• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

USB audio interfaces interest

What USB audio interfaces do you want measurements made of?

  • Swissonic UA-2x2

    Votes: 27 9.2%
  • Midiplus Studio M

    Votes: 5 1.7%
  • Presonus AudioBox iOne

    Votes: 17 5.8%
  • Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen

    Votes: 150 51.0%
  • Audient iD4

    Votes: 68 23.1%
  • Steinberg UR22 MK2

    Votes: 70 23.8%
  • Roland Rubix22

    Votes: 30 10.2%
  • Presonus Studio 24

    Votes: 32 10.9%
  • Mackie Onyx Artist 1.2

    Votes: 16 5.4%
  • Icon Cube 4nano

    Votes: 3 1.0%

  • Total voters
    294
OP
q3cpma

q3cpma

Major Contributor
Joined
May 22, 2019
Messages
3,060
Likes
4,416
Location
France
The german description of the Swissonic UA-2x2 sounds like they just repeat the DAC and ADC Spec sheet numbers.
That wouldn't suprise me, sadly. But I want to believe in them because Thomann is pretty honest/good in my books. I'll try to email them for more specs.
 

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,384
Location
Seattle Area
That wouldn't suprise me, sadly. But I want to believe in them because Thomann is pretty honest/good in my books. I'll try to email them for more specs.
And ask them to send in a sample for review! :)
 

kn0ppers

Active Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2019
Messages
192
Likes
258
Location
Germany
Definitely not worth it to send back and forth.

Yes that's pretty much what I thought. Maybe a user living in north america owns one. I would definitely like to see some entry level recording interfaces tested. The one I mentioned is quite a versatile device, although I do not use it very often.
 

somebodyelse

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 5, 2018
Messages
3,682
Likes
2,959
Given the periodic queries about interfaces for recording or measurement it would be good to have measurements for the ADC as well as the DAC part. I'd like to see one with more outputs for active crossover use too.
 

kn0ppers

Active Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2019
Messages
192
Likes
258
Location
Germany
I think we do have some. I believe the A/D-Conversion was measured on the ADI Pro-2 and a Creative Soundblaster usb-soundcard. Maybe there are even more?
 

mansr

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 5, 2018
Messages
4,685
Likes
10,700
Location
Hampshire
I'm not against A/D measurements, but we'd need some reference to know if they're good or not.
That moustache graph above was from the ADC of the UR242. The DAC output looks the same since they share the clock.
 

HammerSandwich

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 22, 2018
Messages
1,137
Likes
1,497
I'm not against A/D measurements, but we'd need some reference to know if they're good or not.
Amir's AP tests will characterize the device's DA performance, right? Won't loopback tests then let us judge the AD section? IOW, we might not have the AD's full measure, but we should know if the total device can handle REW, etc.
 

Reinhold

Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
39
Likes
33
Location
Germany
the new focusrite range has a headphone out impedance <1ohm according to their datasheet :eek:
thats amazing right?! but the dynamic range looks a little weak with 104db.
 

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,384
Location
Seattle Area

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,384
Location
Seattle Area
I'm not against A/D measurements, but we'd need some reference to know if they're good or not.
We have a few data points including the excellent ones above. And of course the ADC built into my Audio Precision analyzer.
 
OP
q3cpma

q3cpma

Major Contributor
Joined
May 22, 2019
Messages
3,060
Likes
4,416
Location
France
You're right, I didn't notice this gotcha. Well, I think that Solo measurements will also stand for the rest of the lineup, unless the chipset changes (maybe a better preamp for the headphone?).
 

LTig

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 27, 2019
Messages
5,760
Likes
9,442
Location
Europe
Didn't consider the Mackie because I don't know them very much and their speakers aren't well spoken of.
Cannot second this. I have a pair of Mackie HR824 (old version, inherited, currently used for Webex :eek: in the office 'cause no one in the family wanted to have themo_O) and they are not bad at all. The K&H O300D are better in several aspects (precision, off axis response) but they cost much more, and I could well live with the Mackies if it's necessary. Also me and my brother both own a 1402 mixing console and they are reliable and deliver good sound.

The Yamahas are considered very good (personally, Yamaha is one of the only brands I blindly trust) but I obviously won't include such a big and complicated mixing table-like interface as a "casual hifi DAC".
I'm interested in the Yamahas because they have an ADC. Makes them ideal for measuering room response.
 

peder2tm

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2018
Messages
39
Likes
37
I am interested in headphone measurements of the clarett 2pre. Most of these usb interfaces have low output power but the clarett 2pre seems to be a good candidate for an all-in-one box.
 

JohnYang1997

Master Contributor
Technical Expert
Audio Company
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
7,175
Likes
18,292
Location
China
I am interested in headphone measurements of the clarett 2pre. Most of these usb interfaces have low output power but the clarett 2pre seems to be a good candidate for an all-in-one box.
I can tell you it's ok. But not powerful for low impedance headphones. Good enough for normal use.
 

peder2tm

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2018
Messages
39
Likes
37
I can tell you it's ok. But not powerful for low impedance headphones. Good enough for normal use.
Thanks, I've read somewhere on Reddit that the output impedance is 7 Ohm so yes it might not be suitable for low impedance headphones, but I am surprised that it is not powerful enough. The specified output voltage is 16 dBu, which is 4.88 V RMS so it must be current limiting at lower impedances if it's not loud enough, or maybe the 7 Ohm output impedance is not correct.
 

JohnYang1997

Master Contributor
Technical Expert
Audio Company
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
7,175
Likes
18,292
Location
China
Thanks, I've read somewhere on Reddit that the output impedance is 7 Ohm so yes it might not be suitable for low impedance headphones, but I am surprised that it is not powerful enough. The specified output voltage is 16 dBu, which is 4.88 V RMS so it must be current limiting at lower impedances if it's not loud enough, or maybe the 7 Ohm output impedance is not correct.
It's single opamp 4556al . Voltage swing is pretty good but current output is not so great. Not bad but not great.
 
Top Bottom