Focusrite Control 2802: Analogue mixer/DAW controller

Modern small-to-medium sized studios increasingly use simple analogue inputs (such a Focusrite 8Pre) in conjunction with a small, tactile DAW controller in place of the big analogue desks of old. Now with the control 2802, Focusrite have bridged the gap between the two. The Control 2802 is a small-format analogue recording console and a DAW control surface in one.

The motorised 100mm analogue and DAW control faders can be fully automated, with Dual Layer Control Technology allowing you flip from analogue fader layer to DAW layer in an instant. With Ethernet-based control via a HUI interface, your favourite music software is always at your fingertips.

Eight Class-A microphone preamps deliver clear, transparent performance, with switchable phantom power, high-Q gain control, phase reverse, and high pass buttons on each channel. The 8 analogue channels are switchable between mic, line and DAW, plus there are 8 alternate inputs with gain and pan control. 4 stereo pairs provide a further 8 summing inputs, plus stereo FX, auxiliary returns, main, and DAW mix stereo returns. There’s a punchy master bus compressor featuring parallel compression for versatile control of dynamics for your stereo mix – or any other pair of channels.

The master section features a full range of monitoring options including numerous solo, polarity inversion and mono listening modes. A wealth of routing options offer many possibilities for your workflow with six auxiliaries complementing the stereo mix bus. The control surface also ships with Focusrite’s Midnight Plugins package – a classy EQ and compression bundle modelled on their popular ISA110 and ISA130 hardware modules.

The Control 2802 isn’t the cheapest bit of kit, but if you’re working in a commercial studio environment and need high-grade preamps and quick DAW control it ticks all the boxes – and never forget that clients love to see a mixing desk in the studio, whatever it is!