Does the Onyx 1640i work as a control surface?
The Onyx 1640i is purely an analog mixer with a 16×16 FireWire interface; therefore there is no control of DAW functions from the mixer itself. Opting to route signals back into the 1640i’s return path completely bypasses the need to use the DAW mixer, although you are free to “share” as much of the workload as you want between products. You can edit, add plug-ins and write as much automation as you want in your DAW, and you can then opt to use the 1640i’s Perkins EQ, its inserts paths and/or its summing bus during the mixdown phase. It’s very flexible, and the rest is up to you. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a dedicated control surface, check out the MCU Pro.
