APC40 + APC20: Will Device Controls work on all 16 tracks?

[dburns]

I have an APC40. I want to expand to 16 channels. Will APC40's Device Controls work on all tracks? If I select an APC20 track, will I be able to use the Device Control on the APC40 to control it?

Also, generally, do you think it would be better to add another APC40, or add an APC20? I want to be able to control 16 tracks without bank switching, etc. It's for live performance, so I want things like volume, pan, sends, to be very easy to find.

Also, is there a lot of redundancy in having two APC40s? For example, I use my cue level to control scene select. Could I assign a different function on the second APC40?

If you are using Combination Mode with your APCs, I'd love to get your input.

Thanks!

[dburns]

Does nobody here use the APC40 and APC20 in combination?

[dburns]

I Googled everywhere and talked to the Sweetwater guys, but nobody seemed to have an answer for me.

So, I bought an APC20 to go with my APC40, and I can report that the Device Control section on the 40 WILL control channel devices selected on the 20. The Device Controls will apply to whatever channel is selected in your set.

So, now I have a 16-channel mixer with clip launch, and device control on every channel. Nice.

I haven't messed around with other features yet. But, some controls seem redundant on both units, and can't be mapped to separate desinations. For example, I have Cue on the 40 mapped to Scene Select, and Cue on the 20 was automatically mapped to Scene Select as soon as I plugged it in. It looks like I can't have the Cue on one machine map a differnt function than the first, but I have to test that. Only had it a few hours.

There are a lot of questions about using multiple APCs. I hope Abelton and Akai get some documentation together for us soon.


NOTE: Sweetwater got back to me and DID find the information on this. Thanks to Jason Koons and Sweetwater for following up on a customer question. That's another reason I buy a lot of gear from them.

[naph]

great to know! and what about the pan / sends section? is there a way to control from the apc40 the extra 8 channel of pan/sends of the apc20 ?

[dburns]

Sadly, no. The pan/vol/sends, etc. only work on the channels the APC40 bracket covers. You can control them on the APC20 (using the Shift key), but again, only on the channels in its focus rectangle.

I have my units set up with the 20 on the left, occupying the first eight channels (tracks), then the 40 on 9-16. My first 4 channels are for live audio ins (mic, guitar, two for EWI), so those will stay pretty much set once and forget. But, I can still select them and control any devices on them with the 40. Channels 5-8 are reserved for now. Channels 9-16, controlled by the APC40, will have clips I want to manipulate in real time.

I also have a Launch Pad, which will cover 9-16, set below the APC40 grid. So, I have a 16 track mixer with an 8x5 grid for live instruments (APC20), and an 8x13 grid for all the rest (APC20).

I'm having fun now.

[naph]

sadly they didn't think about this in implementing the combination mode.. sounds to me like an overlooking, would be nice to have an option as some user already wrot that clicking pan 1 times switch to track 1-8 of the rectangle, and clicking it a 2nd times will switch to track 9-16, same for sends a b c.


wha's the point in having a 16 tracks mixing layout if you can't use properly pans & sends?

the switch option using faders doesn'ìt really looks like a viable option for me