faderport vs alphatrack?

[cassiopamusic]

any opinions on these two from people who have had experience with both? from what i understand, the alphatrack has the option of automating plugins and other things while fadport only does volume and pan, but i also heard the fader on the alphatrack is inferior to the faderport. is this true?

[madsmix]

I guess it won't matter anymore

Take a look at Euphonix's MC Control
Yes it's more expensive at US$1500, but then check out what you get for that!

Euphonix :: Artist Series

Cheers.

[enroper]

You just recommended a $1500 product to somebody who is asking about a $200 product.

......

[Sean Sullivan]

I had a faderport for a short time, and it was pretty handy, but you should check out this JL Cooper CS-32 midi controller, it looks pretty awesome for what it does and it's size. Actually, it might be too small.

Midi Control Surface, JL Cooper CS-32 Mini Desk - eBay (item 120212477877 end time Jan-25-08 13:31:05 PST)

[cassiopamusic]

Originally Posted by enroper

You just recommended a $1500 product to somebody who is asking about a $200 product.

......

haha yeh im trying to keep the budget for this on the low. i should probaly post in low end.

[BrettMorello]

faderport needs an external power supply, and I consider that a big disadvantage.

[seriousfun]

Originally Posted by cassiopamusic

any opinions on these two from people who have had experience with both? from what i understand, the alphatrack has the option of automating plugins and other things while fadport only does volume and pan, but i also heard the fader on the alphatrack is inferior to the faderport. is this true?

What you hear is true.

I chose a Faderport. The fader is better - feels like a high-end console. Faderport will work without the power supply, but the fader wont move on its own (it'll still pass audio).

Alphatrack is very good, and is compatible with more software.

[Grizzly]

It probably won't help, but the Faderport is the most useless thing I've bought in a very long time... I'm not saying it's a piece of crap, it's rather well built and conceived, I'm just saying it's pretty darn useless, in my world at least... Now that I own it, I keep wondering why I wanted it so bad... Weird mistake, go figure...

It collects dust like no other though...

[recall]

Alphatrack is great. I agree the fader isn't as good as the faderports' but you get a whole lot more in the package than you do with the presonus model. The LCD display is really handy and the ability to switch between inserts/sends etc is great.

[Tony Shepperd]

Originally Posted by BrettMorello

faderport needs an external power supply, and I consider that a big disadvantage.

After trying them both, that was the reason why I didn't go with the Alphatrack.
Because it has no power, the fader feels sluggish and is a power drain on my comptuer.

After having the Faderport for a while now, I really like it more and more.

[christmasjones]

Originally Posted by BrettMorello

faderport needs an external power supply, and I consider that a big disadvantage.

I doesn't NEED one. It will still work w/out the power supply but the fader just won't move with written automation. That's all. It's a better fader anyway. If you want bright flashy things then go w/the alphatrack. If you want a good fader go w/the faderport.

[Resonant Alien]

Big problem I have with Alphatrack is the transport controls - they are very stiff and require a lot of pressure to push.

[cassiopamusic]

thanks for the replies. BTW im using Pro-Tools LE. which one works better with that? i think im going to go with the Faderport, just because im really getting this so i can write vocal automation. (i have a 003 rack so im dying to touch a fader haha.)

[christmasjones]

Originally Posted by cassiopamusic

thanks for the replies. BTW im using Pro-Tools LE. which one works better with that? i think im going to go with the Faderport, just because im really getting this so i can write vocal automation. (i have a 003 rack so im dying to touch a fader haha.)

another thing, not sure if alphatrack fixed this... but it never follows your mouse clicks. So if your on the vocal in pro tools and you click (with your mouse) the guitar track. The controls on the alphatrack would still be on the vocal track (assuming that's were it was in the first place). The faderport follows your mouse wherever you may be in protools, which i'd kind of think would be the whole idea in the first place. save time. not pressing bank buttons all day long.

[cassiopamusic]

Originally Posted by christmasjones

another thing, not sure if alphatrack fixed this... but it never follows your mouse clicks. So if your on the vocal in pro tools and you click (with your mouse) the guitar track. The controls on the alphatrack would still be on the vocal track (assuming that's were it was in the first place). The faderport follows your mouse wherever you may be in protools, which i'd kind of think would be the whole idea in the first place. save time. not pressing bank buttons all day long.

wow i didn't realize that. that pretty much just made up my mind for me, its basically the reason i wanted to get it in the first place.

[Duardo]

you should check out this JL Cooper CS-32 midi controller, it looks pretty awesome for what it does and it's size. Actually, it might be too small.

Have you seen one in person? It's insanely small.

Another nod to the Presonus for the better-quality fader. I don't own either one but I've tried both, and I found the FaderPort to be more intuitive...not as many bells and whistles, but it's clear what the functions for the buttons oare. By the time you determine what the function buttons on the AlphaTrack do you might as well just do it with the keyboard and mouse.

Personally, though, a big part of the reason I'd want a control surface is to be able to put my fingers on multiple faders at once...

[The MPCist]

faderport.

[Kaigen]

Both products are still too big for my work space. I do not need transport control. What I need is just a shallow fader control (maybe with pan) that fits between mouse and keyboard. I think it's not only me who is looking for this kind of product.

[rghose]

It's funny because I had the opposite experience to most people here. When I auditioned both units, I much preferred the fader on the Alphatrack. That's why I bought it and its been great. Either it's a personal preference thing or the Faderport at the store was defective.

[EricF]

I bought and returned an Alphatrack. I didn't care for the feel at all (the fader feel was just weird, and had sticking issues), and it really didn't seem to be much of an advantage anywhere in my process. I decided to take a big step up in size and money and got a Mackie Control Universal (eBay for $500). I love it.

[skymaster]

Boy, I think maybe there are a lot of folks who haven't actually tried the alphatrack first hand, or next to the faderport. I have run them together and in my experience;
the fader tracking speed is virtually identical, bus power is not an issue.
I think a lot more is made of this whole 'alps fader' thing than reality demonstrates. The difference in feel is so minimal and insignificant it isn't a factor to me at all,
yes, alphatrack can auto-locate to a track in ProTools when clicking with a mouse if you Shift+Right-click as per DIGI's instructions, better yet, when I look at the screen and see the 8 tracks with the coloured 'controller' highlight, with alphatrack i KNOW it is always located on the first track in the group. I don't have to guess or move the fader to know where it is. With many other applications it just follows automatically.
The ability to edit sends, plug-ins and other parameters is both easy to do and useful. I don't understand the comments that seem to indicate it is confusing.

In the end it depends on what an individual is looking for, get whichever one fits your needs best, but for my money the alphatrack was the one that stayed on my desk.

[relaxandreflect]

I was in the same position a while ago. I ended up with the Alphatrack. My buddy that works in pro audio at GC recommended it over the Presonus. I still like the Faderport, but can put a footpedal on the Alphatrack for using across the room. I am very happy with the Alphatrack. Some think the buttons are stiff, but I think it feels more solid. I just got a Firestudio, and am mailing in the rebate for their controller, which I will probably sell on eBay.

[jfw3]

Originally Posted by christmasjones

another thing, not sure if alphatrack fixed this... but it never follows your mouse clicks. So if your on the vocal in pro tools and you click (with your mouse) the guitar track. The controls on the alphatrack would still be on the vocal track (assuming that's were it was in the first place). The faderport follows your mouse wherever you may be in protools, which i'd kind of think would be the whole idea in the first place. save time. not pressing bank buttons all day long.

This is partially correct and partially incorrect.

Frontier AlphaTrack
• Does not follow your mouse clicks in PT. You have to select the track while holding CONTROL and select "scroll into view"

Presonus FaderPort
• Follows your mouse click withou doing what I described above PROVIDED the new track you have selected is within the same bank of 8 as that of the previouosly selected track. If it is outside that bank of 8, it will NOT jump to the new track

The "feature" I noted under the Frontier is new to either PT 7.2 or 7.3 as I moved from 7.1. In 7.1 and prevous versions, you selected the track with CONTROL and it jumped to the new track. The new way that PT does this is crap as it requires an extra mouse click. Thanks Digifuuck

[Phil Cibley]

Originally Posted by Resonant Alien

Big problem I have with Alphatrack is the transport controls - they are very stiff and require a lot of pressure to push.

And the knobs are too narrow and slippery.

[DontLetMeDrown]

I was torn about which to buy. No doubt about it-- the Alphatrack boasts many more features, but it is just so damn ugly, I went with a faderport. Blue with black trim just doesn't work on my desk. I mostly use the FP with Sonar, but it also works great with Pro Tools and Reaper. BTW, clicking the track name in PT will give you control with the FP or you can just use the arrows (like on a control 24).

[hethrir]

hmm... i'm waiting on a delivery of the alphatrack, i got it cause it has more controls for the amount of space plus the display is handy as are the pots. it was a review in tape-op that made up my mind for me over the faderport, plus the buss-power.
will get back with first impressions. (reminded me of a small mackie control) cue the dancing face

[hethrir]

right so i got my alphatrack. had a bit of trouble sorting out drivers for logic express 8 but eventually got there. the fader is a bit chuggy/sluggish going up but other than that works fine. buttons are 'stiff' but i see that as an advantage, alot like logic control buttons. they can take the pressure (i hope). there are some wierd issues with the encoders, like the display going spastic and the shift key is a bit funny, but im happy with what i paid for it (£135 at DV inc delivery). EQing is so much better with knobs!

[lockdown]

i have an alphatrack and for the most part it's really great. for $200 i wasn't expecting a miracle, but i'm happy with how it's improved my workflow in logic.

yeah, the encoders a bit funky, though. sometimes they don't perfectly land at '0' (e.g., for panning adjustments) and i have to pan hard left or right to get it back on track. minor quibble, though. it gets a thumbs up from me. thumbsup

[nanoweber]

I had the same concern but found out that if you Control+Shift+Click the track name in Pro Tools the AlphaTrack jumps to that track. The fader seems decent. Works well for trimming levels which is my main use. Even SSL moving faders can be a bit quirky IMO.

Also, pushing down a rotary knob changes its increments, at least in most cases (I have only been using it for a few days). You can jump 8 tracks at a time doing this with the top left knob. The LED is very useful too.

Not really saying the Alphatrack is better. I think either are helpful for mixing (especially for riding a vocal, guitar solo, etc.).

[nDmusic]

This thread seems to be living on, so I'll toss in my 2 cents. Have been reading and reading to choose between these two units. Recently was at my friend's pro studio and he was giving me feedback on a mix (I have a project studio in my apt) and said, 'well you just need to ride the fader to fix that' and I looked at him and said 'I don't have a fader' and then he said 'so how do you tweak the levels in a track' and I described what an envelope is and how you draw automation lines with the mouse and he looked at me like I was absolutely crazy (he is computer phobic and mixes entirely out of the box).

Anyway, so I started thinking I'd need to spend on a control surface until I saw the magical little faderport. All I was after was a fader, but a real pan pot and transport controls seemed like extreme bonuses.

Then I saw the alphatrack. It has way more functionality and you can map all sorts of things to it, but to me, once I'm that deep into the tool, couldn't I just mouse over and click? I do automate delay sends a ton, but I can't imagine riding a fader for that as it requires a great deal of accuracy IMO. Pinpointing the on/off locations seems better with a mouse. I suppose on the occasion I need to automate a decay or gain it would be useful, but those instances are rare for me. I have really more plugins than I can count and trying to figure out how to map them all seems very tedious.

What decided me is that I'm extremely finicky about infinitesimal adjustments in volume and wanted an extremely accurate fader. And, I hate learning new gear, esp gear that doesn't actually impact the sound in any way. The faderport looks so obvious and seems really easy to use. Plus they are going for like 100$ on ebay now.

I'm actually more excited about this little piece of gear than anything I've purchased in awhile. Finally having a real fader and a real pan pot and real transport controls. Those have been major pains for mixing ITB. I can finally get some relief while retaining the power and flexibility of the mouse for more intensive editing/mixing tasks.