By | Wed, 01 Sep 2004
By Mitch Gallagher
As computer-based DAW users shift more and more of their focus "inside the box," many are moving away from large mixers as the centerpiece of their studio.
For some, this has created a dilemma: how to perform all the control functions normally handled by the master section of the mixer. These functions include setting monitor levels and switching between sets of speakers, providing headphone feeds, talkback, and more. In some cases, studio owners are using small-format mixers for these functions, which have the added benefit of providing some extra signal mixing capabilities when required. But for others, a small mixer isn't the answer.
A number of manufacturers have stepped in to fill the void with studio control boxes; the last Winter NAMM show saw the introduction of several such boxes. Let's take a look at three very different monitor system controllers. Each offers a unique take on solving the problems associated with going "mixer-less" - and each comes in at a very different price point.
Mackie Big Knob The Mackie Big Knob is set up to duplicate the master section of a well-appointed mixing console - and then some!
You can switch among four stereo sources, routing them to up to four sets of monitors (three in the control room, one in the studio). All source and monitor connections have level calibration knobs. Almost all connections are on 1/4" TRS connectors; this meant adapters for me as most of my gear uses XLRs.
The unit is designed to sit on your desktop,
which is convenient for control. However, if you connect all the possible ins and outs, you're going to have a ton of cables dangling off the back of your desk - better stock up on cable ties.
Big Knob offers full talkback control, with a built-in mic with level control, and the ability to route talkback to either 2-track for slating or to headphones or the studio set of monitors to communicate with musicians. The headphone outs have a ton of power - even the deafest metal-head should be able to hear phones jacked into the Big Knob. A special DAW Phones Mix Input lets you route a separate cue signal through Big Knob to the phones while a control room mix is coming out of the unit's monitor outs. Input sources can be routed to three stereo outputs for mixdown; there's also a stereo out for feeding an external headphone amp, should you need one.
The push-button switches for choosing sources and monitors have associated LEDs that indicate when a switch is depressed. You can have more than one switch depressed at once; this lets you monitor, say, a source while you play along, and it's great if you're using a monitor out to feed a subwoofer and you want to be able to turn it on and off without affecting the full range speakers. But for clean A/B'ing it means you have to hit two switches simultaneously. A little practice and it works fine.
And the sound? Big Knob delivers big time. The sound is clean, open, full, dynamic, and rich. Having spent many hours on Mackie boards, I expected good clear, neutral sonics. But Big Knob definitely raises the bar toward high-end analog tonality; I'm quite impressed.
If you need a complete control center for your DAW-based studio, Big Knob has you covered. Big Knob, big performance, small price . . . too cool.
Grace Design m906 Jack of all trades, master of none. Does that phrase apply to the Grace Design m906? Nope - more like the opposite. There's little this system can't do, and do with top-of-the-line performance. If you've got a variety of digital and analog sources, work in surround and stereo, and want the best audio quality, this is the box for you. It can accept up to five analog and six digital sources, including two analog and two digital sources in 5.1 surround. You can control up to three sets of monitors (two using the speaker selector switch, the third using the Cue>Monitor switch), two of which can be 5.1. There's an XLR connector for a footswitchable talkback mic.
The built-in 24-bit/192kHz converters sound stellar, and the analog audio quality is top-notch. Every input and output can be individually calibrated, including the cue I/O and the talkback mic.
Digital clocking is foolproof; the m906 can deal with cleanly switching among sources without any digital noise or reclocking delays. While it's often best to have an external master clock for all your digital gear, with the m906 you don't have to have one. I used the box to control four digital sources and never had a clocking problem.
All input and output is handled by a 2U rackmount box, which also has a headphone connector. Control functions are handled by the sleek remote, which has an LCD for calibrating and selecting clock functions, and two LED readouts to display output levels for the headphones and monitor outputs. The LED readouts aren't meters, they display the reference level of the volume controls. However, I calibrated my monitors using an SPL meter so that, say, 80dB on the LEDs matched 80dB reference level on the speakers.
The remote also has a second headphone output. The headphone amp sounds great, but it doesn't have a ton of output. It should be okay for normal control room use, but may not keep up with loud tracking applications. &ermil;
I set the unit up with as many analog and digital sources as I could muster, as well as a set of stereo monitors and 5.1 speakers. It performed perfectly no matter what I threw at it, and sounded amazing. A big benefit for users of digital devices is that with the m906, you're monitoring everything through the same D/A converters; perfect for referencing mixes.
If you need top-of-the-line control over a ton of digital and analog sources and multiple sets of speakers and you're working in surround, this is the only box I know of that can handle it all, let alone sound this good doing it. The m906 is one outstanding studio tool.
Nautilus Master technology nemo dmc-8 Okay,
I've got to start off by saying that the Nautilus Nemo DMC-8 comes with the most amazing power cable I've ever seen. It features three separate conductors, the total diameter of which must be an inch&ellip;.I'm sure there's a good audiophile reason for it, but regardless it looks completely cool.
That having been said, there's more to the DMC-8 than a cool power cable! Co-designed by mastering engineer John Vestman and Inward Connections, the focus here is on discrete Class A analog sound quality.
You won't find fancy bells or whistles here; the DMC-8 is straight-ahead and easy to figure out.
You get four source ins and two speaker outs. In addition, Source 1 (normally your DAW or console) can be routed through the DMC-8 to two stereo recorders for mixdown. A "Source Select" output lets you route the selected input source out at full line level to another device. A good use for this might be a headphone amp/talkback controller, since there isn't one in the DMC-8. (Upcoming products from Nautilus will fill the headphone/talkback void as well as offer 8-channel analog summing, and other functions; check out the company's website for further info.)
The DMC-8 is easy to use; all the controls are right in front of you on the rackmount unit's front panel, including the knobs for level-matching speakers and sources for perfect A-B'ing. A volume/source select remote will be available soon.
It would be nice if the level-matching knobs lined up with the source and speaker switches they coincide with; several times I changed the 2 Track 3 level when I meant to adjust the Speaker B level. Analog VU meters provide level information, and the unit comes with a CD containing tones for easy calibration.
The unit has no audible self-noise, although I did encounter occasional clicks and pops when switching among sources or between speakers. (Nautilus tells us this has been fixed on current units.) Put quite simply: The Nautilus Master Technology Nemo DMC-8 is a joy to listen to, with pure, luscious analog tonality, and wide, deep, rich sound quality. I could easily discern the differences between various digital-to-analog converters, as well as hear deep "inside" dense mixes. When I plugged in the Nemo DMC-8, I felt like my monitor system had undergone an upgrade; it sounds that good.
If you're looking for an audiophile-grade/ mastering studio-level monitor controller and don't need headphone feeds, talkback, digital I/O, or other bells and whistles, Nemo DMC-8 will definitely float your boat.