thought to the matter before choosing...

[DC11]

My first time using an icon wasn't much fun. I don't like to have to think about what does what when I've got a job to do. I couldn't work very fast, so I ended up just using the trackball and the keyboard like usual. Over the last 3 months or so, I've been enjoying it. I've had time to just mess around with it and it's alot of fun once I got to know it a bit. I've seen a couple people that are really good at it, and it's amazing to watch.

[Sobe]

Look at this place and download the equipment PDF file ... I think this is the way to do it the best of both worlds .


With this setup who needs a traditional console .
http://www.supersonicstudios.com/


CONTROL ROOM 1
Console:
Digidesign Icon D Control
with 32 faders.
X-Mon 7.1 CR Monitoring
Monitors:
Genelec 1034b (2)
Genelec 7073 sub
Genelec 8050 (5)
Genelec 7070 sub
Yamaha NS10-M
Bryston 4B SST
Event 20/20 (SLS)
Hafler 2500 (Cue & SLS)
Mic Pre/EQ’s:
Grace 801R Remote Mic Pre
Neve 1073 Vintage Mic Pre/EQ (6)
Neve 1084 Vintage Mic Pre/EQ (2)
API 550b EQ’s (2)
API 550a EQ’s (4)
API 512 Mic Pre (4)
SSL G Series Mic Pre (20)
Earthworks 1022 Mic Pre
Neve 1272 Stereo Mic Pre
Universal Audio 2-610 Tube Pre
Focusrite Liquid Channel
Manley VoxBox
Sontec (GML) MEQ205A EQ
Manley Massive Passive EQ
SPL Stereo Vitalizer EQ
Dynamics:
Neve 33609/J
SSL XL Multichannel
Smart Research C2 Stereo
Focusrite Red 3 Stereo
Chandler EMI TG1 Stereo
Empirical EL-2 Distressors (2)
DBX 160 (2)
Urie LA-4A (2
Universal Audio 1176
Teletronix LA-2A
SPL Transient Designer 4 CH
Drawmer DS201 (2)
DBX FS902 (2)
Analog Summing:
API 8200 Line Mixer 8 x 4
Dangerous Music 2-buss 16 x 2
Reverbs:
Lexicon 960L Reverb System
TC Electronic System 6000
CD / SACD / DVD:
Alesis Masterlink 9600
Samsung DVD-HD841
Pro Tools:
Apple Mac G5 Dual Processor
Pro Tools HD7 Accel
64-Bit Expansion Chassis
192 I/O Audio Interface (3)
96 I/O Audio Interface (6)
Digidesign MIDI I/O
Digidesign SYNC I/O
Digidesign DigiDelivery LT
Pro Tools HD Plug-ins
Other Equipment:
Apogee 200 AD/DA Converter
HearBack Cue System
Samsung 21” LCD Display (2)
NEC 40” LCD4000 Flat Display
Airport Wireless Network
iSight Video Conferencing
Countryman DI (2)
Microphones:
Brauner VM1 Klauss Hayne Edition*
Coles 4038 Stereo Matched Pair
Neumann U-87 (3)
Neumann U-87ai
Neumann U-47 (2)
Neumann TLM-170
Neumann KM-88 (2)
Neumann KM-184
AKG C414 (2)
AKG C451
AKG C460 (2)
AKG D12 (2)
AKG "The Tube" (2)
Microphones:
Crown PZM-30D (4)
Sennheiser MD 441 (5)
Sennheiser MD 421 (4)
Shure SM-57 (4)
Shure SM-58 (2)
Beyerdynamic M-88
Beyerdynamic M-201 (2)
Sony C-38B (5)
Sony ECM 56-F (5)
Sony ECM -50 (2)
Electro Voice RE-20
Electro Voice PL-9
Audio Technica AT871R
ProTools Plugins:
Access Virus Indigo
Antares AutoTune
Access Virus Indigo
Apex Aural Exciter & Big Bottom
BF BF-2A
BF BF-3A
BF Fairchild 660
BF Fairchild 670
BF Cosmonaut Voice
BF Pultec EQH-2
BF Pultec EQP-1A
BF Pultec MEQ-5
BF Purple Audio MC77
BF SansAmp PSA-1
BF Slightly Rude Compressor
BF Voce Chorus/Vibrato
BF Tel-Ray Variable Delay
BF Moogerfooger 12-Stage Phaser
BF Moogerfooger Analog Delay
BF Moogerfooger Lowpass Filter
BF Moogerfooger Ring Modulator
BF JOEMEEK SC2 Compressor
BF JOEMEEK VC5 Meequalizer
Digidesign Bruno/Reso
Digidesign Maxim
Digidesign D-Fi
Digidesign DINR
Digidesign Impact
Digidesign BNR LE
Digidesign Reverb One
Digidesign ReVibe
Digidesign SoundReplacer
Digidesign SurroundScope
Drawmer Dynamics
Eventide H949 Harmonizer Promo
Focusrite d2/d3
Focusrite The Forte Suite
Line 6 Amp Farm HD
Line 6 Echo Farm
McDSP FilterBank
McDSP MC2000
MDW Hi-Res Parametric EQ
Sony Oxford R3 EQ TDM
Sonic Solutions NoNoise
Serato Pitch 'n Time
SoundToys SoundBlenderHD
SoundToys SPEEDHD
Synchro Arts VocAlign
IK Multimedia Amplitube
IK Multimedia T-Racks
IK Multimedia Sampletank
Waves Platinum TDM
Musical Instruments*:
Ludwig Vintage Drum-set 1965
5-Piece Blue Sparkle
Fender Blues d’Ville Tweed
Fender Telecaster Black
Yamaha Acoustic Guitar AX50
Roland Fantom
Roland JP-8080
Roland SPD-20
Roland D-5
EMU Turbo Phatt

[DC11]

I've got that site bookmarked. I drool everytime I look at it.

[superburtm]

god that place looks awesome!

[Sobe]

Those who call the Icon a glorified mouse need to see this setup in action
MIAMI BLING

[DC11]

That pic makes ours look pretty shitty

[bee]

I know this a ancient thread but what ever happened to Supersonic studios? It looked like a great place.

[Wilburguy]

I own a 24 ch D-Command. I upgraded from a ProControl. I bet that anyone who claims that these control surfaces are simply expensive mice has never spent any time working on one. These can be game changing devices.

It's all about workflow. There is a learning curve for sure, but once you get the flow you can move way faster and with more musical results that you can with a keyboard and a mouse. Once the editing is done I can do mixes with the computer monitor turned off and get back to actually listening and mixing.

[Shaman]

Originally Posted by Wilburguy

I own a 24 ch D-Command. I upgraded from a ProControl. I bet that anyone who claims that these control surfaces are simply expensive mice has never spent any time working on one. These can be game changing devices.

It's all about workflow. There is a learning curve for sure, but once you get the flow you can move way faster and with more musical results that you can with a keyboard and a mouse. Once the editing is done I can do mixes with the computer monitor turned off and get back to actually listening and mixing.

Very nice and forward thinking studio !


My setup is very similar to yours
24 ch. d-command, very few selected outboard,
16 channels gml mic pres and great mics.
Works and sounds fantastic !

[scott petito]

Love my Icon I have a lot of outboard available at all times a great mix buss chain and I can work on. A dozen projects at a time.. I figure it paid for itself in the first 2 or 3 months...so the rest of it's life is on the house

cheers
SP

[clarkd]

I'm selling a D-Control fader pack (blue) as I need to downsize from a 32 to a 16 fader system, studio space being limited. Anyone interested, please lemme know.

[Nick A.]

Originally Posted by Wilburguy

I own a 24 ch D-Command. I upgraded from a ProControl. I bet that anyone who claims that these control surfaces are simply expensive mice has never spent any time working on one. These can be game changing devices.

It's all about workflow. There is a learning curve for sure, but once you get the flow you can move way faster and with more musical results that you can with a keyboard and a mouse. Once the editing is done I can do mixes with the computer monitor turned off and get back to actually listening and mixing.

+1
I use a C24.Bought it because i cant mix without faders and i wanted a "cheap" solution. Best money i spend(yeah yeah after the acoustic treatment and a couple of sm7's :p).Definitely my next upgrade is a 24ch D-Command.

[Demor]

To answer the OP's question again 6 years later. How have the sales figures changed since 2005? How many D-controls got installed world wide?

[T_R_S]

Digidesign use to list Icon" Empowered studios" Now Avid is more tight lipped.
All they say it thousands So I take that to mean 2000+. I think icon in the Post world if far more popular than in music world. But as I Icon owner I love it and struggle when I can't into our Icon room. Also we just bought a Venue for live recording and production - it for sure is a product of Icon technology - now if Avid would only put some those very cool Venue functions into Icon/Pro Tools.
Have been familiar with Icon I learned all most aspects venue software in a few hours.

[Disco Cubist]

Originally Posted by StudioLogic

Sit in front of one and do a mix. I think that will answer all your questions.

To dismiss either the d control or d command without having used one to complete a project is just crazy.

They are incredible and if you need one then you will see the point of it.

We went for the euphonix system 5 mc because we work across many software applications but the icons are superb and if you only work in Pro Tools are the only realistic option.

Btw I love sonics and do music as well as post!

Doh!! Ancient post my bad can't see the date easily on the iPhone app!!

[the_sonic]

I think the D-command/D-Control is a really great system. A good friend of mine has one, and I rent his studio frequently, so that I can take on more mixing business.

At my studio, I can track/mix one client at a time. That's all I can handle. So, when I have more mixing work available, I'll rent the icon studio when I have downtime. This way I can work on multiple mixing projects at once.

If you are a talented mix engineer, you can make things sound just as amazing with itb/icon/summing/outboard, than you can with a console and outboard. It's simple fact in my opinion.

To me it comes down to economics. If you can make a system work around an Icon... You can take in 3-4x the projects that you could otherwise. You can make kick ass records that way, and make more money... Or you can make kick ass records on a console and make less money.

It's up to each individual to decide.

[prkm123]

Originally Posted by Wilburguy

Once the editing is done I can do mixes with the computer monitor turned off and get back to actually listening and mixing.

+1

I'm using a 16 fader procontrol and love it, once I have the plug-ins and effects assigned it's easy to turn off the screen and just listen and work on the mix, and everything can be controlled from the center section so I never leave the sweet spot..

[Zeljko]

Shameless plug: I am selling a D-Command Main 8-ch unit with X-Mon...

Link: http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gears...ers-blond.html