Monitor controllers in 2021 come in a wide variety from numerous manufacturers. Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to own the Grace Design m905 Monitor Controller, which became the centrepiece of my studio. The Grace m905 had every feature you could want, including an excellent built-in DAC, multiple monitor outputs to drive a main pair of monitors, a secondary nearfield set, and even a third lo-fi option like Yamaha NS10s.
With its integrated DAC, the Grace Design m905 was the ultimate studio hub. However, as time went on, my needs changed, and I ended up selling most of my old studio gear. Nowadays, my setup is much simpler, centred around a 1RU audio interface – the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 Gen 3. It has served me well for the most part, aside from a few drawbacks mentioned in the review. One notable inconvenience is that it’s rack-mounted, making it less accessible than the Grace, which had a fantastic desktop remote.
Like many lower-end audio interfaces, the Focusrite doesn’t have relays on the monitor outputs, so turning it on or off produces a nasty sound through the speakers that could potentially cause damage. Unfortunately, many monitor controllers, even high-end ones like the Dangerous Music D-Box+ – which is an impressive piece of gear – lack output relays to protect monitors, a major oversight at that price point.
Given that my Tannoy Gold 7 monitors are always left on (they go into a low-power sleep mode), I needed output relays to prevent the Focusrite from sending that nasty spike to the Tannoys every time I powered it down. So, I began searching for a suitable monitor controller. While I was willing to consider the Dangerous Music D-Box+, its lack of output relays took it off the table.
In hindsight, that was probably for the best, as the D-Box+ had more features than I needed and was certainly more than I wanted to spend. After exploring several other options, the Drawmer MC1.1 caught my attention, and the more I read about it, the more I liked what it had to offer.
Drawmer MC1.1 In Detail
The first thing that stood out to me about the Drawmer is that it’s still made in the UK, not in China. I appreciate supporting companies that prioritise quality over cutting costs by moving production overseas. Let’s be honest—no one shifts manufacturing to China to create a better-built product; it’s always about reducing costs, not improving quality. Drawmer’s decision to keep production in the UK shows they care more about delivering a high-quality product to their customers than simply making it cheaper. That’s something I applaud and am happy to support.
A quick look inside the Drawmer MC1.1 reveals its dedication to sonic integrity, with resistors and capacitors packed throughout the circuitry. While there are some IC chips, the design is largely discrete, which is a bit of a throwback to old-school engineering. The thick steel chassis is also somewhat surprising in this day and age, but it’s worth noting that the MC1.1 isn’t a new product – it was first introduced back in 2015.
When you compare the design and build of the Drawmer MC1.1 to other products on the market today, it really stands out. Not only is it not made in China (a point some other brands could take note of – looking at you, Audient, Mackie, PreSonus), but it also features a discrete circuit design and exceptional build quality. This includes a toroidal transformer-driven power supply, which is built-in.
In terms of features, the Drawmer MC1.1 is intentionally limited, as other models in the Drawmer range cater to more complex setups. (The MC1.1 shares its circuit design with the MC2.1.) It has just one stereo balanced monitor output, along with another output via RCA connectors, making it compatible with consumer audio systems.
For inputs, the MC1.1 offers one stereo balanced XLR pair and a stereo RCA pair that can be switched between line level and phono level – yes, it even has a built-in RIAA phono stage. While I don’t personally need this feature, I can see it being useful in many DJ setups. Additionally, there’s a 3.5mm AUX input for mobile phones and MP3 players.
The front panel features two large volume knobs – one for the main monitor outputs and the other for the headphone output, which is conveniently located next to the volume control. There are also five switches: three for selecting inputs and two for selecting outputs. Interestingly, you can have one, two, or all three inputs active at the same time, and the same goes for the outputs – they can both be on simultaneously.
If I had to nitpick, it would be more convenient to have the 3.5mm AUX input on the front panel, and the power button being on the rear is a bit inconvenient, especially for those who plan to rack mount the MC1.1. (The rack mount kit does include a front panel extension for the 3.5mm input.) But aside from those small issues, the ergonomic design is excellent.
Install & Setup
For my setup, things were straightforward: I connected the main outputs from the Focusrite to the XLR inputs on the back of the Drawmer, then hooked up the Tannoy monitors to the XLR outputs of the Drawmer. That’s it—job done. Now I have easy access to control both the monitor and headphone volumes, and I’ve eliminated the annoying turn on/off thump through the monitors, which is exactly what I was aiming for.
Another major advantage for me is that by not using the Focusrite’s headphone outputs, I regain full access to all 8 ins and outs on the Focusrite. (Refer to the Focusrite review for more details on this.) As I mentioned in that review, many lower-priced audio interfaces advertise a large number of inputs and outputs, but they often have limited AD/DA converters, meaning you have to sacrifice one function to use another. With the Focusrite, using either of the two headphone sockets means losing two or four outputs.
With the Drawmer in my setup, I no longer have to deal with that inconvenience. I understand that some users with different needs might require two headphone outputs, but for most home studio setups, one is sufficient, and the Drawmer addresses this perfectly. My other option was to sell the Focusrite and invest in a more expensive audio interface, but the Drawmer resolves several issues for me, making it the better choice.
Sound Quality
The sound quality of the Drawmer MC1.1 can be summed up in one word: transparent. At this price point, that’s quite an achievement, and Drawmer deserves credit for it. Don’t mistake transparency for thinness, though—there’s plenty of clean, punchy bass in the low end as well. Essentially, the Drawmer adds no colour to the sound, which is exactly what you want from a monitor controller or preamp.
Conclusion
The Drawmer MC1.1 addressed several key issues in my studio setup. First and foremost, it protected my monitors from the harsh spikes that occurred every time I powered off my audio interface. Additionally, having the studio volume control right at my fingertips, instead of having to reach down to the rack, has been a real convenience. The switches and volume controls on the Drawmer feel smooth and solid, which adds to the overall experience.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of the Drawmer MC1.1 in my setup is that it allowed me to maximise the functionality of my existing audio interface. Instead of having to sell it and invest in a more expensive solution that offers the combined capabilities of both the audio interface and the Drawmer, the MC1.1 provided a cost-effective and efficient solution. (See Focusrite 18i20 Review)
