Producely Dialr: AI Powered Plugin Controller First Impressions

It’s always a pleasure to sit down and check out a new piece of gear, especially one that tries to solve a problem we’ve all been dealing with for ages: finding a seamless way to control our plugins. I got my hands on the DIALR from a new company called Producely, and I’ve been putting it through its paces. Let’s dive in.

First Impressions and Build Quality

Right out of the box, the DIALR feels solid. It’s got a nice weight to it, so it sits firmly on the desk without sliding around. The design is minimalist and clean, which I really like. The main attraction here is the knobs. They’re metal, they have a fantastic weight to them, and they feel more like analog hardware than a typical plastic MIDI controller. This makes fine-tuning settings like a compressor’s threshold or an EQ band feel incredibly precise and intuitive.

I’m very happy with the result of their design choices, especially the different-sized knobs. It’s a simple thing, but it helps build muscle memory. Plus, the built-in touchscreen is a great touch for navigating between plugins and tracks without having to look at your main monitor.

The Software: AI-Powered Mapping

The DIALR uses an AI-powered software called Node to automatically map the controls of your plugins. The idea is to create a unified experience across all your different plugins, no matter the brand. For the most part, it works surprisingly well. I loaded up plugins from Softube, Soundtoys, and others, and the DIALR mapped everything logically right away. For example, it correctly assigned the input and output of a compressor to the large knobs, which just makes sense.

Of course, it’s not perfect just yet. The software is still in its early stages (as of this review, it supports Ableton and Cubase). Sometimes the AI misidentifies plugins or assigns a control in a way that feels a bit off. The good news is that you can manually edit the mappings, and the team at Producerly seems to be pushing out updates pretty quickly to address these things. I’ll share more soon as I see how it evolves.

The Workflow: A More Tactile Experience

So, does it actually improve the workflow? For me, yes. I’ve been using it on a few mastering sessions, and the ability to close my eyes and just listen while making adjustments is a huge plus. You’re not just staring at a screen; you’re physically interacting with your tools. It’s a different way of working that I’ve really been settling into.

Here are a few things that stood out:

• Plugin and Track Switching: You can easily jump between different plugins on the same channel or switch to a different track entirely right from the controller.

• Undo/Redo: Simple, but so useful. If you bump a knob by accident, you can undo it with a single button press.

• Minimalist Display: The screen shows you just what you need—parameter names and values—without cluttering your view with a full GUI.

The Verdict for Now…

The Producely DIALR is an ambitious piece of kit with a ton of potential. While the software still has some room to grow, the hardware itself is excellent, and the core concept is brilliant. I’m genuinely excited to see where they take it from here.