Focusing on the main unit, the QCon Pro G2, I find that each of its eight channel faders is accompanied by a bank of four buttons that control the Solo, Mute, Record Enable and Selected/Active state of the corresponding DAW channel.

A line of USB-MIDI controller options for your DAW, synth, editor, …whatever, using any devices’ preset maps or included mapping software. There are presets as well, so that connecting with DAWs such as Cubase, Nuendo, Logic, Live, ProTools or Studio One, (to name a few) is simple to set up. We have many different controllers large to small to fit your needs. Connect up to four S1s to create an extended integrated surface. The S1 is the latest EUCON-compatible control surface from Avid. Being EUCON-compatible means that the Avid S1 is supported by Pro Tools, by media composer Cubase, Logic Pro, Digital Performer, and many other audio and video applications. The S1 allows you to take hands-on physical control over what's happening inside your computer and with Pro Tools. For example, you have extremely deep integration. Around a thousand different parameters and functions are supported. When choosing the best control surfaces, your first priority should be tight integration with your DAW. Above all else, the control surface is meant to help you take control of your DAW's key features. You shouldn't have to spend hours configuring controls; the control surface should be plug-and-play – as much as possible. It is, however, a warning to consumers about Icon Pro Audio. Their sales literature and product ads contain false advertising. You have a select button that corresponds with the rotary encoder and the OLED. At the bottom, you also have four modifier keys. The first of those is the second shift key. Then we have the control, the option, and command alt. These correspond to the modifier keys and your computer keyboard. We also have four user-assignable buttons at the bottom, and those can be assigned to a wide variety of different tasks and functions.

Reviews

We have a wide range of outboard processors ranging from preamps and EQs to compressors and EFX. These devices make perfect companions to hardware mixers and DAWs. Great choices for live performance, recording and mixing situations. Great for processing vocals or instruments on input. Before I do that – and keeping in mind that I’ve never used an MCU – here are the biggest downsides of the G2 as compared to the MCU (and I think the XTouch would not suffer from these, but this is based only on viewing photos of it). Behind the display is an expansion port for the Icon UMIX1008 Satellite audio interface. Turn your QCon Pro into a full 24-bit/192KHz DAW-based recording workstation with 8 analog XLR/TRS Mic/Inst/Line inputs with gain control and phantom power, 6 analog TRS outputs, plus S/P DIF in and out. There are also two headphones outputs on the front of the QCon Pro for use when the UMix 1008 is connected. The Icon QCon Pro G2 is a DAW controller for eight individual channels. All of these and the additional master channel are equipped with a motorized fader. There are buttons for mute, solo, record, and select, as well as panning controls. Transport controls, a jog wheel for navigation, and numerous buttons for extended functions are also integrated into the DAW software. An angled, illuminated display at the head end of the device provides information about the channel names, the currently adjustable parameters, and more.

The controls of the Icon QCon Pro G2 are consistently good for the price range. With a display, time display (Beats or SMPTE), fully illuminated buttons, and LEDs for level and panning, it comes in a complete set. The device can control 13 DAWs via MCU, HUI and Logic Control, and own mappings are also possible. All housing parts and the angled display sit tightly together, and the fader modules can also be unscrewed individually. The feel of the controls is convincing for a moderately priced DAW controller. However, there remains one aspect of old-school studios that DAWs can’t deliver out-of-the-box: the immediacy and sheer tactility of working with the faders, knobs and buttons of a real, physical mixing desk. Some dismiss this as unimportant, or argue that the same results can be achieved using the extensive automation that DAWs are capable of, but I disagree. iCON QCon EX G2Learn more about the QCon Pro G2 in our article iCON Pro Audio Launch New QCon Pro G2 DAW Controller And QCon EX G2 Fader Expander With Updated DAW Modes, Overlays And Hardware Enhancements. With the Artist Mix, Euphonix, now flying the Avid flag, has achieved a great success. In terms of design, you immediately notice the proximity to Apple, and that's a good thing. It makes your workplace look so chic and uniform, it just looks like it is all of a piece. In terms of processing, small items such as the folding feet on the bottom are improved. More and more studios are doing without analog consoles and are working completely digitally. AVID also offers the Artist series a professional solution for smaller studios. The three products, Artist Mix, Artist Control, and Artist Transport, received the RedDot Design Award and were showered with advance praise even before they were launched. While Artist Control houses four motorized faders, a touchscreen, and a transport section, the Artist Mix proves itself with eight motorized faders, eight rotary encoders, and a strong OLED display. The X-Touch features quite a few more buttons, though we have read several reports from users in forums about X-Touch compatibility issues with Pro Tools, which is well worth investigating for yourself if you are considering one of these devices.

Class-compliant with Windows XP, Vista (32-bit), Windows 7/8/10 (32-bit & 64-bit), and Mac OS X (IntelMac) Slate Media Technology’s RAVEN range of control surfaces is in a totally different category compared to the control surfaces we’ve already mentioned. They are large multi-touch displays, which respond to finger touches and gestures similar to how we interact with tablet devices and smartphones which makes RAVEN displays incredibly intuitive to operate upon first use. And... it works very well! It even allows navigation into the FX bins to any plug-in, which I call out specifically because I think I remember reading that there was a point in the recent past where one could not navigate past the first plug-in with the MCU and/or XTouch. In fact, the G2 has so far successfully controlled every parameter of every plug-in I’ve tried it with (about 6 or 7 plugs so far).RAVEN is compatible with the most popular DAWs including Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, and Studio One though you only get one activation of the RAVEN software which works with the DAW of your choice. If you opt for the Pro Tools activation and decide at a later date to switch to Studio One you will need to pay a small fee to get the appropriate RAVEN software for your DAW.

The QCon Pro G2 is class-compliant with Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7/8/10, and Mac OS X and features a high speed USB 2.0 connection. The QCon Pro G2 is expandable to up to 32 channels using three Qcon EX G2 extenders. A wide range of audio and MIDI interfaces from compact portable devices to a selection of multi-channel recording interfaces. Several devices offer 24bit 96/192kHz resolution and superb digital conversion for truly pristine sound quality; whether in the studio or doing live field recordings.

Rating

So while a full-fledged control surface is an overkill for a beginner experimenting with FL Studio in his bedroom, it is almost a necessity for Pro Tools users. After all, you're most likely a power user; getting access to your DAW from a hardware interface makes the all the difference in your workflow. There is no 2-character "Assignment" display. On the MCU (and, from pictures, on the XTouch as well), this tells you what state the device is in. However, this isn’t that big a deal, as the G2 indicates some of the info that would otherwise be displayed on the Assignment display in other ways (e.g. via lighted buttons or by what’s displayed on the scribble strip). Still, there are a few states that are maybe not obvious, which can lead you to think you're in a state that you're not. But I've not been much hampered by this. No matter what the operating mode, channel faders and rotary controls can be ‘flipped’ so that the channel level is controlled by the rotary controls, and parameters – as determined by the current Operating mode – are controlled via faders. Some DAWs limit the number of extenders that work with their software. The following list includes the maximum number of extenders you can use with the specified DAW.