Tape Op Review: Imperium NG Monitor Controller

As a writer, I try to be as transparent as I can when reviewing a piece of gear. I also feel compelled to include a bit of a backstory that shares what initially lead me to doing the review.

Many know that I moved my studio, SoundShop370, from Manhattan to South Nashville a couple of years ago. When establishing the "must-haves" for this new space, I was left with one piece of gear that I truly needed to address – my monitor controller. While the unit I had was adequate for nearly ten years, I felt I had no option but to upgrade to a piece of kit that was high-end, high-class, robust, offered several nonnegotiable features, and sounded truly transparent. Obviously, there are some very popular and full-featured controllers out there, and if you poke around online you'll most likely find at least one of them in most recording facilities. But for the individual who wanted to avoid spending upwards of $4000, I struggled to find any option better than "prosumer." That is, until I stumbled upon 2400 Audio and their Imperium NG digitally-controlled passive stereo monitor console.

Danish audio manufacturer 2400 Audio produces nothing but two distinct, handmade, monitor controllers; one 1U and one 2U model (the 2U allows for some additional ins and outs). The feel of the enclosure is solid. The enclosure extends about 8-inches behind the rack ears. Both Imperium NG units have an incredibly vast number of options that can be added to customize the unit and expand the feature set. I received the "mastering option," which comes with an internal WiFi card, USB card, and additional buttons on the front that allow muting the left and right speakers independently, swapping the L/R sides, and also monitoring the difference between L/R.

Read the full review in Tape Op