Ableton Forum

OK folks, this one's up for discussion. I'v been having a UC33 for the last year and have found the layout very effective and have used the piece quite a bit. Now all the knobs are starting to die on me and the unit is behaving quite randomly (not sending messages suddenly until reboot) - i guess thanks to the poor build quality of m-audio stuff.

What options do I have? I like the layout of UC33 and would like a similar layout. I looked at the Bitstream Pro 3X but found it a bit too big and expensive.

It needs to be portable.

Suggestions? Thoughts?

Why not just buy another one? They're pretty damn cheap, after all...

Has it been over a year? if not, it's still under warranty.

i've been throwing mine in suitcases and and dragging it all over the world for the past 3 years without a single problem. it sounds like you may have gotten a bum unit. there are loads of people on this forum who use them and are quite happy.

as far as other controllers are concerned, you won't find one in the uc-33e's price range that has as many knobs/sliders per square inch. the bitstream is very similar in layout, but i've read several reports about poor build quality:

http://abletonlivedj.com/forum/viewtopi ... =bitstream

http://abletonlivedj.com/forum/viewtopi ... =bitstream

http://abletonlivedj.com/forum/viewtopi ... =bitstream

http://abletonlivedj.com/forum/viewtopi ... =bitstream

check out the novation remote zero SL
a little pricy but appears to be excellent

The poor build quality of the bitstream 3X was only on the first serie from CME.
All the quality issues have been improved for a long time now.

You should be able to find a lot of posts where Bitstream users are more than happy.

I own a bitstream 3X from CME and I can tell you it is a great great unit.

Also, I previoulsy had a novation remote zero sl, and I sent it back to my retailer, 1 button was not working and my retailed told me about 10% of the remote zero were faulty.

The bitstream is 379 euros at thomann.de, for such a price you will have a high quality controller built like a tank, not a cheap plastic unit.
This is my opinion.

I got rid of my UC-33e cause i hated it..The way it would jump to the position of the knob and not the Software setting.(No total recall)
I am getting the Novation remote SL 61 soon
But if you want something like the UC-33e but with total recall then go for the BCR2000 from Behringer
http://www.behringer.com/BCR2000/index.cfm?lang=GER

joeman wrote:I own a bitstream 3X from CME and I can tell you it is a great great unit.

Does that unit work as total recall..Or do the softknobs on your softsynths wack round to the position of the knob like the UC-33e ??

I got a replacement board for my UC-33 and it works like a charm now
Had similar problems to you, intermittent MIDI etc - with a new board its essentially a new controller

give these guys a call.

www.cimplesolutions.co.uk

the girl next door wrote:I got rid of my UC-33e cause i hated it..The way it would jump to the position of the knob and not the Software setting.(No total recall)
I am getting the Novation remote SL 61 soon
But if you want something like the UC-33e but with total recall then go for the BCR2000 from Behringer
http://www.behringer.com/BCR2000/index.cfm?lang=GER

To prevent the jumps of position you need the "Endless Rotary" function comes with BCR2000.