I have been using a MPC Live 3 (and enjoying it mostly) but it is certainly a DAW in a box but with some limitations.
In January, the Hugo was announced and my initial reaction was what the heck is that pedal trying to be? Yet, I also wanted to know more as it is unique and intriguing. I have spoken to the folks at Poly Effects and I have come to a place where I can see how this could be a hub for a whole lot of stuff in my music space and still be a portable music device. I am certain I could replace my Live 3 & Neural DSP Quad Cortex. I am thinking it could potentially make my Big Six redundant (or just connect to it). Bitwig Producer seems like a cool DAW (I like sound design so the Grid is intriguing). It is a virtual modeler for guitar/bass and can perform captures. It is designed to integrate with video equipment. PLUS it does so much more.
For my uses I am imaging a ton of fun in my studio with 4x4 grid of drum pads + my Erae 2 mpe controller. I can see having all my synths, Serge & Buchla, hooked up. Running guitars and bass into it. Recording, sampling and making loops, recording video with great audio.
AND then being able to just grab Hugo and maybe a controller and jamming with my friend/grabbing samples from our jams. OR grabbing a controller & playing out with Hugo as the center piece.
Anyone else following the development or imaging how they would use it?
Some other thoughts: In initial articles /videos about the Hugo, a big deal was made about this being a Linux platform. The Live 3 and Ableton Push standalone are too. I donât think that upon release this will be limited to Linux only VSTs as the developer has indicated to me that is his intent.
Well I certainly am now, thanks for sharing! Iâve been thinking recently about a hardware solution for the kind of hybrid DJ / live sample performance sets Iâm building and this looks perfect. Iâm already using Mixxx on a MacBook with a Traktor controller so this would allow me to eliminate the laptop while also introducing massive potential for effects and so on. Just need to add a Traktor X1 or something. Do you have any more inside info from the developer to share?
One cool bit of info that I have is that it can mirror its screen to another monitor. This also allows you to be able to use a mouse and keyboard with it. I was thinking about that for when itâs at home in the studio.
In my case, definitely not. The starting point for building my new live setup is no laptop. My laptop is precious and fragile and I find it highly stressful to bring it to gigs. Iâm looking for a device that will act as a standalone âbrainâ for a DJ setup, but that isnât part of the limited, overpriced Pioneer (+ Denon etc) system. I was considering building a custom Raspberry Pi device, but this is so much more powerful and already runs Mixxx, which is the open source DJ software I use. I like the stompbox form because it seems rugged for gigging. As DeltaPhoenix said, you can attach a screen, keyboard and mouse at home to get everything set up in Mixxx, or dive into Bitwig for modular effects chains and so on. I think it looks great fun to use. Of course this is all speculation; it remains to be seen what itâs like in person.
I had to ponder the form factor for a bit. I understood it as a Quad Cortex/Helix competitor. I like the foot switch knobs on my QC (and these sense xy position for additional expression control). A whole stage can be run off of this with this being the mixer, virtual amps and fx, launching clips, playing VST instruments, etc and recording/videoing the set (and more I am sure).
A variation of this is important to me.
The idea of a complete DAW on a FAST device with a ton of IO that I wonât do email on or do other less creative things on is a strength to me. I imagine over time more people will warm up to the form factor but this certainly is not for everyone.
Iâm a bit conflicted about this: actually, I jumped at the chance to find a possibly perfect band-in-the-box: poly box + guitar + SampleDrumPad + micro. Hardly any cable clutter, nice and clear. Itâs also interesting that the switches seem to function as encoders. But then the thing isnât designed as a floorboard, it seem to be for manual operation. So I might need a midi-foot controller as well. Itâs a real waste of money for a bedroom rocker like me; the gigs I play all just happen in my head anyway. But it itches a littleâŚ
For 2k and to stay in my bedroom, I would not mind so much about having to deal with cables on the other hand.
This device deems to target everything at once abd not one properly. It seems it cannot run every VSTs and the format between floorboard and not totally desktop makes me doubtâŚ
I mean the concept is seducing but for me it sits between 2 chairs : overkill for guitarists only and not fully fledged yet for producers.
I have been going back and forth on this too. I have a Quad Cortex and MPC Live 3 that this could replace. So, I could get this in a cash positive way. If I donât get this, I will need to get a new Mac Book Pro but I would hold onto the QC and MPC so it would be a couple thousand dollars to spend.
I am not married to any DAW right now so working with Bitwig would be fine. I have a Morningstar MC8 midi foot controller that I could use with this and keep it on my desk, hooked up to my whole studio.
I missed this thread, wow, whatâs that?!
I like Poly Beebo, cool stuff, albeit a bit limited by CPU, and dreamed of a synth/sampler version of it. This device is a bit too much, is it an array of swappable firmwares?
Watched the videos. Oof, looks like itâs really powerful and universal, but way too much for me.
Something half the size, half the connectivity and focused on one modular environment, with more synth, grains and sampling modules and sort of sequencer/automation would be enough for me.
What a bizarre device. A Linux PC with some added audio i/o in a bloated foot pedal form factor. I would love to have been in the meeting when that was conceived! Not for me but still intriguing.
Another minor drawback is that it appears to use a special Bitwig, so you cannot install Bitwig updates if they are available for your computer. This particular version will have to be waited for. What happens if Poly Effects Bitwig decides to discontinue supporting this device?
Yesterday I tried out Tone 3000, which is supposed to be pre-installed for âeasy guitar modeâ, if I understood correctly. The sound didnât impress me much.
