I have been using Mackie Control and two Extenders for years. Always been unhappy with how it over promises and under delivers in terms of plugins control, i.e. Can't access all the plugins in the FX bin, only the top one. Everything else about it I love.

Lately one of the Extenders has stopped working (faders won't calibrate). Not sure how likely I am to be able to get such an old product repaired. So, I was wondering if it would be in my interest to fill that desk space with a C4. Never used one before.

Are there any SONAR users here with experience of the C4? And could you tell me, will it solve my plugin control woes, i.e. will it give me hands on control of all of my plugins and their parameters?

Cheers

I don't think without ACT support.
 

What do you mean? Does the C4 work with ACT? I've never used ACT as the Make Control has It's own template in SONAR. It has 32 knobs, what parameters will be populated across them by default?

Unlike other plug-ins (from simple like GenericSurface, throw A-PRO, up to VS-700), MackieControl is not working with ACT Dynamic Mapping (sometimes references as "ACT", as so confusing). It uses "direct" way to control FXes, and in general FXes (in FX bin) only, so no ProChannel and no Synth Rack. That is the software limitation, so it can be potentially changed.
 
C4 bound to MackieControl just extend the number of available directly accessed parameters. So it can control the same parameters you already able to control with other (MCU/XT) units, just with less page switching.
 
Note that all MC units should be able to control ALL FX Bin plug-ins, in "Plugin" mode, using corresponding button combination to switch between plug-ins and banks of parameters, see Help file for complete information.
 
What is mentioned as "the first plug-in only" limitation is true for ProChannel modules with stock plug-in, when MCU is in EQ mode (the second module in Dyn mode). There is (my) mod for stock plug-in which fix the issue and controls EQ and Compressor (default Sonar modules only) in corresponding modes, independent from there real position inside ProChannel.
 
 

Great topic!
I also found out I can only control the first plugin of the prochannel with the MCU pro
Azslow3, which mod are you talking about to fix this issue?
 
Also, I just found a secondhand C4 for a good price
Do you think it´s worth having one (I already have the MCU pro and one extender)
Thanks!!

RESQ
Great topic!
I also found out I can only control the first plugin of the prochannel with the MCU pro
Azslow3, which mod are you talking about to fix this issue?

http://forum.cakewalk.com/Mackie-Control-support-improvements-m3311275.aspx
 

Also, I just found a secondhand C4 for a good price
Do you think it´s worth having one (I already have the MCU pro and one extender)
Thanks!!

If you like what MCU is doing for you and you can profit from more controls to directly access parameters without "page switches", then C4 is a good option.
 

Great! Thanks!