Audient Nero Review - Affordable Pro Monitor Controller

Today we're reviewing the Nero Monitor Controller from Audient. In its price range, it seems quite hard to beat and has a lot of features that had me very interested, like switchable sub channel, perfectly matched stereo imaging, SP/DIF in, four separate headphone outputs and mid/side functionality.
Find more here:- audient.com/products/monitor-controllers/nero/overview/
Buy one on Amazon here:- amzn.to/2UdNMFI
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What gear to buy? We recommend interfaces, microphones, monitors and more at our Thomas (Europe) and Sweetwater (USA) links below
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[@macronencer]

I've rarely seen a piece of gear that is so exactly matched to my needs: nothing missing, no unwanted features taking up space. Perfect. Ordered one - thanks for the review!

[@adamsteelproducer]

Cheers! I’ve since integrated one into the studio setup full time!

[@CallesenOnFire]

My old Mackie Big Knob died scratching, screaming and yelling. This Audio Nero is the successor! Thx for an amazing review. Nice!

[@enigmasounds]

Thanks, Adam for the detailed, clear review.

[@saschaschneider6355]

If that's not timing I don't know what is. Yesterday I've stumbled over equipment I didn't know existed and was looking into what you do with it - monitor controllers. Today you not only explain it to me in detail but also introduce a great option _if_ I decide to get one. Thank you so much!

[@takis.c]

Thanks for the review Adam. Some questions though. Question 1: Did you keep the controller? If yes, have you connected it to the rme raydat using the digital connection? Question 2: If you used the digital connection, did you have any issue with the clocking? Was nero stable enough during the your tests? Question 3: Did you have any chance to compare the nero with the id44 or other audient interface? Any noticable sound differences? Thanks in advance!

[@TheAudioCzar]

Great review, its the relays for me. Did you test the D/A converter in it?

[@antonfarmer6317]

Great review for a great bit of kit! Thanks Adam, good job 👍

[@Danichovideos]

Great review man!!! I have one question though... how to connect headphone amp to Nero? Is it possible through cue?

[@Terrible_Peril]

Thanks again for the great content, Adam!

[@jayzill5348]

Excellent review, really helpful. Thanks!

[@robh3702]

Beautifully explained.

[@riasure]

Hi There, great video and I learnt a lot from watching it! I am in the market for a monitor controller after using the Mackie Big knob Passive which I am not happy with and require more features. I am trying to decide between the Audient or the Presonus Monitor Station v2. Do you have any experience with the Presonus? and would you still recommend the Audient?Thanks in advance.

[@YashVardhanTanwar]

Pretty amazing video. Your voiceover on this was absolutely phenomenal and clear. What did you use? How do you record the audio on such talking videos?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Thanks! I’m using a Sennheiser mkh416 into a Slate VMS One preamp with a light bit of compression. Everything in my control room is silent so there’s no background noise to treat, that really helps

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

Adam, how is the talkback monitoring heard back from the the artists in the booths?

[@nucentury08]

It’s a nice unit but I went with the Heritage Audio R.A.M System 2000 the sound, and mastering grade is unmatched, unless you start getting into Blurl Ect” but 64 Gold plated stepped Relays Lossless BT serial port Burr Brown converters, and diamond buffed headphone amplifiers also L&R Monitor Solo & Mute as well as Preset Saves 😎 But the audience is a great unit with lots of features for its price! Almost reminds me of the MCI 2.1

[@NikolausBrocke]

Have you had the chance to compared the new SPL MTK MKII to the RAM 2000?

[@nucentury08]

@@NikolausBrocke No not yet! As I’m not doing Atmos but I wanted a Mastering Grade Monitor Controller with Drop in Sub and solo Left& Right & Sub buttons, But I’ve herd good things on the Nero I thought about the MC1 5.1 or 3.1 but I’m not sure if it’s Stepped and Relayed like the HA RAM or Grace or the Crane Song, but you can select multiple monitors with those for 7.1 5.1 & Atmos I love the Lossless BT serial port on my HA & display for attenuation DB levels & Presets I save. I will check out the model your speaking of always love looking at different builds. 😎 Shalom

[@mk2445]

Nice review...can we use 3 output simultaneously?

[@teashea1]

very good video - well done

[@riddimbank]

Thank you for this video--it helped me a lot. I have a question that maybe you're able to answer. I have a subwoofer with three sets of speakers: 2 stereo pairs and an Avantone mono cube. In order to match the levels of each of the sets, I ended up boosting the Avantone pretty high--which brought up the subwoofer volume with it. Is there a way to set the subwoofer volume independently? Whenever I turn on the mono speaker, the sub is way louder than with the other two pairs.

[@turnalarmedya]

Thank you Adam...I have a question is it possible to listen 3 inputs and sub in same time..!??

[@adamsteelproducer]

Pretty sure it’s 1 input at once, 3 at once would be a mixer and that’s a very different design philosophy

[@lucasjuniorproducer]

Ei Adam again, hehehehe, how do i connect a subwoofer to the audient Nero i just bought? Just plug a Mono Jack from the SUB out on the back to the L in on the Sub? because on my Focal Sub One there is two conectors, Left and Right. Thank you if you can answer. I cant find anything about this metter on the web. How actually connect a Sub to the Audient Nero.

[@tthedon2471]

hello there. fantastic review. can you recommend a passive controller with rca input that its primary function is volume adjustment with absolute no coloration whatsoever? many thanks

[@monovladd4392]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Could you make a video about that Allen & Heat console and how you use it? - How good and quiet are those preamps for recording? - Do you use that console for mixing hybrids? If you don't want to do the video at least it would be very helpful if You would give me information on how you use it and how you feel with it. Routings etc. I'm sure a lot of people are looking for that info but there are no decent videos about it. Greetings 🤘🏻

[@adamsteelproducer]

I’ve not used that desk in years, it’s been out of the studio since pre Covid. The pres are ok but pedestrian, and it doesn’t add much except complication so put it went

[@charlie_sin_mag]

Does using talk back dim whatever output you're monitoring? Or can you link it to do so?

[@macronencer]

Yes, I believe so (I've only just ordered mine!) From the manual: "Talkback Button - This button activates talkback - feeding the signal to the headphone outputs that it has been assigned to. It will also engage the Control Room DIM function to prevent feedback and provide a clearer talkback signal to your artist."

[@JorgeGutierrez-kd4hb]

Can you only listen to the sub in solo without any other set of speaker? I want to do that because I want to connect my single mix cube there and that way had 4 "sets" of speakers.

[@DonAlderOfficial]

im confused about the sub ..all the subs ive seen have a left and right in and left and right out .. so do. you just connect to the left side in on the sub.. so does create a problem with no right single coming in

[@adamsteelproducer]

They have stereo going in simply so they can take a mono sum feed of the low end then pass the stereo back out to main monitors- if your monitor controller is doing all that work, you only need to send a mono signal out to the sub. The monitor controller has already added the two sub signals together

[@DonAlderOfficial]

@@adamsteelproducer thanks much

[@studiosette]

How do you connect it to the RayDat? Are you using the adat out or the s/pdif out?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Neither, I found after some experimenting I preferred using an ADI-2 converter to the main input via AES

[@3fifty7studio21]

are you able to play all monitors simultaneous?

[@NikolausBrocke]

I would be very much interested in a comparison with the new SPL MTK MKII. Probably the new SPL plays in another league but is there really so much audible difference that it justifies double the price?

[@adamsteelproducer]

I don’t think that would be a very good video, because there’s no way to capture differences in a way that can be relayed to the viewer. It really wouldn’t be worth the upgrade though imo, line level signals being sent to other line level outputs, even with a volume attenuation, should be almost perfect electrically speaking because there’s very little work being done. The money is in the feature set and the physical components

[@NikolausBrocke]

@@adamsteelproducer Thanks for your quick answer.

[@musicproductionvideos5019]

Hey great video! Can the Nero have sources 1 & 2 ...& or Aux input.... on at the same time? Trying to replace my 16 channel mixer with this. I need 2 ST outs from my Apollo to play at once. Thanks~!

[@adamsteelproducer]

Don’t think so, it’s not a mixer or designed to replace one. Why not just send all the audio out of the same output on your Apollo?

[@musicproductionvideos5019]

@@adamsteelproducer I don't want to use it as a mixer. Just Monitor more than 1 SRC at a time. When I got my Apollo... there was some issue with the Direct Monitoring that I could not turn off. Maybe that has changed? Only way around it was to use out 3&4 for my main ST outs. But my main audio coming from the MacPro uses 1&2. Sometimes I want to play a YT video and play guitar along with it with my Kemper running thru Logic.

[@lucasjuniorproducer]

Hi Adam, can we conect the Solo Avantone Mono on that SUB Out? And use that SUB switch to control the Avantone ?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Not entirely sure how you would turn the other speakers off at the same time, but otherwise it works in theory

[@lucasjuniorproducer]

@@adamsteelproducer Thanks for your answer but i tried. When i press SUB the other speakers dont turn off, so its impossible to hear the SUB funtion even if its an Avantone or a sub alone. Allways mapping with the MAIN or ALT 1 and 2. Well..Thanks anyway.

[@miketomas8564]

Although a thorough review, One thing that I feel has gone unanswered or is unclear here is: Can Single Inputs be assigned to go to a single output ( I know independent headphones can select independent sources. I know it can do that ) But can you "route" Alt input to Main Output, while Simultaneously sending SRC 1 to ALT 2 output? I don't think you really answered that question.

[@adamsteelproducer]

Don’t think so. That’s not really what a monitor controller is for, so it’s not something I even considered

[@EliteOnTheBeat]

I still can't find ANYTHING that compares with my UR28m. Its not only an amazing interface despite how old it is but also a bad ass monitor controller. It almost seem impossible to beat. It has amazing analogy circuitry, Built in DSP making tracking easy, And digital monitoring connivence. 24 bit/96 KHz 4 analog inputs and 6 analog outputs PLUS a dicated 1/8" stereo input for reference like MP3 players or even an Ipad connectivity, 2X D-Pre class A discrete mic Pres wtih +48V phantom power give you excellent analog sound, 2 channel coaxial S/PDIF digital I/, Monitor controller built in with DIM, MONO, AND MUTE fed by 3x3 monitor matrix. PLUS 2X separate headphone buses with individual ouptuts. It works on cross platforms both on mac/pc. All of this said i REALLY wanna upgrade my audio interface for audio quality reasons but if i'm not mistaken i can just unplug the USB cable for the UR28m completely and just use outputs 1/2 or 3/4 to send audio to it from my new interface. Anyone suggestions? Thoughts anyone?

[@ChakrasMusicLab]

Hi. Thanks. What do you think about Makie Big knob passive for home studio?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Not worth the time, passive attenuators are always asking for trouble imo

[@ChakrasMusicLab]

@@adamsteelproducer Thanks. I was looking for budget monitor controller for just 2 of my monitors. I'll buy nero in future sure, but for immediate need I can afford below 100$ only. Can you please suggest one atleast that can give me 2 years of quality usage?

[@adamsteelproducer]

I’d just use the volume on your interface for now if you only need a single set of speakers, or some kind of switcher a/b. It’s the kind of situation where it’s buy nice or buy twice!

[@ChakrasMusicLab]

@@adamsteelproducer Ok. I have 2 set of monitors.

[@ChakrasMusicLab]

@@adamsteelproducer However, with your review, I've put the Nero in my Wishlist for future. Thanks for the detailed review. I was just hoping without all those features there could be another cheaper controller with digital attenuator, if that's the right term?

[@rdiio]

can you use multiple outputs at the same time with the sub enabled?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Don’t think so, it’s a switcher so if you’re using multiple outs at the same time, you should probably be using something else. The headphone outs all work concurrently though

[@robgreenlandMusic]

MOTU has TB functionality but yes it does look like a gamechanger.. for me!

[@vicadaja1]

QUESTION please if any one can answer this .can 2 input sources be playing at the same time ? Like src 1 + alt or+ src 2 at the same time ??? As well as 2 monitor output sources playing at the same time like 2 pairs of monitors at the same time ? ..this is because i use the a 1 src to play music and src 2 to practice piano at the same time....as well as 2 pairs of monitors to listen to music for more fuller sound ..please and thank you in advance

[@sebastiennesp1978]

Great review, my Big Knob my find its way onto ebay...

[@enigmasounds]

Did you go for it? and do you find it better than big K?

[@sebastiennesp1978]

@@enigmasounds Modular Lunacy took hold. Wife wonders why we can't now buy a second home by the sea...

[@laskholt]

Thanks!

[@CHOKSTARmusic]

19:11 Universal fact

[@musk771]

I want that Yamaha DMC-1000 ;-)

[@adamsteelproducer]

Well if you can get here, it’s sat in the store room- you can have it!

[@musk771]

It was ofc hilarious, but I always loved to own a DMC-1000 from when I started working into post production, never had opportunity to get my hands over. It appeals something of exotic for me. I'm big fan of early digital stuff. Anyway, you mean, you have one and actually its lying in the storage room?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Yep! It’s too heavy to put anywhere else and there’s no space in the control room anymore

[@musk771]

@@adamsteelproducer you will now think I'm crazy but-seriously talking-I'll be available to pay for the delivery if you want to get rid of it. Where are you located?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Collection only, it’s too fragile despite its extreme weight and I’m not finding packing! Manchester England.

[@adelismail9321]

R.A.M system 2000 ?????

[@randallreed1789]

YOU DO NOT HEAR THE SIDES IN MONO PHASE FLIP!! YOU ARE HEARING EVERYTHING OUT OF PHASE IN MONO!!! why do people always misquote this function????

[@adamsteelproducer]

Capitals don’t help. And it’s not a misquote. If you flip the phase of one side before a mono sum, the mono signal is removed by phase cancellation. Since a stereo signal comprises of a mid and a side in this mathematical configuration, all that is left is the sides. In this presentation they are in the middle of the field rather than panned, but my statement (and that of others) must be mathematically correct

[@JesusMartinez-me1je]

How would you compare this to the dangerous music monitor control?

[@adamsteelproducer]

This ones good, that one’s dangerous

[@JesusMartinez-me1je]

Hop Pole Studios so dangerous is better I guess lol

[@ACIDGREENTECHNO]

@@JesusMartinez-me1je no i think he dont wanna say whats better.

[@CREATEEDUCATEINSPIRE]

Anyone else get a HUGE volume spike/ pop when you turn it on? Hits the red and nearly blew my speakers.

[@adamsteelproducer]

Always turn your interface on before speakers. That’s a maxim throughout the audio world for exactly this reason

[@davidwestonline]

Fantastic review, really helpful, thank you very much!

[@adamsteelproducer]

Thanks David!