Message 2/7
Date: 03-May-04 @ 05:49 PM -
RE: Mackie d8b
hmm... i worked with a d8b a while ago and cant recall it ever crashed, even when using automation... maybe thats a remark about older operating systems. the one we had was a V3/ 24bit one and it worked rather well.
the only gripe i had with it are its faders... for one, they are not touch sensitive which means they dont react as soon as you touch the fader... but that in itself would be forgivable if they worked well once you actually moved them. what we experienced was that sometimes you'd move a fader and the blody mixer wouldnt notice it at all and then you'd have to tug the fader a bit untill the mix engine relised you were actully doing something... and by then, your fader would way of the original position which can be rather anoying if you're tweaking a carefully crafted mix... not to mention while writing automation!
if the automation on your desk doesnt work that probably means its not locked to a MTC source (like a HD recorder/ sequencer/ tape machine, whatever) because the mixer needs to receive timecode data in order for it know where it is relative to your time scale (which point in your tune etc).
but once that works, the automation is fine... you can write or update manualy using faders (mind what i said up there^ tho), or if you hook it up to a monitor you can open a graphical editor for the automation and tweak it with a mouse. i remember that bit being a bit fiddly, but probably no more than on any automated mixer.
hope that helps, regards.