PreSonus FaderPort, DAW Mix Music Production Controller with Studio One Artist, Ableton Live Lite, Software Bundle For Recording, Streaming and Podcasting

Brilliant bit of kit. It's that difficult balance between what you want and can afford. I would have loved a multichannel surface, but they are so expensive. Went for this as an affordable. The offer at the time included a full version of the new Fender Studio Pro 8 DAW. It was worth buying the controller just for the software. The controller itself is well-made, and can be used with most DAWs easily. It really shines with its own software and both the controller and software (if your lucky enough to find the same deal) are well worth it if that's what you need for your studio set up.

Not one to write reviews, but this product is a game changer for me. The improved workflow is immense. I used to know my key commands inside out but with updates they switch keys around and it threw me off. Now, I hardly touch mouse + keys. Which brings me back to the days of using a desk and tape. I'm back in control of the song . Well spaced out transport section makes it easy to navigate song and tracks within it, a plethora of my commonly used key commands in logic and other daws. The fader is nice when tracking and setting quick levels after takes , for automation, and I guess for mixing. Overall I'd recommend it, build is good, looks and feels like quality and improves workflow!

The Product & Native Performance: Physically, this hardware is phenomenal and the build quality is solid. If you are using PreSonus Studio One, the FaderPort is an absolute dream machine. It integrates flawlessly, the motorised fader is incredibly responsive, and it effortlessly controls all your plugins right out of the box. The Utility in Logic Pro X: However, if your primary DAW is Logic Pro X, the functionality drops off a cliff. It only allows you to control volume and panning natively. While there is a workaround to control plugins via the automation route, it is tedious, clunky, and requires way too many steps to be practical during a live session. It simply isn't for me. The Buying Experience: Using Amazon's monthly installment plans turned into a massive headache. Even though they received my return, the automated billing stayed completely active. It was a total mess dealing with the customer service agents—I was passed around to nine different people who gave conflicting information and false promises. Thankfully, I eventually got my money back and the plan cancelled, but the support experience was exhausting. Final Verdict: Great hardware for Studio One users, but highly limited for Logic Pro X. Just be careful with the installment billing if you think you might need to return it.

I’ve used this for several months, recording into Studio One. Just love the big soft record button. Also being able to turn Solo on/off without having to reach for the mouse. Also taking it into the vocal booth so I can drive the DAW from inside. Found I have press two buttons at startup every time to select Studio One protocol, but that’s not too much hassle. Guess it is quite expensive, but for me it’s definitely been worth it.

Stunning bit if kit

Works great with Studio One. No set up required. Very useful!

This is my second purchase of the item, as I wanted to try and daisy chain two together. Good item and works perfectly in Studio One. Would recommend it to anyone who's starting out and just needs a faderport to get them going.

Very simple to operate and it’s integrated use with Studio One make it very convenient to use. The controls are laid out to be easy to make quick track changes and the fader movement is really clever! Well worth the money. For those that want an even simpler setup, Presonus also have faderport with an audio interface. The only downside is that you have to plug it in, as it doesn’t run just on usb power. If it did,it would be the ultimate portable studio option.

大満足！

Good product

Great for controlling Studio 1. I don't use any other DAW so I cannot comment. Works amazing!

Excelente calidad de construcción y muy útil para producir, hay soporte para prácticamente cualquier DAW pero hay q configurar si no es la nativa de Presonus. Se acostumbra uno muy rápido

1 year later review: I was very excited when i bought this. The reality of it is a bit more boring though. I found that i don't use any of the functions on it other than play/stop, and sometimes the fader for recording automation live on the fly (i.e. volume riding, reverb throws etc). I will also occasionally use the knob on "link" mode, so that when i click on the knob of a plugin i can turn the physical knob on the Faderport and it will then move the knob on the plugin. Very cool. I liked the workflow of using a physical knob so much that i went out and bought a microsoft surface dial to use for that purpose instead (with a 3rd party software called Elephant so you can use it in DAWs). The knob on the Faderport has a stepped action to it, which is fine but it's not geared towards very subtle adjustments. The microsoft dial is way smoother and the build quality is better. And with Elephant you just need to hover the mouse over the knob, instead of clicking on the knob like with the Faderport. The faderport knob is still cool though. (Note: you can hover the mouse over the knob with PRESONUS plugins, but for 3rd party plugins you've gotta click on the knob before turning. I found that the extra click added a layer of resistance to my flow) Since most of the other functions are only activated behind pressing a 'function' button or a 'shift' button, i never really acquired the desire to use them. It's not advantageous or even that enjoyable to use any of the functions that are behind the 'function' button. It's quicker with the keyboard and mouse. So in that sense the Faderport is kind of a glorified play button with motorized fader. The build quality of the fader wasn't as good as i was expecting either. It's not bad, it's fine, but it does feel a little cheap & light. I was expecting top-tier robust. The fader has a bit of play/give to it, meaning it's ever-so slightly loose. It's not *very* loose, but just a slight amount to where it doesn't feel particularly sturdy. It's juuuuust loose enough to stop you from feeling like you have ULTIMATE control over it. That said, it's still very usable, and nice enough to enjoy it. The metal casing is appreciated, and the rubber buttons feel nice to me too. It's a cool device, and looks good on my desk, but if i were to turn back time i probably would've gotten the Behringer X-Touch One instead. I hear the fader is better build quality (no give/play), and it has a scrub wheel, and the buttons are all laid out in front of you rather than having to push function or shift to beforehand. I'm more of a "visual memory" guy than a "text memory" guy so that would suit me better. The reason i chose the Faderport instead is because i'm a Studio One user and i figured the integration would be better. But i'm not using any of the StudioOne-specific functions anyway. Regardless, no major regrets. I think if you are thinking of buying this, it's really only worth it if you commit yourself to consciously integrating the function buttons into your muscle memory and workflow. Cos keyboard shortcuts and mouse already cover a lot of what the Faderport does. The single fader is VERY handy for automating, but not necessarily for mixing. Are you really gonna push the "next track" button x8 times to get to the bass track and then "previous track" x5 times to get to the kick and alter the levels that way? You might as well click on track 8 with one mouse click. In that sense, mixing with the 1-fader Faderport is kind of a fantasy. For that reason, i regard the Faderport as an "automation controller" instead. So if you're someone that mixes professionally and you find yourself doing a lot of automation, then the value of this device is absolutely optimized for someone like you. Being able to PERFORM automation into the DAW can really allow you to add more feel into your mixes. In that scenario, the Faderport is definitely worth it. If you're not someone that's doing a lot of automation, then you're spending $300 AUD on physical transport control buttons. (which most midi keyboards have anyway) I considered giving it 3 stars, but gave it 4 cos at the end of the day it IS a nice bit of kit. Well made etc. But the buyer has gotta stop and think realistically about how they're gonna use it before buying