Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk
]

Additionally you can drag and drop any VST into the PC and it will automatically turn it into an FXChain module in which you can then map your favorite params to knobs or buttons for quick access.
In some ways this is better than having the plugin in a bin since its a more compact representation of its UI.


Or you can drop in an empty fxchain module and use it as a cheap automatable gainstage anywhere within  the PC signal flow.

Very cool !

Yes if you drag the plugin from a normal effects bin after its already set up it will retain its settings when dragged and dropped into the PC.

>>Noel, I don't understand this one...  How can an empty FX Chain do anything? 
An empty effects chain still has an input gain and an output gain control that is fully active. The chain acts as a pass through if there are no effects but will still respect the input/output gain settings however.
You can even try this trick in X1 effects chains in the normal effects bin.

Sounds good, Noel. You might even entice this skeptical old dinosaur back on board with this rev.

This sounds really Great but, I still want that coffee mug.

bitflipper


Sounds good, Noel. You might even entice this skeptical old dinosaur back on board with this rev.

Say it ain't so Bit

It depends on what they've done with automation editing. I can't use X1 as it is today.

Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk
]

Additionally you can drag and drop any VST into the PC and it will automatically turn it into an FXChain module in which you can then map your favorite params to knobs or buttons for quick access.
In some ways this is better than having the plugin in a bin since its a more compact representation of its UI.


Or you can drop in an empty fxchain module and use it as a cheap automatable gainstage anywhere within  the PC signal flow.

that does sound fantastic, and I agree that it will make the bin mostly obsolete for me.

But here's my question: can I insert the PC modules into the bin as VSTs?  Not that one needs to given the new functionality, except for controllability - Automap, MCU, and friends can handle a bidirectional protocol in a generic way for VST's, and my question really is whether or not the PC modules will expose themselves to these third-party, industry standard (or at least industry leading/best-of-breed) ctlr protocols? 

Actually I have another question, too, but it's unrelated to this topic, but along with this one being discussed here, will determine whether or not I go to X2:  will we be able to drive the matrix view from a midi track?

Sorry to change the subject, but the chance to pester Noel about this I could not pass up ;)

Great work, Cake!

You can control the PC FXChain modules via ACT for all the assignable parameters.
So you can insert an effect, map some params to assignable controls and then control those. In a future version we may enhance ACT control of individual fx within a PC fx chain but that part isn't done yet.

You cannot control the Matrix via a MIDI track yet. However the matrix engine has undergone a massive rewrite and is now hugely improved over X1 and much more accurate. Additionally there are now per cel trigger settings that can override the global settings.

bitflipper


It depends on what they've done with automation editing. I can't use X1 as it is today.

Automation rendering and editing has undergone huge updates in X2. The biggest ever update in 10 years to that feature area. We also fixed pretty much all the major issues that we knew about. Will write more about it when I get some more time. 
What specific issues prevent you from using automation in X1?

Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk
]

...In a future version we may enhance ACT control of individual fx within a PC fx chain but that part isn't done yet...

Details?
an ACT overhaul in general? (one of sonars weakest parts)