Alesis (http://www.alesis.com), a manufacturer of professional audio
equipment and studio electronics, has announced that the
MasterControl audio interface and control surface is now shipping.
MasterControl will be on display at the 2009 NAMM Show in Anaheim,
Calif., Jan. 15-18, 2009.
MasterControl is a professional audio interface and recording control
surface, providing engineers with 44.1-- 92kHz-recording capability
via low latency FireWire and full-featured control of HUI-compatible
DAWs and external MIDI devices. It contains a swath of input and
output connectivity, empowering studio owners and producers to
connect nearly any source, processing or monitoring equipment.

The input section consists of two XLR inputs with phantom power and
channel inserts, six TRS line inputs and extensive expansion
capability. Twenty six simultaneous inputs are possible with the
optional S/PDIF and dual S/MUX ADAT Lightpipe inputs. Six analog
outputs are configurable for use with 5.1 surround, three sets of
stereo pairs or six discrete outputs.

MasterControl offers dedicated speaker switching, enabling mix
engineers to dynamically select between multiple monitors to check
their mixes on different speakers or in different rooms. A stereo
headphone output is also provided for an additional mix reference.

Each channel contains dedicated Solo, Record Enable, Mute and Select
buttons for instant access to the most essential channel functions.
The multifunction jog wheel can be used to shuttle, zoom and enter
data. Nine 100mm-motorized faders and a dedicated transport-control
section provide guess-free access to recording operations. Two banks
of eight assignable buttons enable users to customize functionality
for commonly used actions such as markers, loop points and automation
modes.

Eight 360-degree assignable virtual potentiometers with three banks
each enable engineers to control 24 different parameters for
extensive control of nearly any DAW. Removable, customizable
templates provide a visual overview of all preset operations. All
presets are fully editable and configurable.
Designed as a complete solution for studios' recording and mixing
needs, MasterControl contains a talkback microphone, a complete MIDI
interface and a Preview button enabling review of knob, button and
fader settings before sending them to the DAW software.

MasterControl comes bundled with two software applications for
recording and sequencing. Steinberg Cubase LE 4 and Ableton Live Lite
7 handle all recording, editing and performance tasks and are
compatible with most other popular music software.

MasterControl is available from pro audio and musical instrument
retailers. It has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$1,299
and a street price of $899.99.