Hi, I can see one other thread which mentions this unit but wanted to know if anyone who owns or has used this unit has any feedback?
To me it looks like a Softube Console 1 which has been been made for Cubase (and specifically, the channel strip) - I’d love to hear from anyone who has direct experience before I buy one. Many thanks.
Yeah, I bought one. I am finding it a mix of excellent and frustrating at the moment, but I am still working out how it works. Give me a week or so and I will come back with a better report…
MeJ
Thanks James, very much looking forward to that.
It would be great to know whether you’re using the pre-defined modes or mapping out your own plugins; I’ve tried to use Midi Remote on an older (unmapped) device and found it anything but straightforward so far!
Thanks, JP.
Well for now, pre-defined is enough of a struggle 
The new MIDI remote works in a totally different way, I will get around to it as I try later to map the Qube to Mixbus or Reaper or Wavelab as well…
MeJ
Good luck - see you on the other side
Right. I have decided to keep the device, but there are issues. Some of these are to do with the design decisions, but a lot more is to do with Steinberg deciding to redo their entire MIDI framework just before this device was released.
I am currently in contact with the main developer, but he is down with a nasty cold at the moment so I am waiting to hear from him. Once we have a bit more back and forth, I will be happy to publish my praise and criticism of this device with some forward plan available.
I have never had a DAW control surface without some issues, including Steinberg’s own controllers (but not the cc121, always too costly for me) , so it’s no surprise the device is not perfect. But as I have said, it’s good enoug to keep.
I will go into more detail in the near(?) future… just an update.
Thanks for the update, much appreciated. I’ve decided to take the plunge as well, so anything you can report back on would be gratefully received - if only so I don’t go down the same rabbit holes, and can give the unit a decent evaluation as you’ve obviously done.
Speak soon!
HI @James_Roberts, how have you been getting on?
I’m slowly getting my head around the MIDI remote side of things and there are some real positives - but also some real frustrations, I wonder if I’m coming up against the same things as you?
Positives:
Negatives:
Feels like it will be a journey to get it set up the way I want it but once it’s there it will be a huge time-saver for workflow.
Any similarities in your experience?
Hey.
I have been in further correspondence with developers to mark my pluses and minuses, with suggestions for further development.
I have not yet gone into the new MIDI remote mapping as I am confident (but wthout specific knowledge) they are working on mappings, so don’t want to duplicate or create redundant work.
Yes, the copy paste maps stuff is a big issue, I have templates with hundreds of settings and am looking for a workaround as drag and drop overwrites existing settings 
Yes, a journey, so essentially I am using it in my day to day workflow at the most shallow level to get my head and hands into the flow.
One thing I have done which helps me, is replaced quite a few knobs with other styles. I have replaced all gain controls with 19mm ones, pan and slope and curve select with 10mm and am waiting for a set of coloured knobs for the EQs. I’ll send a photo when I have finished. I have suggested offereing optional knob sets. I have also suggested legending changes (bigger!) and a red record button!
The thing is, though, I have had the complete set of Yamaha cheap stuff for Cubase and never used it because it was too rubbery and did not have enough knobs. cc121 was too costly and limitedm and celarly going EOL.
No control surface is ever going to be perfect, but if it facilitates 80% of what I do all the time I’ll be satisfied, and this looks like it does. Still want to sort out the irritations mentioned, though. But this device, together with ZenDAW on a touch screen and a Streamdeck, give me 90% or more of what I want, so far…
Sounds like your use case is way more advanced than my needs! I can’t even imagine having hundreds of templates… although if I thought about genuinely mapping Helix Native (guitar multi-fx) setups, maybe I could…
I’ll be happy with a strip setup that matches mine, and I originally wanted to use Mode 2 as a really basic mini-mixer… three continous banks of knobs (the middle three rows) mapped to volume / pan / maybe send, and the same controls with the push function mapped to solo / mute / record. The knob push is more “clicky” than I was expecting so I’m not sure whether I’ll stick with that or use a tablet for mixer.
Legending changes - do you mean changing the labels on the unit? I’ve suggested that they could produce overlays, either pre-printed with alternative “modes”, or with spaces for user customisation. The dream is having mini displays which respond to the setup (like the fully blown Helix unit) but that would probably triple the cost.
Looking forward to seeing your pimped unit, I was happy with the controls until you suggested customising them 
Hah! Nope, not hundreds of templates, just a few, but hundreds of settings. Re lables: I don’t have an issue except that many are invisible unless I lean to the right, so I have suggested changing size and formatting. And yes, it’s a good idea, I suggested overlays too 
Mini displays would be nice, but even LED rings would be good, and they are not expensive to implement.
I’m still awaiting some of the knobs, will update with a photo soon… I still have not found a solution to remaking the template - other than remaking the whole template :o
Where are you sourcing the knobs, out of interest? A component place like RS or CPC, or somewhere more specialised in music tech? Looking forward to the big reveal
I’m fortunate in that I’ve never really built out any templates of my own before, just used manufacturer stock settings, so I’m starting from a clean slate. Are you sticking with Generic Remote or switching to MIDI Remote? I havent had much more time to mess around since my last post but once you get past the pain of setting MIDI up, it’s great in practice. How are Qube helping you with the migration job?
Good luck, again!
Hi @James_Roberts , just thought I’d give this a bump to see if you’d finishing changing knobs etc - photos would be great. Cheers!
Back soon…
Right, here’s a pic plus comment on extended use. I have NOT been able to get satisfactory knobs for the eq - yet. I ordered some and they sent the wrong thing. I want colours for the EQ knobs that differentiate the band, probably same as my SSL UC1 (knobs sourced from eBay: Sifam do suitable control knobs but they really don’t match the others at all and are hard to buy in less than a 1000). My aim is not to have to double check what I am reaching for, for EQ and everything else.
What I have been able to do is:
I have ruined the clean design language of the creator of the device, sorry, but I now reach the right control without thinking most of the time! I will probably mark up the tops of the EQ knobs with nail varnish as well unless I can find suitable knobs, all the ones I have found are indexed and I don’t want that.
I emphasise that this obviously is oriented to my own requirements which are to have a “top level channel strip only”. I have no intention of using this controller for plugin control, I have others for that, nor will I bother digging down to a second level of control. For me it’s quicker to use the DAW interface for other levels and Cubase plugins, rather than remember the mappings for these controls. YMMV.
On the whole after six months I find the device quite useful, but the controls I use most are :
I rarely use anything else, the Steinberg gate and compressor are OK but I usually reach for something else. Note I do now also have the SSL UC1 and an SSL Nexus 2 , and several other cheaper controllers, so that influences my choices. None of them are perfect, with the Qube device:
I have to do something to use the SSL UC1 too, but at least then it’s just insert a plugin. The Nexus just works.
Looks good, and may I say, quite restrained… I was half-expecting it to look like the colour smorgasbord that the Cubase channel strip itself was c. v8 (pic below as reminder). Have you dared to send it to the designer for comment…?
Really appreciate all the feedback on the unit itself as well. On your third point (copying settings), are you using Generic Remote? MIDI remote might get around this.
The EQ curve knobs look really good like that - as if it had been designed that way in fact. And the gain knobs as well; there are some prototype designs on the Qube Facebook page that look like they may use the same.
Dumb admission: it had never occurred to me to add colour to any of the knobs, I’d only thought about replacing them outright. It’s such an obvious mod for the record button. I’m now wondering how easy it would be to add colour to the white tops… I might yet end up with a Cubase 8 colour palette after all…
Thanks for sharing and please post again if / when you get the new EQ knobs. Cheers, JP.
Hey.
Re: restrained - well yes, I like the design language but not when it obscures clarity and speed, but I don’t want garish like your example! IMO colour should aid grouping. The designer obviously wanted to make it easy to use for multiple levels of plugin access, but personally I’m not interested in that, too slow for me. I avoid anything that breaks the flow.
I changed to the MIDI remote as soon as Qube made it available, it’s better.
Re colour and the existing knobs: when I get back to my little studio I am considering using my bench press drill to make a 6mm x 1/2 mm dip in the top of the existing EQ knobs, it will need a jig for consistency. I can then use nail varnish (available in almost any colour!) to fill them in, keeping the matching knobs. If I succeed I’ll post a pic!
Hey!
So: just an update and FYI.
I accepted your “challenge” to dare to raise these points with Paul. It turned out he knew this thread anyway. My machine is a relatively early one, and he kindly offered to make some changes to the white (and other) LED brightness and update the de-bounce times on the switches. He got this done very quickly indeed (as I am about to go away with it) and I am more than happy with the result. He’s very responsive: thanks Paul.
JR
Newb question please … is it possible/ easy to navigate between/ control plug ins, and VST instruments with this?
Hello @alexis , if I’ve understood your question correctly then the answer’s yes. If you right click on a switch or paramter within a plugin or instrument, and it gives you the option to “Pick for MIDI remote mapping”, then you will be able to map it to your chosen encoder or button on the Qube, and control that parameter with the Qube thereafter.
It may be the case that you can still control that parameter if it’s not available for MIDI remote mapping, but I’ve found it less straightforward.
The unit has a lot of push encoders so you might be able to get multiple VSTs onto one “mapping”, in the same way that the unit’s standard template controls Pre, Gate, Compressor, EQ and Saturation. It also has six modes though which you can set up as entirely separate mappings and navigate between VSTs that way. I’m nowhere near exhausting all of those 6 modes yet.
I’d recommend going onto the qubeaudio.co.uk site and signing up so that you can get into the members’ area where there’s a load of info available. I’ve found the MIDI remote mapping is easier to understand by doing rather than reading about though, so if you’re not sure about something, post another question in here. Hope that helps!
