Drawmer MC2.1

Reviews | Drawmer MC2.1 Monitor Controller
90
D
rawmer don’t mess around
when it comes to build
quality and, with 30 years of
consistency, they are
becoming something of a British
institution. The company have built
pretty much everything over the years
but are probably most famous for their
compressors, EQs and noise gates. So a
move into the ‘prosumer’ market with a
monitor controller is an interesting one.
On unboxing the MC2.1, the fi rst
thing that hits you is the weight. The
entire case is clad in metal top to
bottom and this gives it a seriously solid
feel. The addition of some sturdy rubber
feet means that once you position it on
your desktop it’s not going anywhere!
This is a real plus as more complex
set-ups will require the 2.1 to have a
good number of thick XLR cables
attached to its rear panel.
The overall unit is attractive but
certainly follows Drawmer’s no-nonsense
approach. There are no fl ashy colours or
translucent plastics here; the order of
the day is black, white and some well
placed sensible graphics. Everything is
intuitive and functional, making the
MC2.1 one of those products you want
to plug in and use immediately, with
pretty much no need for a manual.
The front panel has a good selection
of metal push buttons for source and
speaker connections, plus coloured
LEDs to show you when something is
active. There is a dedicated section for
the front-mounted talkback mic which
includes a smaller level control and
toggle switch for speaking to artists.
You’ll also fi nd two headphone outputs
with an independent level control for
each. Finally, there is an incredibly
smooth, oversized level control, which is
obviously an important part of any
monitor controller!
Although the front of the MC2.1
does have a reasonably slim front panel,
it is a pretty deep unit overall.
Considering the MC2.1 contains its own
power supply and lots of electronics,
this is as expected. If space is an issue,
Drawmer do supply a rather nice rack
mount kit for the unit, allowing you to fi t
it neatly into a two-unit/19-inch space.
Making connections
Design and build quality are important
but as the MC2.1 is a monitor controller
the most critical aspects to consider
have to be connectivity and sound
quality. Let’s address the former fi rst.
The back panel houses three sets of
stereo balanced (XLR) connections for
speakers, and the fi rst is augmented by
an additional mono XLR connection
intended for a subwoofer. There is also a
talkback output in this section which
takes a direct feed from the talkback
microphone on the front panel.
The input section is just as fl exible
with a total of four inputs. There are two
female XLR, another two XLR ‘combi’
(allowing a 1/4-inch jack to be used), a
pair of phono inputs and a stereo
3.5mm jack, ideal for mobile phones,
tablets and laptops. We have been told
that all of these sources can be used
simultaneously and will be mixed if
activated at the same time.
So how does all this analogue
goodness sound? In one word – great.
Even though this is an active design,
the results are clean and transparent
and added no apparent colouration to
our signal chain. The results that we
achieved in testing equalled products in
much higher price brackets.
To sum up, if you are in the market
for a monitor controller or for a way to
mix various sources, then you should
certainly put the MC2.1 on your list –
perhaps even at the top of it.
Drawmer MC2.1 Monitor
Controller | £ 395
Drawmer are renowned for producing bulletproof audio products. Mo
Volans checks out their monitor controller to see if it measures up
WHAT IS IT?
An analogue hardware
monitor controller
CONTACT
Who: Drawmer
Tel: [phone]
Web: www.drawmer.com
HIGHLIGHTS
1 Can control up to
three sets of active
stereo speakers and a
mono subwoofer
2 Will accept and mix up
to four stereo inputs
3 Two high-quality
headphone amplifi ers
with independent
volume controls
SPECS
3 stereo balanced speaker
outputs, dedicated mono
speaker/subwoofer output
Ultra low noise and
transparent circuit design
Left/Right Cut, Phase
Reverse, Mono, Dim, Mute
Four inputs including
balanced Neutrik XLR,
balanced Neutrik XLR/JACK
COMBI, and shared aux
phono or 3.5mm jack
Two headphone amplifi ers
with individual controls
Built in talkback
microphone, mono output
jack and internal
headphone routing
Dimensions:
215 x 272 x 81mm
Weight:
2.5kg
VERDICT
BUILD
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VALUE
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EASE OF USE
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VERSATILITY
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RESULTS
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A solid monitor controller with
transparent signal path and fl exible
connectivity at a realistic price.
FMU288.rev_drawmer.indd 90 12/19/14 10:31 AM