Advice Needed

[Studio 919]

Let me start by saying that I have been trying to wrap my head around REAPER. I can get tracks recorded but everything else is over my head. That led me to try Mixcraft 5. I liked what I saw in MC and while trying it I started reading about the upcoming release of MC6. I wanted to wait and see what MC6 had to offer, so, I decided to wait before buying it. Well, now I have tried MC6 and like it even more. One problem I have is that I am using a ZOOM R16 for my interface. In REAPER the R16 will work as a control surface allowing me to use it's transport functions. It also allows me to use the faders to control volume of each track. I have not been do this in Mixcraft. I think this is due to the fact that the R16 operates on Mackie Emulation. Now, to add to the "confusion", I have read about Studio One 2. There is alot of "talk" about how easy it is PLUS on their forum I see that the ZOOM R16 will work with Studio One 2. I have not had any success in searching for a comparison between Mixcraft and Studio One 2. Now to my questions.

1. Has anyone compared Mixcraft 6 to Studio One 2? If so, please share.
2. I know that MC6 has been released just a few months ago, but, is there a possibility that Mackie Emulation will be incorporated into a future update or revision of MC6?

I'm going to make a purchase and, quite honestly, I am leaning to MC6 Pro Studio, but can't decide on MC6 without R16 control surface support, or, Studio One 2 WITH R16 compatibility. (I might add that I have found Studio One 2 Producer for $99 which is $50 less than MC6 Pro Studio).

Any help, advice, personal experience will be greatly appreciated.

[Anorax]

have you been able to control ANY of Mixcraft's controls using the R16?

Remember, there is "Control Mapping", but it has to be done through MIDI control signals, and I don't know about multi-track Mixers controlling the in-Mixcraft mixer (I don't have a mixer controller to test this with).

[Studio 919]

Yea, I have been able to set up the ZOOM R16 transport functions and they worked quite well. I was not able to set up the faders on the R16 to operate the track volume in MC, however. I think this is due Mixcraft not utilizing the Mackie Emulation protocol.

Let me say again that I like the ease of use in MC. I would hate to buy something and it not work with my other equipment. If a "fix" is to be incorporated somewhere down the road I may go ahead with MC 6 Pro Studio.

[Anorax]

I don't know if Mackie Emulation has a decisive part of this or not, I haven't been able to find anything that explains what it is.

However, there is the control surface for track volume and pan, it just requires you to switch tracks before you adjust them (you can only access one track's pan and volume at a time through control surfaces)


The only possible thing I can think of why Mackie Emulation isn't supported is the fact that Mackie only uses 8 mixing faders, and Mixcraft can use an unlimited amount of tracks, and therefore an unlimited amount of mixing faders.

I don't know how extensive Mixcraft's support of USB Mixers are, that question would be for the Acoustica team.

[Studio 919]

I seem to remember reading that you have to select a track, then the fader will work. The way I see it is that if I have to use the mouse to select the track then I might as well adjust the track volume with the mouse since I already have it in my hand. What I would like to see is being able to randomly adjust track volume. It's almost like all tracks are always selected.

[Anorax]

I seem to remember reading that you have to select a track, then the fader will work. The way I see it is that if I have to use the mouse to select the track then I might as well adjust the track volume with the mouse since I already have it in my hand. What I would like to see is being able to randomly adjust track volume. It's almost like all tracks are always selected.

well you have it half right. However there is a next- and previous-track control surface map.


you have to remember though, it's very difficult to map a limited-track mixer to a software mixer with unlimited tracks.

[SoundSquire]

Just wanted to share some experience with Studio One. In the last six months or so I have tried a bunch of DAW's. Here is a list:

Ableton Live
FL Studio
Garage Band
Mixcraft
Reaper
Reason
Sonar
Studio One

My main DAW for many years was Sony Acid. Sony has been dragging their feet on upgrading the pro version and are not communicating when/if it will happen. This lead me to search for another DAW to replace it. After trying all the software above I simply fell in love with Mixcraft!

Is Mixcraft perfect? Probably not for everyone but it is for me. The only feature I really miss is bus to bus routing mostly for sidechain compression. Most of the other DAW's I tried had this feature but it was not a deal breaker for me as I quickly found a workaround by using the VST Sidekick.

Studio One was nice but I didn't like the workflow. I wanted something with a similar workflow to Sony Acid and Mixcraft was easily the closest. Studio One does have some neat features and was fairly easy to get going with but did not click with me like Mixcraft did. If a control surface is a must have feature I would look into some of the hardware Presonus offers and see if there is a fit for you.

Don't get me wrong...all of the ones I tried were great DAW's. I just did not want to spend very much time learning a new approach to what I do. I just wanted a well supported replacement and something that fit my style. Mixcraft sounds great, has a very intuitive UI and amazing support from the staff as well as the user base. I was able to jump in and get a song going quickly with Mixcraft where with the others there was always one barrier or another. The price is right and I have yet to explore all of the effects and instruments included with the Pro package.

Hope this helps.

[Studio 919]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm really leaning toward MC6 Pro Studio. In simple layman terms, I like it. It offers what I think I need and will use regularly. The issue of a control surface is not a deal maker/breaker. It's a convenience. After all, all of the adjustments that I would make with a control surface can be made on-screen with the mouse.

Hey SoundSquire, I see you're right up the road from me (Macon). Thanks for the comments about other daws.

I think I'm going to proceed with MC6 Pro Studio in the next few days. Every time I look at something else I keep coming back to it.

Thanks again.