Is This a Gimmick? Mackie 16-Channel Digital iPad Mixer

Its prominently featured on Mackie's home page. It seems unlikely to be a gimmick since it is still a couple of months before April Fool's Day.
 
I was a fan of Mackie many years ago, before I knew any better. I've avoided their stuff for a long time since then. But this... this intrigues me.
 
It looks like a neat concept. The main thing that worries me is that mixers tend to have a fairly long service life as electronic equipment goes, but the whole concept of the iPad is only a couple of years old and we can expect much development and many changes in future models that may make them incompatible with the Mackie mixer in ways we can't even anticipate yet. Just changing the dimensions a bit on the next model iPad could make this system obsolete. If you're willing to buy a dedicated current-model iPad to go with it and continue to use it long after it's obsolete in the bigger world, or if you see the whole unit as a short-term purchase for a few specific projects that you'll discard after a couple of years anyway, then it might be viable. But I'd be afraid to hitch my wagon to the technology in the current model iPad for the long haul.

- Greg
 
I have to ask myself, what would be the real advantages of this system over a more conventional mixing desk? Does having it dock an iPad give me any advantages beyond the "Wow, that's cool!" factor? Is there any reason to prefer touch-screen faders over standard ones? Frankly, I think the tactile feedback of mechanically pushing a sliding fader gives one a much more precise way of working. How many FOH sound guys want to wander around the venue during the show as the vids on the Mackie site suggest?
 
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Richard Crowley said:
Its prominently featured on Mackie's home page. It seems unlikely to be a gimmick since it is still a couple of months before April Fool's Day.
Click to expand...

Gimmick /= April Fool's Day joke

I doubt many "pro" live sound guys will be interested, but (assuming the wireless part works reliably) this could be good for understaffed A/V rental outfits. Many's the time I wished I could make an audio adjustment while away from the board... Although I'd prefer it as an add-on to traditional faders, not a full replacement thereof...
 
Interesting. I use my iPad as a controller for Pro Tools when I voice stuff in the booth.
I was wondering when someone would make an interface for the iPad.
 
Captain Pierce said:
I doubt many "pro" live sound guys will be interested, but (assuming the wireless part works reliably) this could be good for understaffed A/V rental outfits. Many's the time I wished I could make an audio adjustment while away from the board... Although I'd prefer it as an add-on to traditional faders, not a full replacement thereof...
Click to expand...

Exactly the reason it intrigues me. With smaller venues I've worked, it's really the principle of controlling the mix with an iPad, and with wireless connection at that. Not sure I'd sink money into this particular device, but the principle is excellent and opens up a new path. One of my biggest headaches when dealing especially with smaller bands is mixing monitors from FOH. Having the ability to run a second, wireless control interface would make it possible for stage-side control of the monitor mixes in a place where there's no possibility of a second engineer's position. Of course, this is strictly speaking for smaller setups (since this is a 16-channel console with 6 aux sends). And yes, the lack of tactile fader control isn't so attractive, yet there's something about this that seems almost ideal in certain situations.
 
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