Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

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aaron_cabral
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Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by aaron_cabral »

I am looking at the Mackie MCU Pro and trying to decide if mixing on a control surface vs. mixing within the DP software is worth it for me. My biggest question about the Mackie MCU Pro is: if you write automation on the Mackie itself and do a bounce to disc in DP (which is how I do my mix downs to stereo) will the automation moves be represented in the bounced mix down?
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Dwetmaster
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by Dwetmaster »

The Mackie is only a controller so any automation you do with it will be written to DP. As long as you've enabled Automation-Record obviously
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by aaron_cabral »

ah good point. So as long as I arm the automation to record in the DAW I would be all good. The only time to record the automation on the Mackie and not the DAW is if I were mixing down to an external medium. Ok totally makes sense. Thanks!
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by Killahurts »

aaron_cabral wrote:ah good point. So as long as I arm the automation to record in the DAW I would be all good. The only time to record the automation on the Mackie and not the DAW is if I were mixing down to an external medium. Ok totally makes sense. Thanks!
Not quite.. the Mackie doesn't/cannot record anything into itself, it has no onboard automation computer.. it only controls the DP faders, etc. in real time. The automation is always recorded in DP. If you arm a channel to record on the MCU, it's really just sending a command to DP, to arm that channel in DP.
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aaron_cabral
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by aaron_cabral »

Thanks for the info. I thought the MCU had it's own internal computer that would record fader and pot movements. But's thats ok, I would much prefer to have the automation done in the DAW anyway. The only thing I thought might be good about writing the automation information in the MCU is it would save CPU processing power on my iMac. Not a big deal though. I think I'm gonna get one. I miss actually touching the faders! Now what about the C4 Pro? I'm trying to research that one and it looks like they dont make it anymore? I wonder if it ever worked with DP?
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SixStringGeek
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by SixStringGeek »

I have the original Mackie MCU and 3 XPanders. I got them as closeouts when the Pro version was released. I think the only difference is the panel color (dark gray vs off white) and the existence of an internal MIDI-USB gizmo to let it speak MIDI over USB.

I mostly like it, makes mixing moves nice and easy. I wish it had one more button per fader for toggling input monitoring. This is the only real drawback IMO.
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Dwetmaster
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by Dwetmaster »

SixStringGeek wrote:I wish it had one more button per fader for toggling input monitoring. This is the only real drawback IMO.

If you hold the "option" button on the mackie, I think "record enable" changes into an "input monitoring" button.

I will be very saddened the day that my Mackie dies. I'm glad that, after ten years, It's still going strong with virtually no signs of slowing down... :)
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by zaratero »

Dwetmaster wrote: I will be very saddened the day that my Mackie dies. I'm glad that, after ten years, It's still going strong with virtually no signs of slowing down... :)
So will I, it´s proved durable and well worth it. I love my "big mouse" as a friend likes to call it.
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by Killahurts »

zaratero wrote:I love my "big mouse" as a friend likes to call it.
My console uses the MCU protocol.. it's more than a "big mouse" though.. I like to call it my R.O.U.S. :mrgreen:
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by SixStringGeek »

Dwetmaster wrote:If you hold the "option" button on the mackie, I think "record enable" changes into an "input monitoring" button.
OMG I gotta try this. That would make my life most awesome. Actually, I never really use the select buttons, I'd be fine if I could remap those to do Input. Mostly I just use record, mute, and solo.
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primeevolutionary
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by primeevolutionary »

Another old thread, but, I just can't seem to find this anywhere.

Thank you, Dwetmaster, regarding the option+rec combo. I had a work around, but, that will certainly be a timesaver.

What I'm trying to find out is if there is a combination or setting to control channel send pans.

If I hit the Send button and then Mode, I get a Pan option on the Master controller, but, it doesn't seem to do anything.

Is there a way to control send pans on the MCU?
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by apanacci »

I have 2. An older grey one and a newer one. As I posted before, I use one for DP and once in a while I couple the 2 together for 16 tracks. Or I use 1 for CueMIx for setting up a HP mix.
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Dwetmaster
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by Dwetmaster »

primeevolutionary wrote:Another old thread, but, I just can't seem to find this anywhere.

Thank you, Dwetmaster, regarding the option+rec combo. I had a work around, but, that will certainly be a timesaver.

What I'm trying to find out is if there is a combination or setting to control channel send pans.

If I hit the Send button and then Mode, I get a Pan option on the Master controller, but, it doesn't seem to do anything.

Is there a way to control send pans on the MCU?
Yes there is:
1- Hit the button labeled I/O "on top of the "PAN" button"
2- You're now given a choice of options on your LCD, push the V-Pot that's under SndPan
3- The V-Pots are now linked to "Send Pan"

I Once made an Excel Sheet with all the Mackie Commands. Maybe I could ask James to "Sticky" it somewhere on the board.
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primeevolutionary
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by primeevolutionary »

Awesome. Thanks again Dwetmaster.

I was at that menu, but, the one thing that I didn't try was pushing the V-Pot. I was turning it and hitting select and trying all kinds of other things. It's scary that, when it's in this particular mode (panning sends), that there's not much of a visible difference (Assignment shows P1 instead of Pn, but, I could easily see that being overlooked).

Anyway, I really appreciate it. That's going to be a huge timesaver.

Take care!
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Re: Anyone Use the Mackie MCU Pro?

Post by hmallory »

Just invested finally in the MCU Pro. Awaiting the XT now.
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