Yeah the SSL is pretty solid and the plug-ins are worth the price on their own. Plus they have done coupons for owners to purchase the plug-ins perpetually on sales throughout the year. I’d like to hear your thoughts on how the SSL 2+ compares.
@@keenanlevis4981 Once you create an account on their site, follow the registration instructions that came with it, and you should have access to a section under your account with the free software that comes with it. You get access the SSL Native bundle for a limited time. Some of the plugins you actually get to keep from the start since you own the interface. Like the drum strip, vocal strip, and maybe a couple of others. Part of the registration process is to get the licenses deposited to your ilok account. Most of the plugins will have 6 months limited time use and expired. At least that's how it was when it first came out for me. Then every so many months they would email users a coupon to buy one of the other plugins that you didn't own from the beginning. At really affordable prices from like $30-60 or so depending on the deal at the time. So by now the only ones I don't own are like the saturator and one other one. Hopefully you can still get in on this stuff.
I strongly recommend watching the Julian Krausse review on the Volt. Has some quirks and is not as clear cut against it's direct competition which I would say is the Motu M2 & M4, the SSL2 & 2+, the Audient ID14MK2. I had purchased the ID14 but sold it on 4 months later. Sound quality was excellent and the ADAT expansion at that price point is exceptional. However, there were too many bugs with drivers that caused problems on Windows 10. A lot of people reporting the same issues. I am now considering either the Volt 276, SSL 2+ or the Motu M4.
My SSL 2 crapped out within a couple of months ... I'm on a Mac M1 .. It worked perfectly at first ... They're junk. Don't believe the hype .. stay away from those SSL 2s
Hi Barry, i love your stuff and your honest opinion. I know that RME Babyface is out of 399 $ range but in my experience - nearly the same age as you - i have the by far best experience about driver support with RME. „At the end of the day“ that is what counts - in my opinion :-) Best from Germany
The SSL 2 and 2+ seem to be much closer competitors to Volt (276), more than the other models mentioned, imo. The idea of adding reverb built-in just because of the '76' compressor feature seems a bit odd. Printing directly with a cool compressor, I get that, printing through a mic pre with 'flavor', sure why not, but who wants to track and commit with reverb? Just throw in a reverb plugin as an insert in the DAW and carry on. Instead of that I would have much preferred dual headphone jacks on the 476, how UA omitted that is beyond me. That would have been a welcome addition. I also think having separate phantom power buttons for each mic pre would have been great as opposed to one global 48v switch. Design wise it's cute, retro, a bit Ikea looking but ok, and I also would have done without the compressor tags like 'vocal' 'gtr' 'fast' etc. It makes the interface look a bit more amateur, dunno. So far I think the SSL 2+, which sounds utterly incredible, wins on all counts over the Volt 276. How the latter actually sounds remains to be seen/heard. Nice review overall ;)
I can't find a single video talking about if its possible to expand this unit inputs in the future with other units. Think not because it doesn't have the optical input on it. Thabks!
I am lucky enough to have 1x Apollo X16, 3x Apollo 8Xp's, 2x UAD Octo PCIe cards, 1x Satellite Octo Thunderbolt DSP Unit (which I got two of these free from UAD when purchasing two of the Apollo Units and I traded one of these new in the box for a brand new Fender Strat), and UAD Ultimate 7 plugin bundle. Just pre-ordered the Volt 276 and 476 today for my 8 year and 5 year old sons who are my little studio rats and make their own beats. Did not need to see "detailed specs" to make this choice after looking at the SSL2+ and a bunch of other similarly priced "entry-level" interfaces. You get what you pay for and I have no doubt that these will be solid for my use case...
Looks good. I mean so long as the conversion is good it's good. Price is great. You get a monitor controller (however rudimentary) and some basic analogue circuits. Oh and a bunch of software so all in all I don't think there is anything to complain about here. You could use it as a dedicated soft synth or other virtual instruments interface (kind of turning your mac laptop or whatever into a dedicated instrument box that you can record as audio). Or at least that's what comes to mind for me anyway. That is how I would use it if I bought it. And of course Barry brings up some great points as well (zero latency monitoring etc etc).
Great channel! I like you compare the UA Volt to the other entry-level audio interfaces at the end, however you missed one that I've been looking at: the IK Multimedia Axe. I was about to pull the trigger on that right when the UA Volt came out. I'm primarily recording guitar so that was my interest. Thanks for the great channel!
I’mI’m skipping on the Audient…looking at SS2+ or VOLT 476 🙃 MIGHT just jump up to Apollo SOLO @ that point tho…But so far the VOLT sounds the best for me in the comparisons..And they have MIDI 🎹
Great review, but Windows 10 issues certainly have not been resolved, as you say. UAD products on Win 10 require ASIO drivers to function in anything other than a DAW. This introduces a massive barrier for content producers, primarily because UAD refuses to help users figure this process out. ASIO porting depends upon open source software that is really well designed but requires an incredible commitment to tweaking firmware, software, thunderbolt MOBO settings, and much more beyond merely bios power settings than what UAD's guide suggests. Moreover, UAD customer service folk have been telling win 10 customers for over five years that they would fix driver incompatibility issues. No progress has been made.
I like the fact this is more focussed. I know your longer form videos are aimed to be one video. But I think you should cut scripted videos, just to stop the eyes from swaying. Don’t be put off though, I feel like your points were more direct, accurate and on topic. 👍🏻
Two questions: - Since these new interfaces work on iPad, are they USB class-compliant? If so, there shouldn't be any custom drivers needed, and they should work on Linux as well. Does that seem reasonable? - I know UA makes great drivers and preamps, and your "win" on that front seems to be based on their reputation. But there don't seem to be any technical specs on the Volt series preamps! Do you expect the specs to be released with the actual devices?
Amazing video and review. How does the Volt compare to the Apogee Duet 2 sound quality wise? I love my Duet, but I recently decided to purchase a synthesizer and unfortunately the Apogee has limited inputs.
Hi Barry, thank you for your great reviews. I wonder if you could help with some advice please? After deciding to migrate from PC/Cubase to Mac/Logic I'm on the the market for a new audio interface. I'm looking at the Focusrite Clarett+ 4pre (~£530) vs UA Apollo X4 Quad Heritage (~£1,540). I know the Apollo comes with the built-in DSP & plugins platform however these days you can run the same plugins on UA Sparks natively if you have a decent CPU (which the M1 Pro does). What's your view on these two? I chose these models as they both offer dual headphones outputs, great when I'm collaborating with a singer. My main workflow consists in recording acoustic/electric guitars/bass, some vocals, and music production in general. Thanks in advance. Ben
There are two types of people. Those who would never think of putting ketchup on a hot dog, and those who are ultimately wrong. Ha! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Seriously tho, I've loved my 2nd gen Scarlett 18i8 interface for years, but I've never 100% gelled with the DI guitar Hi-Z input to amp sim headroom ceiling. I originally opted for the 18i8 from within the mindset of an acoustic drummer proven competent enough to implement the measured 4 mic Glyn Johns method in a pinch, and aspired to eventually add some more outboard channels via SPDIF and light pipe down the road... Yet then covid-19 happened. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ My Bass, Piano, Drums, and Guitar playing lived within a Mac or PC. Even now I'm exclusively E-drum triggering digital kit's via MIDI, and almost equally doing as much on Bass and Guitar tracks aside from some more traditional all analog "front of amp pedalboard chain" usual suspects. These U/A Volts really seem to potentially have enough of the convincing "vintage" headroom required to pull off possibly handling signals like that. I must admit. I'm GASSING. Haha! Great content BTW Barry! Cheers!
The latest presonus interfaces, the revalator one have built in FX so you can use them even on mobile platforms. I have a Studio 1810c but I am on a mac and it has been fine, except weird they don't put gain control on the rear inputs even in their mixer software, they expect you to boost it in a daw or use a preamp I guess.
I bought one of those for my son to do his gaming streaming. It’s meant for that kind of application more than typical DAW work. You can use it for that though.
If you're more of a streamer and want to do stuff like online music streams or twitch streams, then audient id14 mkii is your go-to(through this thing called loopback). But if you are more of a music purist and look to not move your interface around and place it on your desktop, then go with SL2+ as it has the 48k+ option to make your guitar and vocals a bit vintage. I'm also curious of ssl2+ I currently have the RME babyface pro as well as audient EVO8
Hey and thanks for this review. I would like to hear anyone's opinion on the case I am trying to solve atm. I am on the market for a new audio interface as planning to go back to recording and audio production after a pause of 5+ years. I want something of good quality, It's reliable and it's simple to use. Reliability and simplicity are probably the most important for me. I read and watched so many reviews in the last month so I really need to make a decision and go into some route. I am a Mac user and have a 2016 MacBook pro at the moment. I am considering jumping on SSL 2+, Volt 476 or Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Duo. I know they are in different price ranges, but as I said I can swallow the price of Appolo Twin X, if I know that this will be a reliable and stable system. As DAW I am going to start with Garage Band and switch to Logic if needed. I am going to record mainly acoustic/ electric guitars, bass, percussion, vocals etc. Also don't mind printing directly with effects if this is the sound I like. Also, I don't want to go into the effects/plugins rabbit hole as this basically distracts you from the creative process and keep your mind focused on less important things. Hope that makes sense. Any comments/ experiences with any of these interfaces or something else will be highly appreciated. Many thanks in advance.
If you don't care about UAD plugins, look into RME interfaces. At a similar price range, you're getting higher quality converters, much lower latency, better drivers, etc.
I don't really get the S/PDIF take. If you're using something like a Helix you can run an out or direct and bypass the interrace so you could use it but it doesn't really add anything you can't do without it. And a lot of people these days would use something like an Iridium, Walrus ACS-1, or run an amp through a Two-Notes anyway so that seems like a pretty outdated niche input. The midi in/out is actually one of the main reasons I was considering this unit because while you can buy other things that can handle do it, they mostly still cost about 1/4 of the price of a Volt 1 for a fully functional one so if you want that functionality as well, you're basically competing straight up with Scarlet Solo on price.
@@BarryJohns Sorry, just another note on this. Generally if you’re doing guitar recordings you’ll record multiple takes on top of each other anyway so an extra input on a device with so few inputs isn’t very important. Just IMO though.
I like the concept for the most part but it doesn't have enough I/Os for me as I'm running a hybrid setup and being on PC puts UAD out of the question. I wish UAD played nicer with PCs so if they ever worked that out without the headache I'm in. Glad they may be moving away from the whole DSP concept and finally walked into the 21st century. Once out of backorder I will be purchasing the RME fireface which will go nicely with my UAD 610 pre. I agree it is a darker sounding flavor and sort of gritty but that's what I like as it really adds that ump and warmth to the signal. If you want more of a discrete vibe then it's not the unit for you. Thanks Barry I really dig this channel.
What is entry level even mean? Most of us are not entry level...plainly budget conscious. We all need quality to record, mix and master. Sounds like marketing to me. Good video.
Presonus drivers are solid and since they also have been making a full featured DAW for over 10 years that is a big advantage. You left out other options such as the Black Lion Audio Revolution, the Tascam 102i, The M-Audio AIR 192|14, The Steinberg UR44C (who is also made by a company with a full featured DAW), and the SSL2+ which may have the best mic pres under $300 (and comes with a Reverb and a LMC+ Plugins). With no DSP support the UA Volt series seems too little too late. There are many better options.
Good review. I'm late to the UAD thing, but their emulations are awesome, imo. I am past this price range in interfaces. Thank heavens I finally got to RME, but sadly I have to agree that Presonus simply cannot make consistently reliable hardware. Since my last encounter, I lump them with Behringer in my studio - avoid.
Maybe I was not as fair as I should have been with Behringer, I did get a lot of feedback about that, so I’m going to Rosie a harder, more important, more recent perspective on their products.
@@BarryJohns I just wish Behringer would stop blatantly and disrespectfully copying products! Uli was an innovator of sorts. Now they make fun of other companies as they clone their hardware.
Fist off, I'm sure these things sound great and I agree that no need for the "Front End" monitoring app is awesome. Great job UA! Secondly... Yes. I stand on my Ivory Tower with my 26 inputs and 32 outputs. You will be correct in mocking me stating that I'm completely out of touch. But... I constantly cringe at the IO compliment of sub $1000 audio interfaces. It's like they always say "18 Inputs!" but 8 of those are Light pipe and two more are coaxial SPDIF and then there's four cheap mic preamps and four 1/4" inputs but only two of those are balanced because two are impedance matched for guitar inputs... It's always a run on sentence trying to describe these things. These Volt boxes add a whole new layer with the addition of "Emulated" 610 preamps and some number of 1176's? What?!?! How do I record my band with that?!?! MAY I PLEASE have a box with 4, 8, or 16 holes in the front that I can plug wires into so I can record my band? I'LL BUY THAT! I don't want to learn a new trade! I JUST WANT 4, 8, or 16 HOLES THAT I CAN PLUG WIRES INTO TO RECORD MY BAND!
Is it capable of switching from one monitoring set up to another? I’m looking into purchasing another set of monitors and I’m curious if there’s an audio interface that’s available to do this around this price range
If you already have an interface then you can go with something like the ART SCC. It takes the main out going to your monitors and splits it up for multiple monitors setups. Has a few more features too. There’s a bunch of options out there similar to this.
Question: I've got the Volt 176 and rotating the monitor knob on top doesn't seem to lower or increase my mic monitoring levels. Isn't it supposed to do just that?
You have a gain know too. That is for setting your recording level. To adjust the level of the individual track, is done in your DAW not the volt. To increase or decrease the overall volume of your mix coming from your DAW is done with the monitor level. If using headphones, then it’s the headphone volume.
@@BarryJohns I solely use this interface for live streaming :) thanks for clearing that up. I'll just set the gain and adjust the overall input levels separately while maintaining a decent HP volume. Cheers
You mentioned Sweetwater made a video on how to set up a Win10 machine that works best with UA drivers - do you have a link for that? I can't seem to find it.
Do you talk to most people the way you just did to me? I sure hope not. Have you spent your whole life judging other people without giving them the benefit of time? I sure hope not. It’s all good, if you feel the need to do that to me, if that makes you feel better then have at it.
I was thinking this same thing. For anything on the interface itself, compression is an amazing addition and basically sold me on it. Priority-wise beyond that, I’d think EQ would be next. There are so many flavors of reverb and I’d hate to bake it into a track. There are other ways your singer can hear reverb when tracking that won’t affect the mix, especially considering it’s a time-based effect and therefore doesn’t actually need zero-latency.
Imagine my surprise when at 7:06 I hear.."but I've not used one of these yet"...while I appreciate people taking time to share their opinion and expertise in a video, the fact you haven't used it yet, makes the entire discussion here null and void. Seriously, actual use of a product being discussed or reviewed, adds a lot more credibility to an opinion. I watched a video by Sanjay C yesterday, and he used audio examples of using a Volt and tracks without for comparison. I personally own a Presonus 1824C after coming from the world of Focusrite for years, and the Presonus sounds wonderful and meets my home recording studio requirements. One thing that separates the Volt from all the other UA interfaces is, use of the UA software products is incompatible. Gamec hanger right there for me. Please don't think I'm criticizing you, because I appreciate you sharing your time and energy about this product. I was just disappointed I invested 7 minutes only to find out you hadn't used it.
8.30 minutes of thoughts, gueses and speculations based upon.... reputation, theory, and his imagination!!! Nearly at the end, says he has not layed a hand (or ears) on the actual stuff in real life... Does anyone knows if there is a channel block on youtube so I can block "timewasters" like that ???
Bought Audient to have something different.not the most popular. It didn’t last many years b4 it had white noise static on the output. Its amazing to have something that sits there ,minimum use and break. No cust response either. Wah wah 😭 y
Barry tell us how you really feel big dog, you know you’re disappointed but you’re taking it easy on ‘em b/c you crushed them in your other video. Let ‘em have it, they deserve it.
Hey Barry...I enjoy all your videos. I'm about to get back into "home recording" after not doing it for over a decade. Ive got a couple questions if you don't mind. So I'm a PC user(HP Spectre). It has one USB 3 port and two USB-C ports. It is touch screen. Question 1: I'm wondering weather I should wait for the Volt or should I go with the Apollo Solo USB-C? Mostly I'll be recording Guitar vocal demos, however occasionally I will want to record full production with midi drums and bass and piano, with over dub instruments like fiddle and steel etc. But mainly I'll be using it to sing track my vocals and email them to my producer in Nashville, where he will mix and master the song and then send back to me etc. I really want an interface with good mic pre 's and some decent plug-ins etc. Thanks in advance, I really value your opinion before I drop the money on gear.
Sorry Barry, I've enjoyed a number of your videos in the past - but why make a video here where you're not actually reviewing the interfaces at all - just "guessing" the quality of the gear based on reputation? That helps no one. No disrespect intended
?? seems the usb C connecter is just that,,, a physical connector with the same limited transfer rate as usb 2?? I for one have a slightly older PC that uses windows 10 and I upgraded to 16gb RAM and a 1 TBite drive but midi transfer is still sluggish (particularly with midi control of Virtual instruments) through my Focusrite 6i6 with a usb 2 port. what are the actual stats of transfer rate with this device? It's about time audio companies come clean with the real limitations on entry level equipment. Yes, we've all heard the claims of, "You can make professional sounding recordings at home with this device! ", etc. ,,, but the truth is,,, real quality recordings require more expensive gear with high transfer rates and the drivers, even, or especially, for the MAC mini M1,, seem to be a separate issue altogether. Facts please !? include the transfer rates when discussing gear. Thanks
Nope to the Volt. Black Lion Audio Revolution is the top dog for sound quality in this price range. Arturia Minifuse will probably hit the street for less than $100 with 1 in and 2 1/4 outs. Audient iD4 has 2 Headphone outputs. Antelope Zen GO is more feature packed. I would not buy the Volt it’s gimmicky, I would not put half baked signal processing on my input just b/c it has UAD written on the front.
Remember, you are more experienced, these are entry level for those that likely don’t know anything. Also, BL makes great gear, but they are not in the price range. It’s over 30% more for the equivalent number of I/O.
@@BarryJohns BLA Revolution B Stock is $299 street price at Sweetwater. And the Minifuse will probably sell for around 90 bucks, that’s insane bang for buck.
My Black Lion Audio Revolution 2X2 made this sound great.. At around the same price point.. BLA is the king of the class stil..This was a money grab from UAD, You can't even access their plugins, You don't get Apollo converters. They are just using their reputation to snatch money from hobby recorders and streamers. Who in hell wants that style of compression on every track? Shameful UAD. But if I was UAD and heard what Black Lion Audio put out at such a good price, I guess I would be scratching at the money tree. With Plugins becoming more amazing everyday what UAD has to offer is becoming less appealing. Start working on them Hardware sales and RnD again.... The titan has fallen.
First I said most need a GUI kit all. Now as to the Mbox, you know that’s NOT a fair comparison as it ONLY worked with Protools which Protools gave you the no latency recording and not the Mbox via low latency monitoring. Add, come on brother, watch my other video about UA and then let me know if you think this is an Add. I simply always tell it like it is, good or bad.
@@BarryJohns All good... opps.. not OG Mbox (flaky) Mbox 2 (my bad) worked with 3rd party apps ..Just sayin', And yeh, I guess you reading a script weighed me moreso than the usual banter... Forgive me. All brothers here. 🍻
@@Rhythmattica yea, it’s the first time, many do it, I hate it. But to get all the details right, and do it right, I had to. I always wing it on my other videos. Im going to find a better way to do these kinds of videos without the teleprompter.
I don’t think you paid close enough attention, what I said was you can buy an an inexpensive USB midi interface for around $25. That’s why I didn’t think it should be put in this particular unit, and rather add other things like SPDIF. With a USB midi interface purchased separately, you can connect all of your MIDI devices regardless whether they’re keyboards, controllers, or whatever.
They are ugly this is the only channel to say that lol it’s kinda cool but I already have an x4 and x8 with a lot more plugin options for mic modeling I know they are cheaper and possibly good for windows and great for iPad but I’d rather spend more money for something better like apogee desktop symphony I don’t really care for bus power never was in a situation where I didn’t have an outlet.
@@BarryJohns I mean.... They are tricking the audience by not mentioning proper specs........ They are creating a artificial hype in the market....... Recently apogee released boom interfaces.
@@realastrology3976 I can’t speak to their motives but I have used one and was impressed at the price. That said, there are a few in that price range that are also good for the price. The Boom seems to be more geared towards content creators rather than home recordist.
@@dodgingrain3695 I just finished editing my next video where I did a review of Audio-Scape’s V3A Compressor that’s a clone of a Urie LA3A, I’m back to my regular style.
this is a pos. i'm sending mine back. has not worked since day one and the software is garbage. i;ve bought a new computer to work with it still crap. going back old school.
Actually MOTU had bad OSX drivers for 828 FW interfaces. Glitches that fried HDs and motherboards. Also lame sound quality. Avoid all brands named in this video.
We have a commerical studio called Metro Studios here in the midwest that has a MOTU HD192 still in use still to this day. They also have two other MOTU units installed in their Argosy console desk a 1998 2408 and a Mkii. All still in use on Mac machines. My buddy worked there as an Assistant Engineer 13 years ago and he said he loved the MOTU HD192. He did mentioned they also had an Apogee Rosetta but I think they gotten rid of it. MOTU stuff holds up well and ways rock solid. My studio partner and I also ran a commerical studio with an 896 and a Traveler called Elastik Labs recording studio before upgrading to a Lynx Aurora 16. I have the MOTU 828ES in my private studio.
@@Heavy_Distortion Nope. Crane song is mostly used as a Monitor controller. MOTU converters are right up there with Apogee nowadays as I use to own an Apogee unit and did a AB comparison between the Apogee and my 828ES AVB interface that shares the same ESS Sabre converters. Lynx is also regarded for their conversation too given that the Aurora is a Mastering Grade converter found a lot in Mixing and Mastering rooms. It would hard to beat the Hilo.
@The Official Jds Bleedo I have no experience with Antelope but I do know they aren't very reliable. Sweetwater pulled Antelope products from the store from all bad reputation from hardware failures and glitchy software issues. I have personal experience with the Lynx Aurora 16, MOTU, Apogee, Roland, UA Apollo, Focusrite, SSL, etc. The MOTU AVB interfaces are definitely no slouch long as I been around the Lynx Aurora and Apogee converters as they are sonically up there with them.
Yeah the SSL is pretty solid and the plug-ins are worth the price on their own. Plus they have done coupons for owners to purchase the plug-ins perpetually on sales throughout the year. I’d like to hear your thoughts on how the SSL 2+ compares.
Yes and I love the SSL 2.
I use it everyday.
I also own an Apollo quad silver.
What plugins are you referring to with the SSL2+? I own one, have I missed something here? Hahah
@@keenanlevis4981 Once you create an account on their site, follow the registration instructions that came with it, and you should have access to a section under your account with the free software that comes with it. You get access the SSL Native bundle for a limited time. Some of the plugins you actually get to keep from the start since you own the interface. Like the drum strip, vocal strip, and maybe a couple of others. Part of the registration process is to get the licenses deposited to your ilok account. Most of the plugins will have 6 months limited time use and expired. At least that's how it was when it first came out for me. Then every so many months they would email users a coupon to buy one of the other plugins that you didn't own from the beginning. At really affordable prices from like $30-60 or so depending on the deal at the time. So by now the only ones I don't own are like the saturator and one other one. Hopefully you can still get in on this stuff.
what do you mean ssl, are they giving SSL plugins with these audio interfaces?
I have it, and i´m really happy with it
I strongly recommend watching the Julian Krausse review on the Volt. Has some quirks and is not as clear cut against it's direct competition which I would say is the Motu M2 & M4, the SSL2 & 2+, the Audient ID14MK2. I had purchased the ID14 but sold it on 4 months later. Sound quality was excellent and the ADAT expansion at that price point is exceptional. However, there were too many bugs with drivers that caused problems on Windows 10. A lot of people reporting the same issues. I am now considering either the Volt 276, SSL 2+ or the Motu M4.
Do you know if there is any reports about the drivers on mac?? Thanks
Have you ever thought of just selling the windows 10?
@@laranjiinha77 mac has coreaudio
My SSL 2 crapped out within a couple of months ... I'm on a Mac M1 .. It worked perfectly at first ... They're junk. Don't believe the hype .. stay away from those SSL 2s
Found your channel about a week ago and have to say you are the realist recording/audio channel on TH-cam. Keep telling it how it is!
Barry, you left out the new SSL's budget interfaces..
Yea, someone else mentioned that, big miss on my part.
And Steinberg UR USB C interfaces, UR 22, UR44 etc.
Hi Barry, i love your stuff and your honest opinion. I know that RME Babyface is out of 399 $ range but in my experience - nearly the same age as you - i have the by far best experience about driver support with RME. „At the end of the day“ that is what counts - in my opinion :-) Best from Germany
The SSL 2 and 2+ seem to be much closer competitors to Volt (276), more than the other models mentioned, imo.
The idea of adding reverb built-in just because of the '76' compressor feature seems a bit odd.
Printing directly with a cool compressor, I get that, printing through a mic pre with 'flavor', sure why not, but who wants to track and commit with reverb? Just throw in a reverb plugin as an insert in the DAW and carry on.
Instead of that I would have much preferred dual headphone jacks on the 476, how UA omitted that is beyond me.
That would have been a welcome addition.
I also think having separate phantom power buttons for each mic pre would have been great as opposed to one global 48v switch.
Design wise it's cute, retro, a bit Ikea looking but ok, and I also would have done without the compressor tags like 'vocal' 'gtr' 'fast' etc.
It makes the interface look a bit more amateur, dunno.
So far I think the SSL 2+, which sounds utterly incredible, wins on all counts over the Volt 276.
How the latter actually sounds remains to be seen/heard.
Nice review overall ;)
for sm7b recording ? which one is better ssl2+ or volt 276
@@A7mad. Check out Julian Krausse reviews on these. He always includes the SM7B in his thorough testing.
I can't find a single video talking about if its possible to expand this unit inputs in the future with other units. Think not because it doesn't have the optical input on it.
Thabks!
I am lucky enough to have 1x Apollo X16, 3x Apollo 8Xp's, 2x UAD Octo PCIe cards, 1x Satellite Octo Thunderbolt DSP Unit (which I got two of these free from UAD when purchasing two of the Apollo Units and I traded one of these new in the box for a brand new Fender Strat), and UAD Ultimate 7 plugin bundle. Just pre-ordered the Volt 276 and 476 today for my 8 year and 5 year old sons who are my little studio rats and make their own beats. Did not need to see "detailed specs" to make this choice after looking at the SSL2+ and a bunch of other similarly priced "entry-level" interfaces. You get what you pay for and I have no doubt that these will be solid for my use case...
what we need from you is if you could use the VOLT , and share your opinion on quality of sound converters
Looks good. I mean so long as the conversion is good it's good. Price is great. You get a monitor controller (however rudimentary) and some basic analogue circuits. Oh and a bunch of software so all in all I don't think there is anything to complain about here. You could use it as a dedicated soft synth or other virtual instruments interface (kind of turning your mac laptop or whatever into a dedicated instrument box that you can record as audio). Or at least that's what comes to mind for me anyway. That is how I would use it if I bought it. And of course Barry brings up some great points as well (zero latency monitoring etc etc).
Great channel! I like you compare the UA Volt to the other entry-level audio interfaces at the end, however you missed one that I've been looking at: the IK Multimedia Axe. I was about to pull the trigger on that right when the UA Volt came out. I'm primarily recording guitar so that was my interest. Thanks for the great channel!
I have the axe and i regret it
I’mI’m skipping on the Audient…looking at SS2+ or VOLT 476 🙃 MIGHT just jump up to Apollo SOLO @ that point tho…But so far the VOLT sounds the best for me in the comparisons..And they have MIDI 🎹
Solid info. Thank you. Picking up The VOLT 1 for travel purposes to track vocals on hotels etc.
I finally broke down and tried mustard on a hot dog a week or two ago. It wasn't too bad.
I'm still asking the same question on the new interfaces from UA, Where's the Specs?
Wow.... i want to be in the studio with him.
AWESOME ENERGY ❣
I love my Motu M2. Still thinking about getting the Volt though...
Great review, but Windows 10 issues certainly have not been resolved, as you say. UAD products on Win 10 require ASIO drivers to function in anything other than a DAW. This introduces a massive barrier for content producers, primarily because UAD refuses to help users figure this process out. ASIO porting depends upon open source software that is really well designed but requires an incredible commitment to tweaking firmware, software, thunderbolt MOBO settings, and much more beyond merely bios power settings than what UAD's guide suggests. Moreover, UAD customer service folk have been telling win 10 customers for over five years that they would fix driver incompatibility issues. No progress has been made.
Good to know
Please choose one for me- Audient Id4 Vs Universal Volt 176
the mac ios compatatbility is dope. allows u to used the 476p basically as a 4 channel irig
I like the fact this is more focussed. I know your longer form videos are aimed to be one video. But I think you should cut scripted videos, just to stop the eyes from swaying.
Don’t be put off though, I feel like your points were more direct, accurate and on topic. 👍🏻
The eyes swaying were because I was too close to the camera.
@@BarryJohns keep doing your thing Barry! 🙏🏻
Two questions:
- Since these new interfaces work on iPad, are they USB class-compliant? If so, there shouldn't be any custom drivers needed, and they should work on Linux as well. Does that seem reasonable?
- I know UA makes great drivers and preamps, and your "win" on that front seems to be based on their reputation. But there don't seem to be any technical specs on the Volt series preamps! Do you expect the specs to be released with the actual devices?
Amazing video and review. How does the Volt compare to the Apogee Duet 2 sound quality wise? I love my Duet, but I recently decided to purchase a synthesizer and unfortunately the Apogee has limited inputs.
Hi Barry, thank you for your great reviews. I wonder if you could help with some advice please? After deciding to migrate from PC/Cubase to Mac/Logic I'm on the the market for a new audio interface. I'm looking at the Focusrite Clarett+ 4pre (~£530) vs UA Apollo X4 Quad Heritage (~£1,540). I know the Apollo comes with the built-in DSP & plugins platform however these days you can run the same plugins on UA Sparks natively if you have a decent CPU (which the M1 Pro does). What's your view on these two?
I chose these models as they both offer dual headphones outputs, great when I'm collaborating with a singer. My main workflow consists in recording acoustic/electric guitars/bass, some vocals, and music production in general.
Thanks in advance. Ben
There are two types of people.
Those who would never think of putting ketchup on a hot dog, and those who are ultimately wrong. Ha!
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Seriously tho,
I've loved my 2nd gen Scarlett 18i8 interface for years, but I've never 100% gelled with the DI guitar Hi-Z input to amp sim headroom ceiling. I originally opted for the 18i8 from within the mindset of an acoustic drummer proven competent enough to implement the measured 4 mic Glyn Johns method in a pinch, and aspired to eventually add some more outboard channels via SPDIF and light pipe down the road...
Yet then covid-19 happened. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
My Bass, Piano, Drums, and Guitar playing lived within a Mac or PC.
Even now I'm exclusively E-drum triggering digital kit's via MIDI, and almost equally doing as much on Bass and Guitar tracks aside from some more traditional all analog "front of amp pedalboard chain"
usual suspects.
These U/A Volts really seem to potentially have enough of the convincing "vintage" headroom required to pull off possibly handling signals like that.
I must admit.
I'm GASSING.
Haha!
Great content BTW Barry!
Cheers!
The latest presonus interfaces, the revalator one have built in FX so you can use them even on mobile platforms. I have a Studio 1810c but I am on a mac and it has been fine, except weird they don't put gain control on the rear inputs even in their mixer software, they expect you to boost it in a daw or use a preamp I guess.
I bought one of those for my son to do his gaming streaming. It’s meant for that kind of application more than typical DAW work. You can use it for that though.
Competition would be Audient iD14 and SSL2+
i am really confused between ssk and audient. can you help me out?
@@SAMA-ct2li yes, what would you like to know
If you're more of a streamer and want to do stuff like online music streams or twitch streams, then audient id14 mkii is your go-to(through this thing called loopback). But if you are more of a music purist and look to not move your interface around and place it on your desktop, then go with SL2+ as it has the 48k+ option to make your guitar and vocals a bit vintage.
I'm also curious of ssl2+
I currently have the RME babyface pro as well as audient EVO8
Hey and thanks for this review. I would like to hear anyone's opinion on the case I am trying to solve atm. I am on the market for a new audio interface as planning to go back to recording and audio production after a pause of 5+ years. I want something of good quality, It's reliable and it's simple to use. Reliability and simplicity are probably the most important for me. I read and watched so many reviews in the last month so I really need to make a decision and go into some route. I am a Mac user and have a 2016 MacBook pro at the moment. I am considering jumping on SSL 2+, Volt 476 or Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Duo. I know they are in different price ranges, but as I said I can swallow the price of Appolo Twin X, if I know that this will be a reliable and stable system. As DAW I am going to start with Garage Band and switch to Logic if needed. I am going to record mainly acoustic/ electric guitars, bass, percussion, vocals etc. Also don't mind printing directly with effects if this is the sound I like. Also, I don't want to go into the effects/plugins rabbit hole as this basically distracts you from the creative process and keep your mind focused on less important things. Hope that makes sense. Any comments/ experiences with any of these interfaces or something else will be highly appreciated. Many thanks in advance.
If you don't care about UAD plugins, look into RME interfaces. At a similar price range, you're getting higher quality converters, much lower latency, better drivers, etc.
I don't really get the S/PDIF take. If you're using something like a Helix you can run an out or direct and bypass the interrace so you could use it but it doesn't really add anything you can't do without it. And a lot of people these days would use something like an Iridium, Walrus ACS-1, or run an amp through a Two-Notes anyway so that seems like a pretty outdated niche input. The midi in/out is actually one of the main reasons I was considering this unit because while you can buy other things that can handle do it, they mostly still cost about 1/4 of the price of a Volt 1 for a fully functional one so if you want that functionality as well, you're basically competing straight up with Scarlet Solo on price.
It frees up other analog io.
@@BarryJohns Sorry, just another note on this. Generally if you’re doing guitar recordings you’ll record multiple takes on top of each other anyway so an extra input on a device with so few inputs isn’t very important. Just IMO though.
I like the concept for the most part but it doesn't have enough I/Os for me as I'm running a hybrid setup and being on PC puts UAD out of the question. I wish UAD played nicer with PCs so if they ever worked that out without the headache I'm in. Glad they may be moving away from the whole DSP concept and finally walked into the 21st century. Once out of backorder I will be purchasing the RME fireface which will go nicely with my UAD 610 pre. I agree it is a darker sounding flavor and sort of gritty but that's what I like as it really adds that ump and warmth to the signal. If you want more of a discrete vibe then it's not the unit for you. Thanks Barry I really dig this channel.
@barry Johns, do you consider the ART usb pre interfaces (they have a 4in4 out for 230 CAD) a real contender for preamps and conversion?
Check out the new Black Lion Audio interface.
What is entry level even mean?
Most of us are not entry level...plainly budget conscious.
We all need quality to record, mix and master.
Sounds like marketing to me.
Good video.
Why review a product you haven’t tested?
I make it very clear in the video that it is not a review but rather an overview and my predictions.
Does it require cloudlifter with Shure sm7b?
FUCK YEAH MUSTARD ON HOTDOGS!! That’s how I know I can trust u
Audient and solid state logic are very strong competitors don't you think?
Yes
could you elaborate on the spdif and amp modelers please?
Presonus drivers are solid and since they also have been making a full featured DAW for over 10 years that is a big advantage. You left out other options such as the Black Lion Audio Revolution, the Tascam 102i, The M-Audio AIR 192|14, The Steinberg UR44C (who is also made by a company with a full featured DAW), and the SSL2+ which may have the best mic pres under $300 (and comes with a Reverb and a LMC+ Plugins). With no DSP support the UA Volt series seems too little too late. There are many better options.
Can you link the 476 to an Apollo twin solo?
Good review. I'm late to the UAD thing, but their emulations are awesome, imo. I am past this price range in interfaces. Thank heavens I finally got to RME, but sadly I have to agree that Presonus simply cannot make consistently reliable hardware. Since my last encounter, I lump them with Behringer in my studio - avoid.
Maybe I was not as fair as I should have been with Behringer, I did get a lot of feedback about that, so I’m going to Rosie a harder, more important, more recent perspective on their products.
@@BarryJohns I just wish Behringer would stop blatantly and disrespectfully copying products! Uli was an innovator of sorts. Now they make fun of other companies as they clone their hardware.
What about arturia minifuse?
If the Volt had a mini display like the MOTU's I might want to sell my M4 and get one. Thanks for the review!
I love my M2. Thinking of upgrading to an M4
@@esongsore the extra ins and outs are definitely convenient, worth the extra amount IMHO
I got the M4 and I like it, never had problems.
Doesn’t the display only show meters like on top of the volt?
I’d love to see an M4 vs Volt comparison
SSL2+ or Audient ID?
Fist off, I'm sure these things sound great and I agree that no need for the "Front End" monitoring app is awesome. Great job UA!
Secondly... Yes. I stand on my Ivory Tower with my 26 inputs and 32 outputs. You will be correct in mocking me stating that I'm completely out of touch.
But... I constantly cringe at the IO compliment of sub $1000 audio interfaces. It's like they always say "18 Inputs!" but 8 of those are Light pipe and two more are coaxial SPDIF and then there's four cheap mic preamps and four 1/4" inputs but only two of those are balanced because two are impedance matched for guitar inputs... It's always a run on sentence trying to describe these things. These Volt boxes add a whole new layer with the addition of "Emulated" 610 preamps and some number of 1176's? What?!?! How do I record my band with that?!?! MAY I PLEASE have a box with 4, 8, or 16 holes in the front that I can plug wires into so I can record my band? I'LL BUY THAT! I don't want to learn a new trade! I JUST WANT 4, 8, or 16 HOLES THAT I CAN PLUG WIRES INTO TO RECORD MY BAND!
Is it capable of switching from one monitoring set up to another? I’m looking into purchasing another set of monitors and I’m curious if there’s an audio interface that’s available to do this around this price range
If you already have an interface then you can go with something like the ART SCC. It takes the main out going to your monitors and splits it up for multiple monitors setups. Has a few more features too. There’s a bunch of options out there similar to this.
Question: I've got the Volt 176 and rotating the monitor knob on top doesn't seem to lower or increase my mic monitoring levels. Isn't it supposed to do just that?
You have a gain know too. That is for setting your recording level. To adjust the level of the individual track, is done in your DAW not the volt. To increase or decrease the overall volume of your mix coming from your DAW is done with the monitor level. If using headphones, then it’s the headphone volume.
@@BarryJohns I solely use this interface for live streaming :) thanks for clearing that up. I'll just set the gain and adjust the overall input levels separately while maintaining a decent HP volume. Cheers
You mentioned Sweetwater made a video on how to set up a Win10 machine that works best with UA drivers - do you have a link for that? I can't seem to find it.
www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/pc-optimization-guide-for-windows-10/
Just some dude reading off the screen, yelling at us about something they haven't used.
Do you talk to most people the way you just did to me? I sure hope not. Have you spent your whole life judging other people without giving them the benefit of time? I sure hope not. It’s all good, if you feel the need to do that to me, if that makes you feel better then have at it.
Naaa… Reverb? Any time based effects are fine as plugins. It’s compression on the way in that matters and the ad/da conversion.
I don't know too many singers that don't want to track with Reverb.....Just saying......
I was thinking this same thing. For anything on the interface itself, compression is an amazing addition and basically sold me on it. Priority-wise beyond that, I’d think EQ would be next.
There are so many flavors of reverb and I’d hate to bake it into a track. There are other ways your singer can hear reverb when tracking that won’t affect the mix, especially considering it’s a time-based effect and therefore doesn’t actually need zero-latency.
Imagine my surprise when at 7:06 I hear.."but I've not used one of these yet"...while I appreciate people taking time to share their opinion and expertise in a video, the fact you haven't used it yet, makes the entire discussion here null and void. Seriously, actual use of a product being discussed or reviewed, adds a lot more credibility to an opinion.
I watched a video by Sanjay C yesterday, and he used audio examples of using a Volt and tracks without for comparison.
I personally own a Presonus 1824C after coming from the world of Focusrite for years, and the Presonus sounds wonderful and meets my home recording studio requirements.
One thing that separates the Volt from all the other UA interfaces is, use of the UA software products is incompatible. Gamec hanger right there for me.
Please don't think I'm criticizing you, because I appreciate you sharing your time and energy about this product. I was just disappointed I invested 7 minutes only to find out you hadn't used it.
Yeah, got me wondering if he ever even tried ketchup in a hot dog...
Good man! Leave it be! Nothing against ketchup, I love it on lots of things, but ask for ketchup on a hotdog in New York or Chicago, forget about it😁
Ketchup should be made illegal to put on hotdogs.
8.30 minutes of thoughts, gueses and speculations based upon.... reputation, theory, and his imagination!!! Nearly at the end, says he has not layed a hand (or ears) on the actual stuff in real life... Does anyone knows if there is a channel block on youtube so I can block "timewasters" like that ???
Excellent review
Thanks!
Barry you remind me of my mentor all the way down to being a weirdo about ketchup on burgers and dogs!
It’s ok on Burgers! Criminal on Hot Dogs!😜
‘Benign specs’ What the hell does that mean?
Can you do a review on the black lion interface
At some point yes.
No SSL???
Bought Audient to have something different.not the most popular. It didn’t last many years b4 it had white noise static on the output.
Its amazing to have something that sits there ,minimum use and break.
No cust response either.
Wah wah 😭 y
Swear by my Steinberg UR44, it dose what an interface is supposed to do. Get sound in and out of your computer.
I had two of those. Both were stolen. But they were damn good!
@@brokenegg4714 bro ☠️☠️☠️🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@jorgedejesustejedavaldez5283 what?
Barry tell us how you really feel big dog, you know you’re disappointed but you’re taking it easy on ‘em b/c you crushed them in your other video. Let ‘em have it, they deserve it.
Even an ex girlfriend deserves some love😂
@@BarryJohns 😂
RME all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, nice video though!
Love RME but they don’t compete in that price range.
Hey Barry...I enjoy all your videos. I'm about to get back into "home recording" after not doing it for over a decade. Ive got a couple questions if you don't mind. So I'm a PC user(HP Spectre). It has one USB 3 port and two USB-C ports. It is touch screen.
Question 1: I'm wondering weather I should wait for the Volt or should I go with the Apollo Solo USB-C?
Mostly I'll be recording Guitar vocal demos, however occasionally I will want to record full production with midi drums and bass and piano, with over dub instruments like fiddle and steel etc.
But mainly I'll be using it to sing track my vocals and email them to my producer in Nashville, where he will mix and master the song and then send back to me etc.
I really want an interface with good mic pre 's and some decent plug-ins etc.
Thanks in advance, I really value your opinion before I drop the money on gear.
Sorry Barry, I've enjoyed a number of your videos in the past - but why make a video here where you're not actually reviewing the interfaces at all - just "guessing" the quality of the gear based on reputation? That helps no one. No disrespect intended
SSL untouched at that price point
That’s a good point, can’t believe I missed that one.
Mustard 🤣🤣🤚
?? seems the usb C connecter is just that,,, a physical connector with the same limited transfer rate as usb 2?? I for one have a slightly older PC that uses windows 10 and I upgraded to 16gb RAM and a 1 TBite drive but midi transfer is still sluggish (particularly with midi control of Virtual instruments) through my Focusrite 6i6 with a usb 2 port. what are the actual stats of transfer rate with this device? It's about time audio companies come clean with the real limitations on entry level equipment. Yes, we've all heard the claims of, "You can make professional sounding recordings at home with this device! ", etc. ,,, but the truth is,,, real quality recordings require more expensive gear with high transfer rates and the drivers, even, or especially, for the MAC mini M1,, seem to be a separate issue altogether. Facts please !? include the transfer rates when discussing gear. Thanks
You from Chicago?
No, Kentucky, but I’ve lived in Chicago.
@@BarryJohns The ketchup hate made got me curious.
God dangit, just got an EVO 8 lmao.
Great because we live in a world where even a 50 bucks Interface can do what the most expensive studio gear couldnt do Back than 😅
You forgot biggest UA competitor. Antelope Audio.
They don’t make an interface in that price range. This is beginner, entry level interfaces.
Nope to the Volt.
Black Lion Audio Revolution is the top dog for sound quality in this price range.
Arturia Minifuse will probably hit the street for less than $100 with 1 in and 2 1/4 outs.
Audient iD4 has 2 Headphone outputs.
Antelope Zen GO is more feature packed.
I would not buy the Volt it’s gimmicky, I would not put half baked signal processing on my input just b/c it has UAD written on the front.
Remember, you are more experienced, these are entry level for those that likely don’t know anything. Also, BL makes great gear, but they are not in the price range. It’s over 30% more for the equivalent number of I/O.
@@BarryJohns BLA Revolution B Stock is $299 street price at Sweetwater. And the Minifuse will probably sell for around 90 bucks, that’s insane bang for buck.
That’s not retail and this was the sub 399, which is below. I agree that BLA makes great gear, but in fairness, it’s not apples to apples.
I like the retro look😐
My Black Lion Audio Revolution 2X2 made this sound great.. At around the same price point.. BLA is the king of the class stil..This was a money grab from UAD, You can't even access their plugins, You don't get Apollo converters. They are just using their reputation to snatch money from hobby recorders and streamers. Who in hell wants that style of compression on every track? Shameful UAD. But if I was UAD and heard what Black Lion Audio put out at such a good price, I guess I would be scratching at the money tree. With Plugins becoming more amazing everyday what UAD has to offer is becoming less appealing. Start working on them Hardware sales and RnD again.... The titan has fallen.
Even the OG Mbox had hardware direct monitoring.... not needing software... But this is an ad.
First I said most need a GUI kit all. Now as to the Mbox, you know that’s NOT a fair comparison as it ONLY worked with Protools which Protools gave you the no latency recording and not the Mbox via low latency monitoring.
Add, come on brother, watch my other video about UA and then let me know if you think this is an Add. I simply always tell it like it is, good or bad.
@@BarryJohns All good... opps.. not OG Mbox (flaky) Mbox 2 (my bad) worked with 3rd party apps ..Just sayin',
And yeh, I guess you reading a script weighed me moreso than the usual banter...
Forgive me.
All brothers here. 🍻
@@Rhythmattica yea, it’s the first time, many do it, I hate it. But to get all the details right, and do it right, I had to. I always wing it on my other videos. Im going to find a better way to do these kinds of videos without the teleprompter.
Don't agree at all about what you said about MIDI. I have an electric drumset that I need MIDI. I don't like keyboards to make rhythms.
I don’t think you paid close enough attention, what I said was you can buy an an inexpensive USB midi interface for around $25. That’s why I didn’t think it should be put in this particular unit, and rather add other things like SPDIF.
With a USB midi interface purchased separately, you can connect all of your MIDI devices regardless whether they’re keyboards, controllers, or whatever.
They are ugly this is the only channel to say that lol it’s kinda cool but I already have an x4 and x8 with a lot more plugin options for mic modeling I know they are cheaper and possibly good for windows and great for iPad but I’d rather spend more money for something better like apogee desktop symphony I don’t really care for bus power never was in a situation where I didn’t have an outlet.
#KeTcHuP!
I was about ready to go to bed, and I saw your comment, I love it!
@@BarryJohns - Love your channel sir, look forward to many more great videos from you!
@@gainstage4497 thanks!!!!
Hummmm, let me guess....You're reading all that.. lol
I know right…..
UA disappoint me.
Volt is a gimmik
Not if you are brand new to all of this. It’s actually pretty good for the price.
@@BarryJohns I mean.... They are tricking the audience by not mentioning proper specs........ They are creating a artificial hype in the market.......
Recently apogee released boom interfaces.
@@realastrology3976 I can’t speak to their motives but I have used one and was impressed at the price. That said, there are a few in that price range that are also good for the price. The Boom seems to be more geared towards content creators rather than home recordist.
waits till near the end to say he hasnt used one yet. Then why the fuck are you speaking on it. Waste of my time
Not digging the video, feels to rehearsed vs the others, looses some feel.
I know and agree….it’s really hard to remember all the specs. I’m working on a better way.
@@BarryJohns No worries, it just didn't have the great personal vibe of the other videos
@@dodgingrain3695 I just finished editing my next video where I did a review of Audio-Scape’s V3A Compressor that’s a clone of a Urie LA3A, I’m back to my regular style.
this is a pos. i'm sending mine back. has not worked since day one and the software is garbage. i;ve bought a new computer to work with it still crap. going back old school.
Are you on windows?
Actually MOTU had bad OSX drivers for 828 FW interfaces. Glitches that fried HDs and motherboards. Also lame sound quality. Avoid all brands named in this video.
We have a commerical studio called Metro Studios here in the midwest that has a MOTU HD192 still in use still to this day. They also have two other MOTU units installed in their Argosy console desk a 1998 2408 and a Mkii. All still in use on Mac machines. My buddy worked there as an Assistant Engineer 13 years ago and he said he loved the MOTU HD192. He did mentioned they also had an Apogee Rosetta but I think they gotten rid of it. MOTU stuff holds up well and ways rock solid. My studio partner and I also ran a commerical studio with an 896 and a Traveler called Elastik Labs recording studio before upgrading to a Lynx Aurora 16. I have the MOTU 828ES in my private studio.
@@eman0828 Once you upgrade to CraneSong or PrismSound you will throw your Lynx and MOTU in the dumpster.
@@Heavy_Distortion Nope. Crane song is mostly used as a Monitor controller. MOTU converters are right up there with Apogee nowadays as I use to own an Apogee unit and did a AB comparison between the Apogee and my 828ES AVB interface that shares the same ESS Sabre converters. Lynx is also regarded for their conversation too given that the Aurora is a Mastering Grade converter found a lot in Mixing and Mastering rooms. It would hard to beat the Hilo.
@The Official Jds Bleedo I have no experience with Antelope but I do know they aren't very reliable. Sweetwater pulled Antelope products from the store from all bad reputation from hardware failures and glitchy software issues. I have personal experience with the Lynx Aurora 16, MOTU, Apogee, Roland, UA Apollo, Focusrite, SSL, etc. The MOTU AVB interfaces are definitely no slouch long as I been around the Lynx Aurora and Apogee converters as they are sonically up there with them.