I have an axiom61 mapped to sonar using ACT and bank switching.  It took several profiles but it  works fairly well.  The faders and control pots are act enabled and control channel faders or ProChannel plugins depending on context.  I have buttons for changing fader banks so I can access more than 8 channels.  The transport controls are mapped to another profile.  The master fader is linked to the ninth fader and is dedicated.  Another row of buttons contros ASM and cut,copy,past, split clip, undo, focus pre/next plugin, open current plugin.
 
The problem is that there aren't enough buttons.  To get more buttons, I had to use the pads and overload them by using bank switching in ACT.  The "next bank" and "prev bank" take up two of the pads, so I only get 6x4 buttons.  Unfortunately there is no visual feedback on the surface of which bank I'm in, so in practice it only makes sense to have two banks, but ACT seems hard coded to four banks so its easy to get into "no mans land" with no indication of what bank is selected.
 
I'm looking for a surface that supports multiple banks.  For instance the Axiom Air 61 has color indicator buttons to show which bank is selected, so instead of using ACT bank switching, I would set up separate profiles for each controller bank. (However the Axiom AIR 61 is plagued by technical problems, so its a non starter.)
 
Then it occured to me that if I'm going to buy a new controller, there may be better ways of programming than relying on ACT. Do any of the new generation controllers have effective software for mapping controls to plugins better than ACT?  (Novation SL MKII, Nektar Panorama?)   ACT is the devil I know and its pretty good.. .
 
If I decide to use ACT moving forward, then I would need something with multiple, controller selected banks like the Axiom Air 61.
 
PS: I'm not interested in MCU because in my (limited) experience there will always be problems mapping the control pots to the plugins.  I think ACT has more upward potential for  plugin mapping, but if there is a better way I'm all ears.

The only thing I know right now, is a novation controller using automap.
The problem with automap is that it only works with VST-plugins, so controlling the pro channel won't be possible. Editing functions won't work as well.
 
With pro tools I use the hotkey matrix from dna musiclabs.
http://www.dnamusiclabs.com/node/4452
It's a regular cherry keyboard pre-configured 
for pro tools, but you can use the editor software to program it the way you like. I'm planning to make a configuration for sonar. You can program keystrokes, kind of makros etc. The labels are easy to change. This peace of gear is very fast for editing in pro tools. Doesn't work for fader or rotary functions really.

Musikus
The only thing I know right now, is a novation controller using automap.
The problem with automap is that it only works with VST-plugins, so controlling the pro channel won't be controllable. Editing functions won't work as well.
 
With pro tools I use the hotkey matrix from dna musiclabs.
http://www.dnamusiclabs.com/node/4452
  The labels are easy to change. This peace of gear is very fast for editing in pro tools. 

This looks great.  Can you open up the buttons and put your own labels inside?

Yes, it's very easy to change the labels. You can print your own.
What's not so good is to use it with different software. It's easy to upload a new configuration file, a matter of seconds, but if you need different labels it's a little bit difficult. I plan to find the same or similar functions in sonar that match to the pro tools labels. Many functions can be found in every DAW.

IMO just use the mouse. it works every time.
 

I may have to hold out for the Behringer Motor 61, although it doesn't have enough buttons.

Guys, if you don't mind I'm going to move this thread to the Hardware forum, where you're likely to attract the attention of some very knowledgeable folks on the topic of control surfaces.

Well i haven't used a lot of control surfaces but I do like the simplicity of the BCF1000.  Pretty straight forward but some good deep controls if you're into that sort of thing.

I really wish the Optimus keyboards weren't so stupidly expensive. All programmable OLED keys would be incredible for DAW control.

It looks like the Novation SL 61 MKii is the best controller on the market at this time.