Euphonix MC Mix and MC Control with ProTools

[nhaerdtner]

I know there are other threads about the Euphonix Artist Series. But since some time has passed and new updates and the MC Control are now available, I´m interessted in comments from people who work with one or both units in Protools.

What functions are working in Protools and what functions are missing compared to i.e a Command-8 or Control 24? Is it easy to edit plugins on the MC Control (i.e. does the eq button bring up strictly the eq-plugins like on digi controllers)? Is it possible to apply a fader to one track (i.e. vocals), so that it doesn´t bank switch?

Regards,
Nico

[Benmrx]

I'm very curious on this too. Can you automate sends?

[Daedalus77]

I'm interested, as well.

Anyone out there using these new units in an HD context, yet?

[Eric Greedy]

. There was some faders jitters and it would go offline (so to speak) until the last update. Since then it's been working great. I only use it for balances and rides though - still preferring to mouse around plug-ins, etc,

[Benmrx]

Originally Posted by Eric Greedy

. There was some faders jitters and it would go offline (so to speak) until the last update. Since then it's been working great. I only use it for balances and rides though - still preferring to mouse around plug-ins, etc,

Good to hear that it's working now. I'd sure like to get a couple MC Mix units, strictly for balancing levels and fader rides. But I would like the ability to also automate sends in Pro Tools as well. Plus the idea of "locking" a fader to a specific track is very cool.

[nhaerdtner]

any other opinions?

[jhsign]

Originally Posted by nhaerdtner

I know there are other threads about the Euphonix Artist Series. But since some time has passed and new updates and the MC Control are now available, I´m interessted in comments from people who work with one or both units in Protools.

What functions are working in Protools and what functions are missing compared to i.e a Command-8 or Control 24? Is it easy to edit plugins on the MC Control (i.e. does the eq button bring up strictly the eq-plugins like on digi controllers)? Is it possible to apply a fader to one track (i.e. vocals), so that it doesn´t bank switch?

Regards,
Nico

Hi Nico,

Well I've been using my MC Mix on my HD3 rig for about 7 weeks now, and all in all I'm pretty pleased with it.

The EQ function works pretty well.....you have to highlight the track in protools and then pressing the EQ button on the Euphonix bring up your EQ (if it's one of your inserts). The touch sensitive controllers are great for notching out frequencies, and I MUCH prefer it to a mouse. I haven't used the MC Mix to control any other plug-ins yet.....so not much help there

You can control your sends.....but that is a bit of a bug at the moment, and the fader is extremely unreliable with that....so I still use a mouse.

Allocating plug-ins with the Mix is also a bit cumbersome....and I find it much easier to just do it with a mouse on the mix window.

Likewise toggling a track through write modes.....the MC Mix doesn't accurately tell you what write mode you're in so again I use a mouse to do that sort of stuff.

Pan-wise.....I work primarily in 5.1, so the lack of a joystick panner means that all my panning is done with a mouse at the moment.....although I have been told that there may be a touchscreen version of the 5.0 panner coming out on the MC Control at a later date.

All in all.....I find it pretty good.....volume automation is great and the way I can get some nice control over my EQ's is very helpful.

I'm currently mixing a film on aDFC, with the MC Mix attached to the SFX playback machine, and I have to say that I'm on the MC Mix quite a lot at the moment!

Hope this helps some......

If you've any further specific questions then please ask and I'll try and look into it for you.

J

[Johansen]

Hi

Some people complained about fader lag... Do you feel it to be tight? Real time?

Kind regards

[mandrax]

I've had the MC Mix for about 2 months, using it with my HD system. I updated to the latest version, still getting jittery faders here and there. It doesn't "crash" as much as before. I find it crashes more when you are writing as opposed to just monitoring.

I really love the board, it's perfect for my needs which is usually just volume automation. Haven't had a chance to really dig into too many other functions as of yet, but I will. If anyone knows how to fix the jittery faders I would really appreciate it!

[cebolao]

Originally Posted by jhsign

You can control your sends.....but that is a bit of a bug at the moment, and the fader is extremely unreliable with that....so I still use a mouse.



Likewise toggling a track through write modes.....the MC Mix doesn't accurately tell you what write mode you're in so again I use a mouse to do that sort of stuff


If you've any further specific questions then please ask and I'll try and look into it for you.

J

i will have to buy a control surface for my PT rig soon, so here are some questions to you...


is it possible to assign a button for AUTOMATION SUSPEND? there's an AUTO SUSPEND button in C24 that i use really often...


is the fader send still buggy? that would be shame, i often ride the send levels...

last but not least - switching automation modes with mouse is unacceptable for me. did they solve this problem somehow?


take care

[audiobob]

I posted this in the new product forum too about the Euphonix..so forgive me for the double post.

I really want to like the Artist series, mix and control. Great price, looks slick. I'm on Pro Tools HD and currently using a keyboard and mouse in post for TV, radio and voice over recording....no music...and need more control. Is HUI in Pro Tools really that limiting and buggy? Saw a comment from Digi Tech Support on the DUC saying that HUI will still be in PT8 but with not much testing so i'm on the fence now with the Euphonix. As long as the volume automation and the soft keys work well I think I'd be ok.

Any more thoughts from you guys using Pro Tools with the Artist series? I don't think I want to go Makcie, Command 8 has a home studio look to it and the C24 and especially D-Command are just too pricy for me right now. I will be in my own studio next year and need form and function for speed and to impress clients.

Thanks for thoughts.

[HudHudson]

I'm looking at the MC Control to run our HD3 rig. We don't have enough desktop surface to add a mix module. Has anyone used the MC Control with PT who could share their experiences with it?

[Benmrx]

Just went to the Euphonix website and checked out a few new videos they have in regards to running the MC-Mix/Control with Pro Tools. Judging by those videos it looked pretty damn slick.

At the heart of the Artist Series power is EuCon............high speed, high resolution ethernet control protocol..........that connects the MC-Mix and MC-Control to any Mac OSX application, including Pro Tools HD, LE and M-Powered.

I also notice on the Euphonix site that you can have 8 parameters of plugin control available instead of HUI's limit of only 4.

Is the actual fader resolution though still stuck at 128 steps? Or has that somehow gotten better too?

Also, during one of the videos they talk about the "knob sets", and at one point the guy says that the dynamics knob set will open "any digirack dynamic plugin....". Does this not work with 3rd party plugins?

Has the aux send problem been fixed?

[theo aronson]

I've recently been looking into this unit as well. I second all of Benmrx's questions

Any PT HD 8.0+ users out there using these controllers bug free lately?

[soundeq]

I'm using MC control with PT HD3 8.0.1 and no complaints here...

[jwh1192]

benmrx asked this ...

"Is the actual fader resolution though still stuck at 128 steps? "

the command 8 is 1024 ...

i am looking at purchasing the MC Control

cheers

john

[RKrizman]

Try to find a used Control 24. I love mine. Not buggy, extremely reliable and useful.

-R

[jwh1192]

i am moving away from pro tools so the C/24 would not work for me ..

anyone know about the MC Control fader resolution ?

cheers

[elambo]

No bugs that I've seen - not for a looong time.

[Darhgo]

Originally Posted by jwh1192

i am moving away from pro tools so the C/24 would not work for me ..

anyone know about the MC Control fader resolution ?

cheers

i think the resolution in EuCon is 1024

the HUI protocol limits the resolution to 128 steps in PT, it's not the hardware.

[jwh1192]

thank you ... 1024 cool ... a friend just got one ... he bought his 3 days after the version 2 come out and has asked if they will upgrade him since that is what he thought he was buying ... he is really happy with it ... works really well in other programs as well

cheers

john

[PraiseStudios]

Avid is now a the owner of euphonix and better intergation with protools may be soon on the horizon.

[Smallbudgetguru]

Just got off the phone with my supplier discussing where to go with consoles in my mix room. The C|24 is what I would like however price is too high right now to justify (but its on the horizon!!!)

I am currently using BCF2000s to mix and I hate them. They are so noisy and not to mention ugly. Without touch sensitivity I have to fight automation to get latch working (write isnt always best for certain times)

I asked about MC Mix and MC Control, basically the guy really did not want to sell them to me. I actually called saying ok wrap em up im going to get one of each. He tells me since Avid bought Euphonix, he cant order anymore and his one floor model is the only one left. He advised me to stay away from it because its only HUI with PT (I knew this as are my BCF2000s)

He suggests waiting until they release something new. However, I have a few large mixes coming up and am getting really fed up with the Behringers.

I see lots of PT users with Euphonix MC and I was wondering if its really as bad as this guy is making it out to me, and if there are other options to get some more tangible control of PT during a mix that are of higher quality (more accurate/better transport controls)than the BCFs but not as steep / full featured as the C|24

Just a stab in the dark. Would love some feedsback!

Cheers

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by Darhgo

i think the resolution in EuCon is 1024

the HUI protocol limits the resolution to 128 steps in PT, it's not the hardware.

thought it was 256?

no - you're right.

[Doc Mixwell]

Originally Posted by narcoman

thought it was 256?

no - you're right.

Yea, 1024 steps.

Its X256 faster and X8 times the resolution of MIDI.