Presonus Faderport 16

I primarily bought this controller to use specifically with Studio One, which is the main DAW I use for working with audio. As such my expectations were a very tight knit integration with the DAW. By and large I've been very happy with this, and while I'd love there to be a solution to make more tactile use of plugins on channels etc the technology hasn't really advanced that much yet. Nonetheless using this for Studio One is great and a far better experience than click with a mouse or using keyboard exclusively. I do still use both in conjunction with the controller, but each interface to its own strength.

Pros - 16 faders makes mixing a breeze. There's a nice long throw on the faders and although they can be a little jittery at times when playing back automation I've found them very smooth to the touch. I also make a lot of use out of the transport controls, in particular the one big click encoder. The controller itself is nice and lightweight and doesn't take up a huge amount of space.

Cons
The scribble strip is glitchy. By this I mean I'll often turn the controller on and the first four items will simply display blank instead of informing me what's on those channels. This is usually solved by switching the controller off and back on - but this really seems to me like something that just wasn't tested and fixed before manufacturing. It seems like many other users have the same problem. This is why I have deducted points from quality. Also the positioning of these above the faders, and the use of quite small screens on them make them difficult to make out. Maybe it's me coming from old school world, but I'd instinctively have my scribble strip below the faders if they were the old "write on them yourself" kind, and that's where I'd expect to see them. Some people will complain about there only being one pan knob. This doesn't bother me, but.... it might be a consideration for other people.

Overall though I very much enjoy the experience of using the faderport - minor niggles aside!

Very impressed with it. I use it with Studio One, and the integration is flawless, it really speeds up the workflow. The faders feel nice, they are responsive and fast, and it really feels like a real analog mixer. Lots of features, basically covers everything you may need out of a DAW controller. However, the angle it lays on the desk is basically totally flat, so, if it's not right in front of you, you may have difficulty viewing the small scribble screens. It would be great if it had some kind of kickstand legs at the end just so you can adjust the angle if needed. I'm going to try my luck with a laptop stand, but for now, I just have a rolled up towel at the other end, so it's raised up a little.