Mackie Big Knob Passive 2x2 Studio Monitor Controller Reviews

Of all the auxiliary gear I've purchased over the years for my studio, this sturdy little workhorse is the MVP. Being able to switch between monitor sets, different sources, mute, switch to mono, and dim with such simplicity, in such a small footprint is awesome. The volume knob is also very easy to use, with just enough resistance to make fine-tuning a piece of cake. This thing is built like a tank, and the jacks are all super sturdy to withstand lots of plugging and unplugging over the years.

Built out of all metal. The metal knob turns very smooth and silky. It feels like quality. Sound is 100% transparent with no noise.

The nit is much heavier than I expected, which is good as I don't want it inadvertently moving around. The mono button is Handy for checking phase.

I recently went from an 8 input desktop audio interface to a rack mounted one with more than double the inputs. Unfortunately, I didn't think about the fact that I was also using the audio interface as the volume control for my monitors. The rack is far enough away from where I sit that it's awkward to make adjustments on the interface for casual use. This helpful device has stepped in to fill that gap, and it works great. Not only do I have a handy volume control, but the mute button makes it easy to take out the speakers for recording. I'm setting up an adjoining room for instruments, and the A/B switches will give me the option to toggle between speakers in that room if I want, without having to set up a second interface in there. I used right-angle TRS cables to connect the switch into the system, which makes the desk tidier. A very handy device to have.

Was pleasantly surprised with how well this feels to use! Everything actually feels high quality, the knob is very smooth, the buttons have substance to them, and this bad boy has some weight to it haha. My desk ain't going anywhere! Very impressed

I am using this MACKIE Big Knob for a slightly different purpose. When I first set up my Tascam Model 12 Mixer/Recorder over a year ago I dedicated Channels 9&10 to the Pre-Amp Out of my uTurn Turntable. As much as the Tascam Model 12 is the Hub to my Music Production it is also a part of our Music Rooms listening experience.
Now that my set up has grown (with seemingly no end in sight) I wanted to free up those 2 Channels, as the Turntable is not used as frequently (we have a +Audio System in our living room for most of our Vinyl listening).
I decided to get a Passive Switcher. In the old days I would have just gone down to my local electronics shop and bought the components and built one but those days of those kind of shops are long gone.
I wanted something small. In my research I found a Mackie "Big Knob" Passive Monitor Controller. It is typically used to switch between 2 set of Monitors, like a main and reference pair. But you can also connect two sets of inputs and easily switch between them, which is what I needed.
So I just bought one. The build quality is excellent, it is small enough that it fits nicely to the right/rear of my Tascam Model 12. It's out of the way but with easy access.

Being passive, the minimal amount of electronics used makes it ultra-low noise and maximum signal integrity. In fact comparing it to the direct signals into the Tascam Model 12 and coming out of the Big Knob there is zero difference, no noise, coloration or volume loss. I don't understand some of the reviews that claim it was either Noisy or The Volume was low. Non of that was the case with mine. I can only suspect "USER Error" or connecting it improperly from those reviewers.

It also has some buttons for Mono, Mute, and Dim which might come in handy.
Simple, Low cost Solution and based upon my using it I am sure it also makes for a perfect Monitor Controller if that is what you need!

For any home studio person...

Ive been hosting open recording sessions at my home studio but always had to reach around the back of my desk to turn off the two monitors and sub before anyone laid down a vocal track(then reach around back again to turn them on for playback). For such an easy little ten second task, it got SO annoying.

Plugged in the Big Knob, pressed the mute button, and boom. Best 70 bucks ever. Its all about the workflow, cant believe it took me so long to solve such a simple problem.

If all you want to do is sing without turning off your speakers, DO NOT spend over 100 bucks.

It's build like a tank using all quality components. You can switch between two balanced 1/4" inputs to two balanced 1/4" outputs. I use it in my studio to switch the output of my digital Audio Interface between two sets of powered speakers.

This was exactly what I needed, I am now able to choose from my headphone amp and my studio monitors with a press of a button. No longer having to climb behind my desk and change cables to do it.

The Mackie Big Knob was extremely easy to set up, and it's even easier to use. Switching between two sets of monitors is flawless, and the big volume knob rotates so smoothly, it's a joy to use. I'm thankful for this great product and that I made the choice to get one!

Mackie's Big Knob is a very helpful and easy-to-use solution for my need to change speaker monitor levels throughout the day.

The volume pot on my MOTU UltraLitemk3 hybrid is very small and shares duties with the headphone output volume. So it's a 2 step process and, again, the knob is small. The Big Knob has a big knob. Additionally, the mute and dim buttons have already proved useful.

Add to those features: source select (between 2), a MONO button, and a monitor select (between 2). That's a lot for 70 clams.

My only issue is that the knob itself seems a tad delicate. But I'm very gentle with my gear. I'll just have make sure the grandkids don't get their hands on it. I still give it 5 stars because it does what it claims very well.

Set-up was a snap. It took longer to remove the Big Knob and the two short cables (additional purchase) from the shipping box.

As always, I appreciate the Sweetwater candy.

I love the big knob but what I love even more is how when I'm not sure what gear I need or what will suet my needs better all I have to do is make a phone call. Sweetwater has a great businesses modal that you cant find anywhere else. They have experienced, and well educated employees that really know there stuff. I will NEVER buy new gear anywhere else. Thanks

I ordered this product to use my studio monitors with two audio interfaces each connected to a pc and macbook. The set up was simple. You will need cables for the output each audio interface as well as the input to the studio monitors. Overall, I am now happy that I am able to switch between devices at the press of a button.

This device is one of the finest purchases I have made. It's black-hole quiet, easy to use and does the exact job it was assigned. I use it in a home studio, switching between two sets of monitors, giving me at the press of a button two ways to listen to my mixes. I love the flexibility of being able to compare the audio as each pairing of speakers gives me a different "sweet spot" in frequency and allows me to deep-dive into perfecting sound. Highly recommend!

This is part of my setup as I use it to switch between 2 sets of Monitors and sources like my interface or gaming audio. The buttons and knob are responsive and sturdy. I set everything at 100 and the big knob handles the attenuation. Since it's passive, there's no coloration. I just wish there was a switch for Source B because the aux in is priority and I have to plug/unplug the 1/8 if I want to use the stereo 1/4 ins.

Well, it's really simple to use, doesn't require a power cord and does exactly what it's supposed to do. My surprise was how heavy it is. It stays put!! The workmanship is what I expect from Mackie. Every piece of Mackie product I have owned or used whether it was studio,live sound,or band use,has been built to last and deliver quality

Absolutely zero noise in the signal. Attenuation is very fine grained and smooth and whisper quiet. Housing is heavyweight steel, knob is cast metal. This thing is the Real Deal.

Keep it simple and does a great job and at a great price. I love it

I use this every single day! Works like a charm for multiple monitors

This is a passive monitor switch. It does not have to be plugged into a power source. You have the ability to switch between 2 different input sources and 2 pairs of studio monitors. Very easy to navigate, well made with metal body. This thing is not fancy, but if all you want to do is have the ability to switch between monitors.....it is a perfect, inexpensive solution which works well.

This is probably the best per-dollar value I've ever gotten from a piece of audio gear. I thought the $69 price tag was great, but now that it's on my desk, I can't believe that's all it cost. This is a heavy duty piece of gear. Made from metal. Heavy metal. It's passive, so no power supply. Mechanical A/B push switches. It's like 3 inches wide, yet it's too heavy to easily lift or move around. It's a tank, and it's heavy enough to stay exactly where you put it.

I particularly like the #2 input, which has the 1/8" jack as a secondary option. I can plug my interface into input #1, and my Kindle/Spotify to input #2, gain match the two, then do A/B comparisons between my mix and a reference mix. Switch output to 2nd pair of speakers, and do the A/B comparison again. Super useful to have that 2nd input, even if you only have one interface.

Ill admit when I was in search for a passive monitor controller this wasn't at the top of my list. But I'm glad I got it as its exceeded my expectations.
I originally had another monitor controller in mind but the size of it deterred me from buying it. This thing not only takes up a small amount of real estate but it is built like a tank. I'm sure I could run it over with one and it would survive. I bought this to replace an Apollo x4 as I upgraded to an x8 for more I/O Now the x4 is a lot more than a monitor controller but I wanted those functions on my desk again since they got moved to the rack with my x8 and I'm glad I got the Mackie Big Knob. It does what it says and the knob is super smooth as are the buttons. This one get a A+ in my book as most Mackie stuff does! Do you self a favor, for what this costs just buy it already!

Perfect feature set for my needs at a great price point. Sound quality is unchanged by the unit, which is built like a tank. Controls and operation are straight forward and easy to understand. Five star rating.

Thank you Mike (Conyers) for your making this product known to me. It's exactly what I was looking for and saved me a lot of time researching and making sure I got a reliable and quality product.

My mixer's master volume is stuck on a ridiculous high volume level and I had to reduce the gains of all my channels so I can have normal volume and I accidentally stumbled upon the big knob and it's a perfect solution

Now I can put my gains back to zero and control the master volume through the big knob.

The product is high quality, metal case and very straightforward

The mono splitter button is cool too for mixing

Haven't connected my other monitors to it but I'm sure I will

Great value for the money and I'm satisfied overall.

I'm not using this monitor controller in a professional capacity. I have a love for the sound quality that studio gear produces. I'm using the Big Knob Passive 2x2 with a pair of ADAM Audio T8V monitors. My sources are my Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 internal sound card, and an iFi Zen Blue Bluetooth DAC. This controller adds no noise to the signal chain. The construction is rock solid, and impressive for the price point. I had heard good things about the Mackie Big Knob Passive 2x2 Monitor controller, and I was not disappointed.

This is an everything you need nothing you don't monitor controller if you already have an audio device. Perfect for what I needed.

Love my Mackie Big Knob ! Exactly what I needed to turn my studio monitors off and on and switch between them. This unit is bulletproof. Built like a tank - Highly recommended !

I already own a Big Knob Studio+ 4x3 that I use in my home office/studio for personal play. I have it connected to studio monitors and then move to a set of Cerwin Vega D9s. It allows me to get a good ear on different types of speakers with my music. So, when I needed something for the live stream studio at the church this was my first choice. I use studio monitors in the live stream studio but wanted to switch back and forth between my X32 headphone output for fine tuning of channels. I wouldn't have anything else. Works like a champ. I'm a novice by every sense of the word but I like feeling like I have control of my sound. Sweetwater is my go-to for music. My representative, Chris, is very knowledgeable, and is always quick to get answers for me, etc. First class organization with first rate products and customer service!

This unit is the perfect solution for say, home studio use. Quick and easy selection between (A) your larger monitors and (B)your near field reference monitors. It's passive, so it doesn't take up a plug space on your power supply. It's just a good router that is built very solid, with some good basic features- dim, mute & mono, at a great price. I'm really happy with it.

This does exactly what is needed! Nothing more, nothing less. Can't beat it for the price.

..and now thanks to Sweetwater, I finally do. I can't imagine how I've gone this long without a Big Knob, especially one that is so solidly built and functual. Pretty much essential for any studio, I can't imagine life now without my Big Knob.

I can't add much to what's already been said. The Big Knob Passive works as promised. Solid. Reliable. Inexpensive. No need for "Y" splitter cables.

Mine is used to sum the left and right monitor out puts of my two Tascam DP24-SD units into my single Avantone Active Mixcube. Perfect.

Switching between sources is as simple as the push of a button. As I gain a pair of main monitors, the Mackie will be even more valuable to me.

I don't know what extra doo-dads or gubbins the really expensive monitor control boxes have, but if you need something to cleanly go back and forth between two sources and/or two sets of active monitors -- plus check your Mono mix, quickly Dim the volume 20 dB, or Mute it altogether -- the Mackie Big Knob is what you want. It's clean as a whistle, built like a tank, inexpensive, and it puts that big knob right on your desk. Perfect.

Simple no frills product that just works. Solid build, just like all Mackie products.

Adjusting gain on my studio monitors used to be kinda of a pain....no longer. BIG KNOB PASSIVE is real handy with its two source ins/outs. With a semi-quite push of a button, you can control two sources and up to two sets of monitors. The other buttons are equally handy, dim, mute, mono buttons. You can also use the 3.5 jack on back to hook up a phone, mp3 player, etc. If you use the 3.5 it will take priority over the B source and mute the 1/4" jacks. Footprint of the Big Knob is pretty small on desk. Thanks to Mackie and Sweetwater(Mike Brandt) for making work flow a little easier.

Perfect for my monitor speakers and easy to use.

This device is built like a tank. It does just what I wanted it to do! I use two sources a DAW and a Tascam DP24SD. I then have two output options my studio monitors and my headphone amplifier. This works out great!! Thanks to my engineer Patrick Dennis for the recommendation!!

I got this to control my new Adam T7's coming out of a MOTU interface running DP10+
along with my great old Alesis Monitor one MKII's going to a Sherwood receiver. It took me a bit to find the sweet spots on volume settings. I ended up turning the Adam's to 8 on a scale of 10 and the Sherwood to ear level match. It works flawlessly and with great features in the switches, dim, mute and mono which is very cool to check.... I couldn't be happier with this unit from Mackie. It is built like a TANK solid metal and sturdy no slip sweet buttery glide to the knob. I wish they had one of these passive models for 3-4 sets of speakers. This is a really nice piece of gear

The Mackie Big Knob passive is just what I needed in my hobby studio. Priced right, helps a lot, just make sure you calibrate your speakers to the room and you are set.

If you are looking for an A/B switch for your 2 pair of studio speakers, this is perfect. It does what it says, and then some. Great quality machine. The mute button is very useful too. Perfect size to place next to your interface. Can't beat the price.

This is a nice addition to my studio makes thing much easier to be able to switch this fast

Does exactly what it's supposed to do, no more no less.

Excellent piece of gear that went to work for me right away. Super affordable and it does NOT attenuate output as several negative reviews suggest. My guess is they had the DIM button depressed. User error. It rules.

Solved all my problems. I have a PCIe card from RME and was having to control the volume with my mouse when recording and other applications with the computer. DONE, built like a tank, Mackie is not kidding about that. I heard other reviews about it coloring your sound, sounds great to me and no power needed, forget about it!

Nothing fancy, but exactly what I needed. Easy to use, easy to understand, solidly built.

This thing is awesome! Simple to use and functions great. Good deal for the money.

This little box is great for switching from studio to my Mac. Also for reference purposes.

I bought this for a small studio in a very small room, it works perfectly exactly as described . The sound quality is excellent. I"m tempted now to buy the next size up which has more to offer in terms of flexibility. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a very simple system to switch between audio Speakers, with options to mute etc as accurately described in the Sweetwater listing .

Great product, easy to set up and use. Passive is a huge plus.

I'm running this in my video editing studio with some JBL 305P MkII and it is built like a tank. The thing works perfect for my application.

Great for any home studio. Large size works well for precise incremental adjustments. Units weight will not allow it to creep or slide out of position.The best part is it's passive aspect. Silence. No noise or hum.
I can also switch between my KRK Rokit 8's w/ 10" sub, to JBL MkII 5" , no sub.
I would and did recommend to a friend.

As someone who likes to go through any and all music they create and/or own to repair phase issues, the mono button is a time-saving marvel. I can't tell you how many hours I've spent having to render mono bounces to check for these ever-present errors, now that annoying step is a thing of the past.
Plus, now I have a setup that connects all my devices to my new monitors thanks to the Big Knob's multi-in capacity; Never have to live without bass again!

Of all the purchases on all the sites I've ever made, the Big Knob is the best.

We picked this up for some charity work. This replaces an older controller. It woks great! More importantly to us is what Sweetwater called to let us know they had the order and offered to help with anything! Excellent customer service!

Love the design and easiness of use. Sound quality and durable

I was looking for a monitor controller to reference my monitors. I record with an Apollo 8P. Initially I was set on the Dangerous D-Box and ordered it. A monitor controller as well as a 8 channel summing Amp. The videos with Fab DuPont looked like this would be a great addition and fit with my Apollo 8P, but turns out unlike the previous silverface the new Black face Apollo 8P only has 6 outs and no SPDF, which means you need to buy a converter for the Apollo adat to spdf another $100 cost . Sure the D-Box is great quality, but you really have to ask yourself, do I just "want it" or is it really something I need? So, returned the D-box and bought the Mackie $69 and for my humble studio it does exactly what it is to do, clean signal path A/B monitors, dim, mute, mono sum. I do think that down the road a summing amp will become part of my gear, but for now I"m good and have $1500 from the returned D Box for more gear , maybe another condenser Mic or the Royer -121

Its great to be able to switch from speakers to in ears when recording. Just one button does it. And the Big knob is perfect for over all volume.

I don't think some engineers think about the fact that they are limited to the rendering capability of the digital monitor controller they have chosen - I don't want a monitor controller with its own ideas about D/A conversion, I want to hear the high-end output of the converters I bought, and want to monitor different converter results on a mix, as well as pairs of very different monitors. I used to use a passive Coleman line level switch for this purpose, but this is much more convenient, and just as transparent, with simple, great features.

I've used other quite a bit more expensive monitor controllers and this one is the one. It is crystal clear, the knob has such a wonderful fluid, solid feel. In my mind there's no reason to look any further. A++ Mackie, well done!

Perfect device for switching between monitors. I love it!

I wanted a monitor controller that was simple to use without all the bells and whistles. This fit the bill perfectly. Just plugin your inputs and monitors and away you go. Everything is laid out perfectly and the big knob really helps dial in the right volume that I need. Sweetwater's customer service is the best and they always ship out the same day that I place my order. Thanks Tommy Winter at Sweetwater!

This unit appears to be built well. Buttons and knob feel great. I have been using it in my studio for a while now and I love it. Having the ability to switch between input sources is great for referencing other productions while working on yours. I also really like the Dim and Mute buttons. Bottom line: It does what it's supposed to do and does it well.

I upgraded my interface to a Fireface 802. it has no output control for volume other than the software. This Big Knob passive not only allows me to A/B between other references, it has volume, mono and dim. It's VERY well built. All metal. Knob turns very smoothly. Buttons "engage" with a springy, mechanical-like touch. This is not some cheap plastic thing with low-budget parts. They could probably charge $150 for this thing and people would buy it. Passive so no need for a power source. Hook inbetween your interface and monitors and GO. Stupid simple and probably one of the handiest piece of kit in my studio next to my PreSonus Faderport. Sits right next to my mouse. If you have a rackmount interface with no volume control, this is your controller!

I read reviews that the early versions color the sound. I dont notice that here. I also read reviews that there is a drop in "volume" one connected. I didnt notice that, however, I did calibrate the volume loudness to the knob in my RME TotalMix Software. So maybe its possible if your volume drops, you need to recalibrate in your DAW or interface software or re-calibrate volume on your monitors.

This simple box did everything I needed. The simple passive design seems to impart little to no signal modification, and I love the mono button, very much so.

I had no complaints about headroom - a properly gain staged system should be able to use this knob effectively. Simply feed the Big Nob a line level input (generally maxed output on the source). This is not a bad thing - you want to be able to send the Big Knob all the gain it could need.

Didn't hear any cross-talk between A/B sources or the A/B monitors.

The mute button really mutes all the audio and the dim level is a decent level drop (nothing too crazy).

If you're tired of reaching for that tiny crappy knob on your interface this box really ups your game, it feels good and solid - not cheap and plastic feeling.

GET THIS BOX!

I set up two set of monitors in my recording/mix space, and have inputs from a mixer (mic's on drums) and from a keyboard, and vocal mic. I can also plug into an audio interface directly, or playback from DAW. The Mackie 2X2 is up to the task for inputs and outputs to meet my needs. The more I explore with the gear, the more pleased I am with just how efficient this controller makes managing everything a breeze. My complements to Bowen for taking the time to understand what I needed, and for not trying to oversell. Some day I may need more, but for today I have all I can use.

It took 2 minutes to plug in , yes it may eat a little gain but I'm feeding it from my Soundcraft Delta monitor outs and just turned the console volume pot up a little to compensate. No coloration or other weirdness and I was pleasantly surprised at how solid it feels.

I recently moved from an Apogee Duet 2 to a MOTU Ultralite4. The first thing I realized once I was in a session and needed to dim or mute my monitors was that the teeny tiny little itty bitty (shared with headphones, 1st, mind you) output was going to be a bit of a bummer compared to the Duets Big Knob. And the "web app" controller seems to take a long time to update. I like to work in the dark. And a small black knob on a black device isn't helping. This Mackie feels way better than the Duet knob, and has a second input (that I haven't used). Now I have my speaker controller exactly where I want it, and love my added input and outs with the MOTU. Ahhhh.

Don't be fooled by the low price, there were no corners cut on this one.

Build quality is excellent. The device has a very good amount of weight to it so it sits on your desk and doesn't move. The knob makes no noise when turning volume up/down unlike it's predecessors.

After reading a review regarding dB loss, I've tested the device, and there is no loss of dB, so if you receive one that gives you dB loss, just exchange it for another one.

It's truly passive, does not contain a frequency signature, does not color your sound.

Works excellent in conjunction with my Audient iD14, A/B'ing between a pair of Genelec 8030s and Avantone mix cubes.

First, I was surprised to see that the average review for this item was low here at Sweetwater.com. Reading that review, the user claimed that the Big Knob Passive lowered the volume of his system too much; Claiming that with it installed they could not get a loud volume out of it. My immediate thought and/or response to that was to increase the volume on you speaker monitors. Im not sure of this particular users configuration, but their should be plenty of head room in your active monitors or monitor amp to increase the output if necessary.

I just installed my Big Knob today and was prepared to increase the gain on the back of my active monitors if necessary. I have a MOTU 828mk3 audio interface and I've set the master output to 0db. I then have active JBL monitors. When installing the Big Knob, first I set the volume of my monitors all the way down to muted. Then I set the Big Knob all the way up to full volume. Then I played some well mastered content and increased the volume on my active JBL monitors to slightly louder than the loudest volume I could ever desire to use. For me, this was setting the monitor volumes to just a touch above 12 o'clock (6 on the JBL monitor dial). Now I have a full range from zero to just louder than I will ever need to be, with plenty of headroom still on the speakers themselves.

As for the Big Knob Passive itself: The build quality is the same great quality I expected. The "Big Knob" is very smooth. There is no sharp cut to mute at the very bottom of the knob, but rather a completely smooth fade from zero volume into audible volume. I love that the unit is passive and requires no power. The buttons all feel solid and have a nice click when you toggle them. Overall there is nothing I could imagine that could ever fail with this unit. It also came with a MINI TRS to MINI TRS cable for connecting a phone to source input 2. The cable is kind of short, but I wasn't expecting a cable to be included at all, so this was a nice surprise.

The MONO, MUTE, and DIM buttons are all a nice addition. Overall this thing has a ton of value for the price. I am very happy with it and I know it will be a nice workflow enhancement for me.

Works great and as advertised. The knob action is beautiful. Recommended upgrade would be the option to output to both speaker sets simultaneously.

Does exactly what its supposed to do. Doesn't color the sound, doesn't muffle the sound.

Does exactly what you expect it to. Feels high quality, heavy, no problems at all. Won't be replacing it any time soon.

It does things. I like the things it does. It's a no frills piece. Great, for the money.

This thing is great. I have a presonus quantum 2. The main volume knob only dims to -80db. If you have a loud track playing you can still hear it a little with it all the way down. No mute button (what were they thinking?). So the Big Knob was a life saver. Built like a tank and no coloring of the sound. Handy mute and dim buttons are right next to my mouse all the time and the mono button is a nice perk! Can't find anything negative to say about it.

This unit functions exactly as described and does it well! Simple, sturdy, efficient design allows me to select turntable, iPod/iPhone or ProTools DAW through main or secondary monitors.The "mute", "mono" and "dim" functions are all extremely useable and the big volume pot is smooth and solid.

This device works exactly as you would expect it to. Plug in two sets of monitors and you can easily switch between them with just a button push. There is a review here that mentions DB Loss. Don't believe that one. I suspect they had the same issue that I had when I first plugged them in. I too noticed a loss of volume, but then I noticed the "Dim" button was on. Pushed it and there was all my volume again. You can't get a better monitor switch controller for this price. If you don't need any of the bells and whistles, just the ability to switch up your monitors, this is the unit for you. Excellent!

Great build quality with a small footprint. Because it is passive you need to imagine your interfaces volume is the Big Knob's max volume. You will need to turn your interface up a little louder if you want to give yourself perceived headroom. Would purchase again.

This thing is very well built, quiet, and does exactly what it's supposed to for very little money. They could have charged more and I still would have been totally happy. Switches between studio monitors and mains in the room with no noise, and selects between my Apogee interface and my Mac Pro line out

This is a really well built unit, easy to set up, doesn't colour the sound at all, solid. The only improvement I would like is something to make it more obvious whether the buttons are up or down. In a comfortably lit room, with no indicators and such short throw, it is quite difficult to see. Maybe if the sides of the buttons were something other than black? Or even a white circle on the faceplate around the buttons would help? Other than that, it's perfect!

Works as advertised. Perfect solution for simple monitor/source switching

Matt hit the nail on the head in every regard. Yes, this unit steals some headroom to a degree (its passive) but when properly staged, you can still pump your monitors to explosion. Its a neat little thing that is honestly, just a pleasure to use. If you are a gear geek, its a cool addition to a home studio. Especially if you have 2 pairs of monitors.

It basically did what I was hoping it would do! Great for controlling volume and for changing to another pair of monitors. I would have gave it 5 stars if it had at least one Headphone jack which would have made it just perfect, but still it's pretty awesome as it is! I use the mono button all the time when mixing. The Mackie Big Knob passive has become a very important tool in my studio.

This device is solid and well-made, and the functions all work as expected.

The following comments are things you need to know:

1. The "Big Knob" is just what it says. However, this big (plastic) knob drives a low-cost, conventional, line-level stereo potentiometer that feels like any other low-cost control. It has no "mass" in other words. This does not impact performance in any way, except maybe it's easy to bump out of position if you are not careful.

2. When connecting two sets of monitors, it is likely that you will want to equalize the volume of between them by adjusting input sensitivity of each connected monitor so that when you use the A/B function you can compare apples to apples. The problem I ran into between my "vintage" Genelec 1032A monitors and my new Avantone CLA-10A monitors was having to set the former to absolute minimum gain while to setting the latter to absolute maximum gain, a massive 16dB difference. These extreme settings brought both monitor sets to roughly the same volume level, but not exact. There was no adjustment left anywhere for me to dial it in perfectly.

3. With all A/B monitor controllers like this one, there is a potential trap waiting for you, which is room EQ correction. If you use any kind of automatic room EQ correction scheme, it will be specific to only to the one set of monitors you used to do your RTA calibration. If you apply the same room correction to the other set of monitors, you will end up with skewed A/B comparison results. So, you either have to use two independent room correction schemes, one for each monitor set (both of them AFTER the big-knob), or do what I did, which was to apply correction to only the main full-range monitors (the Genelecs in my case) while going without any room correction at all on the lesser set (in my case the Avanton CLA-10A's). Since I intend to use the Avantones for only close work, that seemed a reasonable compromise to me.

I recently added a turntable to my desktop audio setup and I had to retire my beloved Goldpoint SA-X passive preamp. It only had one input IN/two OUTS. I now needed a two input/two output passive controller to select between my MacPro audio feed or the turntable feed and to select outputs to either my Adam Audio A7X reference monitors or a Goldpoint Headphone Pro preamp. For the price this was a simple and effective solution. That being said I used a larger Mackie Big Knob 14 years ago at a video production studio and it was built like a tank! Unfortunately the Big Knob Passive 2-In/2-Out Controller does not have the stellar build quality of its larger predecessor. Build quality is good, but not quite as solid as I was expecting. I certainly would be willing to pay more for this exact unit if offered in a superior build quality. That being said it is a reasonable price for what it is. We'll see how well it endures. Otherwise the size is a perfect footprint that takes up a minimal amount of real estate on my desktop.

It's exactly as described. One nice big phat knob for controlling monitor volume. The dual source inputs and dual monitor outputs are super handy as is the Mono button. As others have stated, unless you start out with the volume all the way up, there's a definite perceived loss of level. I compensated by upping the master level on my interface and monitors a bit with the Big Knob at 50% and all is right in the world. Now I've got some headroom on the Knob and my levels are right where I like 'em.

Unit is silent and very smooth and clear when bringing volume up. Something about it seems to maintain sound clarity when at higher volumes. Wish it would handle 3 separate monitor systems at this price point. Very satisfied.

I think it's a simple thing to use. built like a tank. Lacks literature on how to understand the ins and outs of it though.

A welcome addition to my setup that seems to be a well-made piece of gear at a really good price. I'd pay a bit more for a couple things: LED indicators on the big knob and most buttons, and a headphone output with its own volume control - though I'm not paying the 4x more for a Drawmer. But I also like not having to run power to this which those would need.

I bought the passive knob last summer so I could connect and switch between 2 sets of monitors and have the level control right next to my keyboard (versus at the audio interface). As everyone has said, it is built like a tank, very solid, very smooth and the buttons are nice and clicky. It's small enough to sit right next to my keyboard for easy control of volume. The mono sum button is also very handy for me.

My only complaint is that, at about the 7-9 o'clock positions, there is static when I turn the knob. I never did bring this up to Mackie or Sweetwater, I haven't read the reviews here and don't know if it's just my unit or a known issue. It only happens while you're turning in this area, when you let go it goes away. It's still not ideal and so I took a star away for that.

Just received this unit and installed it a few days ago. It's exactly what I needed to control 2 sets of monitors. "Built like a tank" is indeed true, so I hope this stands the test of time. These just came out, so I guess time will tell. It's all metal, very heavy for it's small size. There are no specs on dimensions, but it's really small. Maybe 8"x8"which is perfect for my space.

Somebody mentioned in a previous review that they lost some volume, but I honestly have not even cranked it past halfway yet and I could probably blow my speakers apart pretty easily. My mixer controller is turned all the way up. One set of monitors (HS8) are only turned halfway, the other (BX8a) sets are turned to about 2/3 or so. I have PLENTY of volume.

The dial is smooth, although a few times I thought I heard it crackle while turning up/down, so I took a star off for that. It was only momentary, but still annoying. While I wish it had a headphone jack and pot, it's not what it was designed for and would then require power/etc, so I'm very happy with this gear. I've looked at the Presonus station, and the Behringer units....all made of plastic, and all powered, which will alter the output to the monitors. This does not, and it's cheap!

For a small simple studio set up like mine this is a great add on. 2 source selection / 2 monitor selection.
Mono , Dim , Mute selectors , its a nice solid Passive controller. The thing I like about it more is that the
volume delivers a nice gradual ascent , not a blast delivery. I got my KA6 kranked up half way and let the
Big Knob do the work. I have plenty of volume to spare , How Awesome is that ! And the silence is golden too , so clean. The addition of a couple of Auratones would complete my monitor set up.
As for service , it wasn't in stock when I order it and they told me I would be waiting like a couple of weeks.
But lo n' behold , not even a week and it's here. Thanks Sweet Water.

Works great for controlling 2 sets of monitors in my home studio. Sturdy. Only suggestion would be to add a switch for individual left & right listening otherwise very pleased.

I got this unit strictly to handle switching for mix checks on my Auratones and cheap computer speakers. I love its compact design and simple interface, and it's working as it should. I moved from an ancient, full-sized Big Knob that was falling apart, and I do miss the input trims for matching speaker levels as well as the meters. But the tradeoff in size and price is well worth it.

I just recently purchased it and it is a good bargain for your buck if you are looking for a decent monitor management at a steal. The only thing that i didn't like was that you could not select both monitor sources at one time like you could in the big knob, it only lets you select one at a time which really sucks, besides that it is good.

It is way better than not having a monitor controller at all. However, if you are spending a lot of money on high end equipment, then it doesn't make sense to run it through the big knob. Over time, I ran into a number of issues, including a scratchy big knob. For all my thoughts, check out the attacked video review!

Th4e Big Knob does what they say it does, and one thing that they don't say. It does enable you to switch between two input sources and send the signal to either of two output sources. The knob itself has a smooth even taper from no sound to all the way up. What they don't tell you is that there is a considerable drop in volume, even with the knob at highest setting. Mackie kind of implies unity gain but I estimate at least a 25-33% drop.(I did not measure this; it's an observation made by how much I had to turn up my powered monitors to get the volume I had before.) For my purposes, I can live with this, as I am in a small room and the monitors are about 2 1/2 feet away, but in a larger room it would be a deal breaker. If you want a switcher that does not reduce your volume, look elsewhere. If you have much more than enough volume now, the Big Knob could be OK for you.

I would have left a glowing 5-star review for this product, but after less than a year of ownership it has developed issues. Whenever I adjust the volume, I get static in my left monitor. The sound is crystal clear, except when adjusting the volume. This is my first experience with Mackie. I realize this is one of the cheapest passive monitor controllers. I had just hoped for better longevity.

For the price, I guess I shouldn't be suprised. After removing every other variable, I determined that the Mackie Big Knob was the cause of the crazy amount of buzz in my speakers.

First, the good:
-Solidly built
-Switches and knob work well
-Great features set
-The price


The bad:
Significant and unmistakable signal loss with the volume knob all the way up.

The ugly:
Significant softening of the source material, especially in the highs rendered it problematic for mixing

Had this in my studio for a couple months now. Does everything I need it to, but there one HUGE issue with my particular unit.

As the volume knob gets close to 12 o'clock, a loud hissing appears in my signal, but gets quieter as I turn the knob to max, meaning the unit is generating extra noise in my signal. Basically unusable at anything from 10 - 2 o'clock.

Probably just a defect with my particular unit, but hey, this is a review of my particular unit afterall.

Mixing during Covid: Needing crystal clear sound to evaluate mixes between headphones and two sets of monitors I was looking for an efficient and nimble A/B switch between monitors. The level loss with the passive Big Knob was immediately evident. Worse, my ears told me there was some frequency filtering. (My ears are all the measure I have at my disposal, but they work fine). Mackie tech support acknowledged level loss, commenting that copper in the passive circuitry and the fact that it IS passive made this inevitable.
I only lost a little time. Don't lose any of your own.

I love it.....the build, the functions, the way it looks and the way it works HALF the time... but....it does attenuate and there is a noticeable drop in signal level on channel "B". Others have made the same statement and it is true. Maybe not in all of them, I don't know, but at least in the unit that I received.

When I run my JBL 306p mkII's through the Big Knob monitor channel "A" at 20% computer level, I get perfect sound levels. When I run my Bose computer speakers directly from computer to speakers at 20% computer level, I get perfect sound levels. But when I run my Bose through the Big Knob monitor channel "B", I need to raise my computer's sound output level to nearly 100% to get the same sound level I get at 20% when not connected to the Big Knob.

I've tried everything to see if it was something other than the Big Knob causing this reduction in volume and it is definitely attenuation on channel "B" on the Big Knob that causes it. I have a cheap $10.00 A/B switcher that works perfectly well and maintains the same volume levels when switching from A to B. Why Mackie can't do this with their passive design is beyond me.

Sound pulls to one side when you turn it below 9 'clock, which means that on loud sources such as mastered music, you have to use the "Dim" switch so that the knob can stay turned up and no alteration of stereo image happens. This is part of the usable range of medium soft playing sound, and the sound fades out of one speaker before it does the other. And A LOT too.

Play music out of your monitors at 68 dB, C Weighted, Slow response, and you will have my softest volume without it pulling to one side. Loud enough you can't talk on the phone with that in the background...Plenty of range at the bottom below 68dB at mix position that is just unusable.

Second, there are scratch sounds coming out of first the right speaker, and now both speakers. A client commented and asked what that sound was. If they can hear it, then it must be bad.

It basically a good tool for the price, but not amazing...and I have a hard time recommending it. It's just a stop gap until you can get something better.

There is much to like about this knob. It's convenient to have a volume knob and these other functions right close to your hand as you're mixing, or monitoring, listening to You Tube or Soundcloud in your studio, or any of a dozen situations. This knob is well-designed with nice ergonomics and functionality and aesthetics, but it has one drawback, and it's a doozie: this knob sucks the life out of your volume. I tested it with my dB meter, and it sucked something like 7 or 8 dB out...virtually all of my headroom, gone.

Not acceptable.

This forced me to crank my Apollo Quad up to 100% so I could then dial back the Big Knob to create some kind of illusion of headroom. On certain sources, I had to crank the Big Knob to max as well, and even then sometimes the volume was not sufficient.

I was sad when I returned it to Sweetwater. I tried it for a few weeks, tried to talk myself into it being okay working with a system with zero headroom...but I couldn't do it. I sent it back.

Back to the drawing board.

Want to make your monitors sound the worst they possibly can? This is the box for you! Thin, one dimensional, distorted, about half the total volume than before I installed it in my signal path. Mackie should be ashamed that they would even consider trying to sell this to recording engineers. I can't believe some of the positive reviews. Google before buying.

It seemed to be a little too good to be true for the money, and of course, it was. You are never hearing just one set of monitors or the other. Whichever monitor you have selected, you are hearing that plus a little bit of bleed from the other set of monitors. I'd rather get up and switch the cable hookups ... and know that what I am hearing is clean. Luckily, Sweetwater was super cool with the no hassle return policy.

I wanted something simple to control the 2 sets of monitors in my home studio, and this unit fit the bill. I ordered it and received it super fast considering the current Covid-19 times. I read all of the reviews, and especially noticed the reviews mentioning signal loss, but I figured it couldn't be that bad, could it? Yes, it could. Even with my Mogami Gold cables I lost a lot of volume, enough that I had to turn my Kali monitors all the way up to get the level of volume I previously had without the control. It was a huge disappointment to say the least. So, If you don't mind quite a bit of signal loss, this unit is perfect. And maybe some don't experience the signal loss, but I surely did.
I can't recommend this unit at all.
I will be returning this unit and have already ordered a more expensive controller, the one I probably should have ordered in the first place. Lesson learned.