JTOL but you'd think the industry would establish a standard protocol for using all the stuff they want ton$ for. Makes no sense to me that they don't. No $$ No worries!

I read one review comment from a guy at thomann.de - he had two units, and it was sensitive which order he powered them on or they were swapped configurationwise - which is bad design in my book.
 
Nothing todo with Sonar though.
 
Also saw comments that a dot update on drivers were necessary to latest Cubase etc. So seems very sensitive as a system - I dropped idea to get Artist Mix. Probably create more problems than it solves.
 
In my view Softube Console 1 is more on the right track, just enough buttons to immediately position on a track - and a single motorized fader+strip controls to control that track.
 
Why are control surfaces into this massive amount of expensive faders - give us 100 buttons to directly position on a track, and a single fader - way to go. You quickly get the habit to know you keep drums there, bass there, vocals there etc.
 
Controllers like Presonus Faderport with previous/next quickly gets lost in track folders and you have no idea where you are. Even newer Faderport 8 does not have buttons to directly position on one of many tracks.
 
Maybe it's just me wanting that position thingy?

lfm
Controllers like Presonus Faderport with previous/next quickly gets lost in track folders and you have no idea where you are. Even newer Faderport 8 does not have buttons to directly position on one of many tracks.
 
Maybe it's just me wanting that position thingy?

Faderport follows focus. So you just have to move focus to required strip. Something like Akai APC Mini can help, 8x8=64 buttons (really more) which can focus strips directly. With color indication for Solo/Mute and may be some other functions as a bonus

lfm
In my view Softube Console 1 is more on the right track, just enough buttons to immediately position on a track - and a single motorized fader+strip controls to control that track.
 
Why are control surfaces into this massive amount of expensive faders - give us 100 buttons to directly position on a track, and a single fader - way to go. You quickly get the habit to know you keep drums there, bass there, vocals there etc.

 
They're very different workflows. Console 1 is more like a hands-on channel strip, Artist Series Mix is more like a hands-on mixer. They both have their place, depending on the application, the project, and the user.
 
As is probably clear from my posts the Artist Series Mix can be squirrely, I think in large part because Ethernet is involved and power-on order matters. However it's now working consistently for me as long as the Ethernet router and controller are turned on before turning on the computer.
 
I'm not recommending/endorsing it...but those who have them should know that it can work just fine with SONAR, and needn't be a doorstop. I got into this because the V-Studio is too big for my workspace and I use touch a lot for most of its "switched" functions, but still want faders. The Artist Series allows having multiple units so you're not limited to 8 faders. 

azslow3

lfm
Controllers like Presonus Faderport with previous/next quickly gets lost in track folders and you have no idea where you are. Even newer Faderport 8 does not have buttons to directly position on one of many tracks.
 
Maybe it's just me wanting that position thingy?

Faderport follows focus. So you just have to move focus to required strip. Something like Akai APC Mini can help, 8x8=64 buttons (really more) which can focus strips directly. With color indication for Solo/Mute and may be some other functions as a bonus

Thanks.
I had a faderport, and also ran StudioOne at the time, beside other daws too. And especially S1 which don't have all  outs from VST in track view, but only in mixer etc it was a mess to feel where you were. And folder in track view but now visible in mixer - Faderport added nothing but confusion.
I did look at maybe using the 8x8 Novation Launchpad mini - but it seemed so targeted towards daws that support that protocol and clip launching etc.

Anderton
 
They're very different workflows. Console 1 is more like a hands-on channel strip, Artist Series Mix is more like a hands-on mixer. They both have their place, depending on the application, the project, and the user.
 
 

Thanks.
I think that is what I want - that is what I do when mixing.
Accessing a track quickly to possibly fiddle with automation, or some plugin.
 
If simultaneous access to faders - I want them all - like 24-32 as minimum.
But giving you 8 - what good does that do?
Ok, when having final stems only, but otherwise not so useful.
 
Console 1 idea is very cost efficient, I think - and brings a boost compared to just computer interface.
Especially if they have expanded on the idea to also send track select to daw - was not from start when I talked to them.
But not sure how it works with these popup of strip - if main app loose focus and you get problem with audio crackles in doing that etc. Or if that launch completely within the plugins of theirs loaded in daw.

lfm
 And folder in track view but now visible in mixer - Faderport added nothing but confusion.

The visibility with folders is in fact a problem... And no surface can be better then other there.
 
For Launchpad. There is no "protocol", from (any!) DAW perspective it is just a "MIDI keyboard" with feedback as color LEDs under pads. Console 1 (as the hardware) is the same, with less buttons but with many encoders. Avid is the same, but with moto-faders. But EUCON is quite different from MIDI (and OSC) since it pretend to be "smart", either make it such is a good idea the time will show... F.e. Yamaha 01V is also "smart", that is the reason for rather complicated way to make it work as a DAW controller compare to a configuration for absolutely dumb devices with the same physical controls.

azslow3
 
For Launchpad. There is no "protocol", from (any!) DAW perspective it is just a "MIDI keyboard" with feedback as color LEDs under pads. 

One would like just the active track button to light up - so some kind of protocol is involved I think, and don't think it is as customizable as some other hardware defining midi controller, if toggle button or not etc.
I think it's Bitwig and Live that support it as I recall.
 
For just over $100 it would be a very efficient solution to track positioning at least.
 
I was hoping in Roland days for Cakewalk they would come up with something that solved that. They all seem to go for multifader and just 8 of them - who cares for 8, I wonder?
Even when paging up/down exchanging the tracks represented, and I think Artist Mix also to one track slide for you - it feels not like paying up that cash for it.
 
Mackie Universal is expandable in a nice way, but want to emulate a full analog console kind of.
 
In this way I think Softube Console 1 is so brilliant idea. Two pages of 20 buttons is a good start to select track, but if 5 pages or unique buttons even better. Looking for expansion, I think they have some targeting video editing, but not sure if I mix up with expansions for Mackie or Avid.

lfm

azslow3
For Launchpad. There is no "protocol", from (any!) DAW perspective it is just a "MIDI keyboard" with feedback as color LEDs under pads. 

One would like just the active track button to light up - so some kind of protocol is involved I think, and don't think it is as customizable as some other hardware defining midi controller, if toggle button or not etc.
I think it's Bitwig and Live that support it as I recall.
 
For just over $100 it would be a very efficient solution to track positioning at least.

The "protocol" is not so complicated, if pad sends "C4" note, sending "C4" note back to the controller defines the color for this pad, based on the value (0 - dark, 1 - green, 3 - red, etc. , http://community.akaipro.com/akai_professional/topics/midi-information-for-apc-mini ). Such protocol is not hard to support. I can create such preset for AZ Controller within 15 minutes and than "Sonar will support it" as well.
 
As I understand, APC is not customizable. But Mackie Universal also has just 3 fixed preset. That is in fact a good thing for DAW controllers since there can be no users with "it does not work FOR ME" (because they decide to play with reconfiguration without understanding what they are doing).
 
On the other hand, AVID is much more complicated... EUCON plug-in is not open source, EUCON protocol is not published in open (or I have not found it).

Very happy to see responses to this thread!  Many thanks!
 
@Anderton, really appreciate you looking into this further.  I'm a fan of your tips, by the way!  
I have the Artist Mix connected directly to my tower so I'm using a wireless connection to get to the internet so no router in the combination.  I believe that I have the latest Eucon software (v.3.4.1) and I also have the plug-in from Sonar (SONAR_EUCON_Control_Surface_Installer).  
So here are my questions:
1. Is there a special order that these components need to be installed to work correctly?  I've tried Eucon then Sonar plug-in and then connecting Artist Mix.  I've also tried Eucon then connecting Artist Mix and then the Sonar plug-in.  No love so far.  Any guidance?
2. If I have the components installed correctly by sequence, should I have the Artist Mix console on before I start Sonar?  Does it matter?
 
I am able to see the Eucon icon in my task bar and it does light up so I believe the computer recognizes the hardware.  Within Sonar, once the plug-in is installed, I'm able to choose the Eucon surface so I know that the plug-in installation work but the components still are talking (Artist Mix console isn't showing any signs of connecting with Sonar).
 
Any additional feedback would be appreciated!
 
Also appreciate the ideas from others on alternate surfaces.  I paid a bundle for this Artist Mix console and have really enjoyed it with Sonar X3.  Still hoping that I can get it working with Sonar Platinum.  Thanks for the support!