Nektar Panorama CS12

The Nektar Panorama CS12 offers hands‑on control over Apple Logic Pro channels and any plug‑in you can throw at it.

Since the decline of the tape machine/mixer paradigm, various companies have designed control surfaces to bring back a more tactile feel to working with DAW software. One of the early pioneers was the Mackie Control system, which could be expanded to create a console‑sized surface with multiple banks of eight faders. Others went for a more compact solution providing transport controls, a single motorised fader and maybe a playhead position dial. Another alternative is a tablet linked to the host system to use as a touchscreen interface.

Nektar’s Panorama CS12 supports Apple’s Logic Pro and is an extremely sophisticated interpretation of the single‑fader DAW channel strip controller. Those already familiar with Nektar will know that the company have a long history building controller keyboards that include comprehensive control functions, such as the Panorama P6. The CS12 is designed to access all Logic Pro channel strip parameters including the selection and control of plug‑ins, for which the user has the choice of using the fader or the pan control to select and adjust parameters. Through the use of a generous amount of buttons and a Shift function, there is access to a number of Logic Pro transport, navigation and other functions — some 26 in total — and when it comes to plug‑in control, both Logic’s own plug‑ins and third‑party AU plug‑ins can be controlled. Essentially any plug‑in that allows for parameter automation in Logic Pro will work right away.

Power for the CS12 is via the USB connection to the host computer (though there is also a 5V power port for use with an external supply if a 500mA USB port isn’t available). Installation requires that Nektar’s ControlCore software be installed and a few system settings to be made, after which the CS12 shows up in the Control Surfaces setup menu and is ready to go. macOS 11.5 or later is needed along with Logic Pro X 10.7.8 or above. ControlCore can be downloaded once you’ve set up a Nektar account and registered the CS12 serial number. The full manual is also available for download, though there is a quick‑start guide in the box.

Things are pretty simple round the back, with just a quarter‑inch footswitch input, a USB‑C port, a power switch and an input for an external 5V power supply

Layout

Because of its comprehensive control layout, the Panorama CS12 is necessarily much wider than most other single‑fader controllers, such as the PreSonus FaderPort that I use in my own studio. The tough moulded case, which measures 390 x 185 x 65mm, has a USB port on the rear along with the power switch and a barrel connector 5V PSU socket. There’s also a footswitch TRS jack (which can accommodate two footswitches via a Y‑cable) and a point for fixing a security chain.

The case itself is fabricated in two parts with curved front and rear edges, with a smooth metallic grey paint finish and clear white legending for the dedicated controls and Shift functions. In the Transport and Mixer Channel sections, the buttons are all illuminated and show either their name or icon on the top. There are 13 rotary controls that use ‘endless’ analogue pots rather than encoders, as that offers better resolution; there’s one for pan and 12 on the right with coloured backlighting to differentiate their function when controlling plug‑ins.

The fader is on the far left of the case, inviting it to be operated using the left hand while the right hand looks after buttons and knobs. Both the motorised fader and the pots have a fine resolution capability of up to 14‑bit. However, this fine resolution means it takes longer to scroll through options or values, so the magnifying glass button can be used to toggle fine resolution mode on or off to speed things up where necessary. By default the Fine mode is switched off, meaning the pots have 7‑bit resolution and the fader 10‑bit resolution.

A colour TFT display provides visual feedback and has four buttons below it to select pages where, for example, a plug‑in’s editable parameters won’t all fit on one screen. Its top line shows the currently assigned parameter and fader assignment. When controlling instrument plug‑ins, tabs at the bottom of the display provide a choice of mapping directly to Logic’s Smart Controls or user settings.

To the immediate right of the fader are the key mixer controls comprising a pan pot and buttons for Arm, Solo, Mute and Select. There’s no dedicated surround panner, such as a joystick, for those working in multi‑channel or binaural formats. Two six‑segment VU meters sit above the Channel controls. The fader normally controls the selected channel or master volume but may also be used to control selected instrument or insert effect plug‑in parameters by pressing the Select button so that it turns blue, then clicking on the plug‑in parameter you wish to control. You can also switch the automation view on or off here, and use the fader to insert new automation points.

Below the display are three further rows of buttons for the key transport functions (which include Loop on/off, go to start, go to end, and Replace), Undo, Auto(mation), Metronome and Shift. The topmost row handles stepping through tracks, opening and closing plug‑in windows, opening and closing the mixer window and switching the fader resolution. The Shift button accesses secondary functions such as setting markers, Redo, Quantize, setting locators and so on.

To the right of the display are three encoders for Zoom, Tempo and Data/Menu/Enter. Zoom normally adjusts horizontal zooming but used with Shift it controls vertical zooming. Seven different functions are available from the Tempo pot (Shift+Tempo scrolls through the choices) such as scrubbing, nudging, moving the playhead and clip gain adjustment. As it is easy to nudge the Tempo knob by accident, I suspect many users will change its function to playhead position.

Then we have the vertical row of 11 backlit buttons, where the button colours change to provide navigational hints. Two banks of eight slots can be selected using the topmost (9‑16) button. These buttons determine how the four display buttons, the four RGB buttons at the bottom right and the set of 12 rotary pots are assigned.

The Channel and Send buttons get you to any available send controls for the selected track or relevant DAW channel. In Sends mode, only the pots corresponding to available sends are illuminated; for example, if your track has three sends, then only three pots light up. Using the buttons at the bottom of the display, you can navigate between level, pre/post‑fader switching and send destination selection. Up to 12 aux sends per channel can be controlled, which is more than I’ve ever needed. These buttons can also be used for the direct selection of plug‑in slots to keep the workflow as streamlined as possible. Volume and insert automation points can be written at the current play position by touching the fader cap.

That leaves the 12 knobs, which are used for accessing plug‑in parameters. Their default backlight colour is light blue, after which colours follow the plug‑in’s colour. Four buttons below assist with colour customisation but can also be used in conjunction with the four buttons below the display to control up to eight switch settings for each control page. When controlling plug‑ins, the plug‑in parameters are shown in the display, set out in the same way as the pots that control them. The Page buttons are then used to access any parameters not shown on the first screen. This isn’t quite as friendly as having a display window over each pot showing its current function but doing it that way would have added considerably to the manufacturing costs.

Working with automation is easy, with the Auto button toggling between Read and the selected Write mode for the track. You can either select the automation mode from the CS12 or in the usual way using a mouse/trackpad in the DAW. If you use the CS12 menu, you get additional modes such as Single Point, which allows you to write in new automation points at the current position.

Assignations

There are three methods of making your own control assignments, though having spent about an hour going through my own third‑party plug‑in collection, I’ve yet to come across one that wasn’t already mapped. Quick Learn is a simple method of assigning a specific plug‑in parameter to a physical pot. Select the plug‑in, hold down Shift while moving the desired parameter, then move the control you want it to link to. You can also customise the control’s colour if you wish.

Learn mode is the next level up and is a better choice if you need to assign multiple parameters. This time pressing Shift and Data gets you into a Learn mode where you can progress as in Quick Learn mode but you don’t have to keep pressing the Shift button. Alternatively you can download the free Nektarine software, which can itself be run as a plug‑in within Logic or run standalone. This allows additional functionality such as renaming parameters, drag and drop mapping and so on. Once you have saved the map file, it will always be available from within Logic.

Nektarine provides an automatic mapping option for virtually any plug‑in.

User Impressions

The long‑throw motorised fader and the clearly identified transport buttons make operating Logic very intuitive, though for some functions, such as setting loop points, I still find myself heading for the mouse as it seems more direct. In areas like this it really depends what you are used to. Overall I can’t fault the functionality of the CS12 and virtually all the main functions are directly available, with only a few essentials requiring the Shift button. The support for the various automation modes is impressive, as is the ability to open and close Mixer and Smart Controls windows directly from the transport section. I also love the use of colour to tie together the various control functions, and I applaud the direct access to numerous send slots. When it comes to ergonomics, the control section is set out very logically but I would definitely switch the Tempo knob function to control playhead position instead.

Even though I was brought up using tape machines, mixers, outboard gear and patchbays, when it comes to controlling plug‑ins, I still find myself heading for the mouse to make on‑screen adjustments rather than using hardware, as to me it just feels more direct. Nevertheless I have to concede that for certain musical styles it makes sense to have hardware control over things like filter cutoff frequency and other effects that are ‘played’ in real time to record automation. In reality some users gravitate more towards hardware and others are happy to spend all their time using screen and mouse, but whichever way you lean, the access to plug‑ins is very smoothly implemented here and knowing that the vast majority of third‑party plug‑ins will also work without needing to do any additional mapping is very reassuring. Furthermore, if you do want to create your own maps where all your ‘hands‑on’ controls are in the optimum place, the free Nektarine software will allow you to do just that. While Nektarine is by no means an essential add‑on, those with more ambitious needs will not be disappointed; the dedicated Nektarine user guide is well worth exploring.

The Panorama CS12 is a very elegant yet affordable solution for those users who prefer hardware control to mousing around.

In summary then, the Panorama CS12 is a very elegant yet affordable solution for those users who prefer hardware control to mousing around. The controls all feel comfortable and positive while the use of colour backlighting helps with navigation. If you’re happy with a one‑fader controller rather than a box with banks of individual channel faders, then the CS12 offers an extraordinary level of control for a very attractive price.

Information

£345 including VAT.

www.nektartech.com

$399.99

www.nektartech.com

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