Fader controllers

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

Faders! A classic for electronic music and recording studios. Increasingly challenged by smooth and sophisticated pots, touch strips, and even pad controllers try to emulate them. Are they fading? :sweat_smile:

This is an invitation to discuss MIDI controllers that have faders exclusively or prominently. And given that we all can read specs, first-hand experiences are especially welcome. How does a controller feel when you move those faders? Solid and smooth? Wobbly and cheap? Precise and stable or loose and gittery? Why did you go for faders instead of another type of controller? What about DIY projects?

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See also:

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#2

I can vouch for the controllers made by https://intech.studio/

I have the PBF4, but EF44 is even more fader focused. I’ve tried a few (APC40, Launch Control XL, faderfox) and think these faders feel the nicest. They are a bit more firm than the OT crossfader but still very quick to flick up and down. Overall built and weigh of the controller is excellent and they don’t take up much space.

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#3

I was going back through the manual of my old yamaha aw16g digital workstation and learned that it can be configured for use as a midi fader controller for a pretty extensive range of operations. I haven’t used it this way yet but from years of experience having used it for general recording, the faders feel pretty good. Occasionally you see them for 50-100 USD so that’s a pretty good deal for a configurable 13 fader midi controller (or control surface) with a built in stereo digital effects processor, even if you were to never use it for the purposes of recording!

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#4

Already mentioned in this thread, highly recommended units. Solid build quality, nice firm & smooth fader , units can be chained via magnetic system and they have their own editing software. Price wise in the middle.
They are a bit too small for my taste which can be an advantage if desired.
Has a complementing counterpart with knobs the same size.

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https://faderfox.de/mx12.html
In my personal opinion this is the best fader controller I know, the can be daisychained with a special port to another unit if you need more faders. There are 4 Midi-ports and one USB-port with various routing possibilities. Solid case and feel, faders go smoth and have the right amount of resistance. Quality build. Very expensive but worth in my opinion.
Has a complementing counterpart with knobs the same size.

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https://nakedboards.org/mc-8
Opposite side of the price spectrum. Haven’t had my fingers on those but I only heard good things about this unit, needs to be shipped from Thailand. There are links to reviews on their website and videos on YouTube.
Has a complementing counterpart with knobs the same size.

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#5

The Intech EF44 and the Faderfox MX12 both have 60mm faders. What about 100mm faders? Any thoughts from people who have used both? Does it make a big difference in real use?

Also, has anyone tried The Midi Guy Sparrow? I’m looking at the 4 or 8-fader variants. It doesn’t get simpler than this, which works for me because I have controllers for the rest, just not faders.

I also found https://musiotech.com/, although it is a pity (for me) that there isn’t a 4-fader variant without the display, I don’t need the extra whistles.

Just like with the Nakedboards, products from small shops can be great (because this is basically all they do) but for the same reason they can be risky too. Some are close to DIY or basically DIY, and the quality of the product received might be different from the expectations raised by pictures and videos. (EDIT: and being based in the EU, orders from the companies above would come from the US, UK, and Thailand, making returns complicated, expensive, or impossible.)

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#6

Vcm 600.

Old as the hills these days, but the format is fantastic if you’re looking to replicate a DJ style mixer, in your midi controller.

Built like a tank, with a metal faceplate and knobs and faders that are the right kind of tight.

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#7

I think it’s like that. I have several mixers and I’m always looking for midi controllers with lots of faders and knobs, but they’re getting harder to find. I mostly use a Launch Contol XL. I mentioned in the threads for the APC64 and Push 3 that I wish a company would make a reissue of the Livid DS1.

I read that you can use a TR-8 and TR-8S as midi controllers, but have never tried it. I’ll have to have a look at the ones from Intech. They look very promising but shipping costs to Europe will be a problem.

Thanks for this thread, this is what I need.

#8

They are based in Hungary, and shipping to the EU works just fine, with shipping costs included in the price (no extra cost) – see Intech Studio - #32 by muzka.

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#9

This is good news! Thanks and sorry, I thought they are from the US.

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#10

The Peavey 1600x used to be the gold standard for fader controllers. You see them for sale from time to time, reasonably priced.

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#11

If you like DIY, I maintain the 16n project. Currently a bit thwarted by Teensy 3.2 being EOL; I have an alternative in the works, though…

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#12

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Funny enough I wanted to ask also if someone knows these in my first post.
Price seems very reasonable - a bit dampened when shipping is added to my place (GER/Berlin)

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But tempting for potential buyers that can avoid that extra cost :wink:

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#13

Here are some other manufacturers that might be of interest to other potential buyers. I also list devices that you can only get on the second-hand market, like the already mentioned Peavey PC 1600x, but which have proven themselves by their value:

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Doepfer Pocket Fader Pocket Fader
Only available on the used market.
Compact midi control box with 16 high-quality ALPS 60 mm sliders.
Sturdy, powder-coated metal housing made of 1 mm sheet steel.

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16n AtoVproject Rework 16n AtoVproject Rework — AtoVproject
I own this it’s great. I guess it’s the same what @infovore posted,
I bought mine already built from Schneidersladen. The 16n AtoVproject Rework is a controller sending CV, I2C, MIDI jack, USB MIDI, making it the absolute ultimate controller for any of your hardware and software all in one.

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Yaeltex Mixtakt Mixtakt - MIDI mixer for Syntakt - by Leo Mendez and Yaeltex
Yaeltex is a manufacturer from Argentina where you can assemble your own midi controller, here is an example as a supplement to the Syntakt. There is a configurator on the website.

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#14

Also, XVI Desktop USB 16 Channel Fader Bank with CV, I2C, and MIDI – Michigan Synth Works - a very compact desktop unit with Midi and USB Midi out, I2C, and CV. In terms of CV, it is slightly more versatile than the AtoV 16n because it also offers -5/+5V in addition to 0/5V and 0/10V, and the voltages can be switched right on the front panel. Build quality and haptics are excellent.

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#15

See this earlier discussion too:

I ended up with the Michigan Synth Works XVI desktop (mentioned in post above this one). I’m quite happy with it.

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#16

The faders on the Faderfox UC4 are small, but they do feel very good. They treat me well for level controls. Sadly they are only 7-bit, even when doing pitch bend. But that’s never really bothered me when used for levels.

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#17

It’s not quite the same - there’s a minor improvement in the circuit to noise filtering on the CV lines, and all the jacks are on the surface, so it can also be Eurorack mounted. But it’s very much an open-source derivative of the original 16n project (for which everything - editor software, firmware, hardware and panel designs) is open source. (Which is exactly what the point of open-sourcing it was). There’s also a neat Eurorack derivative in the form of the Tesseract Modular Sweet Sixteen.

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#18

Excuse my ignorance of the open source part - I already assumed so - but was too distracted to look it up. Shame on me :see_no_evil:
Thank you for pointing out the differences.

#19

Just saw theres a different new version in beta that has mute buttons for each slider 14bit sliders too.

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#20

I have another website that I found pretty helpful in general when it’s about midi controllers
since you can filter the listed controllers in the following categories:

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It was last updated 2017 so it is NOT actual.
But it helps too look up the 110 units listed to get an idea :wink:

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