Inputs one and two offer XLR connection, high-definition, discrete-design preamplifiers, 48V phantom power, and channel inserts. MasterControl contains hands-on controls for confidently running tracking and editing sessions. Multiple banks of assignable controllers enable access over 50 software parameters in real time. Nine touch-sensitive, mm, motorized, capacitive Alps faders deliver the hands-on mixing experience that mixing in software with a mouse simply cannot rival.
MasterControl has eight assignable knobs that access three control banks each and two banks of eight assignable buttons that access two control banks each.
Dedicated transport controls and a multifunction jog wheel complete the tactile control package. It employs the industry-standard HUI protocol for communication with all popular DAW software, and requires no mapping for seamless interoperation.
Building upon the standard, MasterControl also enables editing of templates and presets for customization. A large, dedicated display provides real-time visual feedback of all actions, and preview button allows safe audition of controls prior to sending commands to the DAW. An internal talkback microphone enables easy communication with musicians while tracking. With flexible, direct monitor routing, sources are assignable through any and all output pair s.
Dual, independently assignable stereo headphone outputs with independent gain controls further extend the output capabilities of MasterControl. The dedicated talkback microphone can be engaged from the control surface or using an optional footswitch. JetPLL nearly eliminates audio-band jitter, greatly improves imaging, and decreases digital noise, all of which combine to deliver peerless sync.
A simple press of this lights the switch red and immediately disengages the unit from its DAW control assignments, instead allowing you to set up the incoming audio signals as you wish. This is possible because the MasterControl contains its own low-latency DSP-based cue mix capabilities, meaning you can monitor through the unit directly rather than having to go in and out via your DAW.
When you disengage the Direct Monitor button to go back to DAW control, the monitor mix you've just tweaked is automatically saved. The MasterControl features three stereo outputs. This means, if you simply configure as Alesis intend, that you can easily drive your pair of monitors of choice via the A, B or C buttons on the front panel. However, it's also possible to configure the MasterControl to use all outputs at once, so 5. The front panel also features a Talkback button with a microphone that can be sent to whichever monitors you're using, but be warned that the switch is somewhat counter-intuitive - due to its proximity to the microphone itself, anything you say through the microphone may well be preceded by the sound of your finger pressing the button.
Bit clumsy, that. The MasterControl offers a highly impressive feature set, but it's not perfect. A few things, such as the Gain input controls and the Talkback switch, seem badly designed, while other features such as the range of parameters accessible via the front-panel rotary encoders, seem a bit thrifty at times. It's staggering that so much is available for so little. Future Music is the number one magazine for today's producers. Packed with technique and technology we'll help you make great new music.
All-access artist interviews, in-depth gear reviews, essential production tutorials and much more. MusicRadar The No. Home Reviews. Our Verdict. Pros Good value for money. Cons Input gain and Talkback controls are badly placed. The rotary controls are switchable to access three parameter layers, which in Cubase adds eight send switches and levels for the selected track, and there is a facility to swap the control destinations of the faders and rotary controls — useful given that the rotary controls give no dedicated visual feedback of their settings.
You can move channel and object selections and alter zoom settings in two dimensions using the cursor keys around the Scrub wheel, although I thought the spacing of these conspired with the slightly sloping layout to make them uncomfortable to use, so preferred to use Key Commands for these tasks. For any tasks not in the shortlist, you can simply instruct a button to act as one of the Mackie Control function keys, and then map that onto your choice of Key Command within Cubase's Device Setup dialogue.
Forgotten what a button's control assignment is? Hold down the Preview button first and you can press the control button to see its function on the LCD, without actually triggering the action.
For a start, the preset knob assignments for each sequencer are both a bit arbitrary and pretty limited. For example, in both Digital Performer and Pro Tools you get just Pan and Send 1 Level controls per channel, and the only preset to provide any access to EQ parameters is the one for Samplitude. In addition, there was a problem in the Cubase implementation of the second and third assignment layers, whereby navigating around the Project's mixer channels using Bank keys frequently caused the assignment layer as selected by numbered keys to the left of the knobs to reset.
So if you're concentrating on setting up reverb levels on different channels using Send 1, you can suddenly find yourself inadvertently disrupting the channel pan controls instead. As I said at the outset, the Master Control does manage to cram an awful lot of features into one unit. If you're happy with 60mm faders that aren't touch-sensitive or motorised, then Yamaha's 01X is also an option too, matching the Alesis XLR mic preamp and analogue input count, as well as chucking in a high-impedance instrument input.
The Yamaha is also much more fully featured than any of the other units as far as DSP mixing is concerned, with 28 fully featured channels and twin send effects. Compatible with Mac OS Balanced analogue outputs: six line outputs on TRS jacks. Headphone outputs: two with independent signal feeds and volume controls.
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