Control surfaces are a must for many audio engineers. Controllers come in all shapes and sizes ranging from small single fader desktop-sized solutions for the budget-minded home studio through to large deluxe models for pro facilities costing more than some luxury cars. In this article, we take a look at what control surfaces are available today covering all price ranges. Read on if you are thinking about getting your first control surface, or you are considering upgrading your current controller.
This article isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list of every control surface availble. Instead, in this article we curate the reviews, tutorial videos and news articles that we already have published on Production Expert covering this very important topic.
Starting with single fader control surfaces we already have a roundup article Single Fader Control Surfaces - If You Are Short On Desk Space Then Check Out Our Pick You Can Buy Today covering these in detail…
Studio Control Surfaces For Those On Tight Budgets
Moving on from single fader control surfaces, low-cost control surfaces costing under $999 are plentiful. Some even cost as little as $400. We recommend you check out the following options if you are in the market for your first control surface as these all represent excellent value for money and should serve you well for many years of happy mixing. The following products provide hassle-free control of all the popular DAWs with effortless setup and integration into your system.
Typical Price Range: Up To $999
But What About The Free Pro Tools Control App?
If you already have an iPad then a very cost-effective control surface solution is the free Pro Tools Control app. In an article from 2016, Mike Thornton took a look at an earlier version of the Pro Tools Control app on an older iPad. The Pro Tools Control app has been updated and improved several times since then, but before the end of the year the Pro Tools Control app will become the Avid Control App.
This revised version will be at the centre of the new Avid S1 control surface but will also still be available as a standalone free app and will provide users with a touch-enabled app that can be used to control their Eucon enabled DAW on either iOS or Android devices.
The introduction of Android devices means that if you don’t already own an Apple iPad then the cost of buying a dedicated tablet to use with the free Avid Control app makes this option of a control surface even cheaper than before.
So if your budget is really tight then this app will enable you to have a control surface workflow, all be it without any tactile feedback.
Moving on up to the affordable bracket we produced another roundup article this one presenting Our Pick Of DAW Control Surfaces For Mixing In Your Home Studio From $600…
Affordable Control Surfaces
There are fewer options in this ‘affordable’ segment than in the low-cost budget end. That doesn’t mean to say that there aren’t some great controllers to consider if you can stand the extra cost. The integration of touch screens alongside traditional knobs and faders are more common in this price range. The following solutions should be on your radar if you are the type of user who demands a lot from a control surface.
Typical Price Range: Between $999 to $2,999
Another way to spread the cost of a more powerful control surface is to turn to a modular solution. We have produced this roundup article Low Cost Modular Control Surfaces You Can Buy Today And Scale Up Tomorrow to show what is possible in this sector…
High-End Studio Control Surfaces
We now come to to the top-of-the-range control surfaces costing in excess of $3,000, which are generally geared towards busy audio engineers working professionally in purpose-built facilities. For the higher ticket price, you get deeper control surface integration along with better build quality and visual feedback showing what’s going on in your session from the board. Some of the options below are also modular which enables you to customise your own setup when placing your order.
Typical Price Range: $2999+
Avid’s S6 is without a doubt a high-end control surface designed specifically for the power Eucon enabled DAW user. Check our dedicated Avid S6 resource for articles and free videos to help you learn about its features and unique controls.
No control surface is perfect. While many models are incredibly capable that doesn’t stop us dreaming up a wish list of features that could make the perfect control surface. In this article, we highlight a number of user features we feel should be more common in more control surfaces Are We Yet To See The Ultimate Hands On Studio Control Surface? What Do You Want To See?
What About A Used Control Surface? We Investigate
For some, sourcing a second-hand control surface is a worthwhile option when budgets are tight. If you are in this boat, you need to be sure the unit you are considering is in good condition, that it is being sold at a price that reflects its age and, most importantly, is fully compatible with your current DAW and operating system.
Buying used can turn out to be a very smart choice, especially if the price is reasonable as the gains to your workflow can be substantial. A control surface that once cost in excess of $5,000 five years ago could cost you as little as $1,000 today. Below are several articles we’ve published talking about legacy control surfaces you need to read if you are currently considering a used control surface for your studio.
Tutorials Showing You How To Use A Range Of Different Control Surfaces
Do you need some help using your control surface or would you like to learn how to get the most from one before you commit buying one? Our tutorial content gives you a detailed look around several popular control surfaces along with some helpful user tips to enable you to get the most out of the following devices. Here is a sample of what we have to offer…
We hope this article has been helpful, especially if you are on the lookout for a new control surface. Just a reminder as we close that this article isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list of every control surface on the market. Instead in this article, we have curated the reviews, tutorial videos and news articles that we already have published on Production Expert covering this very important topic.