The Nektar P6 has 9 faders, and has bank switches for when you exceed your first 8 channels & back.
It also has 2 banks of 8 endless rotary knobs and 12 drum pads.
Full transport control; mixer view hide/show button, etc. etc.
It also does 3rd party VSTs, which you can even load into Cubase from the keyboard itself.
I paid less than $570 for the 61 key one - P6.
Pretty sweet!
Hi
Yeah - four(4) faders only - but - a fully configurable touchscreen and a 12 free configurable buttons section with almost all Cubase functions to be addressed 
None of the other gear can offer that, for what price ever
As well as the system is expandable up to 28 channels (+3 AVID Artist Mix). 
Cheers
Yeah but - that’s way more than I need. I am composing, not mixing. 
Ok, well yes I am - there is in fact mixing involved, but that is still way more stuff than I would ever know what to do with.
Thanks for the info, tho!
I’m not a composer, I work in film sound post, but I tinker a bit…
I suggest looking at Lemur for iPad.
Yes it will require a bit of thinking and a little basic scripting. But you get a LOT back!
Have a look at the videos and browse the gallery to get an idea what can be done with it.
I just love mine. Still developing my own post template and have begun on a specific template for my sound design setup.
The drawback is as with any pad based controller you have to look at it to know where to push so you can’t rely on tactile feedback.
The Lemur will hook up directly to my computer and work with no iPad present?
I think this thread shows how attached we get to our remote devices – and for good reason (I’m not being sarcastic).
When you find something that works for you it’s super.
Also, after suggesting to Jeff the cheapie Korg device I had a look again at the Nektar devices mentioned above and actually went and bought 
the P6 on ebay ( http://r.ebay.com/oyNWcY ) 61 keys plus the the control surface. I’ll let you know how it works out for me.
Check around, ( BH Photo ) there are much better prices out there… 
You really have to take a closer look to appreciate what these devices have to offer! Getting what you pay for certainly applies here! But I also understand the sticker shock… and you are absolutely correct that these surfaces are not for everyone!
+1 to SteveInChicago!
Find something that works for you!
But man… I really do dig the flexibility! 
Al
I have a P6 as well. I have to say that I am loving it.
I also own an SSL Nucleus. I realize it is not an entry level board (please don’t beat me up for mentioning it guys). However…wow. It is amazing. People stare when they come into the studio. It is super quiet and smooth. I had an MCU pro before this, as well as a vstudio 700 controller. Both worked well, but the Vstudio was a Roland/cakewalk collab…so it was really made for Sonar. Jesus I don’t miss that software.
The nucleus however can work as a sound card AND has SSL mic pres onboard. And they sound great.
Good luck. Let me know if I can answer any questions for you.
The Lemur IS the iPad these days.
The old hardware Lemur isn’t made any more. But the software is ported and further developed for iPad.
If you buy a used hardware Lemur it works without a iPad of course.
Did that answer your question?
No one has mentioned the CC121, built like a tank, works with plugins as well and fits Cubase like a glove although possibly slightly more mix oriented than the OP was looking for
Being on a budget, I have been using the Behringer BCF2000 (8 motor faders) and BCR2000 for years now with no problems. Setting up is a bit of work, but worth the effort. I use the faders for… faders and pan/mute/solo. The knobs for EQ, VSTi controls and QC.
This video:
convinced me getting an cc121…
I only need one fader though…
CMC works perfectly with cubase. All you have to do is install and play…
Cheers 
Hi
Think, this gear is “out of time”, means, does not fit anymore to the latest setup of the Cubase mixer layout.
Agree, at the time of first release, it was amazing. I owned one some time, but always struggle with the wrong allocation of the EQ-section - think, it’s still wrong 
But true, could be sufficient for small set-ups.
Cheers
I think i would not use the knobs for eq but for them quickcontrols. I had a Faderport but the fader is dead…
If i wanted more than one fader i would go for the avid things. They feel great!
Maybe i go for the avid artist when i have tested/compared both (cc121 and avid artist control) side by side.
Thats my plan when i next time enter my dealer of choice (where i am going to pickup another 6176 and 1176 wich is far more important )
Heads up on Faderport. They are advertising 64 bit support for Cubase on mac, but in fact have not updated their drivers for actual compatibility. (You must use in Mackie HUI mode, which is a big hassle for a single-fader control unit)
Smells like abandon-ware.
Faderport and Alphatrack’s latest drivers date 2009. Yep, pretty much abandonware. I wouldn’t even try to use them with C7.5.
How do the ribbon strips feel? Like glass or something else?
I know with an iPad as remote (via Cubase remote app), my fingers tend to rub/stick soon as humidity warms up, preventing smooth, precise movement. Fine for tracking, but I certainly wouldn’t want to mix on a glass surface…
Really love the feel of a real fader, but seems no one wants to put out a simple, single-fader solution these days… (don’t want/need/have room for a multi-fader controller). Getting by with the Faderport for now, but without 64-bit Cubase native support, the workflow is tedious and cumbersome…
No, not like glass. They have a kind of non-slip texture, they aren’t all smooth like glass.
Thanks. I guess I should really try one in person. Another concern is the feel of the smaller (CMC) 128-step resolution response. I realize it’s capable of 1,027 resolution, but I’m not sure I want to have to hold the shift key the whole time I “ride a vocal.” (I typically set rough levels with a mouse and use a motorized fader for riding smaller, fine-tuned adjustments)