Inside the Box with Joe Albano: Monitor Controllers

Ye Olde Master Section

In the analog era, the studio’s centerpiece was the console, and the console’s centerpiece was a master section that brought together all the routings and monitoring options needed. While today’s DAWs, interfaces and even compact mixers can perform some of those functions, a better way might be a dedicated monitor controller. 

In a simple setup, plugging a pair of headphones or a set of powered monitors into the main outs of your interface may be all that’s required. As your studio expands, a monitor controller can serve as your centralized hardware routing hub, juggling various audio inputs and outputs and providing easy access to monitoring functions used during recording, mixing, and mastering sessions. If you’re thinking about adding one to your setup, here are some things to consider.