Alesis master control обзор

Обновлено: 07.07.2024

General Information & Key Features

Samples & Storage

Customization & Routing

Technical Specifications

General Information & Key Features

How fast can you load a kit on the Strike Multipad?

What is the max capacity of storage per preset kit?

Because the Strike Multipad streams samples directly from their location in the internal memory or connected USB drive, the only limitation to the size of your samples/kit is the available space on your drive. This is a great advantage if you are using the Strike Multipad to playback full backing tracks.

How many pads are on the Strike Multipad?

There are nine (9) built-in velocity-sensitive pads on the Strike Multipad, as well as three (3) inputs to connect additional external triggers, a hi-hat pedal, and two (2) dual foot controls.

How many preset kits are in the Strike Multipad?

The Strike Multipad comes complete with 30 curated presets to get you started, and 70 empty User Presets. You can easily copy and paste preset kits to user slots to customize.

How many User Kits can I store in the Strike Multipad?

Up to 70 User kits can be stored in the Strike Multipad at one time. In addition, User Kits can easily be backed up on to a connected USB flash drive, making it easy to save batches of personalized kits to be recalled when you need them. Back up old kits to a USB drive for storage and continue creating or easily swap between backups on the go to access your own curated batch of user kits.

What software comes included with the Strike Multipad?

The Strike Multipad includes a copy of Ableton Live Lite 10 and Protools | First.

- Industry standard audio recording and production software. Pro Tools First introduces you to all of the same tools used by industry leaders. - Top-tier music production software used by professional musicians around the world.

Can I connect my Strike Multipad to a computer?

Absolutely! Connect the Strike Multipad directly to a free USB port on your computer to transfer audio and MIDI with virtually any software. Send playback out to the Multipad via USB for recording samples right into the internal memory or performing live. The Multipad is fully class-compliant device, so no driver installation is necessary.

Can I send Program Changes to the Strike Multipad to change presets remotely?

Yes! Send and receive program changes and other MIDI with your Multipad to sync up live performances and change presets remotely and in time with the performance. Use either the USB-B port or 5-pin MIDI in/out ports to send and receive all MIDI data.

Is the Strike Multipad road ready?

The Strike Multipad is built to withstand travel and serious use on the road. Every possible surface is covered in a thick rubberized material to protect you, and the Multipad, from that shock of striking hard plastic with a stray drumstick. The beautiful Alesis-exclusive 4.3” color display is also double-reinforced so you can play with confidence.

Samples & Storage

How many sounds are in the internal storage?

The Strike Multipad comes with over 8,000 pre-programmed samples and loops; over 6GB of content! This will include choice content from the Strike and Strike Pro, as well as tons of new drum, percussion, and melodic instrument packs all stored in the internal memory and ready to play.

How much internal memory is in the Strike Multipad?

The Strike Multipad has 32GB of storage total with over 6GB of content, including loops, drums, and percussion, plus melodic instruments for any style. The difference in space is available for you to import your own samples and loops. In addition, a USB port on the back allows you to connect a mass-storage device for additional storage, so you can import, export, and backup kits and samples in a flash.

What is the maximum USB storage device you can use with the Strike Multipad?

The Strike MultiPad supports drives formatted to FAT32 with available storage up to 32GB.

What file format should I use for my own samples?

The Strike Multipad natively supports 16-bit/44.1kHz samples.

How long can I record a loop?

Record loops with the Strike Multipad anywhere between 1 - 16 bars long and even dub and compound additional layers to build out your loop. You can continue to layer by selecting Start Dub after you create the first layer of your loop. For a demonstrarion of the Looper, watch our video below:

Can I sample with the Strike Multipad?

Yes. Record samples direct to the Strike Multipad using a microphone, phone, computer, USB input or virtually any other audio device to capture live or pre-recorded samples, even off the internet.

What does the Pad Cue option do?

The Pad Cue option allows you to hear your loops/samples through your headphones prior to launching them through the Main outputs. This allows you to make sure the right loop comes in at the right time, which is extremely helpful in a live setting whether you’re a drummer, DJ, Guitar player etc.

Are there built-in effects?

Absolutely! You have 5 Built-in Effects Processors - 3 Kit Effects, 1 Master Effect, Compressor, and Equalizer. Kit effects include reverbs, delays, flangers, etc. You can set these effects for individual Kits or the Master effects which will affect the overall output of your Strike Multipad. For a full demonstration, be sure to check out our video walkthrough below:

What are the A-Link knobs used for?

These are Custom Effect Control knobs - Freely map two Alesis “A-LINK” infinite rotary knobs to dozens of effects and mixing controls.

Customization & Routing

Can you change the colors of the pads & Alesis logo?

Yes! You can change the Start/Stop colors of each pad, as well as the glow of the Alesis logo on the sides. Lights can also be set to respond differently when playing loops, whether it’s a BPM pulse, Solid Color, Blackout, etc.. With customizable RGB lighting that displays velocity, loop length and more, you can be certain you never miss a beat – no matter how dark or foggy the stage is.

What kind of playback options do the individual pads have?

Each pad layer can be set to playback the assigned sample in one of 4 different modes when triggered:

OneShot - When triggered, the sound plays until the end and stops.
Alter - Hit the pad to start the sample, and hit it again to stop.
Loop - Hit the pad to start the loop and hit it again to stop.
RoundRobin - Each successive hit alternated between layer A and layer B. When one layer is set to RoundRobin, the other layer will also be set to RoundRobin automatically. If one layer is changed from the RoundRobin mode, the other will default to OneShot (mono).

Can I route individual pads and the metronome to different outputs?

Yes, you can route an individual pad or group of pads to go out of the Main + Phone, Aux + Phone, or Headphone Only. This is a great feature if you need to route individual samples/loops from the Strike Multipad to external mixers, interfaces, etc.

The click/metronome can also easily be routed to any output by holding down the Click button.

Can I customize the metronome?

Yes! There are 12 click samples to choose from, you can also change the volume, pan, interval, and output of the metronome by pressing and holding the click/metronome button. For a demonstration, be sure to check out our video below:

Why are some pads blinking?

Depending on what is loaded on that pad, the light might be set to respond to the BPM of the Strike Multipad. If you would like the Pad to stop blinking, you can change that in the light settings in Pad view.

Can one pad trigger multiple pads at the same time?

Yes, pads can be assigned into groups so that one pad will trigger multiple pads simultaneously.

How many sounds can I layer on one individual pad?

You can layer up to 2 sounds per pad. You can also adjust the volume, pan, and effects of each layer when the Strike MultiPad is in Sound Mode.

How can I restore the Strike Multipad to its factory defaults?

A factory reset on the Strike Multipad will remove any stored User kits and revert all original presets back to their default settings. Please be sure to back up all user preset kits to a USB drive before performing the reset.

To access the factory reset:

Press the Utility button.
Select Backup (F6).
Use the encoder knob to find and select Restore Factory Settings.
The Multipad will restart.

Technical Specifications

Does this product require a power supply?

The Strike Multipad includes a 9VDC, 1,5A auto-switching power supply.

How many inputs/outputs does the Strike Multipad Have?

Inputs :

(2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS audio inputs

(1) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TS trigger input

(2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS trigger inputs

(1) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS HH pedal input

(2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS footswitch inputs

(1) MIDI DIN Input

Outputs:

(4) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS audio outputs

(1) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS headphone output

(1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) TRS headphone output

(1) MIDI DIN Output/Thru-port

What are the dimensions/weight of the Strike Multipad?

Dimensions (width x depth x height) : 13.75 x 14 x 3” 349.25 x 355.6 x 76.2mm

Weight: 8.5 lbs. 3.85kg

Does this Strike Multipad come with screws for the mount?

Yes! The Strike MultiPad will come with 4 screws for attaching to a clamp or mount. We recommend the Alesis Multipad Clamp for the best results.

Where can I get further technical support?

Whether you are a customer or dealer, if you already own an Alesis product, or if you just have pre-sales questions, the experienced Alesis technical support team is available to help!

Visit the link below to connect with any of the following support options: online community support, phone support, email support.

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It’s a simple equation, and we know that as a musician, you’re not fond of math, but MasterControl really is the sum of its three distinct studio-management factors.

MasterControl eliminates your need for individual analog and digital audio interfaces, speaker switching and routing units, mixing and transport-control surfaces, hardware volume controls, and more. The only piece of gear you need to input all of your sources into your DAW; the only piece of gear you need to control recording and editing; and the only piece of gear you need to run professional tracking and mixing sessions is MasterControl. We even throw in two powerful recording and production programs: Steinberg Cubase LE 4 and Ableton Live Lite 7.

Master Audio Interface

MasterControl is a 24-bit, 192kHz, high-resolution, low-latency audio interface. It is capable of nearly any input type and quantity, with a flexible and generous output section. It features low-latency FireWire computer connectivity for Mac and PC. The single cable carries all audio and control data from MasterControl to your DAW.

MasterControl contains eight analog inputs. Inputs one and two offer XLR connection, high-definition, discrete-design preamplifiers, 48V phantom power, and channel inserts. Inputs three through eight contain 1/4" TRS, line jacks. MasterControl’s input section can be expanded to handle up to 24 simultaneous inputs, including dual ADAT Lightpipe, coaxial, and optical S/PDIF. Six analog outputs and 16-channel MIDI I/O further extend MasterControl’s impressive I/O capabilities.

Extensive Control Surface

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, 100mm, 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.

MasterControl’s DSP-driven internal mixer enables hardware-direct monitoring with zero discernable latency. 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.

Control Room Management

MasterControl’s built-in speaker switching enables you to easily switch between multiple sets of monitor loudspeakers for ease of mix-accuracy checks. An internal talkback microphone enables easy communication with musicians while tracking.

Three pairs of independently assignable stereo outputs with dedicated, active mute buttons place the engineer squarely in the driver’s seat. 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.

Superior Audio Processing

MasterControl employs an advanced DICE II chip with JetPLL™ technology for clock-stable firewire-audio streaming and routing. JetPLL nearly eliminates audio-band jitter, greatly improves imaging, and decreases digital noise, all of which combine to deliver peerless sync.

As digital audio devices are added to a system, they increasingly create system-additive audio-band clock jitter. Variation between device clocks can actually fall outside the ability of some devices to cope, causing failure. JetPLL is extremely tolerant of wide variations in clock frequencies. Its hybrid design incorporates noise shaping to virtually remove audio-band jitter. This technology ensures the highest possible converter performance, resulting in better separation.

MasterControl contains 114 dB, 24-bit, 192 kHz stereo analog-to-digital converters. Sampling, analog-to-digital conversion, and anti-alias filtering are performed by MasterControl’s 24-bit, stereo ADCs at sample rates up to 192 kHz per channel. They employ a 5th-order delta-sigma modulator followed by low-latency digital filtering, eliminating the need for external anti-alias filtering and providing excellent noise rejection.

MasterControl also features 114 dB, 24-bit, 192 kHz multi-channel digital-to-analog converters. MasterControl’s uncompromising DAC system begins with digital de-emphasis, ATAPI channel mixing, digital-interpolation filtering, and an oversampled delta-sigma modulator. Audio is fed to the differential analog outputs through a multi-element switched-capacitor stage with low-latency IIR low-pass filtering.

Software and System Compatibility

MasterControl comes with a powerful software suite for recording and sequencing.
It includes Steinberg Cubase LE music production software with a full range of tools for audio and MIDI recording and mixing, and Ableton Live Lite, a production and performance program enabling you to create, produce and perform your music all in a single application.

MasterControl is an HUI+ control surface, meaning that it is uniquely programmable with HUI and Mackie Control compatibility for use with all popular DAWs, virtual instruments, and other audio software on Mac and PC.

JetPLL is a registered trademark of TC Applied Technologies
Mackie and HUI and trademarks of LOUD Technologies Inc.

Audio interface, control surface, monitor controller — the Alesis Master Control does it all. Could it be the perfect companion to your DAW?

There was a point in the '80s when every other gadget seemed to have a digital watch built in, or a biro, or a bottle opener, or all three, while today it appears that the flame lit by these early innovators is now carried staunchly by the LED torch. In the home‑studio market, it wasn't too many years ago that the 'Swiss Army knife' award for bundled extras would have gone to an analogue voice channel or digital multitracker, but these days it'd probably be a toss‑up between a software sequencer and a hardware audio/control interface.

The new Master Control from Alesis is a case in point, taking a hardware control surface and bolting on a couple of mic preamps, multi‑channel audio interfacing, monitor control and a 3.7‑megapixel webcam. (OK, I lied about the webcam, but it can surely only be a matter of time. ) As befits such an all‑in‑one device, there are specs and features aplenty, but rather than getting bogged down with those straight away, I've popped them all in a separate 'Vital Statistics' box so that I can concentrate on how the Master Control responds in practice.

Audio Interfacing

A lot of computer musicians will be perfectly happy with the supplied eight analogue inputs, so the use of digital interfacing for the remaining 14 makes sense, particularly as there's now a good deal of choice in terms of stand‑alone multi‑channel preamps with ADAT interfacing — names like Audient, Behringer, Focusrite, Presonus, RME and TL Audio immediately spring to mind, but that's by no means an exhaustive list. What project studio owners are likely to be less happy with is only being provided with two mic preamps, especially the ones here. It's not that the preamplification itself is bad — Alesis have been making mixers for a long time, and you get a healthy 60dB of pretty clean gain. The first thing that's a pain is that the gain control knob is exceptionally diddy (like a hardware LCD contrast control) and is tucked inconveniently around the back of the unit below the line of the sockets.

Even had Alesis, like many an '80s gadget entrepreneur, built a pencil‑sharpener into the Master Control, allowing you to slim down the ends of your fingers, you'd still encounter problems, because about 14dB of the available gain has been bunched up so close to the end of our nano‑knob's travel that I was unable reliably to set any intermediate gain level between about 46dB and 60dB. Although this kind of control‑law bunching is by no means uncommon on budget preamps, I don't think I've ever encountered an example as extreme as this before — that last 14dB might as well be a switch. And speaking of switches, the phantom power for both preamps is activated by a small button that could scarcely have been better designed to disguise it as one of the gain controls, so new users should expect a certain amount of inadvertent gain/phantom hilarity to ensue.

Another complaint I have in general about the audio interfacing is that there's no top‑panel legending to let you know which socket is which, and this is particularly tedious for the headphone and line I/O sockets, which form such an inscrutable 8x2‑socket phalanx that you'll forever find yourself craning your neck trying to make out the rear‑panel legending. Which, from that viewpoint, of course, will be upside‑down. Take my advice: don't plan on setting up the Master Control right against a wall, under a shelf, or in front of a moving table fan. And while we're talking about panel markings, leave some budget for a bottle of Tippex, so that you can mark an indicator line on the two otherwise featureless headphone‑level knobs.

Monitoring & Talkback

That the input metering is limited to simple Signal/Clip LEDs isn't the worry it might once have been, given the extensive metering now available within most typical software applications, but it's nice nonetheless to have the little five‑LED bargraph display for the main outputs, as it would, in theory, be possible to clip these without clipping the outputs of your software. The reason for this is that the Master Control actually includes a separate low‑latency DSP mixer for cue‑monitoring purposes, and this combines its output with that of your recording software.

This cue‑monitoring facility is called Direct Monitoring by Alesis, and the available DSP mixing controls themselves are quite basic, comprising just level and pan controls for each of the analogue and digital inputs, and the ability to route the subsequent mix via a dedicated Direct Mon Level knob to any or all of the available analogue outputs. What is a really nice idea, though, is that if you hit the Direct Monitor button on the left edge of the unit, the assignable faders and knobs abandon their DAW‑control functions and drive the DSP mixer instead, letting you set up your cue balance in a flash. This is a really elegant little system, with the inputs addressed in sensible banks and Mute/Solo buttons operating as you'd hope. If you substantially expand the built‑in analogue input count to push beyond small‑scale recording and overdubbing, you may find the single cue mix becomes a limitation, but as it stands I found the Alesis control approach much friendlier and better than the handful of software cue‑mix utilities I've used up to now on other audio interfaces. (The Master Control's own software control utility is a relatively calorie‑free affair, as it only needs to deal with simple digital clocking and buffer/latency settings.)

It's worth clarifying that Direct Monitoring isn't a true zero‑latency scheme, as you still get a few milliseconds of delay owing to the DSP's A‑D/D‑A conversion and number‑crunching. While Alesis themselves admit that the Master Control's smallest buffer‑size settings will give just as good a latency delay figure via software monitoring, the moment audio processing or virtual instruments start bringing your CPU out in even the slightest sweat, you'll quickly find Direct Monitoring to be the better option. To put this in perspective, I opened a completely empty project in Cubase 4.5.2 with nothing but a single audio track in it, and was able just about to achieve a buffer size of 96 samples without audio glitching. At that setting, the software monitoring latency (reported as roughly 3.7ms in and 3.4ms out) was pretty much on a par with that delivered through the Direct Monitor DSP mixer.

Rounding out the foldback functions is a built‑in talkback mic, which can be routed to any output and, by default, seems sensitive enough to pick up all but the most cautious of sniggers from the back of the control room. If you're monitoring via the built‑in headphone jacks you appear to be stuck with the default level setting in the current firmware, though, because although you can merrily adjust a Talkback Volume parameter in the Master Control's internal menus, this appears to make no difference to the level of the talkback in the headphone feed.

The Talkback switch itself is another problem, despite sensibly muting the DAW and Direct Monitor feeds to all outputs when the talkback mic is active. By locating the switch right next to the mic on the panel and insufficiently damping mechanical vibrations within the chassis, Alesis have allowed it to transmit such a click to the cue monitoring that it renders the talkback function practically unusable as far as I'm concerned. The situation is rescued in some measure by the option to use a footswitch for talkback switching, but I don't think that really gets Alesis off the hook, because it just feels like poor design. How difficult would it have been to locate the talkback mic at a greater distance from the button?

As I mentioned a moment ago, the DSP mixer has its own dedicated digital output level control, addressed from an endless rotary encoder. While it seems fair enough to me to have a software level control here, I'm cagier about the same approach being used for the interface's main output‑level control (labelled 1‑2 Level). To be fair to Alesis, I didn't have any unexpected level jumps during the review period, but you have to ask yourself how your speaker setup would respond if, say, the Master Control's firmware ever decided to crash in such a way that it sent full‑scale digital hash out of the output sockets. What you do get in return, if you're unconcerned by such nebulous risks, is the ability to decide which of the three output pairs are under the knob's control, and in conjunction with the three Speakers/Outputs buttons this gives you simple monitor‑controller functionality: just select the pair of monitors using the buttons, while controlling the levels of any of them from the 1‑2 Level control. Enterprising studio owners might also decide to use the Master Control's six outputs for 5.1 surround monitoring too, for which the ganged volume control would likewise be very handy.

DAW Control Surface

When it comes to remotely operating your DAW parameters, the Master Control uses the Mackie Control standard with all supported applications except Pro Tools, for which it uses the HUI protocol. (Whether many Pro Tools users will choose the Master Control, given that its audio hardware won't be accessible to the software, is of course somewhat open to question anyway.) Preset control layouts are available for all the main MIDI and Audio sequencers (Cubase/Nuendo, Digital Performer, Logic, Pro Tools, Sonar), as well as Reason, Samplitude and Live, but in addition to these you can also use the Master Control as a generic MIDI controller, in which case the faders and pots just squirt out a range of MIDI Continuous Controller messages. The hardware ships with a couple of dozen natty plastic overlays that can be slotted snugly into the top panel to remind you of the parameter assignments relevant to your specific sequencer, and you also get bundled 'lite' versions of Ableton Live and Cubase supplied, in the unlikely event that you've spent the best part of a grand on control and interfacing hardware without already owning anything for it to control or interface with!

Setting up the Master Control for use with my Cubase system was pretty easy, given the well‑written manual, which walks you through the various steps of the process. Basic fader, pan, mute, solo and record‑arm controls worked as expected, with the four buttons just under the output meters sliding the hardware controls across the software mixer channels one at a time (Track) or eight at a time (Bank). Touching a fader selects the channel in question and brings its name into the LCD display, while moving a knob not only displays the affected channel's name but also the addressed parameter's value. 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.

Transport operations and audio jogging/scrubbing held no surprises, although I see little point in audio scrubbing now that audio waveforms have arrived on the scene. 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.

The final control area is taken up with the dual‑bank assignable buttons. These can directly trigger a shortlist of common location, automation and window‑management tasks, and these assignments can be edited via the LCD display and data dial. 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.

Although, on the whole, that lot constitutes a pretty well‑rounded set of control features, the rotary controls do still let the side down a bit. 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. Needless to say, unless you switch over to the generic MIDI controller mode you can forget about any control at all for plug‑ins and virtual instruments.

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. [Alesis say that this is to do with how their hardware implements the Mackie Control protocol and can be avoided if you press the Bank keys more slowly.]

Too Much Of Everything?

As I said at the outset, the Master Control does manage to cram an awful lot of features into one unit. However, as is often the case with all‑in‑one products, it manages to make many of these features feel a little half‑baked in one way or another. The interfacing, for example, boasts a lot of I/O, but has only two slightly compromised preamps and no instrument input; the control surface has nice long faders and a spacious control layout, but then you have weird cursor keys and some rotary‑control parameter‑access frustrations; the hardware‑controlled cue mixing is great, but you only get one mix for all those inputs; and the monitoring is a neat addition as long as you don't use the Talkback button. All of that said, however, I couldn't find any real show‑stopping nasties, and the unit itself seemed robust and reliable during the review period, so (niggles notwithstanding) this whole package must still demand serious consideration on grounds of bang for buck.

Alternatives

The two main competitors in this kind of price range are the M‑Audio Project Mix I/O and the Tascam FW1884. From a hardware angle, the former doesn't quite match the Master Control's raw I/O count, but compensates for this with eight mic preamps, a high‑impedance guitar input, and a word clock connector. It also can't match 26 inputs, but scores more audio outputs than the Master Control, has four times as much MIDI I/O, and can be expanded via optional FE8 side‑cars, should you wish to increase fader numbers at a later date. In terms of DAW-control functionality, the M‑Audio mounts probably the strongest challenge, in that its rotary controls allow much deeper access to channel and plug‑in parameters.

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. A further 16 inputs can be added via mLan‑compatible hardware, although there's not been fantastic third-party take-up of this standard, so you may feel this limits your options a bit. 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.

Vital Statistics

Firewire Audio & MIDI interface, simultaneously capable of 26 inputs and six outputs.
24‑bit digital recording and playback at sampling rates up to 192kHz. (Elevated rates can reduce audio and MIDI I/O count and disable talkback.)
Compatible with Mac OS 10.4 and above, Windows XP SP2 and Vista.
Balanced analogue inputs: two mic/line inputs on combi jack/XLRs with phantom power and accompanying insert points; and six line inputs on TRS jacks.
Balanced analogue outputs: six line outputs on TRS jacks.
Metering: Signal/Clip LED per analogue input channel; five‑segment LED bargraph for main stereo output.
Headphone outputs: two with independent signal feeds and volume controls.
Digital inputs: two ADAT multi‑channel optical connectors and one stereo coaxial S/PDIF connector.
Digital outputs: none.
Other I/O: footswitch input, MIDI In and Out.
Hardware DAW controls: nine 100mm touch‑sensitive motorised faders; 10 endless rotary encoders; Select, Record, Solo and Mute switches per channel, plus a further two banks of eight assignable buttons; Zoom, Scrub, and transport controls with jog/scrub wheel.
Other features: switched talkback mic; three‑way speaker/output switching; Direct Monitor low‑latency cue‑monitoring; 2x16‑character LCD with accompanying data dial.

Up to 26 inputs, eight of them analogue, as standard, with six analogue line outputs and a pair of onboard headphone amps.
The control surface features some nice full‑length touch‑sensitive faders, endless rotary encoders, transport controls and some assignable buttons.
Slick hardware‑controlled low‑latency cue‑mixing via onboard DSP.
Basic monitor control and talkback facilities.

No high‑impedance instrument input and only two ergonomically compromised mic preamps.
Rotary controls have fairly restricted preset parameter assignments.
Only one low‑latency cue mix available despite the 26 possible inputs.
Talkback button transmits a lot of switching noise to the adjacent mic.

Summary

Despite some operational frustrations, the Alesis Master Control does put a lot of important computer‑related hardware functionality in one place, and does so at a pretty competitive price.

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