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The CC121 on show at Frankfurt

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Well we weren’t expecting this: Steinberg has previewed the CC121 Advanced Integration Controller, an all-new USB controller for its Cubase 4 DAW. This is the first time the company has released a hardware control surface for its software since the ill-fated Houston was launched back in 2000.

Unlike Houston, the CC121 doesn’t emulate the look and feel of a real mixing desk. In fact, the focus is on just one controller knob that automatically controls whatever your mouse is pointing at (like the Speed Dial on Novation’s Nocturn, it would seem).

There’s also a single 100mm touch-sensitive fader, plus a selection of buttons that give you control of Cubase’s channel settings. Interestingly, the software’s full EQ section is also built into the hardware (there are 12 rotary encoders for this), while a user-assignable section offers presets for your Control Room sends and monitoring setup.

As you’d expect, the CC121 integrates seamlessly with Cubase 4 – no setup is required – and it’s compatible with both Mac and PC. There’s no news on a price at this stage – we expect this to be confirmed closer to the release date, which is currently listed as the third quarter of 2008.

Find out more at the Steinberg website.

Video: We hooked up with Steinberg at Frankfurt and got a guided tour through some of the CC121's best features.