Very Good Review Alec! Having the EQ, Compression, and Reverb all on the device... AND recording the wet and dry sound into the DAW at the same time puts this on my Wish List for my next Audio Interface!
I remember when this was launched seeing people say “converters don’t make a difference” and “if it doesn’t have real-time autotune it’s completely useless in modern music” and couldn’t disagree further. There’s something about the upper echelons of converters and clocking that just takes everything about your signal chain and cranks it up to 10. I noticed right away when I switched from my started interface to an Antelope Zen Tour and I can’t go back after now having mixed on that kind of hardware for the last 5 years. Also thanks for crediting Merging, there’s a lot of people that seem to forget where this technology came from and it’s a damn shame. Same kind of deal with DAD regarding the Avid MTRX line. Killer video as always, thanks man!
Thanks so much Jonathan. :) I think the more you work on production/mixing/writing the more you realise it all matters, and none of it does. Great gear helps, but nothing comes near good arrangement, songwriting and engineering. Having said that, when there is great gear, solid songs and arrangements with great engineering and mixing, that’s when the high end stuff becomes more apparent. Least that’s my personal opinion on the matter of course! :)
Agree! Just want to add that Merging continues with their brand and products as part of the Sennheiser Pro Audio group of which also Neumann is a part. Sennheiser consumer goods were sold off. Looks like the Neumann/Sennheiser/Merging people are building a fantastic Pro Audio company with excellent dedicated brands.
Coming back to this vid just to say I'm getting mine delivered on Thursday and your info was the primary selling point. Planning to pair it with an Evo 16. Hope Neumann continues working with you forever!
I already was sold and bought the interface. But that end recording...and that song...🎵 really lovely! Quality performance captured by that unit.... Solid 🙏👍👌
Total Mix is incredibly versatile. Too versatile amd complicated for my purposes. I love the solid drivers and stability of RME, and I hope this Neumman has both because if it does, I'm moving my Fireface UFX 2 on and getting the Neumann.
Great review, and awesome song and capture! I came to check out the Neumann M48, and while it’s super, I left impressed with your songwriting. Great job all around!
I'd love one. My Antelope Audio is excellent but getting o and the software is less than optimal. BUT, USB C connector for power on the MT48? Not convinced. The Antelope has a screw on connection that I trust more.
Luckily one can sell gear too. 🙂 But Neumann seems to be nailing it with some of their stuff (buying the right companies and also the reissues)... and yes it's certainly not cheap. But monitors, headphones, reissue mics and now the MT48 puts a smile on my face.
Hi Alec, thanks for the review. Coming from a prism orpheus I’m forced to buy a new interface due to FireWire being canned by Apple. I was looking at the neve 88m or the Neumann. Any thoughts between the two? I also have a 1073spx and chandler tg2’s so have good pre’s already. So aside from the pre’s I’d definitely want to know your thoughts on conversion?
I would lean towards the Neumann. :) more flexibility, and the ability to add more channels with the Merging system. The DA on the Neumann is in a class of its own.
I’ve not tried the RME stuff as of yet, and I really want to! :) compared to the UAD stuff it feels more transparent and does not have that 2.8K DA bump that I’m used to in the Apollo’s.
Great video, Alec. To the point! And I really liked the song at the end, a pleasant surprise since this is the first video of yours I've seen. I personally have always loved when roots-based musicians use odd time signatures and other types of progressive elements in their music, and your song hit that for me. Got me thinking about this interface, too. The menus don't sound fun to me, but I could just be over thinking it - like you said - you're using your hands and not a mouse, so that's new. I've also never heard of the particular type of midi connection this has, so I'm going to need to check that out. Thanks for posting
Thanks so much! I found using my hands a great way to not be distracted by my DAW. As for the Midi connection, I did not get a chance to get into using it as i had limited time with the unit. If i get one in again, Id love to learn how it works!
It's notable that MIDI can be transmitted over multiple connection protocols. This 1/4 inch connector will work as well as any other on the market. I believe any TRS cable will do. And you find many MIDI controllers, like Morningstar, using that as well.
That’s a good question! I would say that it’s hard to quantify a direct comparison right now, as I’ve only heard my Audient Pre’s with Apollo conversion.
Top shelf review as always and beautifully demonstrated with the usual incredibly catchy melodies. I certainly get the appeal for this unit but It's still a lot of money for a 2 channel interface. I get that it's premium quality but I still feel they bet on the reassuring value of the badge. If you're making a living out of a device like this and you're looking at a UAD competitor, I guess it starts to make a little more sense. But there are so many options out there...
@@MrAnnouncerMan well I do respect the fact that there can be differences in converters, it seems that we are at a point where all of the modern interfaces have excellent conversion. Even in the 2000s era, there are no songs that I listen to, and think to myself that the converters should have been better. Like I said, that doesn’t mean that there is not a difference between converters, or even that an interface like this has excellent conversion, but I don’t think that it is the difference between a good recording and a great recording. Just my 2 cents.
Converters don’t make a great recording of course. I think as you said, for the full time producer/musician/voice over artist the incremental gains tend to make a difference to the time spent working on a project. There are so many good options of course, all you gotta do is use what works best for you in your situation. :) that’s my two cents.
@@alecbritsyes, this is a fantastic tool for professionals! What you get for the money is INSANE! I think every interface on the market priced between 1000 and 3000€ is under attack by the Neumann MT-48! The interface world is in the midst of a shake up: RME is being squeezed by Neumann from above and Motu from below. UAD is in a self inflicted life-crisis. And Rode is sweeping up the world with the Rodecaster line! Neumann will be one of the winners for I am sure they have big plans with this line of products. Exciting times! 🎉
It's really a four channel interface with multiple expansion options. This price is right in line with the UAD x4, but has many more features for I/O and built in tools. Plus, the preamps, headphone amps, and converters are at a much higher level. Mastering engineers are using the Merging stuff, and this will sound the same. I think anyone can record a good song with the most entry level interface. It just depends on the options and flexibility you are after.
Enjoyed the review.I purchased an MT48 recently. There appears to be a lot of hiss on the preamps. Even When they're not gain staged very high. Loved the music by the way.. Bit of an Alan Parsons Vibe.
Ah man, I’d happily swap out my x4 for this. Universal audio are not in my good books at all. The worst customer service I’ve encountered, especially since Covid. It’s just the affordability that’s making it a tough transition. Where my Neumann experience have been absolutely prime from their mics, speakers and headphones! Great customer service 🔥
It just simply sounds better too. No plain volume knob, instead a smooth multi function wheel. I could comment on others things, but I need to learn how to use it in FL have a great one
Great work Alec👍 I can see these videos take a lot of hard work and time to shoot, such great details even thou I’m not a music producer I learn a lot from every video you post. Of coarse the songs I love ❣️
Okay Alec, this is a great piece of equipment and I am happy to have one. But, is it a game changer? The built in preamp is very nice. I am wondering if the magic of this unit is the incredible dynamic range that makes the sweet spot a very easy target to hit. I used the MT 48 to listen to RUclips Music from my laptop driving some cheap near field monitors. The results were mind blowing. When I get time I want to try using the MT48 to convert my digital music and drive vintage Hafler power amps pushing vintage Klipsch speakers. I have considered getting a second MT48 to convert and control digital music into vintage hifi. Even though this box is expensive, it has the potential be the bridge of a hybrid digital/old school analog hifi for less money. Up to this point I have found that it has been an expensive goat rope to get digital music into analog hifi. I had to send my digital signal to good converters, to preamp, to EQ, to analog power amp. Having the converters, preamp, and EQ in one box that can output line level has the potential to be a game changer for home music.
Thank you for your review. Can MT 48 be powered by a power bank? I guess Neumann changed the Anubis adapter DC jack to the MT 48's USB-C port for Power Delivery (PD) function.
Grat track as always. A lot of folks might think almost 2k is steep for such a dinky interface, but the folks at Neumann have really designed a box that's punching way above its weight. Having said that, its lack of analog I/O might be a deal breaker for some.
Thanks so much Stephen. :) I think that the humans at Merging/Neumann have done well with this unit for sure. Perhaps in the future we will see larger units with more I/O. :)
Great overview Alec! How do you like those Neumann headphones? (NDH20/30s) I'm considering buying one of them... (For mixing, mainly. I suppose the open version would be suitable, right? How do the 20s/30s compare sonically?
Thanks so much! :) I like them a lot, I think the closed backs are a great tracking tool, they isolate really well so click bleed is not too much of an issue. The 30’s are fun to mix with for sure, just ensure you are in a quiet environment and you have enough amplification to get the most out of them. Most of the videos over the last 6 months have been mixed on the NDH30’s with sonarworks and Goodhurtz canopener. :)
Please do a review of baby face fs using same mikes etc....that would be instructive...like your reviews...so far Neumann MCM 114 and sennheiser MKH 8020. are my favourites....Has anyone tried the Neumann mcm 114 for voice..love to hear a sample of that compared to 8020
I have the Babyface pro fs, bought the MT48 and now selling the BF. That doesn't mean the BF is bad in anyway, and also, the BF is much less expensive. Two very good units. The BF is usb powered wich is awesome, and it can be run standalone.
Hey Alec! Thanks for your review, I’ve read all the comments here and I can’t find you ever answering what you think of the preamps when comparing to Apollo twin and Neumann v401. Can you as detailed as possible say what you think of these three? thank you so much in advance
Thanks so much. :) All three are great sounding units, and definitely usable in a production. They do differ from each other of course. In the case of the Apollos and the MT48, it’s hard to know where the preamp tone ends and the mic pre tone begins. The MT48 feels a little softer in the upper midrange to me, easier on the ears when stacking things up. However, when I’m using my apollo X16’s with a clean mic pre, I still get a bit of the 2-3k hardness that I hear on the smaller Apollos. The MT48 does not really do that to my ears. The V402 is a different beast altogether. Very clean, transparent and again, quite soft and forgiving in the upper midrange areas. When pairing it with the MT48, it was a fantastic combination. Having said that, when pairing it with the X16, it still sounded fantastic, just a little more present in the upper midrange than I’m used to. I hope this helps! :)
Amazing track Alec, must be strange pouring your heart out and then everyone talking about converters. I know it's a gear review, but part of me was like "Is this guy okay?" :) Anyway, I just found a new trick on the anubis which can be done on this or any merging based DA. Change the roll off filter from "Slow" to "Sharp". It sounds like a different DAC altogether. Slow sounds a bit more dynamic, but it can be too much and a bit harsh on some sources. Sharp sounds a bit more "mixed", more like most other DACs and often is easier to listen to.
Thanks Tim! :) The videos encourage me to write the tunes, however the main purpose of the video is to give the units their moments to show us what they can do. The filter sections on the DA was crazy to hear! This video was initially around 40 minutes long, so I had to edit out a few things to make it feel like it was still engaging to watch. These units are crazy. 👌🏽
oooofffff this or the new rme adi se 24 i guess the pres and the quality of capture will win out for me as i havent a super mixroom but superb song, like maps meets foos
So I am wondering how the latency is on this hmm. In the user manual it says that the onboard mixer/monitor work at ultra low latency. Whatever ultra low means. It also says you don't need a small buffer size for audio recording (in the daw). This is page 16 in the manual btw. I find I always have some issues with headphones and latency when recording. Only Pro Tools hd systems seem to have solved this but I don't want to deal with Avid anymore. Curious about this as I'd like to hit the road and my Mytek 8x192 might be just a little too big to travel with.
I’m a big fan of the Cranborne conversion, so I would not think one is better than the other. Mic pre’s are clean without the possibility of the mojo circuit, but if clean is what you are going for, then either will work for you. I think a large part of the difference sits in the workflow between the two.
@@alecbrits Makes sense, workflow is completely different. I love my 500R8 so was just trying to establish a reference of quality in terms of pure sound! Thanks for the answer.
Hi, may I please get a comparison between Neumann MT 48 vs Apollo Twin X Duo? I'm having a hard time choosing. The intended microphone will be the Neumann TLM 103.
You can not bypass the mic preamps, the line instrument DI is colored, the only issue for some of us is, we still can not hear the transparency of the AD conversion because preamps and DI can not be bypassed, so the question is what kind of a AD does Neumann MT 48 have ?
Hi, I'm from Chile, I don't speak English. I would like to know which preamp interface would be more suitable for rap vocals with a Neumann or 87, in between. theNeumann MT 48 or the Neve 88 m, thank you very much.
Ey. Could you perhaps give us the RT latency of this device (by sending the output of a DAW back to the input and see how much latency there is) ? And mesuring that at 32, 64 and 128 buffer size ? With REAPER if possible. Thank you in advance !
Hey! :) the device has already been sent back to the distributer sadly. Perhaps the instruction manual will be able to help you out on this? It’s pretty detailed.
Not too sure. :) it would of course be lovely, but it’s not something I feel like I’m missing currently. Perhaps in the next version it will be possible.
Universal Audio should be worried. Apart from not being able to run UAs excellent plugins, this packs a whole lot more value than the Apollo Twin X at the same price point. And it's ironic that it has the Neumann brand on it considering that they are usually not known for bang for buck. UA has been slacking for too long. This is the first desktop interface that has made me consider switching from the Apollo. But I'm not going to. I still love the Apollo workflow and I love working with their plugins. At the same time I am a bit frustrated that they are not taking their interfaces to their full potential. I mean such a simple feature like recording wet/dry at the same time. I've been bugging them about it for years. You can sort of do it by using the AUX tracks, but it's a limited hack. And dual headphone jacks is starting to become standard on interfaces now since it's such a common workflow. It was one of my main critiques about the Twin when it came out. It still only has one. You need to upgrade to the X4 to get such a fancy feature. Hopefully the MT 48 will pressure them a bit.
Thanks for your input Henrik! :) very valid points. I do think the current line of Apollos is definitely due for an upgrade, they have been going for around 5 years at this point.
@@alecbrits No major changes for nine years really. Only upgraded conversion and some different models in terms of I/O. I guess that they put most of the eggs in the LUNA basket. Which is cool and all, but they have pretty much ignored Console since.
Phantompower? I didnt heard a d couldnt read all comments Is phantompower switchable individually for each channel seratley or is there one switch that activates 48v generaly for all. If so damage is possible or not all channels can be used Thanks and greetings Generaly i like and apreciate youre videos Greetings from germany/spain
Hi Thanks for great video as usual ! I’m looking for a interface for my home studio (pro) i do mainly mix and Mastering, sometimes small Recordings (vocal/GTR etc) do you think this can be the choice against some interfaces like…RME ADI 2/4 pro etc…? Many Thanks 🙏
@@amrabas I’ve not tried the RME stuff yet, but I would assume to be of a similar quality. You need to see what fits best into your creative workflow. :)
@@alecbrits Awesome! I think I'm going to get one and try it out. Have you used RME? I haven't but I'm going to try that one as well and compare it to the Apogee Symphony Desktop. I'm mainly trying to see if the differences in converters are negligible in this price range.
I think that really is your best recording so far. Only the snares are always a tad too quiet in your mixes for my taste. This interface is really controversial. I heard so much good and so much bad stuff about it, it is really confusing. Is it true that you cannot deactivate the preamps? This would be really wild, cause you cannot use any outboard preamps properly then. On the other hand, I only heard great recordings regarding sound quality from this unit. Oh my...
Thanks. :) I used outboard pre’s on inputs 3-4 with no issues at all. The clarity, definition and flexibility of the line inputs has my full confidence. I think it’s important to trust your ears, it’s not all about what a forum or spec sheet may say. If you have the chance to try one, give it a go and let me know what you think.
Here's a crazy idea... for pretty much the exact same price as the MT48, there's another option: the yamaha DM3. Of course it's marketted as a digital mixer, if you look at it as a 16 input channel interface (with faders, touch screen, built in effects, 22 channel mixer, ...) then it becomes a contender as the best/most versatile audio interface. It even has XLRs on the back 😉
@@alecbrits The DM3 is not meant to be just an interface, for sure. But you could "misuse" it into becoming one. But it's just a (stoopid) idea perhaps. ;-)
The Neumann is a rather different beast, far more dynamic range, clarity and options with regards to workflow. If you don’t need those added things, then the Audient and Neve might be just right for you. :)
All the gear from Merging will have higher level converters than the 88m and ID24. That's not to say you won't get a good result with those, and they might fit your workflow better, but this MT-48 converter is one of the best on the market. A different flavor, but up there with Burl and Crane Song.
It does take some time. :) usually around the time it takes for me to turn on everything else. Something to keep In mind, you can switch it on before doing the boot up sequence on your computer.
@@alecbrits but being that I’m just an average bedroom hobbyist it has been a habit to turn my monitors last. For the most part I’m slowly adapting lol
Nothing that I heard in my whole life sounds like this interface. Put 30% on your Crossfade with your favorite headphones and enjoy. And I still haven't got the chance to record anything with it.
Okay I understand this might be a good interface (relatively) but we're used to compromise? 99% of modern budget interfaces have noise floors and THD figures you would have killed for in multi-million dollar studios only a couple of decades ago. Modern budget gear is so close to the best you can buy at any price - the steepness of the diminishing return curve for your buck over budget gear has never been so steep - it's practically a brick wall. Thirty plus years ago the gap between prosumer and professional was still huge - now you need sophisticated measuring equipment to even detect a difference in fidelity or distortion between them. Material going through a modern budget AD>DC>AD converter will null with the source down to roughly -115dB from 20Hz to 20kHz (ie the noise floor!) - Practically a bare wire in audio terms!
A quick glance at the specs of the DM3 says that it's not at all in the same league as the MT48. Nevertheless the DM3 might be a better fit for some... 🙂
The Neve pre’s will add harmonics as it’s a transformer balanced input. Not much harmonics, but it does add a tone. The Neumann is super clean and have 0 noise and added headroom. :)
88m are the clean Neve sound. Has a little saturation vibe, but not too colored. The MT-48 are the über clean clean preamps. Very transparent. Some love that. Some don't. I think it's very posh high end. But you can always add outboard preamps or color the track later. As far as the preamps you won't go wrong with either. But as far as other features the MT-48 is so further advanced, its just whether you need those things.
Somebody should tell Neumann that we already have EQ on computers. And we don't have to operate it with one large knob like it's the late 80s. Circle circle circle, nearly done changing that one Q value. WACK. They should make a $999 version of this with no frills that could compete with Apollo, Babyface, etc. Alec the felt piano sounded great.
@@alecbrits You don't agree? Why are we winding a little scroll disc around to set up EQ values one at a time? They've added a bunch of irrelevant features and priced themselves out of the prosumer market... This is a flop. Come on, they missed a trick.
@@jamesr141I think it’s important to take what you are saying on board. Whether I agree or not does not really matter. :) Historically Neumann have not really focused on the prosumer market as much as they have focused on quality followed by price. The work flow of EQ and compression on board for someone like me is really useful and allows my creativity to work the way I want it to. Thankfully there are many devices that are good quality that match your description well. :)
@@alecbrits Come on, bro. You are not tweaking compression with your little jogwheel on the Neumann interface. That's not the dream. The dream is to use pro level outboard gear or DSP software via your computer. Whether Neumann have focused on the prosumer market is a matter of debate, but they are market leaders in a bunch of prosumer categories. KH120s, TLM103, NDH30... These are bestsellers. They're cleaning up, hence the repeated expansion into new areas of the studio. Making a 4 in / 4 out desktop interface like this shows that they are taking bedroom musicians seriously. But perhaps a little too seriously... they have created a confusing product that is not really priced to be the Apollo Twin killer, and is unlikely to become a workhorse in big studios. They started making a product for home recording artists and then the typical German enthusiasm for engineering took hold and they stacked it full of features. I'm not hating at all. I love Neumann. But they'd have been better off making a competitive $1200 no-frills version with simpler features and killer Neumann preamps / converters. And then a rack beast for $2500-$3000 with integrated software controls for the DSP FX. This is like a Porsche engine in a VW.
The on-board effects are useful for lower latency tracking, and that's it. If you use the EQ on your computer while tracking, you are adding latency to the recording process. We all want the lowest latency possible, so the on board EQ is useful. You don't need it for mixing.
Very Good Review Alec!
Having the EQ, Compression, and Reverb all on the device... AND recording the wet and dry sound into the DAW at the same time puts this on my Wish List for my next Audio Interface!
Thanks so much!! :D
Yes!! I waited for this haha. Great job and fantastic tune Alec! Just the best reviews
Thanks so much!! :D
Loving the sound quality, I don't see a reason for external preamps unless after a particular color.
Thanks for the input! :)
I remember when this was launched seeing people say “converters don’t make a difference” and “if it doesn’t have real-time autotune it’s completely useless in modern music” and couldn’t disagree further. There’s something about the upper echelons of converters and clocking that just takes everything about your signal chain and cranks it up to 10. I noticed right away when I switched from my started interface to an Antelope Zen Tour and I can’t go back after now having mixed on that kind of hardware for the last 5 years. Also thanks for crediting Merging, there’s a lot of people that seem to forget where this technology came from and it’s a damn shame. Same kind of deal with DAD regarding the Avid MTRX line. Killer video as always, thanks man!
Thanks so much Jonathan. :)
I think the more you work on production/mixing/writing the more you realise it all matters, and none of it does. Great gear helps, but nothing comes near good arrangement, songwriting and engineering.
Having said that, when there is great gear, solid songs and arrangements with great engineering and mixing, that’s when the high end stuff becomes more apparent. Least that’s my personal opinion on the matter of course! :)
@@alecbrits very well said!
Agree! Just want to add that Merging continues with their brand and products as part of the Sennheiser Pro Audio group of which also Neumann is a part. Sennheiser consumer goods were sold off. Looks like the Neumann/Sennheiser/Merging people are building a fantastic Pro Audio company with excellent dedicated brands.
Coming back to this vid just to say I'm getting mine delivered on Thursday and your info was the primary selling point. Planning to pair it with an Evo 16. Hope Neumann continues working with you forever!
I hope you enjoy it! :)
Neumann and I don’t work together, they send out review units and I review them.
@@alecbrits Oh yes, I meant the partnership in reviewing their products! Sorry about the confusion.
Got some good information on the front end, and some nice singing on the back end.
Awesome Video!! 🙌🏾
Thank you so much! :D
I already was sold and bought the interface.
But that end recording...and that song...🎵 really lovely! Quality performance captured by that unit....
Solid 🙏👍👌
Thanks so much! :)
Why isn't there a playlist of all this songs you've made, dudeeeee? I really miss that in my life.
Gonna start releasing the tunes later this year! :)
Me too would love to have this Alec music to listen to 😊 🙌
Awesome as always Alec. The user experience looks fantastic...in contrast to my RME.
Thanks so much! :) yeah, it’s short learning curve with this unit thankfully.
The RME experience is a piece of cake. 1 button and everything is ready for recording. 1…button.
@@eyeque7 Please, please make a video demonstrating this.
Total Mix is incredibly versatile. Too versatile amd complicated for my purposes. I love the solid drivers and stability of RME, and I hope this Neumman has both because if it does, I'm moving my Fireface UFX 2 on and getting the Neumann.
@@EarlyMist I'm considering the same move.
Excellent review, Alec
Thanks so much Tim! :)
these vids are really aesthetically pleasing, great work dude! I hope you're well
Thank you so much. :)
Nice song, Alec! It sounds really smooth and produced tastefully. 👍
Thanks so much! :)
Wow, this looks like a mini live console. Apart from channel count it seems to have most of the features of my SQ5.
It’s pretty useful for sure! :)
Thanks dude!
Thank you! :)
Great review, and awesome song and capture! I came to check out the Neumann M48, and while it’s super, I left impressed with your songwriting. Great job all around!
Thank you so much Troy! :D
Come for the review, stay for the music 🎉😊
Ahh! :) thanks Frank!
I had most of these on a great sounding TC Electronics interfaces that they discontinued. Great eq, dyn and top quality TC reverb.
I'd love one. My Antelope Audio is excellent but getting o and the software is less than optimal. BUT, USB C connector for power on the MT48? Not convinced. The Antelope has a screw on connection that I trust more.
Thanks for the input David! :)
For once I bought the thingy before your review. And as for now it seems like I'm keeping it! 🎉
Well I’m glad! :) I hope to have one permanently in the future!
Luckily one can sell gear too. 🙂 But Neumann seems to be nailing it with some of their stuff (buying the right companies and also the reissues)... and yes it's certainly not cheap. But monitors, headphones, reissue mics and now the MT48 puts a smile on my face.
love the chorus!
Thank you! :)
Hi Alec, thanks for the review. Coming from a prism orpheus I’m forced to buy a new interface due to FireWire being canned by Apple. I was looking at the neve 88m or the Neumann. Any thoughts between the two? I also have a 1073spx and chandler tg2’s so have good pre’s already. So aside from the pre’s I’d definitely want to know your thoughts on conversion?
I would lean towards the Neumann. :) more flexibility, and the ability to add more channels with the Merging system. The DA on the Neumann is in a class of its own.
Hi Alec! Wonderful review as usual. Do you have any views on how the conversion on this compares to the RME Fireface UCX II and the UAD Apollo X6?
I’ve not tried the RME stuff as of yet, and I really want to! :) compared to the UAD stuff it feels more transparent and does not have that 2.8K DA bump that I’m used to in the Apollo’s.
Great intuitive video and the perfect length! Cheers M8
Thanks so much! :)
Wow, this might be my next interface! Thank you for going into so much detail!
Thank you so much! :) let me know how it goes.
Great video, Alec. To the point! And I really liked the song at the end, a pleasant surprise since this is the first video of yours I've seen. I personally have always loved when roots-based musicians use odd time signatures and other types of progressive elements in their music, and your song hit that for me. Got me thinking about this interface, too. The menus don't sound fun to me, but I could just be over thinking it - like you said - you're using your hands and not a mouse, so that's new. I've also never heard of the particular type of midi connection this has, so I'm going to need to check that out. Thanks for posting
Thanks so much! I found using my hands a great way to not be distracted by my DAW. As for the Midi connection, I did not get a chance to get into using it as i had limited time with the unit. If i get one in again, Id love to learn how it works!
It's notable that MIDI can be transmitted over multiple connection protocols. This 1/4 inch connector will work as well as any other on the market. I believe any TRS cable will do. And you find many MIDI controllers, like Morningstar, using that as well.
Killed it! I'm curious if you happen to have any feedback on the preamp quality between your Audient board and the Neumann pres?
That’s a good question! I would say that it’s hard to quantify a direct comparison right now, as I’ve only heard my Audient Pre’s with Apollo conversion.
@@alecbrits Makes sense! Thanks again for this, dude. Looking forward to your music later this year. You're a wizard with that Seventh Heaven 'verb.
Top shelf review as always and beautifully demonstrated with the usual incredibly catchy melodies. I certainly get the appeal for this unit but It's still a lot of money for a 2 channel interface. I get that it's premium quality but I still feel they bet on the reassuring value of the badge. If you're making a living out of a device like this and you're looking at a UAD competitor, I guess it starts to make a little more sense. But there are so many options out there...
The converters are what really separates this from the competitors such as the UA Apollo.
@@MrAnnouncerMan well I do respect the fact that there can be differences in converters, it seems that we are at a point where all of the modern interfaces have excellent conversion.
Even in the 2000s era, there are no songs that I listen to, and think to myself that the converters should have been better.
Like I said, that doesn’t mean that there is not a difference between converters, or even that an interface like this has excellent conversion, but I don’t think that it is the difference between a good recording and a great recording.
Just my 2 cents.
Converters don’t make a great recording of course. I think as you said, for the full time producer/musician/voice over artist the incremental gains tend to make a difference to the time spent working on a project. There are so many good options of course, all you gotta do is use what works best for you in your situation. :) that’s my two cents.
@@alecbritsyes, this is a fantastic tool for professionals! What you get for the money is INSANE! I think every interface on the market priced between 1000 and 3000€ is under attack by the Neumann MT-48! The interface world is in the midst of a shake up: RME is being squeezed by Neumann from above and Motu from below. UAD is in a self inflicted life-crisis. And Rode is sweeping up the world with the Rodecaster line! Neumann will be one of the winners for I am sure they have big plans with this line of products. Exciting times! 🎉
It's really a four channel interface with multiple expansion options. This price is right in line with the UAD x4, but has many more features for I/O and built in tools. Plus, the preamps, headphone amps, and converters are at a much higher level. Mastering engineers are using the Merging stuff, and this will sound the same. I think anyone can record a good song with the most entry level interface. It just depends on the options and flexibility you are after.
Thanks!
Thanks so much Frank!! That’s super appreciated. 🚀☺️
Alex your stuff is so amazing ❤ Beautiful
Thanks Kevin! :)
Everything Neumann does is excellent
Always reliable and never disappointing. :)
Mine arrives this weekend! I’m hyped. It will be replacing my old first generation Scarlett 18i8
Hope you are enjoying it! :)
@@alecbrits I am! I did a layman's guitarist review of it on my channel.
Great song and great sound
Thanks so much! :)
Enjoyed the review.I purchased an MT48 recently. There appears to be a lot of hiss on the preamps. Even When they're not gain staged very high. Loved the music by the way.. Bit of an Alan Parsons Vibe.
That’s interesting! Mine was completely silent.
Ah man, I’d happily swap out my x4 for this. Universal audio are not in my good books at all. The worst customer service I’ve encountered, especially since Covid. It’s just the affordability that’s making it a tough transition. Where my Neumann experience have been absolutely prime from their mics, speakers and headphones! Great customer service 🔥
I’ve had great experiences with Neumann consistently over the years, so I’ll happily agree with you there. :)
It just simply sounds better too. No plain volume knob, instead a smooth multi function wheel. I could comment on others things, but I need to learn how to use it in FL have a great one
It’s a beast for sure. :)
@@alecbrits your audio in this video was the first sound I really tested it on, real good sound quality! 😃
Great music as always! 🙌
Thank you so much! :)
I need that alec brits album, its killing me now hahaha
Working on it. :)
@@alecbrits yay :D
Great Video, great mix. Really awesome 👍👍
Thanks so much!
Love this Alec. Very helpful.
Thank you so much! :D
Great work Alec👍 I can see these videos take a lot of hard work and time to shoot, such great details even thou I’m not a music producer I learn a lot from every video you post. Of coarse the songs I love ❣️
Thanks so much! 🧡
Okay Alec, this is a great piece of equipment and I am happy to have one. But, is it a game changer? The built in preamp is very nice. I am wondering if the magic of this unit is the incredible dynamic range that makes the sweet spot a very easy target to hit. I used the MT 48 to listen to RUclips Music from my laptop driving some cheap near field monitors. The results were mind blowing. When I get time I want to try using the MT48 to convert my digital music and drive vintage Hafler power amps pushing vintage Klipsch speakers. I have considered getting a second MT48 to convert and control digital music into vintage hifi. Even though this box is expensive, it has the potential be the bridge of a hybrid digital/old school analog hifi for less money. Up to this point I have found that it has been an expensive goat rope to get digital music into analog hifi. I had to send my digital signal to good converters, to preamp, to EQ, to analog power amp. Having the converters, preamp, and EQ in one box that can output line level has the potential to be a game changer for home music.
Sounds like an interesting idea to me! :)
Thank you for your review. Can MT 48 be powered by a power bank? I guess Neumann changed the Anubis adapter DC jack to the MT 48's USB-C port for Power Delivery (PD) function.
I’m not too sure! Might be worth reaching out to Neumann and asking. :)
Thanks for your prompt response.
Grat track as always.
A lot of folks might think almost 2k is steep for such a dinky interface, but the folks at Neumann have really designed a box that's punching way above its weight. Having said that, its lack of analog I/O might be a deal breaker for some.
Thanks so much Stephen. :)
I think that the humans at Merging/Neumann have done well with this unit for sure. Perhaps in the future we will see larger units with more I/O. :)
What is the round trip latency at 48khz 24 bit recording. M1 mac ventura?
Great overview Alec!
How do you like those Neumann headphones? (NDH20/30s) I'm considering buying one of them... (For mixing, mainly. I suppose the open version would be suitable, right? How do the 20s/30s compare sonically?
Thanks so much! :) I like them a lot, I think the closed backs are a great tracking tool, they isolate really well so click bleed is not too much of an issue. The 30’s are fun to mix with for sure, just ensure you are in a quiet environment and you have enough amplification to get the most out of them. Most of the videos over the last 6 months have been mixed on the NDH30’s with sonarworks and Goodhurtz canopener. :)
Please do a review of baby face fs using same mikes etc....that would be instructive...like your reviews...so far Neumann MCM 114 and sennheiser MKH 8020. are my favourites....Has anyone tried the Neumann mcm 114 for voice..love to hear a sample of that compared to 8020
I’d like to try the baby face. :)
I have the Babyface pro fs, bought the MT48 and now selling the BF. That doesn't mean the BF is bad in anyway, and also, the BF is much less expensive. Two very good units. The BF is usb powered wich is awesome, and it can be run standalone.
Fantastic! I wonder what I should buy together with this unit for my 6 synthesizers. What kind of Adat is best?
That heritage super 8 looks pretty intense. 🤔
Hi Alec, hope you don’t mind me asking but didn’t you have a review for the Neve Newton channel? Where has it gone?
I don’t have a Newton Review yet. :) I have a Shelford review.
@@alecbrits ah, my mistake, thanks.
great video mate, would love to hear one with the Focusrite Clarett interface if you ever get your hands on one
Sure thing! :)
RME, Prism Sound, Apogee.....
You have a problem😳
I’ve owned alll THREE, And this thing looks INCREDIBLE!!✅✅
It’s a really solid unit. :) I’ve not had a chance to check out the RME and Apogee units yet.
Hey Alec! Thanks for your review, I’ve read all the comments here and I can’t find you ever answering what you think of the preamps when comparing to Apollo twin and Neumann v401.
Can you as detailed as possible say what you think of these three? thank you so much in advance
Thanks so much. :)
All three are great sounding units, and definitely usable in a production. They do differ from each other of course.
In the case of the Apollos and the MT48, it’s hard to know where the preamp tone ends and the mic pre tone begins. The MT48 feels a little softer in the upper midrange to me, easier on the ears when stacking things up.
However, when I’m using my apollo X16’s with a clean mic pre, I still get a bit of the 2-3k hardness that I hear on the smaller Apollos. The MT48 does not really do that to my ears.
The V402 is a different beast altogether. Very clean, transparent and again, quite soft and forgiving in the upper midrange areas. When pairing it with the MT48, it was a fantastic combination. Having said that, when pairing it with the X16, it still sounded fantastic, just a little more present in the upper midrange than I’m used to.
I hope this helps! :)
I really like it. It's not that expensive when considering how much it would cost for 2 high-quality mic-pres
Agreed. :)
Can you please do a demo like this for the apogee symphony desktop??? 🤓
Perhaps in the future. :)
Well done
Thanks Jon! :)
Amazing track Alec, must be strange pouring your heart out and then everyone talking about converters. I know it's a gear review, but part of me was like "Is this guy okay?" :) Anyway, I just found a new trick on the anubis which can be done on this or any merging based DA. Change the roll off filter from "Slow" to "Sharp". It sounds like a different DAC altogether. Slow sounds a bit more dynamic, but it can be too much and a bit harsh on some sources. Sharp sounds a bit more "mixed", more like most other DACs and often is easier to listen to.
Thanks Tim! :) The videos encourage me to write the tunes, however the main purpose of the video is to give the units their moments to show us what they can do.
The filter sections on the DA was crazy to hear! This video was initially around 40 minutes long, so I had to edit out a few things to make it feel like it was still engaging to watch. These units are crazy. 👌🏽
Ive been waiting long to buy this, i cant find it anywhere yet =(
Studiocare. :)
@@alecbrits how are the preamps in it? did you like them? =)
@@MariJu1ce yes. :)
oooofffff this or the new rme adi se 24 i guess the pres and the quality of capture will win out for me as i havent a super mixroom but superb song, like maps meets foos
Thanks so much! :)
Great tech, where can I hear this complete track pls ? :)
Will be releasing tunes from later this year.
Great video, thanks!
Thank you so much! =)
@@alecbrits Something that I read or heard, which I wish it could do, was let you bypass the preamps for outboard gear.
So I am wondering how the latency is on this hmm. In the user manual it says that the onboard mixer/monitor work at ultra low latency. Whatever ultra low means. It also says you don't need a small buffer size for audio recording (in the daw). This is page 16 in the manual btw. I find I always have some issues with headphones and latency when recording. Only Pro Tools hd systems seem to have solved this but I don't want to deal with Avid anymore. Curious about this as I'd like to hit the road and my Mytek 8x192 might be just a little too big to travel with.
I enjoyed the onboard workflow on the device. :)
how do the quality of the converters and perhaps preamps compare to something like the 500R8 & Camden’s respectively?
I’m a big fan of the Cranborne conversion, so I would not think one is better than the other. Mic pre’s are clean without the possibility of the mojo circuit, but if clean is what you are going for, then either will work for you. I think a large part of the difference sits in the workflow between the two.
@@alecbrits Makes sense, workflow is completely different. I love my 500R8 so was just trying to establish a reference of quality in terms of pure sound! Thanks for the answer.
Hi, may I please get a comparison between Neumann MT 48 vs Apollo Twin X Duo? I'm having a hard time choosing.
The intended microphone will be the Neumann TLM 103.
The choice is more about the UAD workflow or not. The Neumann mic and conversion feels more open and transparent to me. :) hope this helps.
You can not bypass the mic preamps, the line instrument DI is colored, the only issue for some of us is, we still can not hear the transparency of the AD conversion because preamps and DI can not be bypassed, so the question is what kind of a AD does Neumann MT 48 have ?
Do you like the NDH-30's? How often do you use them?
I like them a lot. :) I use them around 5 days a week.
wow this is wow
It’s a great unit! :)
Hi, I'm from Chile, I don't speak English. I would like to know which preamp interface would be more suitable for rap vocals with a Neumann or 87, in between. theNeumann MT 48 or the Neve 88 m, thank you very much.
The Neumann will give you more options for processing and monitoring. :) I would lean towards the Neumann personally.
@@alecbrits
Thank you very much for your answer.
What abiut software control thru a mac . Seems like a steep learning curve compared to a UA Apollo. What about artiest presets?
Presets can be saved. Those are the snapshots I spoke about. :)
Ey. Could you perhaps give us the RT latency of this device (by sending the output of a DAW back to the input and see how much latency there is) ? And mesuring that at 32, 64 and 128 buffer size ? With REAPER if possible. Thank you in advance !
Hey! :) the device has already been sent back to the distributer sadly. Perhaps the instruction manual will be able to help you out on this? It’s pretty detailed.
They don't include it. Just checked.
@@gabsauvage might be worth sending them an email. :)
Love Neumann mics though 32bit floating point seems an opportunity missed on this unit ?
Not too sure. :) it would of course be lovely, but it’s not something I feel like I’m missing currently. Perhaps in the next version it will be possible.
Universal Audio should be worried. Apart from not being able to run UAs excellent plugins, this packs a whole lot more value than the Apollo Twin X at the same price point. And it's ironic that it has the Neumann brand on it considering that they are usually not known for bang for buck. UA has been slacking for too long. This is the first desktop interface that has made me consider switching from the Apollo. But I'm not going to. I still love the Apollo workflow and I love working with their plugins.
At the same time I am a bit frustrated that they are not taking their interfaces to their full potential. I mean such a simple feature like recording wet/dry at the same time. I've been bugging them about it for years. You can sort of do it by using the AUX tracks, but it's a limited hack. And dual headphone jacks is starting to become standard on interfaces now since it's such a common workflow. It was one of my main critiques about the Twin when it came out. It still only has one. You need to upgrade to the X4 to get such a fancy feature.
Hopefully the MT 48 will pressure them a bit.
Thanks for your input Henrik! :) very valid points. I do think the current line of Apollos is definitely due for an upgrade, they have been going for around 5 years at this point.
@@alecbrits No major changes for nine years really. Only upgraded conversion and some different models in terms of I/O. I guess that they put most of the eggs in the LUNA basket. Which is cool and all, but they have pretty much ignored Console since.
Hey Alec, did you do any EQ on the vocals? Either in the MT48 or in post?
Hey Frank! :) I think I may have EQ’d on the way in.
Cool song too
Thanks Larry! :)
I am curious how the preamps in this compare to the ones in the V402?
Pretty sure I answered this in the thread somewhere. :)
Can I connect this directly to my iPad to record piano videos? Or can I connect to somyaiii and record straight into camera😊
Phantompower?
I didnt heard a d couldnt read all comments
Is phantompower switchable individually for each channel seratley or is there one switch that activates 48v generaly for all.
If so damage is possible or not all channels can be used
Thanks and greetings
Generaly i like and apreciate youre videos
Greetings from germany/spain
Is already answered ....seen it on the screen....i was irritated by " through everything"
Cool. Thanks for the input! :)
Neumann also makes the V402 preamp. Do you think I'd need it or the MT48 is more than enough? Thank you
The MT48 is more than enough. I’d you need more mic pre’s then you can add any pre’s of your choosing.
@@alecbrits Thank you
Wait so is there control software or a web UI as well? Would have been nice to have seen it.
There is indeed. :) thanks for the feedback. Any additional information you need is on the Neumann website.
@@alecbrits Woah, easy, there, Alec. You're starting to sound like the PR department. 😂
@@helmanfrow 😂 just being polite is all. As usual, thanks for spotting where things can be improved.
Hi Thanks for great video as usual !
I’m looking for a interface for my home studio (pro) i do mainly mix and Mastering, sometimes small Recordings (vocal/GTR etc) do you think this can be the choice against some interfaces like…RME ADI 2/4 pro etc…? Many Thanks 🙏
Yeah! :)
@@alecbrits Thanks! So you think this can be better than ADI 2/4 pro ? (Not only, but also Sound qualitywise)
@@amrabas I’ve not tried the RME stuff yet, but I would assume to be of a similar quality. You need to see what fits best into your creative workflow. :)
@@alecbrits ok Thanks ! It looks really cool though (with talk back etc )please make a Video of RME 😁! thanks everytime, great vidéo and great Music !
Awesome review! Sounds great. Can you bypass the preamps?
I’m not too sure about 1-2. But 3-4 yeah they are separate. :)
@@alecbrits Awesome! I think I'm going to get one and try it out. Have you used RME? I haven't but I'm going to try that one as well and compare it to the Apogee Symphony Desktop. I'm mainly trying to see if the differences in converters are negligible in this price range.
Let me know how that goes! :)
@@alecbrits will do!
I think that really is your best recording so far. Only the snares are always a tad too quiet in your mixes for my taste. This interface is really controversial. I heard so much good and so much bad stuff about it, it is really confusing. Is it true that you cannot deactivate the preamps? This would be really wild, cause you cannot use any outboard preamps properly then. On the other hand, I only heard great recordings regarding sound quality from this unit. Oh my...
Thanks. :) I used outboard pre’s on inputs 3-4 with no issues at all. The clarity, definition and flexibility of the line inputs has my full confidence. I think it’s important to trust your ears, it’s not all about what a forum or spec sheet may say. If you have the chance to try one, give it a go and let me know what you think.
where i can find your songs?
They will start to be released later this year. :)
Here's a crazy idea... for pretty much the exact same price as the MT48, there's another option: the yamaha DM3. Of course it's marketted as a digital mixer, if you look at it as a 16 input channel interface (with faders, touch screen, built in effects, 22 channel mixer, ...) then it becomes a contender as the best/most versatile audio interface. It even has XLRs on the back 😉
Think it very much depends on workflow/space and preference. :) I’m sure the Yamaha is solid.
@@alecbrits The DM3 is not meant to be just an interface, for sure. But you could "misuse" it into becoming one. But it's just a (stoopid) idea perhaps. ;-)
Couldn’t help but notice how lovely your studio helpers are 😍 ….. The MT48 is very lovely as well of course!
How does the AD/DA converters on this compare to the Neve 88m you reviewed earlier and Audient ID24
The Neumann is a rather different beast, far more dynamic range, clarity and options with regards to workflow. If you don’t need those added things, then the Audient and Neve might be just right for you. :)
@@alecbrits the Audient ID24 and Neve 88m is my top choice. Is anyone really better than the other in terms of AD/DA
All the gear from Merging will have higher level converters than the 88m and ID24. That's not to say you won't get a good result with those, and they might fit your workflow better, but this MT-48 converter is one of the best on the market. A different flavor, but up there with Burl and Crane Song.
Leica of the interfaces
Not a bad way to think about it. 🤔
I'm still trying to live and or come to terms with it's very long slow boot times.
It does take some time. :) usually around the time it takes for me to turn on everything else. Something to keep
In mind, you can switch it on before doing the boot up sequence on your computer.
@@alecbrits but being that I’m just an average bedroom hobbyist it has been a habit to turn my monitors last. For the most part I’m slowly adapting lol
Neumann - one LOVE!
🚀🚀
Nothing that I heard in my whole life sounds like this interface. Put 30% on your Crossfade with your favorite headphones and enjoy. And I still haven't got the chance to record anything with it.
It’s a great unit! :)
Hello did you use this with apple mac or windows os?
Mac. :)
Okay I understand this might be a good interface (relatively) but we're used to compromise? 99% of modern budget interfaces have noise floors and THD figures you would have killed for in multi-million dollar studios only a couple of decades ago. Modern budget gear is so close to the best you can buy at any price - the steepness of the diminishing return curve for your buck over budget gear has never been so steep - it's practically a brick wall. Thirty plus years ago the gap between prosumer and professional was still huge - now you need sophisticated measuring equipment to even detect a difference in fidelity or distortion between them. Material going through a modern budget AD>DC>AD converter will null with the source down to roughly -115dB from 20Hz to 20kHz (ie the noise floor!) - Practically a bare wire in audio terms!
Thanks for the input! :)
@@alecbrits Still, great vid and fab song as usual sounded wonderful.
If you mainly do 70s style music I’m not sure if this interface is ideal.
Damn I needed this so bad 6 years ago. Now I mainly record 1 or 2 channels and I’ve got a great solution for that.
Great review as always.
Thanks so much!! :D
The Yamaha DM3 may be the better option at this price point.
Thanks for letting me know! :) will check it out.
A quick glance at the specs of the DM3 says that it's not at all in the same league as the MT48. Nevertheless the DM3 might be a better fit for some... 🙂
How do the mic pres on this compare to the Neve 88m?
The Neve pre’s will add harmonics as it’s a transformer balanced input. Not much harmonics, but it does add a tone. The Neumann is super clean and have 0 noise and added headroom. :)
88m are the clean Neve sound. Has a little saturation vibe, but not too colored. The MT-48 are the über clean clean preamps. Very transparent. Some love that. Some don't. I think it's very posh high end. But you can always add outboard preamps or color the track later. As far as the preamps you won't go wrong with either. But as far as other features the MT-48 is so further advanced, its just whether you need those things.
idk, the MT48 is a good attempt, but imo StageTec Nexus compact has better converters with 150db of dynamic range on inputs.
Looks interesting! Slight price difference and connectivity choices. :)
What computer system and OS are you using with the MT48?
MacBook Pro M1 Max. Monterey. :)
She is very warm and noisy
The fans can be turned off, but she is toasty for sure. :)
Вася 😅
It’s a mid range device at a high end price, it has quite a high noise floor. I use a Neumann mic and would definitely not buy it.
Thanks for the input. :)
Somebody should tell Neumann that we already have EQ on computers. And we don't have to operate it with one large knob like it's the late 80s. Circle circle circle, nearly done changing that one Q value. WACK.
They should make a $999 version of this with no frills that could compete with Apollo, Babyface, etc.
Alec the felt piano sounded great.
Thanks for the input James. :)
@@alecbrits You don't agree? Why are we winding a little scroll disc around to set up EQ values one at a time? They've added a bunch of irrelevant features and priced themselves out of the prosumer market... This is a flop. Come on, they missed a trick.
@@jamesr141I think it’s important to take what you are saying on board. Whether I agree or not does not really matter. :)
Historically Neumann have not really focused on the prosumer market as much as they have focused on quality followed by price.
The work flow of EQ and compression on board for someone like me is really useful and allows my creativity to work the way I want it to.
Thankfully there are many devices that are good quality that match your description well. :)
@@alecbrits Come on, bro. You are not tweaking compression with your little jogwheel on the Neumann interface. That's not the dream. The dream is to use pro level outboard gear or DSP software via your computer.
Whether Neumann have focused on the prosumer market is a matter of debate, but they are market leaders in a bunch of prosumer categories. KH120s, TLM103, NDH30... These are bestsellers. They're cleaning up, hence the repeated expansion into new areas of the studio.
Making a 4 in / 4 out desktop interface like this shows that they are taking bedroom musicians seriously. But perhaps a little too seriously... they have created a confusing product that is not really priced to be the Apollo Twin killer, and is unlikely to become a workhorse in big studios.
They started making a product for home recording artists and then the typical German enthusiasm for engineering took hold and they stacked it full of features. I'm not hating at all. I love Neumann. But they'd have been better off making a competitive $1200 no-frills version with simpler features and killer Neumann preamps / converters. And then a rack beast for $2500-$3000 with integrated software controls for the DSP FX.
This is like a Porsche engine in a VW.
The on-board effects are useful for lower latency tracking, and that's it. If you use the EQ on your computer while tracking, you are adding latency to the recording process. We all want the lowest latency possible, so the on board EQ is useful. You don't need it for mixing.
For that price, it should be good, It's more than a Macbook Pro, lol!
It’s all relative I guess! :) it’s a solid unit for sure.
Is it better than RME adi-2 pro fs r?
I’ve not tried the RME yet. :) heard great things about it though.
Thats the MERGING AUDIO ANUBIS Interface recoloured and with a NEUMANN stamp on it. 🤷♂🤷♂
It’s built by merging indeed. :) biggest difference is that it has USB on board.