Going to buy a d8b, what to look for??? Now with photos!

[topdiggy2]

@avlee

Im new school like you and like you bought my 2 x d8b's recently for the same reason...to use as a DAW controller. However, that was just the bonus...really I decided to do more Euro style mixing (analog console) so the d8b fit the bill. And I came across a "bargain deal" for mine as well.

Anyway, you dont need anything other than the mixer to use with Munk's ProBox and Marc's D8bridge. Its good that you have the cpu/psu & mixer...but you dont need it. Plans for a internal power supply will be posted soon. As far as those effect cards or audio cards..useless with DAW controller ONLY use. Both Probox & D8bridge DO NOT provide audio function. However, the Probox will do talkback and monitor but those will be thru the audio jacks, not thru cards...so again you dont need them.

So to answer your question, you're fine with that system as is. Just buy the Probox when it comes out and plug&play.

If your studio needs expand to where you need more I/o for mixing then the d8b come in handy as a complete system.

But if you never plan on coming out the box again and just want to use it as a daw controller only then find just the mixer. Those can be had for $100-$200.

But a bargain on the whole thing is hard to beat.

[topdiggy2]

...sorry, simple answer is yes its one or the other. Now you can switch back and forth but you wont be able to use both simultaneously.

[AvLee]

Great, thanks!

OK, so just to be clear, will I be able to use the "Main" and "Near Field" monitor outs via the jacks on the desk with Probox?
And everything else purely DAW with Cubase? If so, I can live with that, I already have a Mackie 1402VLZ desk (I'm not a Mackie nutter, just coincidence!), I could use for mics and other Aux's to run into my sound card.

Also can I use the standard CPU/PSU unit I have for the desk with Probox? as I'd probably prefer to keep the integrity of the desk as it is, and then I'd just build the PSU/CPU unit into the loft eaves so I don't have to see and hear the dam thing.

[topdiggy2]

@ Avlee

Im still unclear about exactly how the talkback and monitor feature of the probox is supposed to work. Personally, im not too worried about it. given the daw controls Probox will provide, i was just gonna duplicate several pairs of main mixes and assign them to outputs on my MOTU 2408 in pairs.

Then control which speaker/monitor sets I want with the channel strip on the controller. Sorta like a poor mans version of Presonus's station monitor.

Yes, the cpu/psu is fine. That what i have, 2 of them racked off to the side. Some people are buying mixer only so they have to build psu on their own.

Remember, you get 8 faders & transport control via MIDI naturally with the DAW layer on the d8b. So, if i was you, i would consolidate everything into the d8b, loose the small 1402vlz (redundant), and run your d8b as your front end, then, once everything is in the box for your session, use a toggle switch to go to Probox function and run the d8b as a controller.

Sell the small mixer and buy the Probox when it drops...i think he said Euro200 (which is like $250).

[AvLee]

Interesting way of doing it, but wont this:

"Remember, you get 8 faders & transport control via MIDI naturally with the DAW layer on the d8b. So, if i was you, i would consolidate everything into the d8b, loose the small 1402vlz (redundant), and run your d8b as your front end, then, once everything is in the box for your session, use a toggle switch to go to Probox function and run the d8b as a controller."

.....mean that I have to upgrade to 5.1??

[topdiggy2]

No, you can add the D8b as a midi controller to any daw that supports MCU. You just need to connect it via MIDI in/out to your cpu. Then once its connected, the first 8 faders and transport controls work. OS 5.1 only adds HUI support for people using Protools. You use cubase so you are fine.

[AvLee]

That's excellent! So just to be clear, if I connect the Midi from my Cubase PC to the Mackie CPU/PSU, I can get the Transport panel working and the first 8 input channels? But what does Cubase display this as? I mean does the mixer on Cubase show the Mackie channels? Or doesn't it do this. I'm assuming you would route the audio the normal way via the outputs of desk into main PC sound card.
And do you need to have the computer monitor, keyboard and mouse connected into the Mackie CPU/PSU in order to get this feature working? As I'm hoping if possible, to never have to use the Mackie PC software.
Sorry for all the questions, I just need to be double sure on this desk before I give the seller the nod!

Thanks for all your help.

[topdiggy2]

Check the forum here for more info on how to setup the midi controls on the D8b itself. Im not sure, because i dont use it like that. Currently my controller is my Novation LaunchKey 61 (lol).

But i know for a fact that the only way to do it is from within the Mackie OS. there are no Midi connections on the mixer itself. So you configure the OS to output midi in the "effects layer" i think....again, im not sure exactly how.

Cubase would see the midi signals coming in as coming from a MCU (mackie Control Universal) and control the faders & transport within Cubase. It wont have anything to do with the audio coming in unless you have your channels setup. Yes, under this mode you would bring the audio into your soundcard as you normally do and control those faders & transport with the D8b.

But post a thread about it and someone can help with that...but the benefit of the d8b bridge/Probox is that you get 24 faders instead of 8.

[Casey_Pittman]

HUI mode is what gives you the 8 channels to control. You can however map midi channels in your DAW to control features. This is also covered in the datbase. Midi mapping is not accurate, which is explained in the database as to why. I use mapping right now and dont mind the inaccuracy much when you rely more on your ears than a visual marker everything comes out better anyways.

-Casey