A few years ago Softube introduced an innovative, dedicated mixing controller, Console 1 (see our hands-on Console 1 review). This hybrid hardware/software solution turned out to be a popular option for many producers and sound engineers around the world.
Building on the success of Console 1, today Softube launches Console 1 Fader, because mixing without faders… you know 😉
According to the company, ten touch-sensitive 100 mm Alps motorized faders give premium professional feel and feedback, while the weighty powder-coated steel chassis means durability and substance in a sleek Scandinavian design.
Fader includes two software-based component-modeled analog console emulations, Tube and Discrete. Way more than a clinical digital tool, Fader enriches sounds in the same ways as a true analog console, from filtering to saturation.
Tapping into the same purpose-designed software environment as the original Console 1 channel strip controller, Fader brings new levels of control over the wider world of mixing. Ride up to ten channels at once, working volume, high-and-low-cut filter values, drive and drive character (modeled desk saturation), and more. Then page up for ten more channels. And ten more, giving easy access to the whole mix, even when tracks number into the hundreds.
The single knob on Console 1 Fader offers control of pan per track, but also unlocks a powerful stereo spatialization tool, to widen or consolidate individual tracks, situating each sound perfectly in the mix.
Better still, with our innovative new Layer Mode the user can create layers of tracks, putting many levels of mixing at their fingertips. Fader can easily low cut all the guitars at once, or saturate groups early on for a top-down effect in seconds.
Console 1 Fader can be used alone, or in combination with the original Console 1 channel strip controller for a tight ‘complete desk’ experience. Multiple Fader units can even be used together to build the ideal workflow for a specific studio.
Price and Availability
Price: ​€599/$699, available now.
Compatibility
According to Softube, Fader 1 works with all major DAWs straight out of the box – no MIDI-mapping required.
More info on Console 1 Fader on the official web page.
