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Question about Mixers and Midi Control Surfaces
I am putting together a small video editing studio in my home. All that is left is the audio elements. I am pretty sure I am going to get a pair of M-Audio BX5 Studio Reference Monitors. What is still up in the air is weather to get a cheap Mixer and a cheap Midi Control Surface or a nicer Midi control surface that acts as both. What I want out of both is to be able to monitor from my computer to my speakers, monitor audio from my DV deck and occasionally record audio to my computer (Voice overs, adr, etc). Then on the midi control surface side, i want to be able to control my different audio elements in Final Cut, and possibly for Sountrack Pro or Protools (instead of using a mouse).
For a low end mixer and midi control surface i was thinking an Edirol M-100fx and a Behringer BCF 200
-Are these both too low end?
-Should I go with better brand names (Mackie, or others)?
-Any one have either of these and if so how are they working out for you?On the higher end combo i was thinking a Tascam fw-1082 or Yamaha 01x
-How well do these work as mixers
-Any one have either of these and if so how are they working out for you?Does anyone have any comments or user experience for any of the above items? Am I on the right track? Recommendations?
I am running a G5 dual 2.5, 4gig of ram, 160 gig main hd, 400 gig storage hd, sony dsr 11 deck….and I will be getting Final Cut Studio in a week or two.
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10 Replies
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I love the Tascam fw-1082. It is a dream and a great solution for you. It will act as an audio interface for the monitors, and has great “dead silent” motorized faders. The cheap bfc2000 is noisy and I resent buying it every-time I am away from my mackie control. I also have a O1v, and it is very complicated, but provides massive dsp, and unbelievable patch and aux support. The O1v has a huge learning curve however, I took night classes (serious) to master it. I would go for the Tascam fw-1082, and be happy with the best of both worlds.
VM
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Still looking at this ourselves. As I recall, the Tascam requires FW to use with FCP, while the Mackie’s use the midi interface with FCP. We’re wondering if the FW interface of the Tascam will interfere with things like the AJA Io?
Mitch Ives
Insight Productions Corp.
mitch@insightproductions.com
http://www.insightproductions.com -
It will, but a simple FW 400 card from g-raid will fix that. Also your gaining an audio interface at the same time that you can run into the io as well. The tascam is well worth the cost.
Adam
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Adam,
Thanks for your input. The more I have been reading about all the different items the more I agree with you on the Tascam.
The only hesitation i have is that on Tascam’s website they say that the fw-1082 can be “used as a mixer in a pinch” and I noticed that you have to hit a button to switch from mixer to computer to midi fuctions. So i guess the question i have is, do you loose any significant functionality having to switch between the computer and mixer functions? Is it easy to switch between the different functions? Do you use the tascam as both a mixer and midi surface interface?Rob
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Adam,
another thing. I noticed that your name was VideoManSF. Are you located in San Francisco? If so I am as well.
Rob
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This question fascinates me as I am an editor working with the Final Cut 5 Suite and am not really interested in recording/mixing music per se. Just like most people in this forum I guess, I am looking for exactly the same as Rob asks in his original question.
I was thinking about the Mackie Control Surface Universal until I learned that I would need to keep my current Mackie 140Z-VLZ mixer.
Then the Tascam FW-1082 appeared on the scene and it seems that I could lose the Mackie Mixer and use the Tascam solely for all my mixing needs. This is what I think I want but Is this how others understand it?
However, I read from VideoMan that there could be a complication with my Kona 2, is this true?
Godfrey Pye
Mulholland Bays – in the Hollywood Hills -
Yup, I am in San Fran. Most of the time that your using the 1082 as a control service you will not need to use it as a mixer. Say capturing a tape, you might need to ride levels and pull some EQ on capture, but FCP locks you out of the control surface anyway during capture. Or say your using the VO tool with the mic plugged into the 1082, just tap the midi to get to the mixer and tap midi again to get back to automation. When FCP looses a midi connection it dose not error every minute like protools or logic, and remember, you must have the FCP audio mix window open to use the control surface, so if your in the mixer and need to pull something down just do it in the window. When fcp sees that the control surface has returned, it will reset the faders to were you left off. When you tab between the Mixer and surface, the faders remember were you left off.
HOWEVER – if you run the outs from your capture card to a mixer then to your monitors/deck the 1082 will not replace that function. The outputs of the 1082 are not intended to be at a mastering level. I recommend a cheap line level mixer for that, or the 1884 is in all reality a MUCH better mixer and surface for a all in one replacement. Also check out the yamaha O1x or O1v. I have an O1v and it is great except for the learning curve. Between the 1884 and the O1x you can replace your mixers and gain a control surface.
VM
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Adam,
Thanks for the tip on the FW 1884. I looked at it and thought it was too powerful for what i need now, but then I noticed the FE-8 expansions and saw that you could connect up to 15 of them up together. Now that is freakin awesome, being able to control up to 128 different audio channels, though when I would ever need to, I do not know. I will probably get the FW 1082, but might jump up to the 1884 if i can find a good price for it. Thanks for all the help!
Rob
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Ok I just downloaded the manuals for both the FW 1082 and 1884 and what I noticed is that the 1884 has dedicated nobs that let you adjust the Pan for each audio channel. Adam or anyone out there, is the only way to adjust the Pan in the FW 1082 via software or is the a way some how to do it on the board. If not I may be leaning furthar toward the 1884.
Another question for Adam, do you know any places in the Bay Area that may have either of these models at a brink and mortar store? I was thinking Leo’s Pro Audio in Oakland is my best shot?
Rob
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Nope, only the 1884 has pan knobs, so dose mackie universal control. And the crappy BCF2000 has panners too. Guitar center in san fran and san jo stocks most control surfaces, but call first. Prices are better too.
VM
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