Presonus new Atom SQ controller - Loopop's review

[antic604]

I'm waiting for Kreative Sounds next video about it because he told me he would go other it's potential use for mixing, because one thing it has the ability to do is to easily control compressors, eq's, reverbs, and ect with it's screen and rotaries.

Can you edit your post? I don't understand if you're saying it can already do that (control compressors, etc) or that it's a theoretical possibility that's not yet implemented and therefore he'd "go (for) other" controller instead?

[Kypresso]

One thing that baffles me about this controller, there are 8 rotary encoders but only 6 parameters in the lcd which seems a stupid design choice.

[loganme]

It has only 2 rows. So this controller's pads are designed basically for focusing the keyboard aspect rather than step sequencing. Right?

It's actually a pretty clever implementation for editing patterns. You can open the editor with the "Editor" section and then the top row is for selecting your drum (for instance) and the bottom is where you can set your patterns. They light up red when you activate a step so you can always see on Atom SQ which steps you have selected. I'm probably doing a terrible job explaining this, but it works REALLY great IMO.

[gExpectations]

Did anyone get it already? How do you use it? How do you like it? Available here in 3 weeks, probably grabbing one.

[trusampler]

they definitely need to address it with some firmware as mentioned in the video.
MSB/Program changes being huge for me.

[trusampler]

I still haven't received mine in the states, anyone know if Presonus is having issues with production or?

[33tetragammon]

i got one for about a month now, together with a Faderport 8. the store i ordered it from only had 5 in stock, they don't have any stock anymore now (probably in 4 weeks).

first impressions are quite good i must say:

- really nice & sturdy build (even though it's plastic).
-pads are really nice, very sensitive to velocity and smooth aftertouch. on par with Push 2 & Maschine MK3 i might add.
-"A" button can function as a sustain pedal.
-+/- buttons can do smooth pitchbend.
- touchstrip can do a bunch of things (modwheel, control link).
-8 big knobs with a good space between them.

-step sequencing patterns is also quite nice. a lot of things can be done with the hardware: switch patterns, set pattern length & resolution, set per lane length & resolution, but i found no way to set probability per step. you can record automation in patterns, but there is no step automation from the controller like you have with Push 2 or Maschine MK3 (yet).

it has a LOT of things that it can do, and it complements something like the Faderport 8 in Studio One 5 very nicely also.
it might take a while to get to know all it CAN do.


a few minor niggles i encountered:

- knobs are sturdy and smooth, but they move too slow when you turn them normally. they move through their range faster when you turn them faster. (they have some sort of encoder acceleration in them. quite similar to Elektron knob behaviour). so if you're expecting something that works like fast APC-40 MK2 knobs this might put you off.
maybe a software update can fix that, i don't know.
also, the knobs are NOT touch sensitive. in Studio One the Atom SQ will BRIEFLY display a mapped device's parameter name on the display if you start turning a knob. i'm hoping all mapped parameters and their values can be permanently viewed on the display in a future update.

- no software editor. it's all strictly done via the hardware (for now).

-like i mentioned before: it might take a while to really get to know what it can do.


off-topic, but the Faderport 8 works REALLY well with Bitwig also (thanks to the Bitwig dev's). Atom SQ is also nice if you use it with Moss' Generic Flexi script. i really hope the Bitwig devs will add an official script for the ATOM SQ as well.
amazing controllers for Studio One 5 AND Bitwig Studio 3.



if anybody has questions about the ATOM SQ then let me know. i'll do my best to answer them (if i can).

[antic604]

if anybody has questions about the ATOM SQ then let me know. i'll do my best to answer them (if i can).

Thanks for that info!

Assuming you're using it with S1 v5, does it map automatially to its native instruments and FX? Can you quickly go through FX chain on selected channel and edit stuff?

[33tetragammon]

if anybody has questions about the ATOM SQ then let me know. i'll do my best to answer them (if i can).

Thanks for that info!

Assuming you're using it with S1 v5, does it map automatially to its native instruments and FX? Can you quickly go through FX chain on selected channel and edit stuff?

yep. press 'song' button left of the display, then press the 'devices' button (depends on what page you're in), then you can scroll through all your insert FX with the knob on the right of the screen.
and yes, instantly controllable (but no parameter pages afaik). i tried a few, they all map automatically so far. same for S1 native instrument devices.

[antic604]

yep. press 'song' button left of the display, then press the 'devices' button (depends on what page you're in), then you can scroll through all your insert FX with the knob on the right of the screen.
and yes, instantly controllable (but no parameter pages afaik). i tried a few, they all map automatically so far. same for S1 native instrument devices.

Awesome, thanks!

[SoundPorn]

So the Atom SQ does come already mapped to like the stock compressors and EQ? Which u can then use to record automation easily as well?

Im getting impatient waiting for one to come in stock and may just opt to buy the original Atom or even the Faderport solo.

if anybody has questions about the ATOM SQ then let me know. i'll do my best to answer them (if i can).

Thanks for that info!

Assuming you're using it with S1 v5, does it map automatially to its native instruments and FX? Can you quickly go through FX chain on selected channel and edit stuff?

yep. press 'song' button left of the display, then press the 'devices' button (depends on what page you're in), then you can scroll through all your insert FX with the knob on the right of the screen.
and yes, instantly controllable (but no parameter pages afaik). i tried a few, they all map automatically so far. same for S1 native instrument devices.

[trusampler]

I got mine a couple of days ago. Hardwares better then it looks,in pics, it feels firm. There's a few things I can't stand about it like when browsing kits, if you load one, the browser immediately closes, poor design, hope that can be fixed.The knobs don't display values until you move them, again hope they change that quickly.
Good controller overall, but definitely hope they continue to fix the little problems I mentioned. Whoever wrote the manual, didn't go into great detail regarding the step sequencer, they should update it.
You can definitely control whatever plug-in parameters you want to, via control link. Still it's not as nice feeling as my Softube Console 1, which I own and feel is more appropriate for mixing as there's more knobs, but with controlling vst synths this has moved to the center of my desk. You can change their default settings to whatever you want to.

The step sequencer threw me off, until I asked some forum members and check out themusik, Johnny's videos on the step sequencer, in S1. Now it's easy peasy, though I feel like Presonus, should offer more steps..
It's definitely worth it. Get it

[antic604]

A better overview of S1 integration:

[SLiC]

I will probably pick one of these up, seem to be out of stock at my usual shops however (BAX, Thomann etc)

[Benutzername]

Has anyone tried it with mobile devices (Android, iOS)?