The Alesis MasterLink ML-9600 was designed as a mixdown and mastering recorder that went beyond the role of a traditional stereo mastering deck. Instead of simply recording a final mix to tape or DAT, the MasterLink ML-9600 gave users a self-contained system for recording, editing, processing, sequencing, archiving, and CD creation. It combined a 3.2GB internal IDE hard drive with a 4x CD-R burner, allowing stereo mixes to be captured first to disk and then written to standard CD-R media.
The concept was unusually forward-looking for its period. The MasterLink ML-9600 could operate as a straightforward stereo recorder, but it also acted as a standalone editing and mastering environment. It gave users access to higher-resolution recording at 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, or 96kHz, with 16-bit, 20-bit, or 24-bit word lengths. This meant it could handle standard CD-resolution work as well as 24-bit/96kHz stereo recording, making it a practical bridge between DAT-era workflows and the developing world of high-resolution digital production.
A DAT Replacement With More Ambition
The MasterLink ML-9600 was clearly aimed at users who needed something more capable than a DAT recorder. A conventional DAT machine could capture a stereo mix, but it did not provide integrated editing, playlist management, DSP processing, internal CD burning, or high-resolution 24-bit/96kHz recording. The MasterLink ML-9600 addressed all of those areas in one rackmount unit. (The DAT format did get there with the Pioneer D-9601 capable of 24-bit/96kHz recordings)
Its basic operating model was still familiar enough for studio users. The front panel included standard transport controls, input source selection, sample rate and word length settings, hard disk/CD selection, track creation and deletion, playlist editing, track movement, DSP selection, and CD creation. A large vacuum fluorescent display provided metering, timing, and status information, making the machine feel more like a dedicated recorder than a computer-based workstation.
The result was a unit that could be dropped into a studio as a mixdown deck, but with far more flexibility than tape or DAT. It could preserve takes, build and recall playlists, trim starts and ends, adjust track gain, join and split material, and then burn the finished result internally. For studios still centred around consoles and hardware recorders, this was a major practical advantage.
High-Resolution Recording
The MasterLink ML-9600’s headline feature was its ability to record stereo audio at up to 24-bit/96kHz. At maximum resolution, its 3.2GB internal hard drive could store at least 95 minutes of stereo audio, while at 16-bit/44.1kHz it could store up to 310 minutes. This made the machine useful both for high-resolution mastering and for longer standard-resolution recording tasks.
The unit used 24-bit, 128-times oversampling A/D and D/A converters. Analogue stereo I/O was provided on +4dBu balanced XLR connectors and -10dBV unbalanced RCA connectors, while digital I/O was available in both AES and S/PDIF coaxial formats. A front-panel headphone output with its own volume control made it practical for direct monitoring.
The ability to choose between 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, and 96kHz sample rates gave the MasterLink ML-9600 a level of flexibility beyond many mixdown recorders of its period. It could capture high-resolution masters, but it could also work directly at CD resolution when required.
Hard Disk Recording And Editing
The internal hard drive was central to the MasterLink ML-9600’s usefulness. Instead of committing directly to tape or disc, mixes could be recorded to disk first, then edited and sequenced before final delivery. This made the machine far more flexible than a linear recorder.
Editing was carried out from the front panel, with functions for creating and deleting tracks, setting track start and end points, trimming heads and tails, moving tracks, adjusting gain, preserving preferred takes, and deleting unwanted material. The Join and Split functions allowed sections to be combined or separated, making it possible to resequence material from multiple mixes.
The machine could store and recall 16 playlists, each containing up to 99 songs. This made the MasterLink ML-9600 useful for assembling complete projects, alternate running orders, or different versions of the same album or programme. For a standalone unit, this was a meaningful step beyond simple stereo recording.
Onboard Mastering Processing
The MasterLink ML-9600 included onboard DSP intended for mastering and delivery preparation. Processing included 3-band parametric EQ, compression, normalisation, and peak limiting. These tools allowed users to prepare material for CD creation within the unit itself, without needing to transfer the audio to a separate workstation.
The internal sample-rate conversion and noise shaping were particularly important when creating standard 16-bit Red Book CDs from 20-bit or 24-bit source material. This gave the MasterLink ML-9600 a complete path from high-resolution recording to standard CD delivery, all within a single hardware device.
This was one of the major reasons the MasterLink ML-9600 stood apart from more conventional mixdown recorders. It was not only a capture device; it was also a delivery device. A user could record a 24-bit/96kHz stereo mix, edit it, process it, sequence it, convert it as needed, and then burn a finished CD without leaving the unit.
CD24 And Red Book CD Creation
The MasterLink ML-9600 could create two different types of disc. For standard playback on ordinary CD players, it could burn Red Book 16-bit CDs. These held up to 74 minutes of audio and were suitable for normal client, reference, and release-related listening.
Its more unusual format was CD24. This used standard CD-R media, but stored high-resolution AIFF audio files in an ISO 9660 format. CD24 discs could be played back on a MasterLink ML-9600 or read by Mac, Windows, and Unix CD-ROM drives for transferring 24-bit/96kHz AIFF files into a workstation. At 24-bit/96kHz, a CD24 disc could hold around 24 to 26 minutes of stereo audio.
This was a clever solution to a real problem. High-resolution recording was becoming more desirable, but there was no simple, low-cost, universal delivery medium comparable to DAT or CD. The MasterLink ML-9600 used ordinary CD-R blanks to provide a practical archive and transfer method for 24-bit/96kHz stereo files, while still supporting standard Red Book CD creation.
Workflow And Archiving
One of the MasterLink ML-9600’s major strengths was its ability to create multiple copies and backups directly from the internal hard drive. Once a recording had been captured and edited, the machine could burn as many Red Book or CD24 discs as required. This made it useful for client copies, band copies, label submissions, safety backups, and archive discs.
The CD creation process was simple. Once the playlist, edits, and DSP settings were complete, the user selected either CD24 or Red Book format and initiated the burn from the front panel. The internal 4x Matsushita CD-R drive could create a full CD in around 20 minutes.
Firmware updates could also be loaded through the internal CD drive, leaving room for the system to be expanded after release. The architecture was also capable of supporting proprietary plug-ins, although not DirectX or VST-compatible plug-ins.
Connectivity And System Limits
The MasterLink ML-9600 had a practical set of analogue and digital connections, but it was not without limitations. Analogue I/O was well covered with balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA connections, while AES and S/PDIF coaxial digital I/O allowed integration with professional and project studio equipment.
The most obvious omission was word clock. The MasterLink ML-9600 could lock to incoming AES/EBU, but it did not provide dedicated word clock connections. For many project studio and standalone mastering applications this would not be a major issue, but in larger digital studios it limited its flexibility compared with devices designed for full clocking integration.
The CD24 format was also proprietary in practical use. Although the discs used ISO 9660 and AIFF files that could be accessed by computer CD-ROM drives, playback of CD24 discs required a MasterLink ML-9600. It was therefore not a consumer playback format, but a high-resolution archive and transfer format.