Mackie Big Knob Studio Plus Monitor Controller and USB Audio Interface

The heart of your studio, Mackie's Big Knob Studio Plus lets you route 4 sources to 3 monitor pairs -- and record at 192 kHz through 2 Onyx preamps over USB!

$349.99

  • 8 x  
    $43.75
  • No Credit Check
    6 x  
    $58.33
  • No Credit Check
    4 x  
    $87.50

Mackie Big Knob Monitor Controller

No longer available at zZounds
The Mackie Big Knob takes any of 4 stereo sources and routes them to any of 3 monitor pairs. It also has a talkback mic, headphone outs, mute, mono and more.

A must-have for any computer-based musician, the Mackie Big Knob monitor controller offers easy monitor switching and level control features in a compact tabletop design. With the Big Knob, you can easily switch between three sets of studio monitors and four different stereo sources; you can even send musicians custom headphone mixes while communicating with them via the built-in talkback microphone. Named for its fat volume knob, Mackie's Big Knob desktop audio control center provides the simplest way to adjust monitoring levels and check your mixes quickly and precisely.

Instant Monitor Selection

It's smart to compare the quality of your mixes across different types of monitors, just to make sure it sounds as good on your inexpensive computer speakers as it does on your high-end monitors. The Big Knob lets you quickly switch between three pairs of studio monitors, or two studio monitors and a subwoofer, or studio monitors and a home stereo -- or any other combination of powered speakers.

Connect Up to 4 Stereo Input Sources at Once

The Big Knob allows you to connect to your computer/DAW outputs, CD player, cassette deck, and even a turntable using its onboard RIAA preamp. The connections don't stop there -- with the Big Knob, you can even connect keyboards, guitars, drum machines, samplers, and so forth through your monitors, making the Big Knob a very versatile tool. You can, for example, use it to jam along to your favorite songs, compare your mixes-in-progress to read more your favorite CDs, and so forth.

Useful Talkback and Headphone Control

Using the system's built-in talkback mic -- controllable via footswitch or spring-loaded activation switches on the front panel -- you can communicate with musicians in the studio and the control room. The Big Knob has two high-powered headphone outputs with a discrete headphone mix bus.

Guarding the Back Door

On the rear panel, you get three distinct Monitor outputs with individual level control; 2-Track A and 2-Track B stereo outputs with level selection switches; a DAW stereo output for your computer; a Studio output with level control; a Phones Mix input with level selection switch; 2-Track A and 2-Track B Stereo Source inputs with level control; a DAW Mix input from your computer with level control; and a Phono input with level control for direct connection to a turntable.

Sounds Good

For excellent sound quality in critical listening environments, the Big Knob features low-noise op amps, low-tolerance components, and modern surface mount technology.

Features:

- All-in-one compact level controller, monitor switcher, source selector, and talkback box
- Big volume knob gives you easy hands-on control over monitoring levels
- Able to switch among 3 sets of studio monitors
- Built-in talkback microphone for easy communication with musicians
- Monitor 4 independent stereo inputs, including one for your DAW mix
- Dual headphone outputs with independent volume controls and headphone mix bus
- Phono preamp for direct turntable connection

Ideal for any kind of home, project, or professional studio, the Mackie Big Knob gives you essential monitor switching and level control for your DAW setup.
read less

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 800-898-3211
Email: support@mackie.com
Web: https://mackie.com/en/support/contact

Mackie Big Knob Monitor Controller

Since the dawn of computer-based music making, folks have longed for a simple monitor switching and level control box with built-in Talkback functions. You know, something that sits right on your desktop, letting you easily switch between sets of studio monitors and different stereo sources. And send musicians custom headphone mixes while you communicate with them via a built-in Talkback microphone.

Introducing The Big Knob

The Big Knob is a simple yet powerful desktop audio control center that lets musicians and engineers get right to the business of making music in four major ways: Level Control, Studio Monitor Selection, Input Source Selection and Talkback & Headphone Control.

Precise Level Control

Using a big, convenient volume knob, Big Knob lets you adjust volume levels the way your ancient audio ancestors (Analogus Engineerus) did - with a simple, intuitive knob, not with a mouse and screen. The end result is a higher degree of precision and much quicker level adjustments.

Monitor Selection

When it comes to mixing, pros know it's best to get a second, and third, opinion. So Big Knob lets you quickly switch between 3 pairs of studio monitors, or 2 studio monitors and a subwoofer, or studio monitors and a home stereo, or any other combination of powered speakers.

Source Selection

On the input side, Big Knob lets you connect up to 4 stereo input sources at once. This means you can simultaneously connect to your computer/DAW outputs, CD player, cassette deck and even a turntable using the premium onboard RIAA preamp. You can even connect keyboards, guitars, drum machines, samplers - anything you'd like to hear - through your monitors. This makes Big Knob great for comparing your mixes-in-progress to your favorite CDs, for archiving your old LPs, jamming along to your favorite tune, and lots more.

Talkback Section & Headphone Control

With its built-in Talkback mic and spring-loaded activation switches, Big Knob lets you quickly communicate with musicians in both the studio and tracking room - no more hand signals through the glass! Big Knob also sports two high-powered headphone outputs with a discrete headphone mix bus, solving the communications needs of most computer-based studios.

All the Right Connections

Although its shiny silver knob is a head-turning feature, Big Knob's rear panel is equally impressive. There you'll find three distinct Monitor outputs with individual level control; 2-Track A and 2-Track B stereo outputs with level selection switches; a DAW stereo output for your computer; a Studio output with level control; a Phones Mix input with level selection switch; 2-Track A and 2-Track B Stereo Source inputs with level control; a DAW Mix input from your computer with level control; and even a Phono input with level control for direct connection to your turntable.

Sound Quality

Because Big Knob plays a crucial link between recording output(s) and studio monitors, Mackie placed the utmost importance on pristine, no-compromise sound quality. For this reason, Big Knob features low-noise op amps, extremely low-tolerance components and state-of-the-art surface mount technology. All of this ensures superb sound in critical listening environments and long-term reliability - even under daily, and nightly, studio use.

Applications

Big Knob is perfectly suited to a range of applications beyond desktop music making, including home stereo systems, keyboard/guitar rigs, high-end multimedia systems, archiving LP's to CD, classrooms and boardrooms, and more.

Features:

- Tabletop level control / monitor switcher / source selector & talkback box
- Big, convenient volume knob for precise level adjustments
- Switch amongst 3 sets of studio monitors
- Built-in Talkback microphone for easy communication with musicians
- Monitor 4 independent Stereo inputs including one for your DAW Mix
- Dual Headphone outputs with independent volume controls and headphone mix bus
- Phono preamp for direct turntable connection
- High-end studio sound quality and robust construction
- Perfect for computer-based studios
- Humorous product name ensures years of off-color studio humor

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars. (23 ratings)
Submitted April 24, 2007 by a customer from yahoo.com

"Glorious simplification..."

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
If you need to compare mixes, CDs, etc. this is your ticket. It made DAW mixing a pleasure for me instead of a circus act of switching between inputs and level changes on my desktop mixer.
Sound
Pure and clean.
Features
You won't find ANYTHING in a similar price range with all of the Big Knob features. Just about any combination of ins and outs you can imagine for your DAW setup.
Ease of Use
Stupid easy.
Value
No competition.
The Wow Factor
Looks great on your desktop.

Musical Background:

Professional

Musical Style:

rock, pop
3 of 3 people (100%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!