Great concept and usual, great price, but this one was part of many who buyers have had issues with. The big knob makes scratchy noises and skips volume increases. There is no way to spray cleaner in the pot as it is sealed. I thought I would try the Mackie big knob, but read reviews with it having the same issues. I just went with the Soundcraft signature 10 mixer I already had in my studio. Does the same thing. I wished I could have liked this unit, but there is a design flaw and until Behringer addresses it, I would stay away from this.

This replaced my noisy Big Knob. Not knocking it, have had for a decade. However this controller does all the big knob did at half the price. I would have to say for some reason it makes everything sound better also. Very quiet, no hums or hisses. Plenty inputs-outputs and then some. Highly recommended!

I bought one of these a few years ago and wanted to address an issue I've seen in other reviews. People have complained about a "whine" that this unit makes. I've never had this particular issue with my unit so I decided to try and figure out why others might be having it. It turns out that there is a whine when this is used as an interface and there must be an issue with the USB component. I use mine strictly for the monitor outs, meaning I have my usual interface feeding audio into the unit and not using the USB or audio interface. I hope this helps some of you.

I'm a rookie when it comes to studio and recording but Geoff have helped me out all the way and this studio monitor controller is really something special. It was easy to start up with and easy to use in every way and I absolutely love it. Highest score to Geoff because he is always there for me!

Great very straight forward

PROS: great for multiple monitor control. Mono feature is great for getting your mixes right. Has a lot of bells and whistles for controlling inputs and outputs. I like the studio out feature for playback in the studio. Also the talkback function is great for communicating with someone in the sound booth.
CONS: Its big! It takes up a lot of desk space. So if you are on a smaller desk or workstation it may be a tight squeeze. Also the volume knob seems a little cheap and the white mark on it is only on the side, so at 1/3 up you cant see it anymore.
Overall: for the price it is well worth the purchase and would recommend getting it.

I got it mainly for the large volume knob, my previous setup used 1 or 2 tiny volume knobs, a bit difficult to adjust during an online meeting. So, problem solved! The large knob is easy to see and adjust when fractions of a second count. Other features - switching between inputs and outputs - have also been quite handy. The sound quality is also excellent, as expected for this type of equipment. That is to say, it is effectively transparent, all it does is amplify or attenuate.

Like other Behringer gear, this adds color to the sound and not in a good way. Tried every output and they all come out colored. It's not obvious unless you are able to compare without it in the chain. Once I heard the difference, I could not ignore it. I did not even try the USB interface. Color is not a bad thing when it comes to microphones, preamps and other processors if that is the sound you want. It is not acceptable in a monitor controller in my opinion. It also has a cheap plasticky feel. I gave it more than one star as it does have a lot of I/O options. As a result, all the I/O options makes it a rather large box which is OK if you have the desktop space.

Excellent gear! Great price!
Service and follow up excellent as always.

This is a nice hands on unit. it works well and has 3 monitor outs which I've found quite useful. I haven't used the audio interface inputs because there isn't any phantom power.
I will be switching out for the latest edition which along with phantom power, it also had XLR inputs. Suite me better.

I did not know I needed this controller, now I know I needed this controller!
Very easy to set up, it sound fantastic (I'm running my krk's, hi fi speakers and computer speakers) added bonus of 2 independent headphone inputs makes this peice of gear an absolute necessity IF you have enough real estate on your work surface, she is a little on the large side but I think go big or go home!
It's built like a tank and feels like quality and has enough buttons, knobs and lights on it to keep me entertained!
Simple, extremely effective and the price point is killer....do it, you will thank me later!

I was looking specifically for something that would tie together all my non-DAW recorders and sources into my monitors, and each other. On paper, this unit looks amazing. But with most Behringer products, you're taking a gamble with quality at this price point.

I have a Tascam 8-track, mixer (for drum machine and guitar), computer (via USB), and a turntable connected as inputs. Recording outputs are routed to the Tascam and the PC, all going into my monitor amp.

I haven't had any problems with the unit's inputs/outputs making noise, as long as you keep the input gains reasonable. It has a LOT of input/output options, but not many routing options- the recording outputs are always on, which means you can get feedback loops if you're not careful. Overall, it does the thing, and it does it fairly well. The voiceover mic is meh, but I don't use it.

My biggest gripe is that the big knob's encoder/pot is very poor quality. Trying to fine tune volume from 0 to 25%, the thing sputters and jumps all over the place until you stop moving it. Once it's set, it's fine- but trying to make fine adjustments on it causes all kinds of fluctuations. Disclaimer: I got a demo unit, so no telling how many actual hours it has on it. But it's pretty annoying, and if I were running a large studio, that wouldn't cut it. Going to try cleaning it (if it's a pot) and see if that helps.

I've been lucky enough to use all kinds of amazing equipment in my career. This control is L I T E R A L L Y the best one I've ever used.

The only issue I've encountered is it makes a hissing sound when it was less than a month old. It occurred on the initial powering of the device. Then, it went away a few mins later. After a month or so of use, the hiss was gone.

Really wanted to like this piece of equipment, given the I/O options and price point. However, as soon as I turned it on the device started emitting a high-pitched whine that was quite loud. Many thanks to the Sweetwater family for helping out so quickly with the return process, but I would not recommend this to anyone.

I had 3 of these before I gave up and got a Nero. They all had a noisy transistor you could hear hissing from the unit itself. Also when I tried the usb/interface it would make a beeping noise through my speakers. I posted a video on YouTube about it, you can hear the noise there if you search for it.

I've been using mine now for about 4 years now.
I absolutely love it! I have 2 sets of speakers and a sub controlled by the buttons. I also run computer speakers
Out of one of the headphone outs.
It's so convenient, especially if you are recording
In the same room as the person you are recording.
Mute and quick spin of the vol wheel.
Highly recommend.

Not bad for price range features are very impressive feedback issues tho running on ever output and input

Great and versatile monitor controller at a very good price. I'm using it as a monitor controller and it does a great job. I switched to this from the Mackie Big knob passive and I am very happy with that decision.

For the price and options you can't go wrong. Overall spend more and get something else.

I have an active pair monitors and an active sub, I also have a set of DIY passive monitors. This really allows me to mix and match monitors and the sub. I'm glad for the headphone controls too because I keep my open and close DT's always at hand. I don't get any noise and it works great. The input and output level controls really help to balance the sets when switching between them. My only gripe is how much desk space it takes up, but it is super convenient.

This is by far the most outstanding big knob control center I've ever used. Not only did it save me alot if time but it also save me alot of money!

I love it! This piece of equipment should be mandatory if your setting up your home studio! Some things I love about this equipment is I can connect three monitors and have control over each output with two additional outputs in the front for headphones. I use a mixer for my microphone inputs and use this equipment as my output. I also use the built in talk-back microphone to communicate with my recording artists. The control panel at your fingertips is the best, the mono feature is priceless when mixing. Also, it includes a dim and mute button, which comes in handy lets say if your in a small home studio and you don't want the microphone to pick up your studio monitors playing in the background while your artist records, just in case if you want to add compression later to your recording artist's vocals.

A great control room matrix. It is huge, but works great. The one thing I'm not crazy about is the talkback mic. It's really brittle-sounding, but then again, it's only a talkback mic.

Great equipment great for your home or professional studio

I love this thing! BUT I am on my second one and the big volume knob has gotten scratchy now on the 2nd one!! I even took apart the fist one to see if I could replace the potentiometer but it was pretty integrated. Cant seem to find any others the offer 3 inputs/outputs!

Use this in the studio to connect four keyboards to one speaker system for getting basic ideas without turning on my recording rig. The monitor console sounds great. It’s all connected to a remote control switch . Press one bottom the entire keyboard rig is ready to rock and role.

This is a killer deal! This device was everything I needed for my upgrade. It was a little bigger than I anticipated, but is built well and sounds great. Love the I/O options on this device. My only complaint is that its hard to indicate the volume level using the knob as there is no clear visual indicator on the knob. This was by far one of my favorite purchases this year.

This USB interface is the real deal. It is easy to use, very functional, flexible, and affordable. Interfacing with a DAW and connecting to monitor speakers for studio use is a breeze. The unit even has "Talk Back" feature for use in the studio area, or within the music track, e.g.; a "live" gig rehearsal setting. The sound integrated within the unit is clean with no noticeable distortion, or compromise of the overall audio sound quality. I am very happy with my purchase.

Bought this to replace a Mackie Big Knob that was in use daily for many years. The Mackie input and output buttons eventually died. This box is essentially the same, boasting of perfect stereo tracking on the main pot.

So here's the problem. In less than a year of use, the big pot is very "scratchy" - enough to toss it in the bad idea box...though I haven't done that yet.

Haven't checked to see if the pot can be easily replaced, but I doubt it. I know a P&G or equivalent pot costs far more than this unit, but somebody should make something that can take studio use for at least 5 years or more.

My review of the Studio Monitor Controller and USB Interface in One is very favorable. I"ve had mine for almost a year now and it works perfectly quiet. Absolutely the most important gear on my desk. I would recommend it to anyone. The large volume wheel is easy to use and the unit is stylish. Great price. Great quality. But it, now. You"ll not regret this purchase. as always, thank you to Sweetwater... and Alan. get it... you need it.

I have to say I am not sure how I have survived this long without a control2usb what a great piece of gear for mixing just takes things to a whole ne level not having plug and unplug speakers and headphone all the time instead just push a button and you can control the inputs as well as the output perfect for comparison mixing

There is a high frequency whine coming out of this unit. I called Behringer and told them about it and they said it was probably a bad batch. They made me pay for return shipping for repair. Now that I see the other reviews I understand that I have wasted my money. I am astounded that they call this a high end unit. Unless you are working in a very noisy environment I would steer clear of this.

The worst thing about this thing is that when you adjust the volume knob, there's some kind of distortion/digital artifact that happens. Once your level is set, it goes away. It's pretty annoying.
If you turn it up all the way, there's more self-noise than you'll want from a monitor controller. With that said, at this price, you should know exactly what you're getting into.

Basically, if you have nice monitors, avoid this product in your audio path. If you have a simple studio with cheaper monitors and you need this for signal routing, it will do the job very well.

The amount of I/O is really nice. But for critical listening, mixing, mastering, it is not something you want in your signal chain.

I recently got this and am really impressed with it. It works great and seems to be totally silent. It is much larger than I expected and seems pretty well constructed. I don't have a lot of Behringer equipment but what I do have has been really reliable (and inexpensive).

This thing is great! No doubt about it. Built great! Works great! Pull the trigger on this.

The reviews aren't hype. This is a really good piece of gear and it sounds much better than its predecessor.
The price is really nice too. I've found Behringer gear to always be great.

I makes a lot of noise to be in recording studio

just what I needed , work just as it said, easy hookup, easy to use
giving more control right at your finger tips

This thing is humungous. Seriously. It cannot be overstated how large this item is and how much space it will take up on your desk. I had only seen pictures and assumed it was similar in size to the Big Knob or Central Station but this thing is wider than a 15" Macbook Pro. That may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your setup, but I already have too many things competing for desk space.

The main knob is clearly plastic but sufficiently robust-feeling and satisfyingly "clicky" (the volume dial is stepped so you can feel when you move from one position to the next), and the rest of the buttons and knobs feel very solid. Behringer crams a lot of inputs and outputs in this thing *and* an audio interface; haven't tried the interface aspect yet but it seems like this could be an easy way to record on the fly in a pinch. Even though, you know, this thing is huge.


My main gripe is two-fold:

One, this thing is far from transparent. I knew going in that this'd likely be the case considering the active circuitry, but hey this thing was cheap and Mackie's [even cheaper] passive Big Knob won't be out until the summer. This won't affect you hardly at all for your typical band project studio/"I make beats" with Rokit monitors and their like, but if you're rocking $1000+ monitors this probably won't work well for you. Same with the headphone outs.

Two, the "high-pitched whine" that other reviewers have referred to is completely legit. It's real. The ones who can't hear it possibly can't hear that high of a frequency anymore (no joke), but it's there. It's not overly loud, but it's there and annoying. This shouldn't be a deal breaker though, unless you are in a ideally and supremely quiet & treated room, with sufficiently high-end equipment. In which case I'd suggest that you utilize Sweetwater's "3 payments" option and get something worthy of your speakers.

Received this as a gift to solve my problem of more than 3 interface connections. The USB was an added bonus as well as a talkback mic. I looked at Mackie and Presonus and neither could compare to the overall features and value. The build quality is solid and Ihave had no noise issues that has been noted in past reviews.

This controller is great for not only outputting sound from your computer to the monitors, but it is also a nice sounding audio interface for recording instruments and old phonographs.

My experience with the unit is nothing but positive. It replaced a Presonus Monitor Station that went south, and it sounds at least as good if not better. I have none of the self noise issues described elsewhere. It is Behringer, so it comes under the YMMV category, but purchasing from Sweetwater means purchasing with confidence.

Have a CONTROL1USB in my setup and love the unit! If the CONTROL2 is anything like the quality of the CONTROL1 you won't be disappointed! This has many great features, clean clear audio, multi interfacing to different sources, monitors, mute and dim options and even two independent headphone outs for extra listening portals in the control room. I even like the talk back mic built in. Very handy tool for any studio!

It seems they still haven't really fixed this problem of the noise, its a really difficult thing to set up and even when it is set up its a real pain in so many ways, i was over the moon when i realised taking this out of my set up meant i didn't need to hear that nasty hissing anymore

We purchased this several months ago and have used everyday since, in fact it rarely gets switched off. Easy setup, durable and very low noise. We currently use "A" and "B" monitor select, We also source some audio devices through this unit back into the X32 Rack mixer and to the SENDS in ProTools. Talkback function works great, it's nice not having to use a separate mic setup for talkback. Overall very impressed with the build quality and functions.

This works great and I don't even use all the features. The sound is very transparent (I do mastering for a living) and no high pitch noise as reported by another reviewer, who in my opinion has received a defective unit.

best for price very good product

On the surface this is a great answer to the monitor control problem at a great price. The VCA methodology is fantastic as the tracking is spot on no matter what the volume level. I like to monitor really really quietly sometimes and the unit tracks perfectly. The transparency, depth, and imaging qualities of the unit are also excellent. I did not test the USB as I have no need for it.
BUT.......the unit has a self noise problem. This noise is the power supply "whining" and "buzzing" a bit like an 8 or 10K sawtooth. This noise is NOT output to the speakers or headphones, it is actually just the units power supply generating ambient noise. It's audible enough that at low listening levels it is quite annoying. This is exacerbated by the fact that the unit is so close to me when I mix, certainly with arms reach if not closer. It is also the nature of this noise to bounce around the room and reflect off hard surfaces, so even though I have an acoustically treated environment in some locations you can hear the whiney buzz even when you're not close to it. Very annoying.
I had a Big Knob a while back that did not do this. The problem with that guy is the coloration. Yes, this is a real thing with the Knob. So it too was/is unusable for its intended purpose.
Serves me right for going cheap on a monitor controller but I honestly thought with all the success and quality around the X32 and recent products that Behringer would knock this out of the park. They almost did but I lost the gamble.
I would not recommend this for anyone who demands a dead quiet monitor set up for low level listening.