Control Surfaces

Presonus Faderport has been great for me. I just have the single fader version. They have 8 and 16 fader versions too. The 16 fader version sells for $999.

azslow3
Note that controlling FXes is tricky (you will need to write special text file with each particular plug-in layout) and controlling Synthes is impossible.

 
The Mackie C4 can be used for controlling both FX and Synths (VSti's), and works really well.
 
Whilst you don't need to write the text file for each plugin to give it a layout, it's probably worth doing so - otherwise it lays out the parameters in the order it finds them.
 
I spend a good few days going through all my EQ's, compressors and channel strips plugins coming up with as standard a layout as I could.
 
I would say however, since modern vsti synths have so many parameters, that it's debatable as to whether using something like a C4 to control every parameter is practical. You end up having to wade through pages of parameters, unless you do go through editing the MackieControl.ini and organise/trim them down yourself.
 
For FX though, the C4 is a dream and sits quite nicely alongside an MCU or MCU + XT.
 
Also, for a motorised controller, I wouldn't write off 2nd hand original Mackie MCU's. They typically go for around £300 ($400). However:

• They are LARGE and take up desk space (but then, so is the MCU pro)
• Replacement faders are hard to come by - this isn't the case for MCU Pro's.

 

msmcleod

azslow3
Note that controlling FXes is tricky (you will need to write special text file with each particular plug-in layout) and controlling Synthes is impossible.

The Mackie C4 can be used for controlling both FX and Synths (VSti's), and works really well.

Can it really control VSTi (Synth)? Is that in your mod or I have overseen something in the original code?

msmcleod
But if you really want to control a particular VSTi, you can add it to the FX bin of an audio track and control it like any other plugin.

That is a nice trick

I would still like to pick up an old Tascam US-2400. 25 motorized faders, and you can usually find one on eBay in great shape for about $600. They appear to work well with Sonar. Not sure about CbB.

I used a couple of behringer BCF2000's for a while, which were great as controllers, but as they don't have a display for the track names I found myself constantly looking back up at the monitor to see what track was what.
 
In the end it was actually quicker to just use the mouse (or in my case trackball).
 
As the US-2400 doesn't have a display, I'd bear this in mind.
 
It's probably fine if you're used to using the same tracks for the same things for every song (e.g. you might when recording bus automation in your final mixdown), but for general track mixing, you might find 24 un-named tracks bewildering... but then again, maybe not, and it IS one of the coolest looking control surfaces out there.
 
I've since moved to a Mackie MCU + XT + C4 which is far better due to having the display.
 

msmcleod

 
As the US-2400 doesn't have a display, I'd bear this in mind.
 

I suppose this was for me, so I only quoted this
My FW 1884 doesn't have a display either, so I'm used to it 
I often use Console 1 to highlight tracks and scroll/tab banks of faders until I find it in the 1884. Not ideal, but much better than not having it at all
All the best.