Like to work in the box, but want to add analog processing to your master bus? This new monitor controller makes that a piece of cake.

Review by paul vnuk jr.

Coleman Audio produces high quality speaker switchers, monitor controllers, old school analog VU meters, and other audio ephemera, all with the same build quality as one might expect in classic analog recording desks. As we learned in October 2017 when we reviewed the Coleman Audio CA500EQ, Glenn Coleman got his start building and servicing MCI consoles in Ft. Lauderdale in the 1970s.

TC4

The new Colman Audio TC4 is a DAW monitor controller and a mastering transfer console, depending on your needs. To achieve its double billing, The TC4 is equal parts monitor controller and an insert switching device. While many modern studios are strictly in the box, it’s common to add a few well-chosen analog processors to the stereo output or 2-bus. However, in many setups, integrating analog bus processing is no easy task, especially if your own setup makes use of a small channel count interface, or you lack a dedicated patch bay. The TC4 solves this issue with a design found in many mastering studios—the transfer console.

Switching It Up

The TC4 is a single space 19″ rack mount box. Like all Coleman Audio devices, it’s built with the utmost care and quality. It’s dressed in a dark gray matte finish with a pair of aluminum dials and twelve push-button controls.

As a monitor controller, the TC4 is functionally straightforward, offering the ability to select between two input sources and route them to a choice of two monitor setups. Like all of Glenn’s boxes, it’s a passive device with zero active circuitry or digital trickery.

The level is controlled with a large silver 47-position stepped attenuator that increments in .05dB steps. The monitor switching controls are on the right side of the unit and include six small round push buttons in white, grey, and red. Note that there’s a seventh button in this section, which we’ll skip for now as it relates to the insert section of the unit.

A button labeled ALT SPK (Alternate Speaker) switches from the main monitor outs to a secondary monitor speaker output. MONITOR INPUT 1/2 selects between your choice of two stereo analog input sources. The next button in red is the MONO button, which is pretty self-explanatory and standard on most monitor controllers. MUTE is handled by a pair of buttons labeled L and R. These allow you to mute each speaker individually, or the whole unit when selected together. Last is a button labeled 帚, which flips the polarity of the signal to check for phase issues. When pushed along with the MONO button, the signal becomes L minus R and allows you to remove center-mono information and listen to the side-stereo information.

Use

In use, like all Coleman Audio products, the TC4 is a utilitarian design, with no bells, whistles or bling. Each button says what it does and does what it says, and it does it silently in two ways. First, as a passive device, the TC4 does not have a sound—it’s clean and transparent.
Second, all of the function buttons on the unit are dead silent when engaged or disengaged. There are no clicks, thumps, pops, or bumps in the audio path. I tried the TC4 with a number of my favorite compressors and stereo equalizers, and in each case, it was simple, effective, and a joy to use. While insert switching and stereo processor integration are the stars of the TC4, it’s no slouch as a monitor controller. While it’s a simple 2×2 device, it boasts a feature set that many controllers lack, such as its phase tricks, and especially the ability to mute individual speakers, which allows for true mono single speaker mixing.

Wrap-up

The Coleman Audio TC4 is a solid box that allows for easy integration of stereo processors on the 2-bus, and it’s an easy to use, well thought-out monitor controller with excellent, transparent sound quality.

TC4 DAW Monitor Controller

Price: $1,950

MBP2 Dual VU Meter Module

Price: $610

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