Sound Devices USBPre 2

Sound Devices has announced the USBPre 2, a microphone interface for computer audio.

Sound Devices’ USBPre® 2 is a high-resolution, portable hardware interface for Mac- and Windows-based digital audio.

The USBPre 2 is the industry’s highest performance and most flexible portable interface, connecting professional microphones, line-level sources, consumer audio electronics, and S/PDIF digital sources with Mac OS and Windows computers via USB.

USBPre 2 features

  • Extended bandwidth, low-noise microphone preamplifiers with 48 V phantom, limiters, high-pass filters, and 15 dB pad.
  • Dynamic range greater than 114 dB (in 24-bit operation).
  • Flat 10 Hz to 40 kHz (@96 kHz SR) audio bandwidth with very low distortion characteristics.
  • Each input individually selectable between microphone, line, and aux level signals (both channels selected simultaneously for S/PDIF connections).
  • Precision, 23-segment, multicolor LED peak/VU meter, selectable between input and output sources.
  • High-output headphone amplifier can drive a wide range of headphones.
  • Balanced outputs on XLR connectors with dedicated level control can be used to drive line- or mic-level inputs.
  • Mix control enables zero-delay monitoring of source audio, computer audio, or a mix of both source and computer audio for multitrack recording or computer telephony.
  • Phono (RCA) jacks connect Aux Output to external loudspeakers or preamplifiers.
  • Bus powering via USB for convenient, single-cable connection to the computer.
  • In Stand-Alone mode the USBPre 2 operates as a microphone preamplifier and analog-to-digital converter.
  • Hardware loop-through for test & measurement to send computer audio directly back to an input.
  • High-strength extruded aluminum chassis.
  • Mac® OS X 10.4+, Windows®XP/Vista/7, and Linux, class-compliant audio device.
  • Additional features controlled by hardware DIP switches on the back panel; no software-only features and no control panel.

The USBPre 2 will be available October 2010.

More information: Sound Devices / USBPre 2