Recording - February 2010 - 20

BY DARWIN GROSSE Euphonix MC Control Have you noticed a new trend in recording hardware? Some of the Great Names Of Recording, in addition to making large-format mixing consoles, are now creating recording tools specifically designed for the project studio. Why is that? It’s because the definition of a professional studio has completely changed. More CD releases, film scores and commercial tracks are being produced in home studios than ever before, and the demand for small-format, high-performance recording devices is massive. Euphonix, maker of some of the most famous and expensive mixing consoles in the world, has now entered this market with its Artist Series of control surfaces for use with Apple computers. In an earlier article (February 2009) we examined the MC Mix control surface, which brought the high-end controls of a large-format console to bear against the compact world of DAWs. The centerpiece of the Artist Series is the MC Control, a transport/mix/control center unlike anything we’ve seen in the small studio environment. What it is The MC Control is an amazing work surface. This device combines 4 channel strips with motorized sliders, a set of transport/shuttle controls, a huge array of software-controlled knobs and buttons, and an 800 x 480 pixel touchscreen that makes it all fly. This touch screen is directly interfaced to your DAW software, providing an array of functions from track selection to monitor control. Euphonix has decided to move beyond MIDI connectivity to interface with your software. The Artist Series of work surfaces uses an Ethernet-based protocol dubbed EuCon to communicate with host computers—the exact same protocol used in the large Euphonix desks. This protocol provides a larger data pipeline between your software and the MC Control, and also allows the controller to access any computer on your network. A software package called EuControl is installed on your computer and manages the hardware connections, software-specific interfaces and user-customized functions. World-class DAW control comes to the Mac desktop On the MC Control, the touchscreen is the center of attention. It implements a set of 24 virtual buttons used for track selection and DAW control functions. The list of supported touch-key functions is quite surprising, featuring everything from window selection to editing functions, and can be completely reconfigured within the EuControl software. The MC Control isn’t limited to a single program’s definitions and layout, either; it pays attention to the application that is currently in focus and will instantly switch the touchscreen’s functions to support that software. Below the touch screen is a set of 12 hardware buttons called “soft-keys” (because they are software-defined). These buttons are used to select editing tools and functions, effectively replacing your host software’s toolbar. On either side of the touch screen are 8 touch-sensitive knobs, used for everything from track panning to insert effect control. All of the information for the soft-keys and knobs is clearly presented on the screen, so you are never confused about what functions they are currently supporting. RECORDING FEBRUARY 2010

Recording - February 2010

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