Hello All -
 
I'm thinking of getting an Icon QCon Pro X. I've found a few threads on this board about it (or the older Icon Pro), but they're all a few years old now. Back then, it seems people got some of the functionality working, but not all (or maybe they did, but never reported so on the forums).
 
Can anyone speak to how well the  Pro X is currently working with Cakewalk? Specifically:

• Which Pro X controls do not work with Cakewalk? I'm fine with having to do whatever extra configuration, mapping, etc... that needs to be done. What I'm asking is which controls, if any, can't be made to work at all.
• Can it be configured to open Pro Channel plugs, and then use it to adjust their parameters?
• Same question as above, but for plugins in the FX bin?
• Is azslow3's (a forum member here) AZ Controller useful with the Pro X in order to overcome any of its limitations?
• I've read that a modified .dll was needed in the past - is this still true (see this post)?

....or anything else you'd like to say about it. 
 
Thanks very much!

Sorry for the bump - just hoping for a reply...

The Icon QCon Pro X uses the Mackie Control protocol.
 
Unless you're doing something really odd, you shouldn't need to use Azslow3's AZ Controller - the stock Mackie Control should work just fine.

These have been know to be riddled with problems, sorry to say. very nice looking VU meter bridge, but they pretty much were designed to be used favoring Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo users. And less than stellar Mackie protocol performance/integration/control.
Anyone familiar with Sony's old version of Mackie protocol will know what I mean.
 
 Spending hours creating customized MIDI maps and having to remap (and sometimes, do it all over again) next time you fire up your DAW can be very frustrating, is a real buzz kill to the creative work flow.
 And than Yamaha acquired Steinberg and developed the Nuage Dente based system and well, Steinberg's support was never anything close to Cakewalk's, soooooooo.
 
 Cakewalk's support for Mackie protocol is rock solid for Mackie Universal DAW Controller and nearly identical Behringer X Touch ( which has led VU meters built into channel strips). They are so close you can use Mackie documentation for problems with the X Touch.
 The X Touch also includes an Ethernet port and 2 extra USB ports as well as standard 5 pin dyn MIDI ports great for an extremely wide variety of connectivity, especially with many excellent Behringer digital mixers and snakes, and future expandability with other devices utilizing "Dante" Ethernet connectivity with things like Focusrite RedNet systems and Steinberg Nuage. (adding 100's of channels through WiFi or a CAT6 Internet cable.
 Oh yeah, it won't be long before it becomes affordable, and we're ALL going to want to do that.
 
 I have absolutely NO IDEA how Cakewalk's support for Mackie protocol will work for the Icon QCon Pro X latest "Firmware" version. Have they even issued a better more reliable firmware version in the past year??? THAT would be the first piece of research I'd look for before entering this type of rather expensive and most certainly time consuming crap shoot.
 
 From what I've ever read, Icon QCon Pro X has the most % of bad reviews of DAW controllers.
 However setting up any type of DAW and MIDI controllers requires a rather steep learning curve and understanding that can't be reliably through reviews, as some times they are tainted with the bias of unreasonable expectations of what equipment actually does, and what we want it to do..
 
 I do know Mackie protocol does not have support Cakewalk's ProChannel, or any particular DAW specific technologies. It is a very simple set of the most commonly used MIDI control parameters for multi-track recording meant to be openly shared for any DAW on any platform, nothing more, nothing less and that's what makes it so ultimately and universally reliable.

Steev
... I do know Mackie protocol does not have support Cakewalk's ProChannel, or any particular DAW specific technologies...

 
Azslow3 made a fix for allow control of the EQ and Track compressor in the ProChannel.
 
i've incorporated his fixes into my branch, along with some other fixes.
 
You can download the updated DLL here:
 
http://msmcleod.co.uk/cakewalk/MackieControl_64bit.zip
 

Steev
 I do know Mackie protocol does not have support Cakewalk's ProChannel, or any particular DAW specific technologies. It is a very simple set of the most commonly used MIDI control parameters for multi-track recording meant to be openly shared for any DAW on any platform, nothing more, nothing less and that's what makes it so ultimately and universally reliable.

Mackie protocol does not support any DAW parameters. It in general ignore all commonly used/defined MIDI operations. From computer perspective (and so from ANY DAW perspective), Mackie device is a keyboard with 100+ keys, 9 pitch bend controllers and 8 knobs. Nothing more, nothing less.
 
For QCon. There was report that modern firmware make it Mackie compatible. So no more strange ranges for faders and mixed buttons. Initially, QCon developers have written they have not found (!!!???) Mackie documentation to emulate it right. But probably they have found it later (open and for decades in Google...) and adjusted the firmware. 

I have zero experience of either, but the QCon Pro G2 looks more promising than Pro X since it has an overlay for Sonar included, i.e. one can assume it´s supported. Another + is that it´s cheaper.

Sonar/CbB wasn´t even mentioned among Pro X´s supported DAW:s.
I.e. I´d look for reviews of the Pro G2 instead.
https://iconproaudio.com/product/qcon-pro-g2/

pgw
I have zero experience of either, but the QCon Pro G2 looks more promising than Pro X since it has an overlay for Sonar included, i.e. one can assume it´s supported. Another + is that it´s cheaper.

Sonar/CbB wasn´t even mentioned among Pro X´s supported DAW:s.
I.e. I´d look for reviews of the Pro G2 instead.
https://iconproaudio.com/product/qcon-pro-g2/

 The  QCon Pro G2 sells retail for about $80 more than the Behringer X Touch The G2 is a totally redesigned unit from the original less the cool meter bridge, too bad about that, but that's a good indication that the firmware is newer(?), but still only has LIMITED support FOR MCU and HUI which is another TWO too bads.
 However that doesn't make it a bad unit pre se, just one that's designed and destined to become obsolete much sooner, although I don't see anyone dropping support for MCU protocol any time soon.
 Behringer's flashable firmware has been around for a while, and has had new features and functionality added thru the years, and all deliver rock solid performance and expected results.
 The X Touch is built like a tank, has fast, quiet, responsive, and very pro grade tactile touch sensitive 100mm ALPS faders.
 And most importantly for a MCU protocol based DAW controller the X Touch has the exact control functions as does the original Mackie. All buttons and rotaries are labeled and function identically to the original Mackie which was designed and built using the very open source friendly Apple Logic DAW. Hence the need for Overlays for use in other DAWs.
 
 The QCon was designed based on the not so or as much open source friendly Steinberg family of DAWs, and so does not have exact open source control support.
 
 
The QCon has no dedicated "encoder assignment" buttons that give one button instant access to Track, Pan, EQ, sends,  audio plugins, and MIDI instrument control.
 
 The QCon has no dedicated "modifier" buttons M1-M4. These are used for a whole host and set list of user defined and customized functionality. (See Mackie Control user manual for details)
 
 No dedicated automation read, write, touch, latch or
 
 No dedicated "Control Group" buttons Track, Buss, Main, Save, Undo, Redo.
 
WITHOUT THESE TYPICAL DEDICATED CONTROLS ON THE CONTROL SURFACE UNIT ITSELF, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE COMPLETE FULL SUPPORT, BENEFITS OF CONTROL, ACCESS, AND FUNCTIONALITY OF MACKIE UNIVERSAL CONTROL PROTOCOL.
What is very commonly known as MCU.
 
 While the QCon does come with multiple overlays including one for SONAR and the X Touch does not, the QCon only has one USB connection and 2 1/4" foot controller jacks, it doesn't offer nearly as much present and future expandability options as does the X Touch with it's extra Ethernet, standard 5 pin dyn MIDI, and 2 extra USB hub/ports and individual scribble strips above each channel.
 Believe me, you will really appreciate the extra back panel connectivity IMMEDIATLY.
 
 Getting and making an overlay template for the X Touch for SONAR/ CbB is very easy to get. Here in this forum and on Behringer's X Touch user forum.
 Ask, and I'll be happy to send you one vis email in .PDF format free of charge. 
 
And so last but not least, ANYONE in this forum or the thousands to millions of other users elsewhere who has EVER used and understood  Mackie or X Touch can help you out, troubleshoot, and give you advice concerning these nearly identical, tried & true proven with track records, and truly world class universal DAW controllers. 
 
Or if you prefer to try and reinvent the wheel with a QCon as the new top dawg maybe, maaaaybeee (?) Have fun trying..

I just got a newsletter from the "Focusrite Plugin Collective"  with featured artist Pete Townsend of "The Who" video raving about another great USB DAW Controller.
 It would be a KILLER compliment of control sitting right along side of my X Touch! The Softube Console 1 MKII is on sale with $100(us) off.
 Offering all the dedicated knobs, controls for Hardware/Software Mixer with SSL SL 4000 E Plug-in USB Controller. It  of course supports all Softubes plugins, many already provided free from Focusrite, it also has support for hands-on control of UAD Plug-ins, Apollo users should rejoice on that one.. This will turn my X Touch into the closest thing to a large format SSL console I can get without spending, umm, around say $100,000 for a used one!
 Click on the link above for 55 five star reviews provided by Sweetwater.. A very trusted name in all things musical and easy credit terms. 

Some of the claims above are just plain WRONG.  I have a Qcon ProX, I like it.  I don't use Cakewalk at all anymore so I can't comment on how well it works with that.  Is it a VS700C?  Hell no, not even close. But it does function well enough with any basic MCU protocol.  I'm using Reaper, and there are a few MCU-like configurations to use, all a little different.  I don't know enough about how to program protocols or any of that, but I am able to use all of the functions of this controller well enough without too much trouble on my end.  There are lots of things I wish could be better, and of course the G2 came out just after I purchased the ProX.  At the end of the day, I am able to control transport, track controls, sends, plugins, and automation.  And although looks have nothing to do with function, this thing looks amazing.  I have a full review on gearslutz.