2x2 USB 2.0 audio interface with 2x D-PRE and 192 kHz support
Highlighting two industry-acclaimed D-PRE microphone preamps, class-leading 24-bit/192 kHz converters and a rock- solid metal housing, the UR22 audio and MIDI interface provides pure sound wherever you are. With a dedicated high- impedance switch, a separate headphones jack and phantom power supply, this portable 2-in/2-out device is the perfect choice for mobile musicians, touring DJs and everyone in between.
Looks good. It's one-upped the Mackie Blackjack with MIDI and 192khz operation but otherwise looks fairly similar - basically a pair of class A press in a metal box. Any idea on price?
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Looks good. It's one-upped the Mackie Blackjack with MIDI and 192khz operation but otherwise looks fairly similar - basically a pair of class A press in a metal box. Any idea on price?
Looks good. It's one-upped the Mackie Blackjack with MIDI and 192khz operation but otherwise looks fairly similar - basically a pair of class A press in a metal box. Any idea on price?
Yeah TheOracle is correct, the suggested retail price is €149 but from what I hear street prices will be probably fall inside the €130/€140 mark.
It should be a good little seller.
Its seems to have a great price/spec ratio and will cover most bases for a lot of people.
This is the only gripe that I have with the MR816x. But this unit is targeted at portability. Taking along external pre's is understandably not part of that equation.
It has made my life incredibly easy. The sound quality is really good as in transparent so it's no betterizer/no worserizer. The preamps which are the same on this are spot on.
I have no issue recording anything through it from vocals, synths to guitars etc. If you keep them at low level they are as transparent as you want them and if you push them they saturate nicely as well.
Will definitely pick one of this up for portable duties!
It seems the other thread got erased. Guys I'm on the fence between this one and the NI Komplete Audio 6, I'm using a Traktor Audio 2 at the moment which serves me well as I'm using headphones, I really like that the NI's driver supports running 'outside DAW' audio while the DAW is running (I can watch a, say, youtube video without having to close my DAW, which I really like, and I can't do that with the echo audiofire 4).
Do you guys who own any steinberg interface know if their drivers support running audio without having to close the DAW? What would you guys recommend between this one and the NI KA6? I use both headphones and a pair of yamahas HS80m, but im using mainly my headphones to mix. Both look really nice!
I have an MR816x. It has the same preamps as well. I would agree that they are transparent (and in general, quite nice), but I would not characterize them as being able to saturate a signal. And for me they're not very usable in their upper reaches...which is where I can really hear the difference between them (the Steinberg pres) and the external pres that I use (GAP Pre73 and Grace 101, both of which are very usable when pushed).
Nonetheless, I would like to have this new unit for portable duties as well.
Looks good. I wonder if it will sound as good as Apogee Duet converters which are also 192 24bit cirrus logic chips.
I had the UR824 and "slimmed down" to the UR28M because the UR824 was absolute feature overkill for me. I also owned and used a Duet (first model) for quite a while.
There is a definitive difference in converter quality between the UR824 and the UR28M. The converters of the UR824 are at least as good as those of the Duet, while the UR28M are not as good. Dont get me wrong, the converters on the UR28M are still good, but the UR824 and the Duet have more clarity and stereo / depth of space detail.
I assume that on this budget device for portable use, the converters are more on the level of the UR28M than of the UR824. Well, if they are as good as those on the UR28M, they will still be EXCELLENT for a 130€ interface. Like, really EXCELLENT. The Duet's converters, though, were excellent for a 400€ device. (And having 8 channels of i and o of that quality on the UR824 for 750€ is just crazy.)
I have an MR816x. It has the same preamps as well. I would agree that they are transparent (and in general, quite nice), but I would not characterize them as being able to saturate a signal. And for me they're not very usable in their upper reaches...which is where I can really hear the difference between them (the Steinberg pres) and the external pres that I use (GAP Pre73 and Grace 101, both of which are very usable when pushed).
Nonetheless, I would like to have this new unit for portable duties as well.
They won't compare for example to a tube based Gyraf 9 preamp of course. Not by a long stretch.
For me the shock was that the saturation distorsts nicely and doesn't completely ruin the sound. Is it a saturation that I will intentionally use? 90% of the times no.
But for some sounds it just works (only a tad in yellow, more than that I agree is unusable) and it's really convenient.
Quote:
Originally Posted by parlopower
I had the UR824 and "slimmed down" to the UR28M because the UR824 was absolute feature overkill for me. I also owned and used a Duet (first model) for quite a while.
There is a definitive difference in converter quality between the UR824 and the UR28M. The converters of the UR824 are at least as good as those of the Duet, while the UR28M are not as good. Dont get me wrong, the converters on the UR28M are still good, but the UR824 and the Duet have more clarity and stereo / depth of space detail.
I assume that on this budget device for portable use, the converters are more on the level of the UR28M than of the UR824. Well, if they are as good as those on the UR28M, they will still be EXCELLENT for a 130€ interface. Like, really EXCELLENT. The Duet's converters, though, were excellent for a 400€ device. (And having 8 channels of i and o of that quality on the UR824 for 750€ is just crazy.)
Thanks for the report! I am looking to upgrade to more channels for tracking and were curious if there is a improvement from UR28M to the UR824.
I also had this choice to make at first. For me the UR28M won in the inspiration department as I was mixing more than tracking at the time.
For mixing I find the control knob and mix buttons amazing that I can't imagine myself working without them! If I could link the UR824 to these controls I would be most pleased.
I find the UR28M through the Focals really clear and with tons of depth and space detail, a bit too precise maybe but that's good so I can't wait hear the UR824 converters!
As the 140€ interface price range of this thing: is just crazy.
1 - You can bypass the press on the MRs and URs. Just put the gain all the way down and press the pad button. This has been covered at least a dozen times in this board.
2 - I really don't find the UR28M that much inferior to the MRs. I work with the MR816X on the studio and have a UR28M at home and I've spent a lot of time with both units. In a blind test I had a hard time picking the right one, which tells me that they're both great units. Haven't hear the 824 but I really doubt its that much better. The decision really comes down to the features and your I/O requirements. Want BETTER conversion? Get a Lavry, Mytek or something.
1 - You can bypass the press on the MRs and URs. Just put the gain all the way down and press the pad button. This has been covered at least a dozen times in this board.
+1
Yep, there is no audible diff either, Ive check it many times with external pres going into the MR and padding the input. No diff than using the insert on the MR. People need to move on from this perceived issue that doesnt exist
This is a perfect little box to take around with my laptop, sweet!!
I spoke with Steinberg support and here is what they had to say:
When you connect through the 1/4" TRS input it still goes through the mic pre (so that you can control the gain). Also, the UR22 pres have enough gain for ribbon mics but they expressed that you need to be sure to have Phantom Power off (which turns it off on both inputs) so you don't damage your ribbon.
Thanks for the update. I've only found a couple of forums discussing the UR22, but to my knowledge, yours is the first review so I'm a bit disappointed that the link to your review has been deleted.
I received an automated warning stating that the link I posted was considered "fishing" and that "recruiting forum members to visit / join other audio forum / blog (not allowed)".
I was a bit surprised but I think it was mainly done as a precaution which is understandable. In either case, you can click on the banner in my signature if you still want access to the review, or just google "Steinberg UR22 Review". Cheers. - Joel
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NAMM: Steinberg UR22 Audio Interface 
