I love my original AudioFuse. I mainly use it professionally for gigs by connecting my laptop via USB running Mainstage. Nice clean signal to the amp or band system. The USB hub is very useful since it powers my controller (KeyLab 88) and iLok for Synthogy Ivory. Also use it for recording synths into Logic at home as well. I do wish it had USB-C instead of micro-USB but adapters/hubs solve that issue. Otherwise very happy with it!
I use a MOTU 16A and a MOTU Pre 8 for a total of 10 stereo inputs and 2 mono inputs because I have 10 synths, mike and guitar inputs. This way every synth is always hooked up and available at all times. Cubase is my favorite DAW. Two MOTU midi timepieces handle all the midi and clock. This setup works perfect without any problems whatsoever.
I really like the meters on it. Nice comparison with the Clarett, Fuse sounded a bit crisper, but it’s probably negligible. I have the oldest interface ever lol.
@@bond4177 woukd like to see step sequencer play chords .. ratchet....and a note repeat record mode so if Quantize is set to 16ths and i record a melody with one note it records 16ths of what i play
Thanks a lot for making this comparison. I've been looking at the 2 of these two expand my apollo twin and this helped me decide. I feel the clarett sounds way cleaner (just compare the kick & clap) and dynamic. The audiofuse does sounds crisper but not in a good way, going with the clarett! thank you.
BTW the stands are great. My iMac is placed on the PRE8 and there is pace for routing cables (i.g. USB) underneath the PRE8 to connect equipment in front of it. Very helpful.
I really like how the Arturia separated all 8 of the channels and that they all have their own LED signal indicators, super cool. What I dont like is that there is no LED indicator for the monitor section. I'd have to go with the Clarret.
I have a Pro 40 on windows 10. Had it for about 6 to 8 years. I love it. At 48 / 128 I am getting 1.3 input and total 3 ms latency. I have heard a lot of people had issues with it, I I have not. I used a recommend TI fire-wire card that maybe why and also keep my machine clean with min start up programs. I had a Yamaha I88x before this I was very happy with it. Not with Yamaha and drivers support. Long story short Yamaha stopped updating the drivers for new version of windows so when I went to win 7 the unit was useless. That is the other reason I went with focus rite there drivers for new versions of windows as of now still keep coming. Went fro win 7 to win 10. So for many this is a lesson to be learned also, make sure you chose a company that will support further win versions with there drivers. Arturia may be a little better now but if they did what Yamaha did to me it will be useless in a few years. Now for me as far as inputs, it's better to have them and not need them. Your point of quick access to the desktop units versus the a rack are valid. Me I rather have my desk clean.
I buy it because of the phantom power by Channel feature and also because your drum machine test convince me, it's also very good on hiz D.I mode for recording guitar.
A small mixer is a great solution for folks who don't regularly need more than 2 mic pre-s. Run stereo out of your mixer into your 2-channel interface - and done! This way - you can have multiple mics (on drums??) or inputs (analog instruments??) plugged into your mixer which can then be output to the 2 channels on your interface.
Hi there, Patrice from Arturia. It's not just about Mic Pre. We decided to invest on the line Pre also. We found out that lot of very good sound cards, conversion wise, had some kind of "weak" analogical path (before the converters). That's kind of a pity as this is also a part of your takes. Anyway, the Discrete Pro are offering 72db of gain (I let you check the competition) before going thru the AKM converters (the same you can find in the Baby face Pro, if you want to have a benchmark) that offers 118db of dynamic range. We don't use attenuators to switch from Mic to line. Because it basically has a destructive impact on the sound. In other words : for one In, you have a dedicated discrete (which means designed and built component by component. No embedded chips) preamp for the Mic and a dedicated one for the line. Why ? Because a good dream can handle dynamics (the difference between the quietest and the loudest part of a take) faster than a "cheap" one. That brings what we call "clarity" and depth
If you were to say record an acoustic guitar and vocals with 2 different pre amp and compressors at the same time then the independent sends and returns could be a nice feature. Given the price of mono preamps and compressors vs stereo it also might be a negligible difference in price to have different preamp and compressor options. Interesting
I emailed them recently with specific questions about the cause of the one-year delay since it was announced. They completely disregarded my questions, replying only that it will be shipped in Feb. I replied back and ripped them a new one for completely ignoring my questions. Doesn't bode well for future support.
Oh, and since I have started splitting hairs, it's a really strange but sometimes important distinction that USB C is just a connector. The AudioFuse 8Pre actually uses USB 2.0, despite having a USB C connector. Same with Focusrite's USB stuff, so it's expected. Thunderbolt can also use USB C, and normally USB C means it's USB 3.0 or USB 3.1. They've even chose to call USB 3.0 -> USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.1 -> USB 3.1 Gen 2, so it's a huge mess. I hope this clears nothing up.
@@theacematt2 Yup. It's because audio doesn't really use that much bandwidth, so you won't run out with USB2. There are no latency improvements with USB3, so there's no reason to change.
Thanks for the review. Having 8 inputs and only 2 with preamps would in theory be cheaper. I have however not found a good prices interface with these specs.
I have a presonus 192 which i love. so support for 192k in an expansion is important. you only get 4 channels over 2 pipes. the claret supports 192, not sure on the arturia. the arturia has full 8 inputs on the back. the presonus and claret only 6. i prefer the 8 thats a nice touch and costs more. BUT at the end of the day I'm happier not using a computer for most things, so I have a behringer1204ufx which does record at 48khz24. not the best. But fine. and so much easier to work without a computer in the way. the arturia is pricey at the moment and the claret is getting some good discounting so ... I'd get the claret but if they were both $1 I' might be swayed to the arturia JUST for the 8 inputs on the back (if I can confirm it will do 192khz!)
I’m currently using an antelope zen tour and for my current needs it’s absolutely fantastic and COMPLETELY overkill. It has 4 mic preamps as well as 4 guitar inputs, 2 reamp outputs, 2 headphone outs and is iPad controllable. It’s overkill because I don’t have enough space to actually record that much at once, but I bought it so I don’t have to worry about expanding for a very long time. With the antelope clocking and onboard DSP, I really don’t need to worry about getting a new interface until I have the actual need to get more inputs, and even then it has 2 sets of ADAT I/O so I can expand this little box quite a bit. Sounds fantastic, the effects are amazing, and I just couldn’t be happier
It’s not an affordable unit by any stretch, I paid around $1500 US for mine. It’s definitely the end all be all of desktop audio interfaces and has a price tag to justify that. It hurt my wallet the first time but given that it’s also usb and thunderbolt compatible I’m set for a VERY long time. It turned me into a total antelope fanboy
Seems a bit unfair not to mention and demonstrate the 'Air' feature on the Clarett - it has a really beautiful sound. I am currently running a Clarett 8 Pre (USB) with a Clarett Octopre for 16 audio ins. I have added SPDIF to a stereo channel strip for an extra 2 ins. The Clarett has impressed so much that I've just upgraded by finding a used Clarett 8 Pre X to replace it, which will allow me to run an additional ADAT in giving another 8 inputs, a total of 26 simultaneous ins. Perfect for those of us with lots of hardware and outboard. The Octopre has inserts on every channel too, which is super useful. I love Arturia, and the 8 Pre looks fantastic, but I honestly think the Claretts are the absolute sweetspot at the moment. Just so well engineered.
Looks nice, but I already have a MOTU 8M. The LCD on it sucks but everything else is great, including the browser-based customizable mixer which includes gate, compressor, and eq.
Currently rocking a 1st gen Scarlett 6i6 but at some stage I'll need to step up to something bigger. The 18i20 seems the likely option but one thing that bugs me with Focusrite is some functions are only accessible from their control software. Sure, it can be more convenient sometimes to just pull that up, but I'd like it to be an option rather than the only way to access certain functions. I got a little worried that Scarlett MixControl would stop working on macOS eventually as it is currently still 32-bit. But Focusrite have a 64-bit version in beta now. This is one reason I like my hardware to be hard and not reliant on any software. From this quick look, the Audiofuse appears to have physical controls for everything but on the downside there's no MIDI I/O. The Scarlett and Clarett both have this. But as you say this can be added with a dedicated MIDI unit (the ESI ones with auto-sensing ports and built-in USB hub look neat).
I'm sorry I didn't understand you I'm about to buy one of the two and I wanted to ask you for advice which one you see sounds more rounded and of sound quality
Great and comprehensive review!! What's your thought if you had to choose between the 8pre and studio? I feel I fall somewhere in-between the needs they're fulfilling; i'm attracted to the functionality and flexibility of the studio (at least most of it!), but am not a fan of the forward facing XLR/Line inputs from a cable management perspective. Whereas on 8pre, I'm a fan of the format i.e hands on control of all 8 channels (as opposed to studio only having for the 4 preamps), the I/o being mostly on the back and of course having the flexibility of 8 mics or line ins, but I do wish it had more headphone control, cue mixes/routing options and all the other goodies that studio comes with. Would love to hear your opinions!
to be really honest as a synth only home studio i went with your usual suspect, the RME Fireface UCX, many inputs, not that many preamps, yet handling everything amazingly well... from actually making music and using a lot of inputs as well as just playing games for example.... just considering a 19" for rack mounting as i like things tidy, but i reaaaally don't need 8 Preamps :c
I thought the price was a little excy at first, when I did more research - the price is justified. A lot of intuitive routings, features and big head room. The AudioFuse Studio has everything I need. I will be looking out for reviews of that. Thx for the review Bo. I dig your content.
Glad you took time to benchmark it. The Pre might sounds "cherry on the cake" but even in a line recording situation it is justified. Most of the high end sound cards have very good converters but cheap pre. This is breaking the chain. A pre must be fast and offer a huge headroom in order to respect the transients. By the way, you have 2 pre per channel as we are not using attenuators on the mic path to create the line. It's dedicated discrete (no "all in one" chip) line.
To be able to have individual control over the phantom power on each individual channel is something that I truly value and, unfortunately, the Clarett doesn't have it
thanks for this. I agree, in play back mode, very little different between the two. But i think, Clarett produce too much sibilance from your voice compare to audiofus and more natural balance too. Imho.
Could you create a pedal wall (a series of guitar pedals all chain up on the wall, a small fx loop) and run it though the send and return from inputs one and two? Also could a person hook up 4 set of monitors on the out put?
Hey Bo, thanks for the review. Its quite obvious for my ears that the Arturia's Mic Pre's are a bit more open in the top end and the Focusrite slightly dull in the highs but more in the mids on your voice. Its a matter of taste, but I like the more neutral sound of the Arturia. I read about the knobs, that they are a bit wobbly? Is that true?
Just noticed you have the Neumann headphones. How are they, also compared to Sennheiser or AKG? HAHA I didn't view to 12:00 before posting... Still a comparison would be appreciated
Very detailed and well structured review, Bo! This might be my next interface. Hope it will perform well on Win10 driver and latencywise cause my next studio computer will be a custom one from DAX Audio from Berlin.. Bye, Bye Apple after 10 years of Mac usage cause I want my PC to be upgradable, again...
Hi there, Patrice from Arturia. Measurements made on an Audio Precision bench using ASIO driver on Windows PC / Analog In to Analog Out roundtrip : • 96kHz - 16 samples buffer size : 3ms • 96kHz - 32 samples buffer size : 3,4ms • 48kHz - 16 samples buffer size : 3,9ms • 48kHz - 32 samples buffer size : 4ms We allow 8 samples buffer at 48kHz with slightly lower values but I recommend providing either 16samples or 32 samples buffer results as this is normal use case. Depending of your computer.
MakingMadBeats For this measurements it was an old school business PC. Nothing crazy. Let me check and get back to you. Sound on sound just issued an 8pre review, check it, they are saying lot of good things about the value for money of it.
@@MakingMadBeats I7 at 3,5 with 16gigas of RAM. SSD Hard drive. As we did this measures with sines sweeps (like everyone), my Dev team told me that the computer configuration don't have so much influence. In fact, if you're using a Windows platform, what will influence the latency performances is how deep you fine tweaked you system (by killing every hidden process). OSX is simpler to manage on that aspect. Cheers
Great review, Bo! Quick question: I need an audio interface with at least 7 inputs (4 mics, 3 instruments) that will send all seven tracks simultaneously to Logic on a Mac. It won't get more complicated than that. Is the Scarlet 18i8 best for the money for that?
4 года назад
Kick ass review! Most definitely got me interested in buying this one. Are you still using (and liking) it?
I am using the AF Studio and probably gonna use this as an adat expansion. They both have the same preamp and specs so in short: yeah. Quite the good interfaces if you like the features. You can check my AF studio review for comparison.
4 года назад+2
@@BoBeats I am in the market for a new interface. I have had Focusrite, Audient, UAD Apollo and RME Babyface Pro and while they all were pretty good I kinda feel that the juice in the Arturia pres kinda kick them all to the back of the line
Cool review Bo! Could you please check if either or both can work with iOS? What they do when connect usb to lightening camera connection to iPad/iPhone? Would really like to get one of these instead of small boxes laying around my studio table and avoid clatter mounting interface into rack. TNX!
Crazy that it has such high latency! The whole point of removing DSP mixing and "direct out" is to lower latency. instead Arturia seem to have broken their USB integration.
Does it come with any useful Routing or Mixing Software? I am using RME and this comes with DSP-based TotalMix which allows for independent and fully flexible Routing and Mixing of Inputs and Outputs. This also comes with effects which again is great if you don’t want to use your DAW or any other outboard effects gear. Although I clearly prefer dedicated effects or plugins. For me very important: does this Mixer-Software work on IOS? ADAT is widely used, but AES/EBU is the professional digital standard. I hear the PreAmps in the Audiofuse 8Pre are really good. That is always key for an AU. I like having good old Midi In/Outs though and a dedicated volume knob for speakers. But for the price this AU looks really interesting!
A lot more people are moving up to more immersive 5.1 and 7.1 surround setups and only being focused on two outputs is not going to be the future of audio development and listening.
As always very informative. One question I have is can it run standalone (wo computer) and do you still get output from the speaker outs and headphone jack? It seems like it might as it can act as standalone pres w/ADAT out. Please let me know if you know and thanks again.
Hi Bo, I am currently considering buying an audio interface and separate mixer vs. buying a USB mixer that also offers multitrack output. What it be preferable to have one or the other? So would there be an advantage of separating the mixer from the actual interface or would be all integrated just fine?
Nice review. One thing you said was that FireWire’s performance should be expected to be better than USB C. Theoretically, the opposite should be true. No?
One question mate. I saw that you use Newmanns NHD20. Do you connect them directly into the 8 pre? I have them connected to my Audiofuse Studio and do not seems to get the best of it Thanks :)
I understand the 8pre can be used by itself as an audio interface OR you can use it as and expander for another interface. My question is, can you do this expansion in reverse? I want to use the 8pre as my main interface connected to my computer and use a motu 828 mk2 as the expansion unit via ADAT. Is this possible? I think so but I haven't found any review that confirms this.
Do you see any issues on something like the Souncdraft MTK when recoring in multitrack? The sample rate gest redced to a max of 48KHZ when you do so. Also, does the same happend with audio interfaces like the audiofuse or clarret?
And the next question is : with such good synths, good soundcards, does this beautiful expensive 500e neumann headphones worths the price? ˆˆ (i shall write something about this on each new video until you review it ;) )
I have 2 Zoom units as audio interfaces (and one Focusrite too) The other one is an actual audio interface like these, an UAC-8, with 8 mic preamps and MIDI ports, adat etc. and an USB 3 connection for the computer or an iPad, so it also has a class compliant mode. I think it's very useful to check if the interface has a class compilant mode, because without one you cannot use it with an iPad. It also has internal effects inside, but you have to set them up with the computer software Zoom provided, you cannot change the effects as stand alone or when used with an iPad. Same thing with pan pot settings. That is a bit annoying. You have to set up the interface always with a computer, even I can use it with the iPad, but cannot change the settings. The Zoom UAC-8 has also 2 headphone outs with volume controls, like the Focusrite you have in the video. And then I have the Zoom Livetrak L-20 mixer, which also works as a 20-channel audio interface with 16 mic preamps. It has an USB 2 connection towards the computer or iPad. It doesn't have midi or adat, but 20 channels should be enough and it's very much a stand alone device with lots of controls. The only bigger thing it's missing is MIDI. But it's not a big problem, I have been using it with my iPad pro with a generic USB-C to 4xUSB-A hub with the mixer/audio interface in one USB port and a midi keyboard directly in an another. Has been working just fine like that. It has also 7 separate headphone outs with separate volumes, it should be enough... The third audio interface I have is the Focusrite iTrack dock, which has an Apple lightning connector and 2 channels (both also with mic preamps). I think they already discontinued it. It is very handy with a compatible iPad, but then again it doesn't work anymore with the newest iPad Pro, as they have USB-C connectors and this has only Apple Lightning and nothing else. I would at the moment recommend to avoid this kind of interfaces with a proprietary non-standard connector. Same goes with the other non-standard connectors. I woudl go with USB, which seems to be a standard at least for a while still (as we do remember the Firewire and Thunderbolt 2 connections etc). USB-C on this Arturia unit seems nice, you can connect that to modern computers and tablets with the USB-C to USB-C cable without any adapters or hubs. My criteria: 1, get as many channels as you can afford... :) 2. check that the device has a class compliant mode if you are planning to use it with an iPad (with Cubasis, Auria Pro, Garageband etc) 3. both have their good points, rack mount audio interfaces and mixers that work as an audio interface. Sometimes a simple 2-channel interface is all you need for better portability.
hi bo you really like evo? i have had one i find my evo4 gives very little output sound.. for $700-1000 usd mostly vst and arranging what do you recommend for the sound? to use with krk v6 speakers.
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Hey nice review!!, i recently bought this interface, i'll have it next week. The only thing i see is that this interface has not LED METERING for the output level. i wish it has one :(. Besides that it seems to be the best buy i ever made for my homestudio :D
@@BoBeatsdefinitely. Bad is a strong word. But after realizing the throughput of UA interfaces Daisy-chained through Thunderbolt, I don't know why ADAT can't be updated.
Nope. Focusrite has an interface that can use 2x adat expansions for 8+8+8 inputs or even more. If you need like serious amount of inputs a digital mixer like Presonus 32SC or larger is also interesting with their stageboxes
not being able to use both adats as 16i/16o seems like a major downfall for the audiofuse. it seems like there should really be an option to use them that way.
i recently got my hands on a second profire2626, because my existing one plus two Adat units just isn't enough inputs. now I can finally record drums without having to repatch everything and it's been probably the best 150$ investment ever
Yes, this is a pair of ins and a pair of outs. 8Ins / 8 outs up to 96k. ADAT has limitations in term of bandwidth. So the double ADAT is there to allow 8more ins up to 96k or the inverse (sending 8 channels up to 96k) Quality before quantity ;)
@@patricemartin5652 hard disagree on that last point. in fact, i wish there was a way to split it down further so that i could have 64i64o at 22.05 kHz per channel.
Hi there, Patrice from Arturia. Measurements made on an Audio Precision bench using ASIO driver on Windows PC / Analog In to Analog Out roundtrip : • 96kHz - 16 samples buffer size : 3ms • 96kHz - 32 samples buffer size : 3,4ms • 48kHz - 16 samples buffer size : 3,9ms • 48kHz - 32 samples buffer size : 4ms We allow 8 samples buffer at 48kHz with slightly lower values but I recommend providing either 16samples or 32 samples buffer results as this is normal use case. Depending of your computer.
jmizz15212 Films J-jigga you have 2 analogical insets on 1 & 2. So 2 mono / 1 stereo. This allow to use our discrete pro preamp (sound on sound just issued a review about he 8 pre, check all their good words about it) and insert outboards before the converts.
The Arturia AudioFuse has obviously more clearity /captures more details when listening to your voice. Unfortunatly it has no AES/EBU outs so I won't buy it.
@@BoBeats Thanks! This video actually for the first time made me consider getting a higher end interface to multitrack my synth setup into my DAW. I've been using the Behringer U-Phoria UMC-22. These look really good. Cheers :)
no I believe usb 2. which is more than enough if youre a home studio tracking a few instruments. the only time thunderbolt comes into play and is needed is if youre tracking 100 different instruments at the same time.
Hi There, Patrice from Arturia. Because we care about sound and workflow and found out that we could bring something unique (monitoring management / very good preamps) for an affordable price. Cheers
Right, so it's not just me! Probably makes the audiofuse more susceptible to certain high frequency reverse engineered sound wavelenghts. It's either that or the other.
I love my original AudioFuse. I mainly use it professionally for gigs by connecting my laptop via USB running Mainstage. Nice clean signal to the amp or band system. The USB hub is very useful since it powers my controller (KeyLab 88) and iLok for Synthogy Ivory. Also use it for recording synths into Logic at home as well.
I do wish it had USB-C instead of micro-USB but adapters/hubs solve that issue. Otherwise very happy with it!
love insert points on audio interfaces. Great way to process audio before A to D.
I use a MOTU 16A and a MOTU Pre 8 for a total of 10 stereo inputs and 2 mono inputs because I have 10 synths, mike and guitar inputs. This way every synth is always hooked up and available at all times. Cubase is my favorite DAW. Two MOTU midi timepieces handle all the midi and clock. This setup works perfect without any problems whatsoever.
it should work for that price! dang, that heavy
I really like the meters on it. Nice comparison with the Clarett, Fuse sounded a bit crisper, but it’s probably negligible. I have the oldest interface ever lol.
correct sir.......
arturia needs to update the matrix brute ...the market is saturated with pre amp inputs
@@indiefilmcomposer I don't think the Matrix Brute needs a physical update. Perhaps a Matrix Poly?
@@bond4177 woukd like to see step sequencer play chords .. ratchet....and a note repeat record mode so if Quantize is set to 16ths and i record a melody with one note it records 16ths of what i play
@@indiefilmcomposer Oh like a software update. Makes sense.
@@bond4177 yes .......but if they release a new 8 voice version that would be awesome
Thanks a lot for making this comparison. I've been looking at the 2 of these two expand my apollo twin and this helped me decide. I feel the clarett sounds way cleaner (just compare the kick & clap) and dynamic. The audiofuse does sounds crisper but not in a good way, going with the clarett! thank you.
BTW the stands are great. My iMac is placed on the PRE8 and there is pace for routing cables (i.g. USB) underneath the PRE8 to connect equipment in front of it. Very helpful.
Ive done the same
Looks like I’ll be doing the same when I receive mine.
I really like how the Arturia separated all 8 of the channels and that they all have their own LED signal indicators, super cool. What I dont like is that there is no LED indicator for the monitor section. I'd have to go with the Clarret.
I have a Pro 40 on windows 10. Had it for about 6 to 8 years. I love it. At 48 / 128 I am getting 1.3 input and total 3 ms latency.
I have heard a lot of people had issues with it, I I have not. I used a recommend TI fire-wire card that maybe why and also keep my machine clean with min start up programs.
I had a Yamaha I88x before this I was very happy with it. Not with Yamaha and drivers support. Long story short Yamaha stopped updating the drivers for new version of windows so when I went to win 7 the unit was useless. That is the other reason I went with focus rite there drivers for new versions of windows as of now still keep coming. Went fro win 7 to win 10.
So for many this is a lesson to be learned also, make sure you chose a company that will support further win versions with there drivers. Arturia may be a little better now but if they did what Yamaha did to me it will be useless in a few years.
Now for me as far as inputs, it's better to have them and not need them. Your point of quick access to the desktop units versus the a rack are valid. Me I rather have my desk clean.
Individual 48v Phantom power selectable on all is a rare (if Needed) feature also Thank You BB.
I buy it because of that feature and i was also surprise by thé Hi Z Channel on guitar recording it sound amazing on drums.
I buy it because of the phantom power by Channel feature and also because your drum machine test convince me, it's also very good on hiz D.I mode for recording guitar.
Thanks to your review, I am buying two of the Arturia AudioFuse 8Preunits. Thanks Bo - it was a really helpful video 👍
Im actually rocking dual 8pre’s right now and loving it
A small mixer is a great solution for folks who don't regularly need more than 2 mic pre-s. Run stereo out of your mixer into your 2-channel interface - and done! This way - you can have multiple mics (on drums??) or inputs (analog instruments??) plugged into your mixer which can then be output to the 2 channels on your interface.
Hi there, Patrice from Arturia. It's not just about Mic Pre. We decided to invest on the line Pre also. We found out that lot of very good sound cards, conversion wise, had some kind of "weak" analogical path (before the converters). That's kind of a pity as this is also a part of your takes. Anyway, the Discrete Pro are offering 72db of gain (I let you check the competition) before going thru the AKM converters (the same you can find in the Baby face Pro, if you want to have a benchmark) that offers 118db of dynamic range. We don't use attenuators to switch from Mic to line. Because it basically has a destructive impact on the sound. In other words : for one In, you have a dedicated discrete (which means designed and built component by component. No embedded chips) preamp for the Mic and a dedicated one for the line. Why ? Because a good dream can handle dynamics (the difference between the quietest and the loudest part of a take) faster than a "cheap" one. That brings what we call "clarity" and depth
Arturia's interfaces are great with the physical buttons for controls. I wish the Studio also came in a Thunderbolt version. I'd buy it immediately.
Me too! Tb would be amazing
If you were to say record an acoustic guitar and vocals with 2 different pre amp and compressors at the same time then the independent sends and returns could be a nice feature. Given the price of mono preamps and compressors vs stereo it also might be a negligible difference in price to have different preamp and compressor options. Interesting
I’m still waiting for the damn Studio Version that was supposed to be released Spring of 2019!!
I don't think I would need more than 4 mics with preamps in my home studio ever. I hear ya on this one.
Torin Webster me too
you won't have to wait too long ;)
I emailed them recently with specific questions about the cause of the one-year delay since it was announced. They completely disregarded my questions, replying only that it will be shipped in Feb.
I replied back and ripped them a new one for completely ignoring my questions. Doesn't bode well for future support.
USB C -> "whatever it's called" is called USB A, but "the normal one" is ample description!
Oh, and since I have started splitting hairs, it's a really strange but sometimes important distinction that USB C is just a connector. The AudioFuse 8Pre actually uses USB 2.0, despite having a USB C connector. Same with Focusrite's USB stuff, so it's expected. Thunderbolt can also use USB C, and normally USB C means it's USB 3.0 or USB 3.1. They've even chose to call USB 3.0 -> USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.1 -> USB 3.1 Gen 2, so it's a huge mess. I hope this clears nothing up.
Don't forget the insanity of USB 3.2. There is still Gen 1 and Gen 2 and an additional layer called "x 1" or "x 2"
@@progandy USB is the reason I drink
It's still using 2.0? 😅
@@theacematt2 Yup. It's because audio doesn't really use that much bandwidth, so you won't run out with USB2. There are no latency improvements with USB3, so there's no reason to change.
Love my audiofuse
Thanks for the review.
Having 8 inputs and only 2 with preamps would in theory be cheaper. I have however not found a good prices interface with these specs.
I have a presonus 192 which i love. so support for 192k in an expansion is important. you only get 4 channels over 2 pipes. the claret supports 192, not sure on the arturia. the arturia has full 8 inputs on the back. the presonus and claret only 6. i prefer the 8 thats a nice touch and costs more. BUT at the end of the day I'm happier not using a computer for most things, so I have a behringer1204ufx which does record at 48khz24. not the best. But fine. and so much easier to work without a computer in the way. the arturia is pricey at the moment and the claret is getting some good discounting so ... I'd get the claret but if they were both $1 I' might be swayed to the arturia JUST for the 8 inputs on the back (if I can confirm it will do 192khz!)
24 bit 192 khz for the internal channels and 96 max for adat
I’m currently using an antelope zen tour and for my current needs it’s absolutely fantastic and COMPLETELY overkill. It has 4 mic preamps as well as 4 guitar inputs, 2 reamp outputs, 2 headphone outs and is iPad controllable. It’s overkill because I don’t have enough space to actually record that much at once, but I bought it so I don’t have to worry about expanding for a very long time. With the antelope clocking and onboard DSP, I really don’t need to worry about getting a new interface until I have the actual need to get more inputs, and even then it has 2 sets of ADAT I/O so I can expand this little box quite a bit. Sounds fantastic, the effects are amazing, and I just couldn’t be happier
Oooh the antelope stuff looks cool! Is it 16 audio over the dual adat?
Yes! 16 extra inputs and outputs at 44.1/44.8 or if you want that 96k you’ve gotta use them both and only get 8. It also has S/PDIF i/o
Amazing! Whats the price point on that? So many great audio interfaces out there.
It’s not an affordable unit by any stretch, I paid around $1500 US for mine. It’s definitely the end all be all of desktop audio interfaces and has a price tag to justify that. It hurt my wallet the first time but given that it’s also usb and thunderbolt compatible I’m set for a VERY long time. It turned me into a total antelope fanboy
Sometimes you just gotto pay that premium to be satisfied
Seems a bit unfair not to mention and demonstrate the 'Air' feature on the Clarett - it has a really beautiful sound.
I am currently running a Clarett 8 Pre (USB) with a Clarett Octopre for 16 audio ins. I have added SPDIF to a stereo channel strip for an extra 2 ins. The Clarett has impressed so much that I've just upgraded by finding a used Clarett 8 Pre X to replace it, which will allow me to run an additional ADAT in giving another 8 inputs, a total of 26 simultaneous ins. Perfect for those of us with lots of hardware and outboard. The Octopre has inserts on every channel too, which is super useful.
I love Arturia, and the 8 Pre looks fantastic, but I honestly think the Claretts are the absolute sweetspot at the moment. Just so well engineered.
Thank you for a really informative and helpful review
Looks nice, but I already have a MOTU 8M. The LCD on it sucks but everything else is great, including the browser-based customizable mixer which includes gate, compressor, and eq.
And reverb
Yo your channel is amazing and you deserve way more subs. Keep up the great work 👍
♥️♥️
BoBeats i subbed and hit the bell :)
✅ awesome bud!!
Currently rocking a 1st gen Scarlett 6i6 but at some stage I'll need to step up to something bigger. The 18i20 seems the likely option but one thing that bugs me with Focusrite is some functions are only accessible from their control software. Sure, it can be more convenient sometimes to just pull that up, but I'd like it to be an option rather than the only way to access certain functions. I got a little worried that Scarlett MixControl would stop working on macOS eventually as it is currently still 32-bit. But Focusrite have a 64-bit version in beta now. This is one reason I like my hardware to be hard and not reliant on any software.
From this quick look, the Audiofuse appears to have physical controls for everything but on the downside there's no MIDI I/O. The Scarlett and Clarett both have this. But as you say this can be added with a dedicated MIDI unit (the ESI ones with auto-sensing ports and built-in USB hub look neat).
I can definitely hear the electrons move counter clockwise(Audiofuse) at 10,458Hz vs clockwise(Clarett).
I'm sorry I didn't understand you I'm about to buy one of the two and I wanted to ask you for advice which one you see sounds more rounded and of sound quality
Great review - I am considering this interface - USB Mixer is also in consideration - Arturia has good build quality
What about the converters?..Which has better sound from the speaker? Focusrite or the audiofuse?
Motu m2 is decent for the money but i feel like the 8 pre has much more untapped potential and better internal amplification circuitry.
Great and comprehensive review!! What's your thought if you had to choose between the 8pre and studio? I feel I fall somewhere in-between the needs they're fulfilling; i'm attracted to the functionality and flexibility of the studio (at least most of it!), but am not a fan of the forward facing XLR/Line inputs from a cable management perspective. Whereas on 8pre, I'm a fan of the format i.e hands on control of all 8 channels (as opposed to studio only having for the 4 preamps), the I/o being mostly on the back and of course having the flexibility of 8 mics or line ins, but I do wish it had more headphone control, cue mixes/routing options and all the other goodies that studio comes with. Would love to hear your opinions!
to be really honest as a synth only home studio i went with your usual suspect, the RME Fireface UCX, many inputs, not that many preamps, yet handling everything amazingly well... from actually making music and using a lot of inputs as well as just playing games for example.... just considering a 19" for rack mounting as i like things tidy, but i reaaaally don't need 8 Preamps :c
I thought the price was a little excy at first, when I did more research - the price is justified. A lot of intuitive routings, features and big head room. The AudioFuse Studio has everything I need. I will be looking out for reviews of that. Thx for the review Bo. I dig your content.
Glad you took time to benchmark it. The Pre might sounds "cherry on the cake" but even in a line recording situation it is justified. Most of the high end sound cards have very good converters but cheap pre. This is breaking the chain. A pre must be fast and offer a huge headroom in order to respect the transients. By the way, you have 2 pre per channel as we are not using attenuators on the mic path to create the line. It's dedicated discrete (no "all in one" chip) line.
To be able to have individual control over the phantom power on each individual channel is something that I truly value and, unfortunately, the Clarett doesn't have it
thanks for this. I agree, in play back mode, very little different between the two. But i think, Clarett produce too much sibilance from your voice compare to audiofus and more natural balance too. Imho.
I wanted to ask you for advice which one you see sounds more rounded and of sound quality?
Could you create a pedal wall (a series of guitar pedals all chain up on the wall, a small fx loop) and run it though the send and return from inputs one and two? Also could a person hook up 4 set of monitors on the out put?
Hey Bo, thanks for the review. Its quite obvious for my ears that the Arturia's Mic Pre's are a bit more open in the top end and the Focusrite slightly dull in the highs but more in the mids on your voice. Its a matter of taste, but I like the more neutral sound of the Arturia. I read about the knobs, that they are a bit wobbly? Is that true?
Thanks for the great overview. What do you recommend if you need just line-ins and not preamps?
hm, i heard good things about a 16 input tascam... it has mic pre’s but it also work with line. Its very affordable
I think that Clarett's low end is more present and with more depth... mid range and up, AudioFuse has more clarity... what's your opinion?
Just noticed you have the Neumann headphones. How are they, also compared to Sennheiser or AKG?
HAHA I didn't view to 12:00 before posting... Still a comparison would be appreciated
i dont have any comparable headphones (price wise) so it does feel a bit unfair to say :-/
AMAZING review!!!
Very detailed and well structured review, Bo! This might be my next interface. Hope it will perform well on Win10 driver and latencywise cause my next studio computer will be a custom one from DAX Audio from Berlin.. Bye, Bye Apple after 10 years of Mac usage cause I want my PC to be upgradable, again...
Hi there, Patrice from Arturia. Measurements made on an Audio Precision bench using ASIO driver on Windows PC / Analog In to Analog Out roundtrip :
• 96kHz - 16 samples buffer size : 3ms
• 96kHz - 32 samples buffer size : 3,4ms
• 48kHz - 16 samples buffer size : 3,9ms
• 48kHz - 32 samples buffer size : 4ms
We allow 8 samples buffer at 48kHz with slightly lower values but I recommend providing either 16samples or 32 samples buffer results as this is normal use case. Depending of your computer.
@@patricemartin5652 Which configuration did your system have? CPU, RAM, SSDs?
MakingMadBeats For this measurements it was an old school business PC. Nothing crazy. Let me check and get back to you.
Sound on sound just issued an 8pre review, check it, they are saying lot of good things about the value for money of it.
@@patricemartin5652 OK, thx 4 your input!
@@MakingMadBeats I7 at 3,5 with 16gigas of RAM. SSD Hard drive. As we did this measures with sines sweeps (like everyone), my Dev team told me that the computer configuration don't have so much influence. In fact, if you're using a Windows platform, what will influence the latency performances is how deep you fine tweaked you system (by killing every hidden process). OSX is simpler to manage on that aspect. Cheers
extra outs - also for external summing
Great review, Bo! Quick question: I need an audio interface with at least 7 inputs (4 mics, 3 instruments) that will send all seven tracks simultaneously to Logic on a Mac. It won't get more complicated than that. Is the Scarlet 18i8 best for the money for that?
Kick ass review! Most definitely got me interested in buying this one. Are you still using (and liking) it?
I am using the AF Studio and probably gonna use this as an adat expansion. They both have the same preamp and specs so in short: yeah. Quite the good interfaces if you like the features. You can check my AF studio review for comparison.
@@BoBeats I am in the market for a new interface. I have had Focusrite, Audient, UAD Apollo and RME Babyface Pro and while they all were pretty good I kinda feel that the juice in the Arturia pres kinda kick them all to the back of the line
i had some help with the color correction on this video. send some love to instagram.com/delayedpleasuremusic/ for his troubles!!
Awesome thank you!!
Biggest advantage for the clarett are its converters
Cool review Bo! Could you please check if either or both can work with iOS? What they do when connect usb to lightening camera connection to iPad/iPhone? Would really like to get one of these instead of small boxes laying around my studio table and avoid clatter mounting interface into rack. TNX!
Crazy that it has such high latency! The whole point of removing DSP mixing and "direct out" is to lower latency. instead Arturia seem to have broken their USB integration.
Does it come with any useful Routing or Mixing Software? I am using RME and this comes with DSP-based TotalMix which allows for independent and fully flexible Routing and Mixing of Inputs and Outputs. This also comes with effects which again is great if you don’t want to use your DAW or any other outboard effects gear. Although I clearly prefer dedicated effects or plugins. For me very important: does this Mixer-Software work on IOS?
ADAT is widely used, but AES/EBU is the professional digital standard. I hear the PreAmps in the Audiofuse 8Pre are really good. That is always key for an AU. I like having good old Midi In/Outs though and a dedicated volume knob for speakers. But for the price this AU looks really interesting!
Thanks, great review and tips! Can I have zero latency monitoring of the mic inputs and how?
A lot more people are moving up to more immersive 5.1 and 7.1 surround setups and only being focused on two outputs is not going to be the future of audio development and listening.
As always very informative. One question I have is can it run standalone (wo computer) and do you still get output from the speaker outs and headphone jack? It seems like it might as it can act as standalone pres w/ADAT out. Please let me know if you know and thanks again.
It’s the normal Drumbrute, not the Impact.
why is the Arturia AudioFuse 8PRE still out of stock ? :(
I have been trying to find better sounding interface than the claretts without succes. The rme interfaces get close but still not enough.
Thank You Bo!
Thumbs up! :-)
Hi Bo, I am currently considering buying an audio interface and separate mixer vs. buying a USB mixer that also offers multitrack output. What it be preferable to have one or the other? So would there be an advantage of separating the mixer from the actual interface or would be all integrated just fine?
Nice review. One thing you said was that FireWire’s performance should be expected to be better than USB C. Theoretically, the opposite should be true. No?
Thunderbolt. Not firewire. Thunderbolt is generally faster, especially on mac
BoBeats ahh yes...sorry, Bo. Misheard
@@BoBeats even firewire is faster
One question mate. I saw that you use Newmanns NHD20. Do you connect them directly into the 8 pre? I have them connected to my Audiofuse Studio and do not seems to get the best of it
Thanks :)
Nicely done!!Cheers!
I understand the 8pre can be used by itself as an audio interface OR you can use it as and expander for another interface. My question is, can you do this expansion in reverse? I want to use the 8pre as my main interface connected to my computer and use a motu 828 mk2 as the expansion unit via ADAT. Is this possible? I think so but I haven't found any review that confirms this.
Do you see any issues on something like the Souncdraft MTK when recoring in multitrack? The sample rate gest redced to a max of 48KHZ when you do so. Also, does the same happend with audio interfaces like the audiofuse or clarret?
And the next question is : with such good synths, good soundcards, does this beautiful expensive 500e neumann headphones worths the price? ˆˆ (i shall write something about this on each new video until you review it ;) )
🤣👌
can you link multiple outputs to front volume knob and control them at the same time? Surround application ...
I have 2 Zoom units as audio interfaces (and one Focusrite too)
The other one is an actual audio interface like these, an UAC-8, with 8 mic preamps and MIDI ports, adat etc. and an USB 3 connection for the computer or an iPad, so it also has a class compliant mode. I think it's very useful to check if the interface has a class compilant mode, because without one you cannot use it with an iPad. It also has internal effects inside, but you have to set them up with the computer software Zoom provided, you cannot change the effects as stand alone or when used with an iPad. Same thing with pan pot settings. That is a bit annoying. You have to set up the interface always with a computer, even I can use it with the iPad, but cannot change the settings. The Zoom UAC-8 has also 2 headphone outs with volume controls, like the Focusrite you have in the video.
And then I have the Zoom Livetrak L-20 mixer, which also works as a 20-channel audio interface with 16 mic preamps. It has an USB 2 connection towards the computer or iPad. It doesn't have midi or adat, but 20 channels should be enough and it's very much a stand alone device with lots of controls. The only bigger thing it's missing is MIDI. But it's not a big problem, I have been using it with my iPad pro with a generic USB-C to 4xUSB-A hub with the mixer/audio interface in one USB port and a midi keyboard directly in an another. Has been working just fine like that. It has also 7 separate headphone outs with separate volumes, it should be enough...
The third audio interface I have is the Focusrite iTrack dock, which has an Apple lightning connector and 2 channels (both also with mic preamps). I think they already discontinued it. It is very handy with a compatible iPad, but then again it doesn't work anymore with the newest iPad Pro, as they have USB-C connectors and this has only Apple Lightning and nothing else. I would at the moment recommend to avoid this kind of interfaces with a proprietary non-standard connector. Same goes with the other non-standard connectors. I woudl go with USB, which seems to be a standard at least for a while still (as we do remember the Firewire and Thunderbolt 2 connections etc). USB-C on this Arturia unit seems nice, you can connect that to modern computers and tablets with the USB-C to USB-C cable without any adapters or hubs.
My criteria:
1, get as many channels as you can afford... :)
2. check that the device has a class compliant mode if you are planning to use it with an iPad (with Cubasis, Auria Pro, Garageband etc)
3. both have their good points, rack mount audio interfaces and mixers that work as an audio interface. Sometimes a simple 2-channel interface is all you need for better portability.
Check out Arturia Audiofuse audio interfaces here:
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/457990?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/ArzXR
US: bit.ly/audiofusePC
UK: tidd.ly/3zXDwHl
Affordable alternative EVO 4:
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/483323?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/XP07y
US: bit.ly/PS-evo4
UK: tidd.ly/3L0f4vg
hi bo you really like evo? i have had one i find my evo4 gives very little output sound.. for $700-1000 usd mostly vst and arranging what do you recommend for the sound? to use with krk v6 speakers.
I have the original audiofuse but that micro usb connection sucks sooooooo bad every time the audiofuse gets touched the connection resets
Hello, is it possible to use the pre 8 as a stand alone device. Straight to the monitor speaker or headphones without a computer? thanx and cheers K
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Hey nice review!!, i recently bought this interface, i'll have it next week. The only thing i see is that this interface has not LED METERING for the output level. i wish it has one :(. Besides that it seems to be the best buy i ever made for my homestudio :D
how is it going with it?
@@francescocaddeo981 yeah tell us
that does suck that it won't show a master output,, havent thought about that! kinda important for me
After few months of using it, it goes really great! Sounds amazing i totally recommend it!
@@Dolle_Man yes it does suck, but i use my monitor station to check the output levels. 👍🏻😊
What would you choose between these and Roland Studio Capture?
you didnt mentioned the air feuture and comparisson then
You lucky devil!
Is that a good idea to stack your imac on top of the housing like that?
5:17 Which synth is that grey on in the background? Is it a desktop synth module, or some other piece of hardware?
If you didn't already figure out, then that's an Elektron Analog 4 mk2.
arturia seems to have higher noise
I had no idea that ADAT was that bad. Thanks for the update Bo!
i wouldn’t say its bad.. it has limits
@@BoBeatsdefinitely. Bad is a strong word. But after realizing the throughput of UA interfaces Daisy-chained through Thunderbolt, I don't know why ADAT can't be updated.
Erm was it the slave or master? Most interfaces are really poor at syncing to an external clock, with a huge increase in noise floor...
In this review i used both interfaces individually, not in any adat config
BoBeats so how did you connect it to a computer?
Is it possible to connect mulitple audio fuse 8‘s, so that i‘ll have for example 32 inputs in my DAW with 4 of them?
Nope. Focusrite has an interface that can use 2x adat expansions for 8+8+8 inputs or even more. If you need like serious amount of inputs a digital mixer like Presonus 32SC or larger is also interesting with their stageboxes
BoBeats Thx Mate 👍🏼
Hey Bo, how tall are you buddy? I'm thinking of making you something.
not being able to use both adats as 16i/16o seems like a major downfall for the audiofuse. it seems like there should really be an option to use them that way.
Yeah i wondered about that limitation. It could have been very good to have the dual adat for 16 additional channels
As is, to clarify: 16 ins are max
i recently got my hands on a second profire2626, because my existing one plus two Adat units just isn't enough inputs. now I can finally record drums without having to repatch everything and it's been probably the best 150$ investment ever
Yes, this is a pair of ins and a pair of outs. 8Ins / 8 outs up to 96k. ADAT has limitations in term of bandwidth. So the double ADAT is there to allow 8more ins up to 96k or the inverse (sending 8 channels up to 96k) Quality before quantity ;)
For the money its a great feature. Few cards at this price point offer it
@@patricemartin5652 hard disagree on that last point. in fact, i wish there was a way to split it down further so that i could have 64i64o at 22.05 kHz per channel.
so i can connect like 4 outboard gear like compressor ect. im buy this unit how the latency
Hi there, Patrice from Arturia. Measurements made on an Audio Precision bench using ASIO driver on Windows PC / Analog In to Analog Out roundtrip :
• 96kHz - 16 samples buffer size : 3ms
• 96kHz - 32 samples buffer size : 3,4ms
• 48kHz - 16 samples buffer size : 3,9ms
• 48kHz - 32 samples buffer size : 4ms
We allow 8 samples buffer at 48kHz with slightly lower values but I recommend providing either 16samples or 32 samples buffer results as this is normal use case. Depending of your computer.
@@patricemartin5652 can you connect outboard gear like compressor and how many
jmizz15212 Films J-jigga you have 2 analogical insets on 1 & 2. So 2 mono / 1 stereo. This allow to use our discrete pro preamp (sound on sound just issued a review about he 8 pre, check all their good words about it) and insert outboards before the converts.
"you might hear some wooshing" - you mean that wooshing that I can't hear because my computer fans are blowing really loudly? 😂
🤣🤣🤣
focusrite sounded better. just had more clarity
Freddie Shreddie interesting, because I thought it sounded more colored, not quite as clear.
“Clarett-y” hehe
The Arturia AudioFuse has obviously more clearity /captures more details when listening to your voice. Unfortunatly it has no AES/EBU outs so I won't buy it.
You dont turn off inserts lol. Its normalized
I feel honored to be the hundredth view. What's up? :)
you win a cookie!! :D
@@BoBeats Thanks! This video actually for the first time made me consider getting a higher end interface to multitrack my synth setup into my DAW. I've been using the Behringer U-Phoria UMC-22. These look really good. Cheers :)
@@mikeexits thanks bud. They are very good. My honest opinion. If you like the feature set its a great interface.
It has thunderbolt??
no I believe usb 2. which is more than enough if youre a home studio tracking a few instruments. the only time thunderbolt comes into play and is needed is if youre tracking 100 different instruments at the same time.
Why another interface? We already many.
well this one actually has quite a few unique features
Hi There, Patrice from Arturia. Because we care about sound and workflow and found out that we could bring something unique (monitoring management / very good preamps) for an affordable price. Cheers
Patrice Martin it’s great to see that the company is here and replying to potential customers. Thanks a lot for your response.
@@Da1Prophessor our pleasure
Look like Elektron USB cables
sheck out? why?:)))
I can definitely hear the electrons move counter clockwise(Audiofuse) at 10,458Hz vs clockwise(Clarett).
Right, so it's not just me! Probably makes the audiofuse more susceptible to certain high frequency reverse engineered sound wavelenghts. It's either that or the other.