Among Behringer audio devices there is dock-station iStudio iS202 for Apple iPad ( 1, 2 and 3 generations ) with advanced audio recording and playback functions. Device can work from 2 A and 12 V power adapter or 8 AA batteries; on its top panel following controls are placed : buttons for phantom power +12 V switching for microphone inputs, Hi-Z mode switch for input 2 and AUX mode switch for inputs; separate knobs for amplification control of 1, 2 and AUX inputs; monitor mode switch for headphones ( 1, 2 and AUX inputs, signal from iPad ); volume control knobs of main outputs and headphones. On its frontal panel 1/8″ mini-jack output for headphones is located; on back panel there are : power switch button; power adapter input; composite video output; USB port ( probably, device can be used as external USB audio card without connection to iPad ); MIDI input and output; two TRS 1/4″ jack inputs for expression and foot switch pedals; 2 TRS 1/4″ jack main balanced outputs; ground connector; 2 RCA linear/AUX outputs; combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack output, which can work in microphone ( balanced ), linear and instrumental Hi-Z modes; another one such input, which can work only in microphone ( balanced ) and linear modes. On bottom side of Behringer iStudio iS202 there are batteries compartment and panel and holes for connection to instrumental stands.
Behringer iStudio iS202 connectors have following properties : microphone inputs ( gain in 25 – 55 dB range, maximal input signal level -7 dB, 2.6 kOhms impedance ); linear inputs ( gain in 0 – 30 dB range, maximal input signal 16 dB, impedance 40 kOhms balanced and 20 kOhms unbalanced ); instrumental input ( gain in 0 – 30 dB range, maximal input signal 16 dB, 16 MOhms impedance ); AUX input ( linear mode : amplification -infinity – 0 dB, +22 dB maximal input signal; phono mode : amplification -infinity – 52 dB, -40 dB maximal input signal; both modes : 47 kOhms impedance ); main outputs ( signal level -infinity – 6 dB, maximal output level 13 dB, impedance 240 Ohms balanced and 120 Ohms unbalanced ); headphones output ( signal level -infinity – 6 dB, maximal output level 16 dB, impedance 150 Ohms ). Device sizes are 305 ( width ) x 216 ( depth ) x 75 ( height ) mm and mass is 1 kg ( without power adapter, batteries and iPad ).
Package contains : Behringer iStudio iS202 dock-station itself, power adapter, 3-year warranty card and user’s guide. All in all device is interesting and has lots of audio connectors, part of inputs and outputs are balanced; however here is need to look on dock-station and external studio-level USB audio interfaces : it is possible, that such interface with similar ports sets of Steinberg, Behringer itself, Focusrite, Roland, M-Audio, ESI and other manufacturers production cost less. Their purchase is more suitable, because they can tightly integrate with modern DAWs ( FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others ) via specialized drivers with ASIO 2.0 and Core Audio support.
