Its a studio staple for many pro-grade producers and engineers alike. Universal Audio has built a formidable reputation for its audio interfaces, both for the quality of the audio I/O, and for its onboard DSP processing capabilities with extensive plug-in library. Its been around for a while for a reason. Combined with the flexibility of the I/O configurations, each unit can comfortably expand up to 32 channels, concurrently. Summing up, if you are looking for a budget-friendly audio interface with top-quality preamps, the Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 is the one you need! The only issue is that all these features come at a pretty high price. steinberg axr4 vs apollo - ASE But if you like simplicity and dont mind the input/output configuration (and work on a Mac), the price point might work out nicely for you. Expand with more interfaces over thunderbolt, Apogee Alloy Mic Preamp emulation (British Solid State & 50s American Tube), Touch screen interface showing all channel info, Built-in UAD DSP with HEXA core processing, 700+ samples for any time of EDM production, A selection of high-quality EDM Serum presets, Our best resources for making music, including the How To Make Electronic Music mega guide. Steinberg's Cubase music production program is a household name, at least in houses where music production happens; and the Hamburg-based developers are also responsible for numerous other well-established software titles. There are heaps on inputs and outputs on this one, so coupled with the nice display, the AVB is certainly a contender for sure. Meanwhile, Universal Audio Apollo Twin did not receive any endorsements this month. The driver component can be updated separately in this case. Or you could decide to have 10 mono channels and 6 stereo channels. Most low-to-middle end interfaces will be Desktop, while higher-end interfaces will be Rackmount. The AXR4 is equipped with exceptional hybrid mic preamps featuring switchable RND SILK emulation, which can accommodate any kind of microphone. But in recent years, things have been going the other way again, with a growing number of DAW-agnostic DSP-infused audio interfaces in the mid-to-upper end of the market. Unfortunately there was an error. The good news is, these interfaces are super affordable and still get you studio-quality sound: As the newer kid on the block, the Volt 2 is Universal Audios entry into the lower-priced market. Apogee is arguably one of the high-end manufacturers of first-class converters designed for the modern age. The worlds leading media brand at the intersection of music and technology. The build quality of the Evo 4 is robust, ensuring durability. The contents of this article are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, whether mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. DAW return channels also appear in the mixer (though they can't be processed), as does the stereo stream from the AXR4's two-channel driver (see box). Review: Steinberg AXR4T. Oh, and if you want the best desktop interface money can buy, this is probably it. If you need some extra outputs for a second speaker pair or have some hardware you what to use with your DAW, then this is the choice for you. The Symphony MK II offers you four base configurations 2x6, 8x8, 16x16, and 8x8 with 8 mic pre-amps thats easy to expand to meet the needs of your studio. Now if youve been wondering whether its possible to have good looks and functionality all in one the answer is yes.The Apollo Twin Solo and Duo from Universal Audio looks amazing on the desk, and also comes with an array of features for the pragmatic producer. They include A/B monitor to check mixes of your connected speakers and a talk button for the built-in talkback mic. Plus, it comes with 48V of phantom power as well as zero-latency monitoring. All contents copyright SOS Publications Group and/or its licensors, 1985-2023. So it's not about the technique, but about being able to capture the musical moment as quickly as possible. Plus, the multifunctional large rotary control makes control even more intuitive. Now get this: its a 64-bit, 4th generation technology applied in world-class products like Orion, Zen, and Goliath. Steinberg have done neither, preferring to create something that is very plain and functional. Not only that makes your life easier, but it also allows for expansion, as you can stack up to 3 units for more inputs and outputs. Re: Patching a HiFi EQ to DAW for mix/master? Unfortunately, the unit doesnt ship with a Thunderbolt cable, so thats at least an extra 30 that you will need to spend. Audio interfaces are ultimately judged on their sound quality and the AXR4 boasts some eye-catching numbers; up to 384kHz recording rates via 32-bit integer resolution. Get our collection of high-quality presets, samples and PDF guides suitable for all genres of electronic music . If you need more input and output options at a cheap price point, this is definitely one to keep an eye on. Being the bigger brother of both the 24c and 26c, the 1810c packs a lot of power into a seemingly cheap interface. If you have a little more cash to spend, it might be worth it to level up to these interfaces, especially if you want a couple more inputs/outputs or want a bit of a faster connector: Youve probably noticed that the Scarlett range of interfaces shows up a lot here, and for a very good reason. Consumer reviews rank this audio interface as high. 2023 MusicTech is part of NME Networks. This is especially true of high-end interfaces (were looking at you, Avid). If you love to record guitar on your tracks, this amp simulator and audio interface seems to be quite a contender at $449. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publishers. Best Audio Interface - The Definitive List [2021 UPDATE] Admittedly, Apogee Electronics has decided to give us a taste of the future with the re-designed Symphony MK II. Resources. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Very similar to the legacy Apollo series with some new bells and whistles (like HEXA core processing for DSP and surround mixing). The Apogee Symphony Desktop features 2 Mic/Line inputs, a DI Instrument input, 2 monitor outputs, 2 assignable stereo headphone outputs (3.5 mm & 6.3 mm) as well as optical input/output (ADAT & S/PDIF). We wouldnt miss them for the world. Please activate your javascript. Surely they would at least include a thunderbolt option? They allow you to record multiple instruments at once, and their number of both inputs and outputs is crucial for their price range. First up comes the Behringer U-Phoria UM2. This flexibility makes Atlas a future-proof digital interface, expected to allow other options such as Thunderbolt. Very high levels of customer satisfaction. Its build quality is very sturdy, ensuring durability. Having chosen your Silk colour, the rotary dial lets you decide how much to add and the results represent a classy front end to your recordings. Not all interfaces are compatible with all DAWs. With the AXR4T, Steinberg introduces a high-end professional audio interface, featuring switchable Rupert Neve Designs SILK emulation, 32-bit resolution and a sample rate of up to 384 kHz. With our cookies we would like to offer you the best shopping experience possible with everything that goes with it. 32-bit! The latter make it easy to daisychain the AXR4 with other gear. Steinberg High-End AXR4 Audio Interface Revealed - Gearspace.com Here are the main features. Wait, what? Its ease of use does not keep it from producing a high quality digital sound. The AXR4 can connect to a huge range of musical instruments and audio equipment, making it an ideal interface for any professional application. In its default role, this offers basic monitor control, but in conjunction with various buttons, it allows you to surf menus in order to configure a wide variety of AXR4 setup parameters. First of all, audio interfaces are an indispensable tool for every sound engineer and musician that wants to record. There are people on the Internet whose job is to review products. Steinberg UR44 Universal Audio Apollo Twin Critic Consensus Common points from expert reviews summarized. If youre just starting out, youre probably on a budget. 2023Steinberg Media Technologies GmbHAll rights reserved. This next-level design of Apollo X8 provides a wide dynamic range of 129dB and -119 dB THD+N for world-class sound quality and perfect tone. It allows those musicians early in their careers to create high quality recordings. This is a high-end professional audio converter for real professionals. Not only does it sound great, but its simple and affordable. While its quite pricey, the features on this are insane. The LCD panel is easy to read and the headphone amplifiers will blow you away. In fact, the AXR4 comes with 12 analogue inputs (4 of them feature mic preamps) as well as 8 line outputs and 2 headphone outputs. Focusrite somehow keeps on delivering. Currently, Steinberg UR44 received 1 endorsement from Musician on a Mission. However it doesnt stop there: not only it offers a great amount of inputs, but it comes with four outputs, as well as two independent headphone outputs that allow you to monitor everything along with a friend or colleague. Native Instruments are renowned for making quality software and hardware, like Massive, Traktor and Maschine.Normally youd be paying a bit of a premium to get something from NI, but this affordable interface seems to be the exception, for both the Audio 1 and 2. Steinberg's UR range is a proven studio stalwart. Additionally, the Prism Sound Overkill Limiter feature available on all analog inputs catches fast transients. While the old series only included 8, 8p and 16 options, the newer x6 model allows producers to choose something a little less pricey while still getting the amazing features that this hardware provides. Thats what you get with the Antelope Discrete 8. The Round Trip Latency (RTP) gives 1.6 ms over Thunderbolt and 1.9 ms over USB. However, a newer version of the driver for your USB audio interface might be availableon this page. Steinberg USB Audio Interfaces at a glance, Display USB Audio Interfaces from $ 2000 - $ 2500, Go to product group Studio and Recording Equipment, Steinberg Studio and Recording Equipment at a glance, 32-Bit integer/384 kHz recording and playback, 4 x AXR hybrid microphone preamp with Rupert Neve Designs SILK emulation, SSPLL technology for extremely low jitter, DSPX chip and dspMixFx technology for latency-free monitoring with DSP-powered effects, 2 x Mic/Line/Instrument inputs: XLR/Jack 6.3 mm combo, 2 x Mic/Line inputs: XLR/Jack 6.3 mm combo, 2 x Stereo headphone outputs: 6.3 mm Jack, Dimensions (W x H x D): 480 x 45 x 378 mm, Includes Cubase AI with full 32-bit support, Available at short notice (usually 2-5 days), 4 The AXR4 supports sample rates up to 384kHz, at word lengths of up to 32 bits, and employs a technology called Super Suppression Phase Locked Loop to deliver supernaturally low levels of jitter. At this price point, you can be sure it is. HEXA Core Processor means more recording horsepower whether tracking or mixing. The HD I/O gives you three configuration options to adapt to your connection needs. And call me old-school, but I like the inclusion of MIDI I/O, something thats a glaring omission with some other interfaces in this class. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Unsurprisingly, the AXR4 is a pretty deep and heavy unit, and appears to be constructed to a very high standard indeed. Using one such module, the AI08E, you can use a patchbay with DB25 connectors which will provide 8 line-level inputs and outputs. This audio interface comes at a surprisingly compact size that makes it truly portable! You will receive a verification email shortly. Electrochimp October 23, 2020, 4:18pm #1. 101Audio is supported by its audience. The form factor is amazing, and the functionality is great for the price point. VCM was developed by an engineering group led by Toshifumi Kunimoto (aka Dr. K), who was also responsible for the first physical modeling synthesizers, VL1 and VP1. On the whole, if you are just starting to experiment with recording, give NI komplete Audio 2 a chance! Ein echtes Hammer-Teil :-). If youre looking for this kind of studio solution, you wont find a better option. Integrated with SynchroLock-2 jitter reduction, the clock output is super clean. 32-bit integer audio conversion and sample rates up to 384kHz. The industry-leading converters used in the AXR4 series deliver exceptional quality audio, thanks, The AXR4 features extraordinarily natural-sounding hybrid microphone preamps, developed by Yamaha, Recording engineers have used microphone preamps designed by the legendary Rupert Neve for many, The AXR4 is compatible with all major audio editing, mastering, and music production software, Alongside its array of XLR and 6.3mm audio connections, the AXR4 features digital in/out ports, Word clock with SSPLL jitter reduction technology, The AXR4 uses robust SSPLL (Super Suppression Phase Locked Loop) technology, currently the most, By using Thunderbolt 2 technology, the AXR4T delivers very low latency and high CPU efficiency, a, SuperSpeed USB 3.1 with USB Type-C (AXR4U), The AXR4U features the USB 3.1 Gen 1 SuperSpeed standard, which provides fast, reliable and, Based on Steinbergs award-winning advanced music production system Cubase Pro, Cubase AI is a, Thanks to the built-in DSP chips including Yamahas custom-designed DSPX chip and dspMixFx AXR, The 276 is a stereo compressor that has enhanced numerous professional productions. The only downside is no MIDI In/Out. Whether you're a musician, a sound engineer, a songwriter or vocalist, you can expect top-of-the-range audio quality with this system. My biggest niggle with the AXR4T is the omission of a Thunderbolt cable and converter, but once over that little hump its all good.