New Focusrite Console For Costa Mesa Studios

The Focusrite Control 2802 small-format recording console is now available globally, having been unveiled to the world in April 2011. The Control 2802 marks Focusrite’s first foray into the console market for almost 20 years, following the company’s rich mixer heritage that launched them into the world of recording in the late ’80s.

Costa Mesa Studios in Southern California, USA, were the first to purchase the Focusrite Control 2802. Studio manager and sound mixing engineer Nick Fainbarg couldn’t be happier with the acquisition. “I was considering spending a lot of money on a much larger console, so I spoke to Vintage King, and they strongly suggested that I demo the 2802. This was my first real Focusrite experience, and I’m extremely satisfied.”

Costa Mesa Recording Studios — with Nick at the helm — has played host to the likes of Green Day, Sublime, The Rounders and Whitney Houston, so Nick knows a thing or two when it comes to a mix. His new Focusrite Control 2802 acts as his two-bus analogue summing mixer and DAW controller in one “I like the small footprint; everything is within reach. It’s nice to have physical fader right there to write automation.”

Stereo imaging and the ability to cope with sonic energy are key performance factors when evaluating a stereo bus, says Nick. “The Control 2802 won me over with its high-performance stereo bus. As I add tracks into a mix, it has the headroom and power to I need in the stereo bus to create a transparent and punchy mix, and center information stays where I put it. The board has worthy mic pre’s, a SSL style bus compressor, intuitive monitoring matrix and DAW controller in the same footprint. Don’t let the footprint fool you; this mixer is very much high end and packed with rock-solid features. I give the 2802 two thumbs up.”

About the Focusrite Control 2802:

The Focusrite Control 2802 is a small-format recording console and a DAW control surface in one. It forms both the digital control nerve centre and the analogue heart of the modern professional project studio. Dual Layer Technology lets today’s studio owner jump between analogue mixing and DAW control. In a single surface, the Focusrite Control 2802 integrates state of the art summing of 28 inputs, comprehensive monitoring, stereo master bus compression, and sophisticated control over every major DAW.

Eight transparent class-A microphone preamplifiers and ultra low-noise analogue circuitry with extreme high-frequency extension throughout provide an audio path with uncompromised transparency and accuracy. Ethernet-based control places your favourite music software at your fingertips, while DAW and console automation truly takes your mixes out of the box. As the best hybrid analogue console in its class, Focusrite’s Control 2802 delivers the flexibility and elegance of a fully specified studio console in a single desktop package.

Included with the Control 2802 are Focusrite’s Midnight and Forté plug-in suites. Modelled on original Focusrite hardware designs, these plug-ins allow you to add compression and EQ, helping you take your mix to the next level. Of course the plug-ins can be controlled and assigned to channels from the comfort and convenience of the Control 2802, so there’s no need to grab the mouse!

 

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