Softube has announced the Console 1 Compact DAW control surface, a smaller-format model developed from the company’s Console 1 Channel concept. Measuring 8.66 inches wide by 9.45 inches deep, it is designed to put EQ, dynamics, drive and other DAW parameters under physical control. Softube lists Logic, Ableton Live, Cubase, Pro Tools, Studio One, LUNA, Reaper, FL Studio, Nuendo, Bitwig Studio, Cakewalk and Samplitude as supported DAWs, with no mapping required.
The Compact panel switches between two operating layers by dedicated buttons: EQ, and dynamics/drive/filter. A high-resolution display shows key parameters and adjustments, while touch-sensitive Analog Feel potentiometers provide knob-per-function control for EQ and dynamics; touching a control brings its parameter to the smart display, and double-tapping resets it. Ten track-select buttons with color LEDs mirror track colors and work with page buttons for neighboring banks, while the right side covers volume, solo, mute, pan and send level, and the left side handles layer access, input gain, favorites and channel-strip loading.
The unit is bus-powered over USB-C and ships with Softube’s Core Mixing Suite channel strip. The bundle includes Tape/Preamp, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 48 dB/octave filters, Shape Dynamic Shaper, Panner, Dual Dynamics, Modern, Vintage, Dynamic 2-band and Dynamic 4-band EQs, plus FET Mk II, Opto and Bus Compressor. It also supports classic console emulations and user-built channel strips from preferred plug-ins, with an anodized aluminum chassis weighing 2.25 pounds, system requirements covering macOS Sonoma 14, Sequoia 15, Tahoe 26, Windows 10 64-bit, Windows 11, iLok and AU, VST, VST3 or AAX host software, and a street price of about $499.