New from JBL Professional is the MSC1 Monitor System Controller (Windows XP and Vista; $375 MSRP), which features RMC (Room Mode Correction) technology that tunes the monitor system to overcome low frequency room problems and improve the quality of the mix. The MSC1 works with any speaker system and is the perfect add-on to JBL LSR2300 Series studio monitors, according to the manufacturer.

The MSC1 lets you monitor up to three 2-channel input sources, such as a mixing console, computer workstation, or a personal music player, while controlling the volume of the monitor system and connected headphones. You can also connect two sets of speakers and a subwoofer. The primary "A" speaker outputs include user-defined monitor EQ and JBL RMC to tune the system to the room, while the subwoofer output has its own level control, selectable crossover settings, and RMC to blend a sub with the "A" speakers. The "B" speaker outputs allow for the connection of a second set of studio monitors.

Each unit comes with MSC1 Control Center Software that allows you to adjust settings like speaker equalization, subwoofer crossover frequency, subwoofer polarity and level, and fine-resolution delay.

Now for the cool part: RMC measures your room / studio space and automatically tunes the speakers to compensate for low frequency anomalies caused by room modes, proximity to walls, and the work surface. RMC calibration is carried out using a supplied calibration microphone and the included MSC1 Control Center Software. During the RMC calibration, the software measures the room, the calculates and downloads corrective filter coefficients to the MSC1 and balances the primary speakers and subwoofer within 1/4 dB of each other.

Following calibration, the MSC1 operates as a standalone unit, without any need to be connected to a computer. Although the MSC1's software is Windows-only at the moment, that will change in the spring of 2010, when Mac-compatible software is released.