Alesis MasterLink ML-9600

The Alesis MasterLink ML-9600 is a two track hard disk recorder designed for a variety of purposes. The studio I work at has one of these in one of our smaller rooms for printing final mixes to CD for the most part. The MasterLink ML-9600 will take up two spaces in a traditional rack casing and consists of connections for both analog and digital inputs and outputs, and has both XLR and RCA jacks for each. The front panel has a good amount going on, as there's a ton you can do with the ML-9600 that I haven't delved into yet, including on board signal processing. You can burn CD's with this at either standard 44.1 kHz/16 bit, or at higher resolutions up to 96 kHz, 24 bit. It's a great mastering tool as you can even do fade in and outs as well as other trimming and cutting for mastering purposes. The signal processing it has on board includes compression, limiting, equalization and normalization. You can also save playlists and store up to 30 hours of stereo tracks right on the internal drive. Basically the Alesis MasterLink ML-9600 is just about the most up to date CD recorder you'll find, combing older methods with the newest technology available. While most home studio owners probably won't have a need for the ML-9600, in professional studios like the one I work it, it can be very useful for getting mixes ready for mastering and beyond. They're no longer making the ML-9600, so I'm not sure exactly what kind of price these command on the used market or how it compares to a newer model if there is one. However, the Alesis MasterLink ML-9600 is a very powerful CD recorder and is one you should know about if you're in the market for something like this.

- What is the connection (analog, digital, MIDI)?
Analog (ball and unbal) / digital (S / PDIF or AES / EBU)
Surprising there is no connection ADAT
- What is the accuracy of the sample (bits / kHz)?
Bits/44.1 16 kHz to 24 bit/96 kHz
- What is the storage media (ZIP, MiniDisc, hard disk ...)?
HDD / CD-R
- What types of sync are supported?
No MIDI sync
Sync via word clock digital I / O (S / PDIF or AES / EBU)

- The general configuration is it simple?
The config is pretty simple, but always provided you have the user manual at hand => to access certain functions must be used several combinations of keys not necessarily intituives.
- Common functions are they easily accessible?
Yes there is no particular problem
- The manual is clear and sufficient? ...
the manual is sufficient and clear but a French version would have been nice. Those who have no knowledge of English will not hurt galley

- The A / D converters and D / A are transparent?
This is one of the highlights of this stuff. For a reader / writer that does not pretend to compete as the best CD audiophile converters (AKM brand) are really successful including digital conversion to 24 bit 96 Khz "red book" for burning.
Okay, read, if I compare it to my CD player (the new model of Marantz sacd still worth almost 3 times the lagged ml 9600) is missing a little "body" in the medium
but overall it compares favorably with the canons of sound quality today.
- Effects and filters are effective?
The DSP is very effective in terms of Eq. For the other effects (limiter, compressor) I do not know. I generally avoid using this kind of stuff and prefer to work in the fader.
Note still a nice feature, the "normalizer". Once the sound made DSP scan taken and indicates the highest level of gain to be applied (it can avoid a lot of digital clips bp).
- The dynamics are respected?
No bp either side of this

- How long have you use it?
3 months
- What is so special that you like most?
1 - work hard. We can rework a song so super fast. We can handle almost everything that is recorded without rewriting the hard drive (the changes are saved in a DSP separate file attached to the piece). In fact it is much more convenient than a CD-RW, not to mention the access time.
2 - also can work in all possible configurations of digital conversion (16.20 and 24-bit / 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96.4 kh). Working with the greatest precision (24 Khz bits/96.4) can not quite hack may alter the final quality.
3 - The possibility to update the software via the website easily-bored.
4 - Work in AIFF format widely used by a lot of PC software.
5 - The remote control that allows you to control all functions and that works even at 60 ° incidence in all directions over the IR window of the device. Okay it is Bourée button that makes a mess, but it's very practical.

Attention. If you buy second-hand watch out, the software version must be at least version 2 (it is in the 2.16) and depending on model year there are several SD capacity. Early models had a capacity of 96 min and 5 kHz 24b/96.4 16b/44.1Khz hours. The model now allows 9 hours and 30 Khz 24b/96.4 hours 16b/44.1Khz

- What is so special that you like the least?
1 - no connection twelve o'clock
2 - It does not burn cd-rw. Alesis has a nice explanation CD-RW is primarily a work support and a hard disk is much more suitable, we would have liked the opportunity to do so (especially for file transfer to PC without each time to sacrifice a cd-r).
3 - No CD-Text
- Have you tried many other models before buying it?
I tried the CDR-W66 Sony and Tascam rw2000.
Good stuff but bored prevails with advanced features and hard drive.
- How would you rate the quality / price?
Given the sound quality, very good. But beware, in practice it is primarily a work tool, not a player. It has quite a few features specific to CD Stereo.
- With experience, you do again this choice? ...
It does not really competitor, so, yes without hesitation

-Between us is the first device from a fifty j'achte I used only 24 / 3 weeks of the Service Checker! Today, one month and a half, I have ramen for service 2 times a problem for frequency drives (and increase the dsynchronisation frquence of 48khz 96khz suddenly have supported APRS STOP for 30 minutes or so.).

-If I bought it because I love the brand biensur ALESIS, I have two ADAT BLACK and it is used in many studios amricains.Parlons English and the converter is more stable good as in my case (well short), the heat input by the final mastering tools trs warm, his step trs readable for mioppes? its ease of mastering backup for each list of songs, a beautiful and compression ffective! and between the SPDIF output / AESEBU? Its tlecommande for rgler facilemment without hurting leg! THE FACTS! I love everything about this device and I do not understand what I pourkoi problem of synchronizing the clock running, connected by a card MOTU 2408 MK2, a BLACK ADAT and a YAMAHA D24, all my Systm is about 48KHz and 24 bit! I understand, it's not normal!

-Before I mastered only with programs such as Isotope, wavelab 4 and apparatus Behring DSP 9024? But MASTERLINK itself is very good especially with its 20GB hard drive xtensible normally!

The quality-price ratio is good for styles of music trs wide, so if you ... ALESIS INTERESTED!

With my professional xperience-especially the one I had with the MASTERLINK with his second and trs long Checker for service! I advance more and I start musicalemment dsespr be for my future models! S'acclere time as my MASTERLINK We can say that the MASTERLINK IS VERY NOW! THEN I MET A 7 / 10 FOR NOT PUTTING A 6/10.BONNE luck!