Fast and furious
Published: PRODUCTS
The PreSonus FaderPort 8 mix production controller has been produced to speed up the workflow when connected via USB 2.0 to a digital audio workstation (DAW). It reportedly delivers precise tactile control over a DAW mix with automation functionality, such as complete transport control.
FaderPort 8, as the numerical value of its name suggests, features eight touch-sensitive, motorised, 100mm faders, in addition to 57 buttons that cover 78 separate functions that allow the user to quickly zoom in on audio files for editing, adjust the click-track tempo, modify plugin parameters, manage aux mixes and control track levels. It also includes what PreSonus refers to as Session Navigator, which provides efficient access to eight mission-critical functions. Dedicated buttons for arming all tracks for recording, control mutes and Solo Clear, viewing only selected tracks, busses and VCAs, among other functions are also present. The preset four controls can also be customised to offer quick access to any function.
To further assist in cutting down on time, PreSonus has made the buttons on the unit notably large, in addition to being illuminated by backlights. Eight HD digital scribble strips give visual feedback and the option is also provided to select a track using a mouse.
When used in conjunction with the manufacturer’s Studio One software suite, FaderPort 8 allows users to bypass all plugins on any track and to open the Channel Editor, facilitating the control of each channel’s custom macro via the faders. The mix production controller also offers streamlined workflow and support for the Mackie Control and HUI protocols, and can control ‘almost any DAW’ without the need for any driver installation.
Meanwhile, PreSonus has also released the CTC-1 Pro Console Shaper, the second in its series of Mix Engine FX plugins for Studio One 3 Professional. Compatible with Studio One Professional 3.3.1 and later, CTC-1 brings the sound of classic British, vintage tube and custom console models to the Mix Engine FX environment.
The plugin makes use of state space modelling technology to capture and emulate the sound of analogue consoles by modelling their input drive, channel noise and crosstalk. Automatic gain compensation and a pass through option are also offered.
The CTC-1’s Drive stage is designed to re-create the characteristic dynamic behaviour of an analogue console input preamp with different modelled analogue noise on each channel to define the sonic character of the console chosen via inherent signal noise. Crosstalk generated spills over into adjacent channels, decreasing the further away a channel is from the source. To prevent the CPU load from becoming too much during large projects, an eco mode reduces processing by using simplifying algorithms with less attention paid to the nonlinearity in the signals.
Special gain compensation algorithms are also included to avoid extreme gain offsets with two settings: the Bus setting and the Channel setting. When the Bus setting is selected, master gain compensation is applied inside the bus that CTC-1 is inserted in before any bus insert effects. Whereas when the Channel setting is applied, individual gain compensation is applied in each channel routed into the bus.