Note: 13 Slot Chassis support a total of up to 10 Digidesign cards. Magma Technical Bulletin - March 21, Click here to download the Technical Bulletin 46 K. Digidesign Compatibility Documents Index. System Usage window in Pro Tools will reflect the proper card order.
Although 7 cards may be installed, only 4 HD cards are addressable when using or kHz sample rates, regardless of whether an expansion chassis is used or not HD PCIe PCI Express cards cannot be used in an expansion chassis Expanded Systems Guide For more information about expansion chassis setup and requirements, please see the Expanded Systems Guide. Expanded Systems Guide k, v7. Performance Notes Due to buffering requirements in Expansion HD, which increase efficiency between the host and chassis, some aspects of system performance are affected in the following ways: There is a slight decrease in the number of instances of certain RTAS plug-ins.
There is an increase in the monitoring latency of RTAS virtual instruments. This is most apparent when playing instruments in real time and is compensated for upon playback.
The hardware buffer size preference can be used to adjust the amount of latency, but the minimum amount is samples achieved by a setting of in Hardware Buffer size. If you currently mix with your mouse, you probably spend more time inserting and editing automation on screen than controlling it with the faders. But when you have a control surface the whole point is to use the faders and other physical controls.
Why else would you be spending all this money? So Digidesign have really gone to town on this. There are no fewer than 19 buttons controlling automation globally. These cover automation modes, enables and 'write to'. You will use it a lot when it's right there in front of you 'write to' is only available on Pro Tools HD, unfortunately.
To the right of the console there is the monitor section, which is very well equipped with controls for stereo and surround monitoring, alternative speakers, cue foldback , talkback and listenback. There is no oscillator! You'll have to use a plug—in if you need to generate test tones. View controls select the default view of the console where the rotary encoders in the channels control pan , the previously selected view or a view of an external Digidesign microphone preamplifier unit, if you have one connected.
There are editing buttons that pull out important features of Pro Tools into the control surface, such as Trim, Select, Grabber, Pencil and the Smart tool. You can select audio, scrub, trim and perform edits right from the console.
My instinct is telling me that because editing is so easy using the mouse and the smart tool, the mouse will still find itself popular for this application. I sense that with a little familiarity one's mouse hand and one's C24 hand would find themselves coordinating very nicely on this. Consideration should be given to creating some 'mouse room' right next the C You won't be using the computer keyboard an awful lot, but easy access to the mouse will be useful.
But, you know, I'm going to stop myself there Doubtless, if you look hard enough you will find some function you occasionally use not represented on the control surface. But you won't be able to complain about it because Digidesign have done a pretty damn good job of placing everything you need right under your fingertips. And, by the way, the transport controls have a very pleasant, positive feel too.
A comprehensive monitor section caters for surround and stereo playback systems. On a conventional analogue mixing console, the channels are vertical strips that work independently of each other.
That is so here too, except that it is also possible to display and control plug—ins using the channels' LCD displays and rotary encoders spread out across the width of the console. Despite the fact that there is so much going on inside the C24 that is of an analogue nature, the digital side of its character brings in multiple—function controls.
This part of the operation of the C24 will require a learning process. Clearly, in an ideal world it is always preferable to have only one function per control. The human brain responds well to that. But the functionality of Pro Tools is immense. To map that to single—function controls would require a console of enormous size.
It would not be even remotely feasible on the compact C Let's start by looking at the facilities provided within the channel strip. At the bottom you thought I was going to start at the top! I start with this because it is pretty much the raison d'etre of the control surface. I know plenty of people who do mix by dragging attractively designed, artfully shadowed graphics of faders up and down the screen, but I don't know anyone who actually enjoys working like that.
Or at least they certainly wouldn't admit to it. No, the physical fader as we know it today has been around for 40 years and it just plain works.
Like the faders on the C One of my pet peeves about mixing consoles in general is where there are buttons, usually routing buttons, around the fader area. I hate this — they get in the way all the time — and having an uncluttered fader area such as this is a pure pleasure. Digidesign have usefully calibrated the fader in decibels in the normal way, even though having this information available on—screen in theory makes this unnecessary. That's good, and shows that there is no slacking going on in Digi's design labs.
The faders are motorised, of course. I think we can thank Yamaha for showing the world that motorised faders could be provided in a cost—effective unit. Before that, they cost the earth. These faders are touch—sensitive.
This is significant for the automation, because the system can recognise when you have merely touched a fader and make itself ready to receive information.
Touch—sensitivity is better than movement—sensitivity in this respect. However, it is worth pointing out at this moment that Digidesign's higher—priced products have many more touch—sensitive controls, while the C24 only has touch—sensitive faders. Like many touch—sensitive faders in mix automation systems, they are prone to 'guitarist's callous' syndrome, where if you push the fader with a hard—skinned fingertip, it won't realise it has been touched.
When you release it, the system will think the fader is somewhere it shouldn't be and promptly move it back. This minor niggle is not unique to Digidesign, though. I wonder if there will ever be a cure? Moving up, we have those two buttons that get pounded hard during a heavy mix session, Mute and Solo. Naturally, these buttons have integral LEDs. There is so much that could be assignable on a control surface like this, and I am happy that these buttons are dedicated to their functions.
If you want to solo—safe a channel, which is a function I find myself in need of quite often, then you have to hold down the Ctrl or Cmd key of the keyboard while pressing the appropriate solo button. Indeed, there are a number of functions across the console where you need the Shift, Alt, Control or Command keys.
And guess what? Digidesign have duplicated them in the bottom left corner of the C Very handy. The Holy Grail of using the keyboard only to fill out the scribble strip is getting closer. Many of the most—used functions within Pro Tools can be called up from the buttons at the top right of the console. Moving up further still, we find the Record Enable switch, the function of which is obvious.
Again these are useful functions to have dedicated buttons for, right where you want them the Input Monitor button has additional functions on instrument tracks. Sooner or later, however, we are bound to get to a multi—function control, and here we have it in the form of the rotary encoder. As you know, a rotary encoder is a digital knob. You turn the 'knobby' part to achieve the difference in sound that you want, and the ring of LEDs around it relates to the setting of the knob.
The rotary encoder is a far better alternative to a knob in digital audio, because you always get an up—to—date readout of the setting of the control, no matter which parameter it is assigned to. Only a company accountant would ever suggest substituting a mere knob for a rotary encoder.
As you might guess, the rotary encoder has several functions. No — it has many functions. Now I need to talk about Console View and Channel View in the C24, with reference to the digital 'scribble strip' displays just above the row of rotary encoders. This could be the track name, pan or send level, for instance. But there is the powerful alternative of Channel View, where a set of parameters for a particular function or plug—in are spread across several of the scribble strip displays, for the selected channel.
Now this, to my mind, is one of the greatest challenges for control surface designers. The whole point of a control surface is to take the engineer's attention from the screen and direct it to the console. But any DAW is capable of doing so much. How can it all be presented in a clear yet comprehensive, and at the same time easy—to—use, manner? Digidesign have settled on a very acceptable solution here. This is the true test of a control surface — to what extent does it allow you to avoid using the computer keyboard and monitor?
There is such a wealth of capability in this unit that I could go on for ages describing every little detail. But there are certain key areas where the worth of the C24 will be confirmed, or not. If these key areas prove to be practical, the C24 will indeed be worth its price tag.
As we have seen, the basics are well in place. Recording is easy, and mixing with faders, mutes, solos and pans is child's play, technically. But there is a certain feature of Pro Tools, or indeed any software DAW, that could potentially cause a major headache.
The answer to a simple question tells all:. My personal approach to mixing is to keep things simple and only use plug—ins when strictly necessary. Well, that's the theory. In practice, I seem to find myself using as many plug—ins as the available DSP will allow. And then a few more, so that the computer's processor is buckling at the knees too. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but I'm sure you know the feeling.
All those plug—ins, and all those parameters to control. How can they possibly be mapped onto a compact control surface in a usable way? The answer is to be found in Channel View. This is where as much of the scribble strip as necessary is used to display all of the parameters of any single plug—in you desire to view and use.
So if you have 50 plug—in instances running, you can quickly home in on one, see all the parameters and make the changes you want. Sounds good so far? Well there's more, because Digidesign have provided quick access to the two processes that are used most often: EQ and dynamics. There are shortcuts to the first EQ and to the first dynamics plug—in in the insert chain. The buttons are right there in every channel. It's right there for you. Granted it takes a little longer to get to the parameters of any other plug—in, but the advantages of going press—press—press and getting there while chatting to the band, compared to squinting at the monitor and applying all your concentration, are considerable.
I have to be clear on an important point here. There is a learning process to complete, and you won't be able to insert and operate plug—ins without the manual. I had Digidesign's product specialist show me button—by—button how a plug—in is inserted, and how a bus effect is created. These are straightforward processes using the mouse and monitor. Doing it with the C24 is also straightforward — when you know how, and when that knowledge has become embedded in your fingertips.
Designing a control surface to handle this amount of complexity is far from easy, and if you decided not to buy the C24 because you saw a demo and you thought this part of the operational process looked too difficult, you would be making a mistake. You just have to get over that first hump of the learning curve, and then it will be plain sailing. There is so much capability in this control surface that I couldn't possibly go through it all in the space available here.
And if I did, I would inevitably end up telling you how to operate the C24 rather than trying to give you as accurate a perspective as possible, to allow you to make an informed purchase decision. You can learn how to operate it from the manual. One of the key questions in making such a purchasing decision is what is the worst feature of any particular unit? What is the potential deal—breaker? Well, during my all—too—brief acquaintance with the C24, I have formed the opinion that it is as state—of—the—art as it is possible to get at this time.
I don't doubt that we have yet to see the ultimate control surface, but this is as close as Digidesign can get at the moment. However, bearing in mind that it's a medium price—point product, and it's fairly compact, there must be something missing.
And there is Like other control surfaces, the C24 can control many more tracks than it has channels. Tracks can be paged, nudged or cascaded with the scrub wheel, so that you can quickly access as many tracks as your system can record. Naturally, faders will move and the LED rings around the rotary encoders will update as you do this.
If you are new to control surfaces, then you will appreciate this.
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