Important note: The "Not recommended for New Designs" @ 4:50 only applies to the original TI PCM2900. The M-Track Solo and Duo and Solo use the TI PCM2900C which is an active product of the TI product range as of Jan 10, 2021. The 16-Bit specification still applies.
yes I join in on your comments. This is the 2nd time that you opened up my eyes on gear which I would have bought "because everybody says it is good" but technically it is not suitable for real home-studio work. THANK YOU!!!!!
I just got an idea that should be picked up by one of the brands. An interface by Julian Krause. I would order the Behringer JK 1 or the Komplete Audio JK 4 without blinking.
As a composer this is an excellent interface for a travel setup and for a home studio environment, I believe that if you can't do your best work with the basic tools you won't do much with expensive ones, these are much better than the pro equipment we had 10, 20 years ago, excellent for the price
At 4:30 - glad I wasn't crazy. I did a first impressions video and said it was 16-bit and someone in the comments said it was 24-bit. Glad you confirmed why I was getting 16 bit only.
you are like one of the best audio youtubers man, i already got what i needed but i still find myself wanting to watch your content cause its just that good!! please do more mic reviews too, theyd really benefit from that julian krause quality
I just bought one of these interfaces, although I am new to audio interfaces. Thanks for talking about the driver quirks, because I was about to return this thing for not being able to change settings to the marketing claims. They are on V1.0.3 now and it seems to behave the same as V1.0.2 with no apparent new features. Another thing I noticed, when the interface was set to 32 bit (seemed to be default) the sound output from the microphone would be weird and bassy, with random little "pops" or crackles. Setting this back down to 16 bit fixed it. This seems to be related to TI's PCM290x Eratta section 2.2 "Exceeding Max Packet Size", which says TI was planning a fix in a new hardware revision, circa 2008. M-Audio is using some bargain-basement old-stock USB1.1 chips in these Audio interfaces. As far as I can tell the most recent revision is the PCM2900E, which is the fixed version from March 2008 (still not recommended for new designs). I got mine used for $37 so its not a big deal to somebody like me who is just trying to learn more about audio, but I think M-Audio is just clearing out old chips. Nobody should go into this purchase expecting long term software/driver support from the company, because there's a good chance the M-track Solo/Duo gets discontinued when they run out of old-stock ICs. Also, I was unable to find a listing for an updated drop-in replacement with a better ADC/DAC, but maybe one exists from another company. Update: I should have returned it, because the interface constantly resets itself to that unusable "32-bit default" setting. I've lost way too much work when I realized that the interface randomly decided to reset itself to broken settings between takes.
Julian, Nice work catching M-Audio’s misleading claims. Equipment tear-downs should be a basic feature of any good review. I always enjoy yours. And that German accent is FANTASTIC! CIao!
Why would M audio advertise these interfaces as 24 bit if they are only using a 16 bit converter? that would be the only thing that keeps me from purchasing. I hope they see your video and offer an explanation. Thank you very much for your review.
You gave the exact reason! Many people would rather buy an interface with a 24-bit converter, which means that this interface would automatically be disqualified for many people. So how to circumvent that? By faking bit-depth. Essentially, by lying, misleading. They are very sneaky about that, though - on their page it says "The M-Track Solo incorporates pristine A/D converters for 24-bit resolution digital audio with explosive dynamic range that captures every nuance and subtlety of the performance." So, they don't say that A/D converters are 24-bit (which they are not), rather that "digital audio" (of the interface?) is 24-bit (which is technically true, if they are talking about digital audio that comes out of the interface). In the end - this kind of marketing practice should be against the law.
I'm guessing they had proposed a model that used a 24bit chip but somehow production skipped that for supply reasons and the drivers and documents were left unchanged. Deliberate misleading can be legally expensive, so I think this was incompetence. Course it was still be expensive as all the buyers who expected 24bit ask for their money back.
16 bit has 96 dB of headroom. 120 dB for 24 bit and 150 for 32. If they're not using good preamps, having a larger dynamic range could introduce more noise into the signal. 16 bit converters can record at 24 bit though. What happens is you get a 16 bit integer with the extra 8 bits filled with zeros.
Hey Julian, first review i have read from you and I think its absolutely perfect for what i needed to know. The limitations of the product will also help me to better understand where it can be used and identify defects/subtleties that may arise during live performances. Your name is reminiscent of one of the great audio reviewers of all time, I'm sure you know Julian Hirsch. Wonderful job.
Regarding the preamp performance, I bought the M-Track solo and the Samson Q2u dynamic mic. I find that it is very low when recording and it has to be boosted in post. I this typical/expected performance? I was considering getting a Fethead or different interface in general because the levels were so low, like -48db. Maybe as loud as -24db. Normal voice was not going near -12 or -16 unless I boosted it in post. Are you saying that there is enough range to "fix it in post"? and to save money and not get a mic preamp like a Fethead?
Are you using the mic at a great distance or for very quiet sounds? Julian didn't specify what the max input level of the mic input was, but I doubt it's high enough (especially when using a 16-bit chip) for +55dB not to be more than enough to drive a dynamic mic in this case.
Julian, I really enjoy your very detailed technical reviews. It really helps those of us who might be blinded by the PR machines of these various companies. I would love you to consider doing actual breakdowns of the units, to see how well they are constructed internally. A lot of people have issues with interfaces failing due to sloppy soldering, or component failure due to heat build up etc. Not sure if you would have the expertise to give opinions on this aspect, but it would certainly add to the decision making process. Thanks.
TASCAM just released an upgrade to their US series interfaces. I don't think you've ever reviewed a Tascam interface... Curious what you think about the new range!
I considered the 208i and the new 4x4 HR models but they don't have loopback feature and they aren't bus powered. They're still offering free TH02 headphones and TM80 mic on the 208i/102i models though. Nice little spiff you could either keep or sell for a few bucks, might get $150 for both. Have you checked out the MOTU M4? ~$210 4x4, loopback, bus powered, and visual meters.
@@_thevaporz Oh yeah, I'm an anything-MOTU guy, but this time for what i need it's out of my budget. I went with a second hand focusrite Scarlett solo 3rd gen. I'm curious if the tascam HR will have more gain and lower noise floor though.
Which interface would you recommend for practicing/playing guitar with ampsims in the pricerange to about 80,- ? Great Video, very good research, thanks a lot!
Hey I really need some help with this thing and you look like perfect person to ask. I have duo and it has the 2 red clipping lights that will not go away for nothing. I get no audio from the thing when I hook it up to my phone or computer. I’ve seen where many ppl face this issue but no one who’s how to fix it. I was hoping you had some insight.😊
Hi Julian, I'm currently looking for a budget interface for home use (unfortunately, being a Pole, I simply cannot afford anything better at the moment) and I stumbled upon your review while looking for test/opinins/comparisons. I need a simple device to record bass and some voiceovers for my yt videos. Is the M-Track Solo worth the price difference between the Behringer U-Phoria UM2, and is there anything you'd recommend more in this price range? As I've said, I simply cannot afford anything more expensive and the Fender Slide I've been using to record the bass is dying on me, so I need a decent budget solution. Thank you in advance for your reply!
Excellent review ! Regarding the dynamic range of 88.2 dB, in their specifications MAudio states a 104 dB dynamic range. I don't know if im reading that correctly. Same case for Presonus Audiobox USB96 with a dynamic range of 105 dB accodrging to manufactuter against a lecture of around 97 dB made in this channel.
9:29 in you behringer review of um2 and umc22 you measured a diferent dinamic range, (85dba and 87.5dba respectively) but here they are shown with lower values, did you measured them again?
I really like your reviews bro, good to se that other viewers think the same, you earned a new follower, thanks for clarifying things in such an easy way for normal people like me.
Can you test what happens if you feed it signal where only the last 6 or 7 lest significant bits oft the 24Bit signal change? With a real 24Bit DAC you should defiantly see the signal in the FFT even if its behind the noise floor.
It's fairly similar to the Miditech Audiolink III. 2 main differences I see are the preamps and the case. The Miditech uses NE5532s and has a metal case.
For direct monitoring a microphone on a Behringer UMC202HD, I added a Y cable to my mic so that I can plug it into both sockets. That way I get the feed from both left and right. It's a compromise, but it works.
Been using one of these for a year or so, and think I'm probably ready for a bit of an upgrade. It's definitely great for the price, but it took some getting used to. Had quite a bit of trouble trying to get the drivers to play nice, but once I got that sorted out I've been able to use it mostly fine ever since. No hardware issues to speak of, and I do like the stark design, but the flimsy plastics don't exactly inspire confidence in the long term. Still, if you need an interface and really can't afford to spend more than $50 or so, it does a really impressive job for the price. Really happy I found your channel, as after checking a few of your videos I'll definitely be using these reviews to decide what I'll actually upgrade to. Thanks for all your hard work!
So a couple of questions personally for the solo. Does the headphone output have the ability to monitor pc audio playback and your mic at the same time, if so how? Is there latency? Which do I put to listen to pc audio playback, direct or USB? Thanks!
Thanks this is very helpful. Considering M track duo with an AT2035 for my first XLR setup. Hopefully the product has improved a bit since this review but seems plenty good for my purposes which is home podcast spoken word and guitar instrumental recordings.
Very good review, but I have a question/comment for Julian or anyone with an m-track. In Windows > Sounds where you select your bit rate, I like to set it to 16 bit / 48000 Hz for both input and output. Problem is, it just instantly changes itself to 32x41000 (or other random number?). Any idea why it does that when the thing can't even do 24 bit, let alone 32 (I assume that means 32 bit floating point or something above my pay grade?). Why is 24 and 32 bit even an option in there and why does it refuse to stay on 48000 Hz? How do I know what the heck it is doing in Reaper while recording? Also, the strange, massive gain bump above ~9 is still present in the newest models, I just got mine. Not a problem because I have not needed my gain anywhere near that high anyway...yet.
Hi. This may be a silly newbie question but wanted to check before purchasing. When recording via USB do the 2 channels record as seperate tracks? Can you add channels individually to something like OBS or does it just show up as 1 device? Thanks!
Hi Julian, i commonly hear that the instrument inputs for the Behringer interfaces are pretty muffled. For electric guitar, would you recommend the M-Track Duo or the UMC202HD? Thanks!
Thank you very much for your video! I´m thinking about buying this interace, but there are 2 questions...perhaps you can help me out with them? First: Is it possible to plug my mic (a SM58) to Line 2 with an XLR to jack cable, or can I only use XLR to XLR cable? And second: Will this audio interface work with audacity? I wish you a great day!
can these power a XM8500 (or two for the DUO) without having to crank the gain really high? If so this interface + XM8500 + $10 "front addressing pop filter" could be a nice ~$100 pairing (and with some nice IEMs like the TruthEar ZEROs for $50 it would become a really good budget setup for streaming) Edit: i'm asking because your XM8500 video made me want to switch from my $30 USB mic to the XM8500 and EQ it but i require mono zero latency monitoring also.
I love your channel and have been hoping that you might consider looking at the Arturia Audiofuse range of interfaces. They seem to have have received almost no coverage anywhere, especially regarding the technical aspects. Is this on your schedule to review at all?
Thank you for this review - You get what you pay for. I think the Behringers are already cheap enough and these M-Audio interfaces really cross a line and should not be considered. A Behringer UMC404HD is already cheap enough for anyone interested in decent audio. But lots of people will buy the M-Audio, thinking they are as good as something like the Behringer HD interfaces. Sad, cos they do not have the benefit of JK's review. Excellent review. Thanks.
Can you do review on the wall-powered Focusrite Scarlett interfaces? I'm curious whether the MKIII versions suffer form the same issues as the bus-powered versions. I'm also curious if they would be a good driver for my Sennheiser HD600.
@@_thevaporz if you look at the video where he compared them with other interfaces and with the MK2 interfaces, it shows that the MK3 interfaces are not so good at driving higher impedance headphones.
Very very detailed and informative! It would be a blast if you could do such a video about Latency and also Real Life Performance Latency, such as testing how many plugins can you load on your PC with the specs shared of course. Best regards and Danke schoen!
Which one should i get ? The M-Audio Air 192 duo or the Focusrite Scarlett 212 3rd gen 2x2, for 2 person podcast? Thanks Btw i think i will also order 2x Shure SM48 dynamic microphones Thanks
Thanks for your excellent reviews. I am looking for an audio interface for recording only vocals into GarageBand on i-Pad via the Apple camera connection kit. My microphone is a Shure SM58 and I use AKG 32 ohm headphones for monitoring. I want accurate, strong and clean recordings with a loud, clear headphone output. I am considering the M-Audio M-Track Solo or the M-AUDIO AIR 192|4 - do you consider these good options or would you recommend something else? Thank you very much for your time and please keep up the good work.
Beginner question. I'm using a multiFX unit with ASIO4ALL drivers to play through VST amp in my DAW. But ASIO4ALL drivers lock audio to DAW only. If you want to play along with a song from RUclips, you simply can't. Do the drivers for these interfaces allow audio to work from two programs at the same time? Thanks!
Cool ! I learn a lot in this channel ! What do you think about the mixer yamaha ag03? Want to upgrade but dont know if focusrite would be an upgrade...
Hi, do you have any reviews of uad or antelope ?thanks . Do you think I will notice a big change if I upgrade from a beringer u phoria uhd 202 to any of those, or the changes improvement are subtile , small? Thanks a lot
Thank you for the review,. You say, "Impossible to change the sample rate once a program uses the interface." I am able to change the sample rate, so what is the issue?
Very well done and well documented. However, i am very surprised about the mentioned delay as i just recently got the solo and i have a tremendous delay which makes it impossible to play guitar or sing using either of the two input sockets, with the sound going to computer and then to a speaker. Maybe i am doing something wrong and must use the main out for the speaker but still why would there be such big delay to the computer speaker? Any ideas? Thank you in advance
I need your thoughts for this: Purpose: Recording Grand Piano, Male Voice, Female Voice. Current Gear: AT4060 with AT8560 PSU, Dragonfly Black USB DAC with M40x, M50x, Audacity on Windows, plus another high-imp headset and keyboard with midi and balanced outputs. Interface Choices: A) M-Audio M-Track Duo at $80 B) Behringer UMC202HD at $120 or the UMC22 at $80. C) A Scarlett Solo/2i2 $200 (though someone is selling a used 2i2 2nd-gen for $160) First of all, what happens if I turn on the 48V phantom power while the interface is connected to the AT8560 PSU which connects to the AT4060? This has been bugging me a lot that I haven't decided on anything yet. Second, which do you think is the best interface for the recording purpose above? At first I settled for the UMC202HD seeing as it has better drivers and specs than the UMC22 but then I watched your videos and saw the Scarlett interfaces being better. I then saw the M-Tracks being sold for cheap too. Third, is the included software by M-Audio and Scarlett that much of a value for a novice? From what I understand, the M-Track is just 16bit (like the UMC22) and also is affected by interference sources. Which would be bad since I was planning to put it on top of my CPU which also has my phone on top acting as a wifi hotspot. The UMC202HD is 24bit but the sound floor noise is a bit louder and sharper, with recording seemingly on the colder/metallic side of things. The Scarlet seems to have a hard time driving headphones but the input sound seems warmer. I'd like your thoughts on these! It would certainly help my dilemma on which interface to start with. I'd likely be stuck using whichever interface for some time too.
Going by those prices, you're in Canada, eh? I wouldn't be using a cheap little interface with 2004 era onboard audio grade converters (like UMC22 or M-Track) for a fancy $$$$ tube mic, let alone one that can nominally dish out 12.6 Vrms (+24 dBu) at 150 dB SPL. The 2i2 gen3 can handle up to +9 dBu at the mic in at minimum gain, that would get you to 135 dB SPL peak. 2i2 gen2, up to +4 dBu --> 130 dB SPL. UMC202HD, -4 dBu --> 122 dB SPL. UMC22, +2 dBu --> 128 dB SPL. (Not sure this is legit, one guy measured 265 mV = -9.3 dBu before the onset of clipping. That's ~117 dB SPL peak.) Singing very rarely ever seems to exceed 120 dB SPL at 6", so even the UMC202HD would still be adequate if potentially not with much to spare. On top of that, on the Behringer you really want to stay about 3 dB away from fullscale if you can help it, that would be 119 dB SPL peak then. As a potential alternative, an Audient EVO 4 can handle up to +16 dBu in and sports a high input dynamic range of 115.7 dBu(A), so you could set levels very conservatively. Not a major fan of AK55xx ADC digital filter input ripple at normal sample rates and I would thus often prefer a good CS4272 job (e.g. 2i2) for recording, but you can't have everything. (CA$180.) What do you have computer wise, does it feature an onboard audio line-in by any chance? You could be using a little compact mixer then, e.g. a Mackie 402VLZ4 will accept up to +22 dBu in and could be used to bring levels more in line with the ~1 Vrms (+2 dBu) needed by onboard inputs. (Mixer CA$135 or so, plus cabling 2x 1/4" TS to 3.5 mm stereo. AT8560 ground lift switch may prove necessary.) Even a headset jack with its single mic input channel could be put to use with the right adapters. Balanced line outputs generally don't mind P48V, the worst that tends to happen is the 6.8 kOhm bias resistors in the interface getting warm. AFAICS the AT8560 just loops through the output from the AT4060, which has an output transformer that won't care about phantom power one way or another, so you have nothing to fear in your case. Make sure to use WASAPI I/O in Audacity on Windows so you can get 24-bit samples through. If you're serious about recording music you'll probably be migrating to a DAW like Reaper fairly quickly, Audacity is more of a general purpose audio editor. PS: I hope you already have something resembling a decent vocal booth, otherwise that'll be the next challenge. Having a nice big room available would be a start.
Is there a way to use a dedicated headphone amp with this interface? I have the XM8500, and it seems like I have no choice but to use an interface (the USB to XLR cable I bought had a ton of noise, no luck with 3.5mm either). Reason I'm asking about the amp is because I plan to get the ATH-R70x.
Hi Julian! Here in the Philippines the price difference between the two is about only 15 dollars so I was wondering, would you say it would be worth it to go the extra 15 dollars and get the duo or just go with the Solo? I will mostly be using this just for Voice Work. Thanks! :)
Great videos and reviews you do @Julian Krause congratulations, I have a question: 1.4 kilo ohms is still good for the mic output on the interface? is the microphone still heard well? and I would like to ask you if you could analyze the presonus 24c interface beforehand thanks.
.. now i just got my Duo delivered here in my home. so excited to test it and write/record songs. for now, this is enough. soon, ill watch your reviews if i need to upgrade. thanks to your review!
Hi Julian I have a question, I bought a M-audio 2x2 and it works fine but when I use reaper (or audacity) the instrument input on my card is too "hot" for reaper, even if I put the gain at minimum...I can play a stratocaster but when I use a guitar with humbuckers (passive too) the input is too much. I also tried to connect the guitar on the back and the result is that the sound is lower but really bad, muddier...I tried also my old m-audio fast track usb and has the same problem. what can I do? Buy a DI maybe to use between the guitar and soundcard or change completely the soundcard?
Thank you for this valuable review. I'd love to see you reviewing the new (released in december) Swissonic Audio 2 from Thomann. About the same price of the M track duo BUT 24 bit 192 khz and looks very sturdy.
Thanks for the great review. I have a question: when I turn on phantom power it will be provided to both the input interface? Is it possible to connect simultaneously a conderser mic and a guitar?
Hello Julian, really like your videos. 🙂 I just want to advise regarding a video i watch where in there is a red light issue for both m audio track solo and duo. There are no known fixes yet or what causes the red light but I was hoping m audio advise if there's a possible troubleshoot to fix or what causes the red light. Hope you can make a short video on that one. More power to your channel by the way. 😊
Thanks so much for the nice information with easy way. Please tell me, Can I use M-Audio M Track Duo with DSLR Video Camera Pentax 70, ( with condenser Microphone)?
I am designing something with is essentially an audio interface, can you make a video about how you test all these specs, id particularly be interested so I can test my own designs
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Important note: The "Not recommended for New Designs" @ 4:50 only applies to the original TI PCM2900. The M-Track Solo and Duo and Solo use the TI PCM2900C which is an active product of the TI product range as of Jan 10, 2021. The 16-Bit specification still applies.
so interesting. thanks for catching this.
Your Informative Speeches are Game man!
@Julian Krause Do you have any plans of reviewing Antelope Zen Go Synergy Core
does it fix with Ableton?
i really enjoy ur reviews bro
Best interface reviews ANYWHERE. Thank you for this. It's too quirky for me, but having your tests and numbers to compare are gold.
Thank you Bark!
yes I join in on your comments. This is the 2nd time that you opened up my eyes on gear which I would have bought "because everybody says it is good" but technically it is not suitable for real home-studio work. THANK YOU!!!!!
Hey Julian. Just saw you have 44.1k subscribers. Hope you reach 48k, 96k and beyond soon! :)
There is no benefits after 96k Subscribers.
I just got an idea that should be picked up by one of the brands. An interface by Julian Krause. I would order the Behringer JK 1 or the Komplete Audio JK 4 without blinking.
"without blinking" I see what you did there 😂
As a composer this is an excellent interface for a travel setup and for a home studio environment, I believe that if you can't do your best work with the basic tools you won't do much with expensive ones, these are much better than the pro equipment we had 10, 20 years ago, excellent for the price
At 4:30 - glad I wasn't crazy. I did a first impressions video and said it was 16-bit and someone in the comments said it was 24-bit. Glad you confirmed why I was getting 16 bit only.
It was me, but only because that’s what’s stated on M audio web page, glad Julian cleared that out for us!
You have the BEST content ever for home musicians and above. THANKS !!!
you are like one of the best audio youtubers man, i already got what i needed but i still find myself wanting to watch your content cause its just that good!! please do more mic reviews too, theyd really benefit from that julian krause quality
Another great video, Julian, thank you!
Do you plan to review the Audient iD4 MkII?
Yes please
I just bought one of these interfaces, although I am new to audio interfaces. Thanks for talking about the driver quirks, because I was about to return this thing for not being able to change settings to the marketing claims.
They are on V1.0.3 now and it seems to behave the same as V1.0.2 with no apparent new features.
Another thing I noticed, when the interface was set to 32 bit (seemed to be default) the sound output from the microphone would be weird and bassy, with random little "pops" or crackles. Setting this back down to 16 bit fixed it.
This seems to be related to TI's PCM290x Eratta section 2.2 "Exceeding Max Packet Size", which says TI was planning a fix in a new hardware revision, circa 2008.
M-Audio is using some bargain-basement old-stock USB1.1 chips in these Audio interfaces.
As far as I can tell the most recent revision is the PCM2900E, which is the fixed version from March 2008 (still not recommended for new designs).
I got mine used for $37 so its not a big deal to somebody like me who is just trying to learn more about audio, but I think M-Audio is just clearing out old chips. Nobody should go into this purchase expecting long term software/driver support from the company, because there's a good chance the M-track Solo/Duo gets discontinued when they run out of old-stock ICs.
Also, I was unable to find a listing for an updated drop-in replacement with a better ADC/DAC, but maybe one exists from another company.
Update: I should have returned it, because the interface constantly resets itself to that unusable "32-bit default" setting. I've lost way too much work when I realized that the interface randomly decided to reset itself to broken settings between takes.
Really important thing to say! Thanks for this too!
best thing is just to uninstall the drivers, it works fine without it for everything but musician usecases
Julian, Nice work catching M-Audio’s misleading claims. Equipment tear-downs should be a basic feature of any good review. I always enjoy yours. And that German accent is FANTASTIC! CIao!
Why would M audio advertise these interfaces as 24 bit if they are only using a 16 bit converter? that would be the only thing that keeps me from purchasing. I hope they see your video and offer an explanation. Thank you very much for your review.
You gave the exact reason! Many people would rather buy an interface with a 24-bit converter, which means that this interface would automatically be disqualified for many people. So how to circumvent that? By faking bit-depth. Essentially, by lying, misleading. They are very sneaky about that, though - on their page it says "The M-Track Solo incorporates pristine A/D converters for 24-bit resolution digital audio with explosive dynamic range that captures every nuance and subtlety of the performance." So, they don't say that A/D converters are 24-bit (which they are not), rather that "digital audio" (of the interface?) is 24-bit (which is technically true, if they are talking about digital audio that comes out of the interface). In the end - this kind of marketing practice should be against the law.
44.1k subscribers is lying, misleading. the real is 192k. keep calm
Why would you even consider this? its the worst performing i know of and its not even cheap.
I'm guessing they had proposed a model that used a 24bit chip but somehow production skipped that for supply reasons and the drivers and documents were left unchanged. Deliberate misleading can be legally expensive, so I think this was incompetence. Course it was still be expensive as all the buyers who expected 24bit ask for their money back.
16 bit has 96 dB of headroom. 120 dB for 24 bit and 150 for 32. If they're not using good preamps, having a larger dynamic range could introduce more noise into the signal. 16 bit converters can record at 24 bit though. What happens is you get a 16 bit integer with the extra 8 bits filled with zeros.
Julian covers every aspect I'd like to know about. Reliable as always!
Good spot for the 16-bit. You are a hero. Thanx man for such accurate tutorials!
Thank you so much Julian!! Love your engineering stand point of view! And at that, we now officially have a new budget interface :P
really helpful bro you covered basically each and every detail. Thanks!
audient ID MKII's pls
I really like the way that you do reviews bro, very technical. Love it.
Hey Julian, first review i have read from you and I think its absolutely perfect for what i needed to know. The limitations of the product will also help me to better understand where it can be used and identify defects/subtleties that may arise during live performances. Your name is reminiscent of one of the great audio reviewers of all time, I'm sure you know Julian Hirsch. Wonderful job.
That 16-bit trick is really sneaky. Thanks for helping me not waste my money on this, I was seconds away from pulling the trigger on it.
This review deserves subscribing to this channel. Well done Julian!
hands down the best technical review of this thing. Thank you so much. here take my money.
I admire your review style, nothing by facts and required information. Thank you very much for helping me to choose the interface.
Regarding the preamp performance, I bought the M-Track solo and the Samson Q2u dynamic mic. I find that it is very low when recording and it has to be boosted in post. I this typical/expected performance? I was considering getting a Fethead or different interface in general because the levels were so low, like -48db. Maybe as loud as -24db. Normal voice was not going near -12 or -16 unless I boosted it in post.
Are you saying that there is enough range to "fix it in post"? and to save money and not get a mic preamp like a Fethead?
Are you using the mic at a great distance or for very quiet sounds? Julian didn't specify what the max input level of the mic input was, but I doubt it's high enough (especially when using a 16-bit chip) for +55dB not to be more than enough to drive a dynamic mic in this case.
This guy even opens the equipment. You're the best bro
Thanks. I needed a nap.
Very thorough and enlightening
Julian, I really enjoy your very detailed technical reviews. It really helps those of us who might be blinded by the PR machines of these various companies. I would love you to consider doing actual breakdowns of the units, to see how well they are constructed internally. A lot of people have issues with interfaces failing due to sloppy soldering, or component failure due to heat build up etc. Not sure if you would have the expertise to give opinions on this aspect, but it would certainly add to the decision making process. Thanks.
....you do BEST rewievs ...thanks a lot ...no one get into this detailes ...very important ones ...glad i found this channel 👍
now this is how you do a proper review. earned a sub
Your content is awesome man. Great information! Keep up the great work
best review work !!! kudos !!! go on !!! you deserve it !!! You are an example for all other testing people
TASCAM just released an upgrade to their US series interfaces. I don't think you've ever reviewed a Tascam interface... Curious what you think about the new range!
I considered the 208i and the new 4x4 HR models but they don't have loopback feature and they aren't bus powered. They're still offering free TH02 headphones and TM80 mic on the 208i/102i models though. Nice little spiff you could either keep or sell for a few bucks, might get $150 for both. Have you checked out the MOTU M4? ~$210 4x4, loopback, bus powered, and visual meters.
@@_thevaporz Oh yeah, I'm an anything-MOTU guy, but this time for what i need it's out of my budget. I went with a second hand focusrite Scarlett solo 3rd gen. I'm curious if the tascam HR will have more gain and lower noise floor though.
@Zach M According to the Tascam website the US-4x4HR does have loopback
www.tascam.eu/en/us-4x4hr.html
Which interface would you recommend for practicing/playing guitar with ampsims in the pricerange to about 80,- ?
Great Video, very good research, thanks a lot!
Hey I really need some help with this thing and you look like perfect person to ask. I have duo and it has the 2 red clipping lights that will not go away for nothing. I get no audio from the thing when I hook it up to my phone or computer. I’ve seen where many ppl face this issue but no one who’s how to fix it. I was hoping you had some insight.😊
Hi Julian, I'm currently looking for a budget interface for home use (unfortunately, being a Pole, I simply cannot afford anything better at the moment) and I stumbled upon your review while looking for test/opinins/comparisons. I need a simple device to record bass and some voiceovers for my yt videos. Is the M-Track Solo worth the price difference between the Behringer U-Phoria UM2, and is there anything you'd recommend more in this price range? As I've said, I simply cannot afford anything more expensive and the Fender Slide I've been using to record the bass is dying on me, so I need a decent budget solution. Thank you in advance for your reply!
Excellent review ! Regarding the dynamic range of 88.2 dB, in their specifications MAudio states a 104 dB dynamic range. I don't know if im reading that correctly. Same case for Presonus Audiobox USB96 with a dynamic range of 105 dB accodrging to manufactuter against a lecture of around 97 dB made in this channel.
9:29 in you behringer review of um2 and umc22 you measured a diferent dinamic range, (85dba and 87.5dba respectively) but here they are shown with lower values, did you measured them again?
I really like your reviews bro, good to se that other viewers think the same, you earned a new follower, thanks for clarifying things in such an easy way for normal people like me.
Fantastic review. Hope to see more!
Can you test what happens if you feed it signal where only the last 6 or 7 lest significant bits oft the 24Bit signal change?
With a real 24Bit DAC you should defiantly see the signal in the FFT even if its behind the noise floor.
It's fairly similar to the Miditech Audiolink III. 2 main differences I see are the preamps and the case. The Miditech uses NE5532s and has a metal case.
For direct monitoring a microphone on a Behringer UMC202HD, I added a Y cable to my mic so that I can plug it into both sockets. That way I get the feed from both left and right. It's a compromise, but it works.
Been using one of these for a year or so, and think I'm probably ready for a bit of an upgrade.
It's definitely great for the price, but it took some getting used to. Had quite a bit of trouble trying to get the drivers to play nice, but once I got that sorted out I've been able to use it mostly fine ever since. No hardware issues to speak of, and I do like the stark design, but the flimsy plastics don't exactly inspire confidence in the long term. Still, if you need an interface and really can't afford to spend more than $50 or so, it does a really impressive job for the price.
Really happy I found your channel, as after checking a few of your videos I'll definitely be using these reviews to decide what I'll actually upgrade to. Thanks for all your hard work!
So a couple of questions personally for the solo. Does the headphone output have the ability to monitor pc audio playback and your mic at the same time, if so how? Is there latency? Which do I put to listen to pc audio playback, direct or USB? Thanks!
Can you do the Audient id14 Mk2?
Awesome detailed review Julian!
Thanks this is very helpful. Considering M track duo with an AT2035 for my first XLR setup. Hopefully the product has improved a bit since this review but seems plenty good for my purposes which is home podcast spoken word and guitar instrumental recordings.
Very good review, but I have a question/comment for Julian or anyone with an m-track. In Windows > Sounds where you select your bit rate, I like to set it to 16 bit / 48000 Hz for both input and output. Problem is, it just instantly changes itself to 32x41000 (or other random number?). Any idea why it does that when the thing can't even do 24 bit, let alone 32 (I assume that means 32 bit floating point or something above my pay grade?). Why is 24 and 32 bit even an option in there and why does it refuse to stay on 48000 Hz? How do I know what the heck it is doing in Reaper while recording?
Also, the strange, massive gain bump above ~9 is still present in the newest models, I just got mine. Not a problem because I have not needed my gain anywhere near that high anyway...yet.
Amazingly thorough. Thanks.
Very professional comparision and review.
Amazing informative reviews!
Thanks for a top-notch review. Well done!
Excellent review with tons of info
Hi. This may be a silly newbie question but wanted to check before purchasing. When recording via USB do the 2 channels record as seperate tracks? Can you add channels individually to something like OBS or does it just show up as 1 device? Thanks!
Hi Julian, i commonly hear that the instrument inputs for the Behringer interfaces are pretty muffled. For electric guitar, would you recommend the M-Track Duo or the UMC202HD? Thanks!
Thank you very much for your video!
I´m thinking about buying this interace, but there are 2 questions...perhaps you can help me out with them?
First: Is it possible to plug my mic (a SM58) to Line 2 with an XLR to jack cable, or can I only use XLR to XLR cable?
And second: Will this audio interface work with audacity?
I wish you a great day!
I got a podmic for streaming do you think the m track solo is enough for me or Scarlett solo 4th gen is a noticable upgrade?
can these power a XM8500 (or two for the DUO) without having to crank the gain really high? If so this interface + XM8500 + $10 "front addressing pop filter" could be a nice ~$100 pairing (and with some nice IEMs like the TruthEar ZEROs for $50 it would become a really good budget setup for streaming)
Edit: i'm asking because your XM8500 video made me want to switch from my $30 USB mic to the XM8500 and EQ it but i require mono zero latency monitoring also.
I do have the same question in mind.
@@marielletaclob7549 yes it can, currently use Xm8500 mic + Crinacle Zero iem + DUO and it works well
@@shanksisnoteventhatstrongbruh thanks for the update. i'm leaning on getting this setup as well.
Danke schon Julian, habe viel gelernt von dir 👍🏼
I love your channel and have been hoping that you might consider looking at the Arturia Audiofuse range of interfaces. They seem to have have received almost no coverage anywhere, especially regarding the technical aspects. Is this on your schedule to review at all?
loving the graphs to compare interfaces
Thank you for this review - You get what you pay for. I think the Behringers are already cheap enough and these M-Audio interfaces really cross a line and should not be considered. A Behringer UMC404HD is already cheap enough for anyone interested in decent audio. But lots of people will buy the M-Audio, thinking they are as good as something like the Behringer HD interfaces. Sad, cos they do not have the benefit of JK's review.
Excellent review. Thanks.
Hey, I have a question. Does this work with a MIDI keyboard?
Can you do review on the wall-powered Focusrite Scarlett interfaces?
I'm curious whether the MKIII versions suffer form the same issues as the bus-powered versions.
I'm also curious if they would be a good driver for my Sennheiser HD600.
What's wrong with bus powered interfaces?
@@_thevaporz if you look at the video where he compared them with other interfaces and with the MK2 interfaces, it shows that the MK3 interfaces are not so good at driving higher impedance headphones.
Another great in-depth video. Thanks! But do I get it right - these interfaces can only record in 16 bit depth? No 24?
I appreciate the time stamps.
Best home studio gear reviewer ever! Cheers mate!
Very very detailed and informative! It would be a blast if you could do such a video about Latency and also Real Life Performance Latency, such as testing how many plugins can you load on your PC with the specs shared of course.
Best regards and Danke schoen!
Which one should i get ? The M-Audio Air 192 duo or the Focusrite Scarlett 212 3rd gen 2x2, for 2 person podcast? Thanks Btw i think i will also order 2x Shure SM48 dynamic microphones Thanks
Nice videos, man!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!!!
Thanks for your excellent reviews.
I am looking for an audio interface for recording only vocals into GarageBand on i-Pad via the Apple camera connection kit.
My microphone is a Shure SM58 and I use AKG 32 ohm headphones for monitoring.
I want accurate, strong and clean recordings with a loud, clear headphone output.
I am considering the M-Audio M-Track Solo or the M-AUDIO AIR 192|4 - do you consider these good options or would you recommend something else?
Thank you very much for your time and please keep up the good work.
The more I learn, the more I'm unsure what to buy. Any plans on budget DAC reviews?
Beginner question. I'm using a multiFX unit with ASIO4ALL drivers to play through VST amp in my DAW. But ASIO4ALL drivers lock audio to DAW only. If you want to play along with a song from RUclips, you simply can't.
Do the drivers for these interfaces allow audio to work from two programs at the same time? Thanks!
Cool ! I learn a lot in this channel ! What do you think about the mixer yamaha ag03? Want to upgrade but dont know if focusrite would be an upgrade...
This is the first video I watched on this channel.... What a detailed review 👏👏
I am a fan and suscriber of this channel now 😊 !!!!
Hi, do you have any reviews of uad or antelope ?thanks . Do you think I will notice a big change if I upgrade from a beringer u phoria uhd 202 to any of those, or the changes improvement are subtile , small? Thanks a lot
Thank you for the review,. You say, "Impossible to change the sample rate once a program uses the interface." I am able to change the sample rate, so what is the issue?
Very well done and well documented. However, i am very surprised about the mentioned delay as i just recently got the solo and i have a tremendous delay which makes it impossible to play guitar or sing using either of the two input sockets, with the sound going to computer and then to a speaker. Maybe i am doing something wrong and must use the main out for the speaker but still why would there be such big delay to the computer speaker? Any ideas?
Thank you in advance
I need your thoughts for this:
Purpose: Recording Grand Piano, Male Voice, Female Voice.
Current Gear: AT4060 with AT8560 PSU, Dragonfly Black USB DAC with M40x, M50x, Audacity on Windows, plus another high-imp headset and keyboard with midi and balanced outputs.
Interface Choices:
A) M-Audio M-Track Duo at $80
B) Behringer UMC202HD at $120 or the UMC22 at $80.
C) A Scarlett Solo/2i2 $200 (though someone is selling a used 2i2 2nd-gen for $160)
First of all, what happens if I turn on the 48V phantom power while the interface is connected to the AT8560 PSU which connects to the AT4060? This has been bugging me a lot that I haven't decided on anything yet.
Second, which do you think is the best interface for the recording purpose above? At first I settled for the UMC202HD seeing as it has better drivers and specs than the UMC22 but then I watched your videos and saw the Scarlett interfaces being better. I then saw the M-Tracks being sold for cheap too.
Third, is the included software by M-Audio and Scarlett that much of a value for a novice?
From what I understand, the M-Track is just 16bit (like the UMC22) and also is affected by interference sources. Which would be bad since I was planning to put it on top of my CPU which also has my phone on top acting as a wifi hotspot. The UMC202HD is 24bit but the sound floor noise is a bit louder and sharper, with recording seemingly on the colder/metallic side of things. The Scarlet seems to have a hard time driving headphones but the input sound seems warmer.
I'd like your thoughts on these! It would certainly help my dilemma on which interface to start with. I'd likely be stuck using whichever interface for some time too.
Going by those prices, you're in Canada, eh? I wouldn't be using a cheap little interface with 2004 era onboard audio grade converters (like UMC22 or M-Track) for a fancy $$$$ tube mic, let alone one that can nominally dish out 12.6 Vrms (+24 dBu) at 150 dB SPL.
The 2i2 gen3 can handle up to +9 dBu at the mic in at minimum gain, that would get you to 135 dB SPL peak.
2i2 gen2, up to +4 dBu --> 130 dB SPL.
UMC202HD, -4 dBu --> 122 dB SPL.
UMC22, +2 dBu --> 128 dB SPL. (Not sure this is legit, one guy measured 265 mV = -9.3 dBu before the onset of clipping. That's ~117 dB SPL peak.)
Singing very rarely ever seems to exceed 120 dB SPL at 6", so even the UMC202HD would still be adequate if potentially not with much to spare. On top of that, on the Behringer you really want to stay about 3 dB away from fullscale if you can help it, that would be 119 dB SPL peak then.
As a potential alternative, an Audient EVO 4 can handle up to +16 dBu in and sports a high input dynamic range of 115.7 dBu(A), so you could set levels very conservatively. Not a major fan of AK55xx ADC digital filter input ripple at normal sample rates and I would thus often prefer a good CS4272 job (e.g. 2i2) for recording, but you can't have everything. (CA$180.)
What do you have computer wise, does it feature an onboard audio line-in by any chance? You could be using a little compact mixer then, e.g. a Mackie 402VLZ4 will accept up to +22 dBu in and could be used to bring levels more in line with the ~1 Vrms (+2 dBu) needed by onboard inputs. (Mixer CA$135 or so, plus cabling 2x 1/4" TS to 3.5 mm stereo. AT8560 ground lift switch may prove necessary.) Even a headset jack with its single mic input channel could be put to use with the right adapters.
Balanced line outputs generally don't mind P48V, the worst that tends to happen is the 6.8 kOhm bias resistors in the interface getting warm. AFAICS the AT8560 just loops through the output from the AT4060, which has an output transformer that won't care about phantom power one way or another, so you have nothing to fear in your case.
Make sure to use WASAPI I/O in Audacity on Windows so you can get 24-bit samples through. If you're serious about recording music you'll probably be migrating to a DAW like Reaper fairly quickly, Audacity is more of a general purpose audio editor.
PS: I hope you already have something resembling a decent vocal booth, otherwise that'll be the next challenge. Having a nice big room available would be a start.
Hi Julian, if your budget is between 150 and 200 €, what would be the audio interface you'd choose? Regards and keep the good work.
MOTU M4
@@_thevaporz thank you, have you got one? Do you work in Windows?
@@davidbazomusic Yeah, it's nice. No issues with Windows 10 and Ableton Live 10. It comes with Ableton Lite.
@@_thevaporz much appreciated for your recommendation mate!
Hi, I consider buying Behringer UMC202HD for electric guitar, do you have any data about Round Trip Latency?
Great upload. Very thorough, as always.
Very good review ✌🏻
Is there a way to use a dedicated headphone amp with this interface? I have the XM8500, and it seems like I have no choice but to use an interface (the USB to XLR cable I bought had a ton of noise, no luck with 3.5mm either). Reason I'm asking about the amp is because I plan to get the ATH-R70x.
Hi Julian! Here in the Philippines the price difference between the two is about only 15 dollars so I was wondering, would you say it would be worth it to go the extra 15 dollars and get the duo or just go with the Solo? I will mostly be using this just for Voice Work. Thanks! :)
Great videos and reviews you do @Julian Krause congratulations, I have a question: 1.4 kilo ohms is still good for the mic output on the interface? is the microphone still heard well? and I would like to ask you if you could analyze the presonus 24c interface beforehand thanks.
the best review ever. keep it up! thanks 😊
.. now i just got my Duo delivered here in my home. so excited to test it and write/record songs. for now, this is enough. soon, ill watch your reviews if i need to upgrade. thanks to your review!
Hi Julian I have a question, I bought a M-audio 2x2 and it works fine but when I use reaper (or audacity) the instrument input on my card is too "hot" for reaper, even if I put the gain at minimum...I can play a stratocaster but when I use a guitar with humbuckers (passive too) the input is too much. I also tried to connect the guitar on the back and the result is that the sound is lower but really bad, muddier...I tried also my old m-audio fast track usb and has the same problem. what can I do? Buy a DI maybe to use between the guitar and soundcard or change completely the soundcard?
Please review TASCAM 102i . Thank you.
Thank you for this valuable review. I'd love to see you reviewing the new (released in december) Swissonic Audio 2 from Thomann. About the same price of the M track duo BUT 24 bit 192 khz and looks very sturdy.
great product review, thank you
awesome review! liked and subscribed!
Thanks for the great review. I have a question: when I turn on phantom power it will be provided to both the input interface? Is it possible to connect simultaneously a conderser mic and a guitar?
Yes, there won't be any phantom power present on the instrument I put. Only the XLR connection has phantom power applied.
Hi, I recorded guitar using noth Steinberg and M Audio, when compared the quality of this ome was too low. What will be the reason?
Hello Julian, really like your videos. 🙂
I just want to advise regarding a video i watch where in there is a red light issue for both m audio track solo and duo.
There are no known fixes yet or what causes the red light but I was hoping m audio advise if there's a possible troubleshoot to fix or what causes the red light.
Hope you can make a short video on that one.
More power to your channel by the way. 😊
Yes, this is ruclips.net/video/3bjaDqcpC7k/видео.html
Hello, which usb audiointerface around 1000 euro you recommand for the dt1770 250 ohm and the ev re320?
Thanks so much for the nice information with easy way. Please tell me, Can I use M-Audio M Track Duo with DSLR Video Camera Pentax 70, ( with condenser Microphone)?
I am designing something with is essentially an audio interface, can you make a video about how you test all these specs, id particularly be interested so I can test my own designs
Is this M-Track enough to drive a Behringer XM8500? Or do you think I would still need a fathead? Thank you!!