Jesse G

BMOG
Thank you Cindy and Jesse if you both don't mind can you give a general list of the plugins that you can control with the MCU? Both of you have me interest peaked in regards to the MCU and the extension because of the use of plugins

 
BMOG,
 
I have used and controlled with my MCU the below plugins.

• All Sonar Platinum Plugins. (however not when they are in the Pro Channel, Just the first Plug-in appears).
• All Waves Plugins that I currently have.  (Power Pack Bundle = 9 plugins and a lot of Singles thanks to "CClarry", too many to Name)
• PSP Micro Warmer, Vintage Warmer & Vintage Warmer 2
• PSP Master Comp & Micro Comp
• BBE Sonic Sweet Bundle
• All T-Racks that I have, 10 pieces which includes (compressors, limiters, EQs, reverbs, console channel strips and others)
• Voxengo  Mixing suite 9 plugins and Voxengo Free ones too
• Nomad BT effects Bundle = 20 plugins
• Also Cakewalk DXI plugins work as well
• A lot of Free plug in as well.

 
Here is the key,
 
Open up a new empty project and add 3 audio tracks.
Insert several plugins on track 1
Press the plugin button under assignments and you will see P1 appear on the MCU assignment window.
Press the plugin button again until you see "P1." on the MCU assignment window.
 
P1 will always show the default plugins listed in slot 1 which is based on the first plug in assigned to Pro channel for each track.  So, with P1 showing you can click each channel "Select" button on the MCU and it will show the first plugin in Pro Channel only as long as there is an audio track available.
 
Press the Plug in button again and it will will you "P1."
 
"P1."  Will show the plugins inserted on a track for which the select button is pressed. So select any of the 5 audio tracks and you will see the fist plugin in Pro Channel by default.
 
Go back to Track 1 which has several plugin inserted.
 
To get to the next plugin in a track, make sure "P1." is showing and press the Global View button until it lights up.
 
Hold down M1 button on the MCU and press the Right Channel Button
 
"P2." will be the next plug in on the track but this does not include Pro Channel any longer, this only includes inserted plugins. look at the plug in name on the scribble strip for the MCU.
 
"P3." will be the 3rd plugin assigned and so on.   If you  don't see any more parameter for the plugin after pressing M1 and the right channel  button, this means you have run out of inserted plugins for that Channel/
 
The pan pots can be used to change the parameters on the plug ins and if you run out of parameters on the screen, hit the right Bank button to see the next 8 parameters and so on for that plugin.
 
Practice, you'll get it.

This is what I was hoping for you may have just help make a sale

Money no object I'd have an analogue console.  Still mix in the box for recall purposes but tracking trough a reasonable sized console is just better for full bands.
 
How much mixing is fader moves compared to dicking around with plugins these days?  To be honest, most of my faders in a mix sit at unity with the level being set by plugs.  Maybe that's just what I've gotten use to over the years, I cold easily afford a bunch of midi faders but I can't rationalize the SPACE they'd take up compared to the aluye they'd add.
 
Then again, I'm a "hobbyist" and my primary source of income isn't music production.  with that speed is more important so maybe if it shaves an hour or two off a song it'll easily pay for itself over time.

Anderton
I agree with e.Blue, Softube's Console 1 would do what you want. Also, SONAR is EUCON compatible so it works with the Avid Artist Controllers (or at least they worked when I first tested them a few software revs ago). Mackie controllers work too...there are quite a few options.

Hey Craig,
Eucon still works fine in the current release (though it needs a little love - ProChannel doesn't work, for example) but you need to manually install the Eucon driver for Sonar, which is available in the KB 
Also, if you want a free touch controller and you have a iPad, check out the free PT control app 
details & instructions on how to set it up in this thread
 
Chuck

hmm.. someone has done cool videos on using X touch with Sonar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK1mWDF830I

This is someone using mc control(old model) with sonar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxEhe3M3M2c
Seems it works fine. Does that mean Sonar can be controlled with avid S3 S6 as well?

a lot of these systems are set up for a dedicated 'engineer' running the DAW for a band or artist. I'm a one man shop, and I already have a keyboard and a "KEYBOARD" in between me and the monitors. Even though I just upgraded the latter to a Novation SL Mkii with sliders, knobs and buttons, I still use my Frontier Tranzport for transport controls as it eats a whole row of knobs on the Novation (no dedicated transport) which are better spent on Solo or Mute type functions. IMHO, for the solo producer, this type of layout is the best. I have two monitors, but can imagine something like the Novation, but with a half-height 27" monitor built-in at a slant for touch-sensitive controls. I have seen this layout in instrumentation and industrial controls, so I know the displays exist. Then I could have a single monitor dedicated to track view on a conventional 27" above and the 49-key controller would fit nicely in a narrow slot. The built-in monitor could switch between a couple of layouts, and for this function I would be willing to give up the tactile nature of sliders. Keep in mind that with a screen, you can make the sliders 10" high for intensive mixing, or shrink them during tracking to allow room for plugin controls and other stuff. You could even program a plugin 'tiling' system that used the existing popup windows and filled the half-height monitor with 5-6 plugins at a time, saving views in a project as you go. 
 
If money REALLY is no object, I know several groups of people here in the SF Bay Area (ex-DigiLab types) that would be completely jazzed to take on this project if they had funding. 

Presonus is about to release a new Faderport:
 
http://www.presonus.com/products/FaderPort-8
 
The original faderport did quite well with other DAW's and I see no reason why this should not be the case here too.  It is going to be around $500 US I believe.
 
It will still work deeper with Studio One though but for those who use that DAW here it might be a good choice.

SSL AWS948 would be nice....

Personally, I don't understand the point of control surfaces. Why do I need motorized faders when I can create envelopes with so much more precision? What functions can a control surface perform that can't be easily performed with envelopes and automation?
 
I don't mean to be dismissive; perhaps I'm missing something. But I would much rather spend the money on a good microphone.
 
EDIT: I note that some of you mention live situations. I see how that could be more efficient.
 

no

vanceen
Personally, I don't understand the point of control surfaces. Why do I need motorized faders when I can create envelopes with so much more precision? What functions can a control surface perform that can't be easily performed with envelopes and automation?
 
I don't mean to be dismissive; perhaps I'm missing something. But I would much rather spend the money on a good microphone.
 
EDIT: I note that some of you mention live situations. I see how that could be more efficient.
 

Control surface is a lot more than motorized faders. Even for just mixing, having 8 physical sliders is a lot more efficient than mousing each track volume...also you can have dedicated knobs for pan and send, you can have rows of dedicated buttons for Record Arm, Mute, Solo, dedicated buttons for Play, Record, Rewind, FF, you can have a knob for scrolling through session time, etc...I agree that automation in real time (the old school "ride the sliders") is not unique now with graphic automation.