Among USB audio interfaces of Focusrite there is portable device Saffire 6, oriented for reliable work on live performances; it can work with sampling rates up to 96 kHz and 24 bits per sample precision; to both inputs of interface Focusrite preamplifiers are connected. Front panel of card has : 2 combined XLR/TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) inputs, which can work in linear/microphone and instrumental Hi-Z modes; signal amplification control knob, work mode and PAD function switches and signal and clip indicators; phantom power +48 V switch for both inputs; mixing control knob ( between input analogue signals and sound from computer ) and its work mode switch; device’s volume control knob and USB and MIDI connections states indicators; TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) monitor headphones output, their volume control and its source switch. On back panel there are placed : Kensington Lock slot; USB port, through which it is powered and communicates with computer ( it has no need in additional power adapter ); MIDI input and output; 4 RCA outputs with nickel-plated connectors; and 2 TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) balanced outputs.
External USB sound card Focusrite Saffire 6 ( back view )
DAC and ADC of Focusrite Saffire 6 dynamic range is 114 dB; accounting full analogue and digital parts, it goes down to 105 dB for analogue to digital conversion and to 103 dB for digital to analogue conversions; ports characteristics are as following : microphone inputs ( signal to noise ratio 105 dB, THD+N 0.0025 % ), linear inputs ( signal/noise 105 dB, THD+N 0.001 %, noise level -90 dB ), instrumental inputs ( signal/noise 105 dB, THD+N 0.0025 %, channels isolation 80 dB ), TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) balanced outputs ( THD+N 0.0025 % ), RCA outputs ( THD+N 0.03 % ) and headphones output ( signal/noise 103 dB ). With device Xcite+ package ( including DAWAbleton Live Lite 8, software synthesizer and sounds samples packages ) and VST/AU plugins package ( among them there are compressor, reverberation, gating and equalizer ) are shipped. For sound card drivers for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 with ASIO 2.0 interface support and Mac OS X with Core Audio interface support are released, which allow modern DAWs ( REAPER, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live and others ) to use its capabilities to their full extent.
Device sizes are 220 ( width ) x 145 ( depth ) x 45 ( height ) mm and mass is 1 kg; manufacturer does not tell what amount of current device draws, but judging by amount of inputs and functions around 200 – 600 mAh. Package contains : Focusrite Saffire 6 audio interface itself, USB cable, optical disks with drivers and software, warranty card and user’s guide. Maximal sampling rate of device is not the highest one, but it has MIDI connectors, balanced outputs and high analogue connectors specifications. So, when there is choice between this sound card and devices of Steinberg, Behringer, ESI, M-Audio, Roland and other manufacturers, there is need to look on their prices and accordance of technical details to specific tasks, for which device is bought.
Among headphones manufacturers there are also honest companies : Sven is one of them, releasing new model AP-350M with 8 – 9 USD price, which is simply great for such device. Headphones are of over ears type, with 40 mm drivers ( with ferrite or neodymium magnets : manufacturer does not clarify which ones are used ), 20 Hz – 20 kHz reproducible frequencies range, 105 dB sensitivity and 32 Ohms impedance. With all of this, they also have built-in microphone with 30 Hz – 16 kHz perceivable frequencies range ( this is very good value, amplitude frequency characteristic, probably, is not quite flat, but microphone is good anyway ) and -58 dB sensitivity. To one of cups 1.2 m detachable cable is connected with 4 pins nickel-plated 1/8″ mini-jack connector. Headphones mass is 135 g. Package contains : Sven AP-350M headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones have very good characteristics and with their price they have no competitors at all in value/price ratio respect; so, if there is need in good headphones with optimal price, then these ones are candidate number 1 for purchasing.
Lets review external USB audio interface Roland Tri-Capture, oriented on portable recording of 3 inputs, incoming signal monitoring and sounds playback from different sources. All connectors are placed on card’s back panel, among them there are : TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) headphones output; the same balanced outputs for left and right channels; USB port for connection with computer and power receiving from it; 2 RCA inputs for stereo sound recording; TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) input, which can work in linear and instrumental Hi-Z modes; and XLR microphone input, to which phantom power +48 V can be connected. Its top panel has : phantom power switch and signal level control; Hi-Z/linear modes switch for instrumental input and signal level control knob; stereo signal level control; signal and clip indicators for all 3 inputs; recording mode selector ( microphone/instrumental inputs, all inputs or loop back mode ); outputs mute button, Direct Monitor mode switch for headphones and their volume level control with levels and clipping indicators for both channels. Card can work with sampling rates up to 96 kHz and 24 bits per sample precision.
External sound card Tri-Capture ( back view )
Roland Tri-Capture fully powers via USB connection and draws 480 mA maximal current. Device sizes are 171 ( width ) x 134 ( depth ) x 40 ( height ) mm and mass is 320 g. For sound card drivers are released for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 with ASIO 2.0 interface support and for Mac OS X with Core Audio interface support, via which modern DAWs ( Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others ) can use all its functions. Package contains : Roland Tri-Capture sound card, USB cable, CD-ROM with drivers and VST plugins and instruments, DVD-ROM disk with Cakewalk SONAR LE program for Windows, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all, this is a good card, which has all connectors for analogue sounds recording in small studio; from its minuses not the highest sampling rate, lack of MIDI connectors and quite big sizes can be noted. Also, there is need to look on device’s price, quite may be that more functional entry level studio audio interfaces of Steinberg and Behringer cost less.
Panasonic continues to rejoice with good headphones for optimal price, releasing RP-HXS220E model. They are of over ears type and can be folded for more compact carrying and storage; 30 mm drivers are built into them, moved by neodymium magnets. Headphones support 10 Hz — 25 kHz sounds playback, 1000 mW maximal power input and have 24 Ohms impedance. To both cups 1.2 m cable with 1/8″ mini-jack gold-plated connector is mounted; their mass without accounting for cable is 138 g. Package contains : Panasonic RP-HXS220E headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are great, costing around 20 USD and having great sound characteristics, to which many much more priced models do not come even close.
Today’s audio part will be devoted to compact external USB sound card M-Audio Super DAC, able to record and play stereo sound and supporting 192 kHz sampling rate and 24 bits per sample precision. Its frontal panel has : output work mode switch ( headphones/line output ), source switch ( digital/analogue, effectively this is a Direct Monitor switch ); 1/8″ mini-jack stereo linear input; and 1/8″ mini-jack and TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) headphones outputs. Its top side has power on and sampling rate choosing knob; on back side USB for communication with computer and powering from it, 2 RCA linear analogue outputs and digital optical and coaxial outputs are placed. Manufacturer says, that high-quality headphone amplifier is used in card, and about WolfsonDAC and ADC.
External sound card M-Audio Super DAC ( top view )
M-Audio Super DAC dynamic range is 110 dB, maximal output power is 210 mW with 16 Ohms headphones or speakers; besides 192 kHz it also supports 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 and 176.4 kHz sampling rates; THD+N equal to 0.00003%. Card sizes are 91 ( width ) × 94 ( depth ) × 27 ( height ) mm and mass is 210 g; it is powered only from USB connection and does not require additional power adapter, judging by its small sizes and small amount of functions and connectors, it should not draw too much current. Audio interface is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X 10.7.5 and newer operating systems; in first ones it works via specialized drivers ( judging by them, it supports ASIO 2.0 interface ) and in second ones via native OS drivers with Core Audio interface support, so, it can be used in DAWs : FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others.
Package contains : M-Audio Super DAC sound card itself, USB cable, optical disk with drivers and software, warranty card and user’s guide. This card is oriented for high-quality stereo sound recording and playback on nature, live performances and in small studio; it has good technical characteristics, but costs as more functional entry-level studio sound cards, so, it is better to look on Steinberg, Behringer, Roland, Focusrite, M-Audio itself, ESI and other manufacturers audio interfaces of such level.
M-Audio – is a company, founded in USA in 1998 year, it produces audio interfaces, MIDI keyboards, synthesizers, loudspeakers, monitor headphones, DJs equipment, microphones and other sound devices. Company offices are also located in Canada, UK, Germany, France and Japan. Many popular artists use its products, among them there are The Crystal Method, Depeche Mode, Evanescence and others.
Lets review new monitor wired headphones PROEL HFC16 with interesting design and adequate for their technical characteristics price. 40 mm drivers are built into them ( manufacturer does not tell which magnets are used, but the most probably neodymium magnets ), reproducible frequencies range is 20 – 20000 Hz, sensitivity is 106 dB, impedance is 32 Ohms, THD is 0.1 % and maximal power input is 200 mW. To one of cups 2 m cable is connected with 1/8″ mini-jack connector. Headphones mass is 178 g, they can be folded for convenient carrying. Package contains : PROEL HFC16 headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all, these are good headphones : frequencies range is sufficient ( in most cases people do not hear sounds outside 20 Hz – 20 kHz range ), all other characteristics are on high enough level and they cost around 25 USD, which is quite adequate price for their technical abilities.
Lets meet with external USB sound card Behringer U-CONTROL UCA202, able to record and play stereo sound and having digital optical Toslink S/PDIF out. Its top side has : Direct Monitor switch, allowing to send signal from inputs directly to headphones, 2 RCA inputs and 2 RCA outputs with gold-plated connectors; on front side there is USB connection indicator; to its left side USB cable itself is mounted. Bottom side has : digital optical Toslink S/PDIF output, 1/8″ mini-jack output for headphones and volume control wheel. Behringer U-CONTROL UCA202 works with sampling rates up to 48 kHz and 16 bits per sample precision ( this is too small for high-quality audio recording ); all inputs and outputs are unbalanced, it has no ability of phantom power +48 V plugging to inputs; connectors technical details are as following : outputs ( 27 kOhms impedance, maximal input signal level 2 dBV ), outputs ( 400 Ohms, 2 dBV ) and headphones output ( 50 Ohms, 3.7 mW ).
Device draws maximum 100 mA of current; its THD is 0.05 % ( this is relatively high in comparison with studio audio interfaces ), channels penetration -77 dB ( this is good value, if all audio tract supports it and not only DAC or ADC ) and signal to noise ratio 89 dB for analogue to digital conversions and 96 dB for digital to analogue conversions ( it seems, that it is related only to DAC and ADC and analogue part considerably lowers these values ). Card’s sizes are 88 ( width ) x 60 ( height ) x 22 ( depth ) mm and mass is 0.1 kg; card is fully powered from USB connection. With it DAWTracktion is supplied for sounds recording and processing; it is eligible to 3-years warranty. It has no specialized ASIO 2.0 drivers, so it is not very well suited for work with DAWs; but there is ability to download and install ASIO4ALL drivers, which emulate this interface.
Package contains : Behringer U-CONTROL UCA202 sound card itself, warranty card and user’s guide. Its strong sides are : compact sizes and small mass, stereo recording and playback support, digital optical output and not too high price; wherein 16 bits per sample precision is too small for high quality sounds recording and inputs and outputs and DAC and ADC have not very high characteristics for studio sounds recording. So, it is better to invest slightly more money in sound card purchasing and buy enrtry-level studio audio interface with much better connectors and DAC and ADC, then to invest them into purchasing of device, which costs almost like entry-level studio interfaces, but is much weaker than them.
Lets devote today’s audio part to new monitor headphones Panasonic RP-HD5, which are able to reproduce sounds in 4 Hz – 40 kHz frequencies range. 40 mm drivers, moved by neodymium magnets, are built into them with 44 Ohms impedance; sensitivity is 99 dB/mW, maximal input power is 1000 mW. Cable length is 1.2 m, it has 1/8″ mini-jack gold-plated connector; headphones mass, without accounting cable, is 228 g. Package contains : Panasonic RP-HD5 headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones have great characteristics and cost around 80 – 90 USD, for device of such level of quality it is acceptable, at least it is 2 – 3 or more times smaller, than prices of some overly branded and overly marketed devices, which do not have even half of audio capabilities of these ones.
Lets devote today’s audio part to detailed testing and review of external sound card ESI UGM 96 in DAWREAPER. And start with external view on card, its frontal panel has : 2 TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) inputs ( one of them is instrumental Hi-Z, second one can be switched between instrumental and linear/microphone modes, also there is ability to switch +20 dB signal amplification for it ); and right input work mode switches. Card records only mono signal by both inputs. Its back panel has 2 TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) outputs, working in linear mode and as headphones outputs, they duplicate each other and both output stereo signal; and USB port, for connection with computer and powering from it, it does not require additional power adapter input. There is no ability to plug phantom power +48 V to microphone input and card outputs and records only unbalanced signal. Body of audio interface, including frontal and rear panel, is made from aluminum; analogue connectors are nickel-plated, there are gold-plated rings on the outer sides of connectors, but they are not connected with PCB and do not conduct signal, all connectors are inside and they are nickel-plated; so, there is need to use the same plugs.
Sound card ESI UGM 96 ( rear panel )
Card works with sampling rates up to 96 kHz and 24 bits per sample precision. According to technical specifications, it has following characteristics : Hi-Z inputs ( THD+N 0,003 %, impedance 500 kOhms ), input with +20 dB amplification ( THD+N 0,003 %, impedance 2.2 kOhms ), analogue to digital converter ( dynamic range 105 dB, S/( N + D ) ratio -98 dB, channels separation 90 dB ); linear/headphones outputs ( THD+N 0,003 %, maximal output power 100 mW and 32 – 600 Ohms impedance ), digital to analogue converter ( dynamic range 103 dB, S/( N + D ) ratio -90 dB, channels separation 100 dB ); power consumption 0.85 W, current draw 500 mA maximum. It is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X 10.4 and newer operating systems, in the first ones it uses dedicated drivers with ASIO 2.0, MME, WDM and DirectSound interfaces support, in the second one it works via native OS drivers with CoreAudio interface support. Via these interfaces it works with modern DAWs ( Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others ) and sound recording and editing programs. Package contains : ESI UGM 96 sound card itself, shielded transparent USB cable, CD-ROM disk with drivers and plugins ( among which are specialized guitar compressor and effects processor and VST instruments and effects ), DVD disk with DAWCubase LE 5 software and user’s guide. PCB photos from both sides are at the bottom of article.
Testing of ESI UGM96 sound card in DAW REAPER
Lets move on to ESI UGM 96 testing in DAWREAPER; I tested it recording signal from inputs without plugged connectors, this way I recorded only inputs noise; and connecting card’s outputs to inputs with ground and foil shielded studio microphone stereo cable with 0.5 m length and nickel-plated TRS connectors. Testing results of right input without Hi-Z mode and +20 dB amplification switching are as following : noise level without plugged connector -90.4 dB, with plugged in main linear/headphones output -87.4 dB, with duplicating headphones output -87.8 dB, recorded level of 0 dB signal ( 1 kHz sinusoidal wave ) for main output -1.2 dB, for duplicating -2,5 dB. Left Hi-Z instrumental input ( only noise without connector ) -90.6 dB; right input in Hi-Z mode ( only noise without connector ) -89.7 dB; right input in Hi-Z mode and with +20 dB amplification : -85.8 dB. Right input in linear mode with switched on +20 dB preamplification : only noise -87.8 dB, plugged in main output without signal -67.9 dB, plugged in duplicating output -68.2 dB. Wherein there is ability to raise volume level of recorded signal on +12 dB in interface’s control panel, making so noise level of inputs goes up to -75.9 – -77.7 dB from -90 dB, while signal level raises up from -1.2 – -2.5 dB to 0 dB. So, it is better not to use this function and record signal on usual volume level and, if needed raise its level in DAW ( this way at least signal and noise volume levels will raise on the same dB amount ) or with use of external digital or analogue amplifier ( this way signal level will raise, but noise level of cards inputs will remain the same, amplifier just needs to be good ).
Control panel of ESI UGM96 audio interface
Now the most interesting : channels penetration measuring, for this I played the same 1 kHz sinusoidal wave with 0 dB volume only in 1 channel, which cards inputs do not record, and looked on recorded signal level for channel on which this signal should not be transmitted. In result for main output channel penetrated in the other one with -17.8 dB volume, and for duplicating one with -17.3 dB volume. In technical details it is specified, that DAC has 100 dB channels separation : either analogue part of card is much weaker, than DAC in this respect, or after years of use card started to leak signals so much, but fact is the fact : signal penetrates so much, that it is audible via headphones laying on the table.
Sound card ESI UGM 96 ( PCB 1 )
Conclusions about testing of USB audio interface ESI UGM 96 in DAW REAPER
Noise levels of card’s inputs and outputs are relatively low, it is better to not use software card’s input volume raising ( it is better to do this via DAW instruments during recording or after it or via external amplifier; however built in +20 dB microphone preamplifier of card is quite good and can be safely used ) and card has very high channels penetration, also, it records only mono signal. So, ESI UGM96 is more suitable exactly for mono instrumental Hi-Z or microphone inputs recording in small studio and it is not very well suited for analogue signal mixing and transmitting and for high-quality music playback ( due to high channels penetration ). Wherein it has quite low price and in value/price ratio respect is much better, than usual embeddable into computer case sound cards of Sound Blaster Audigy level, due to use of high quality digital chips and analogue components and external placement; also it can be used for recording of additional high quality audio channel in nature and on live performances. So, for its purposes card is good and worth invested money; but, if more functional and universal audio interface is needed, then it is better to buy one of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland, ESI itself, M-Audio, Alesis and other manufacturers production.
Sound card ESI UGM 96 ( PCB 2 )
Update of ESI UGM 96 testing in DAW REAPER from 16.5.10
Resolded microphone cable from stereo into mono and made measures with it : this way channels penetration for headphones output is a -51.6 dB and for linear output is -51 dB – this way it is much better, than with stereo cable. Here are two assumptions : either electro-magnetic interference in stereo cable with common ground is so strong, that in channel without signal it appears with such strength; or microphone input partly records signal from second channel of input too. If business is in EMI, then it is useful to use for headphones and speakers cables with channels shielding by their own separate grounds, if possible, with foil; if business is in partial reading of second channel by microphone input, then here is no need to do anything, because most microphones mostly record mono sound.
Steinberg Cubase LE – is a simplified version of more professional DAW of this company, it allows to record, play, edit and mix audio and MIDI signals on 16 audio tracks, 24 MIDI tracks, 8 instruments and 8 physicsl inputs with precision up to 192 kHz and 24 bits. In it HALion Sonic SE instrument is included and set of 18 effects, among which there are modulation, delay, equalizer and others. In package with ESI UGM 96 there are following VST instruments and effects : ESI Piano ( program synthesizer of piano with ability to control Susatin, Resonance and built-in reverberation ); ESI Compressor, Chorus, Phaser and Flanger ( according effects ); LUXONIX LFX1310 ( set of many effects ); as well as other fully functional and demonstration effects.
Company ESI was founded in Germany in 2006 year, mainly it produces audio interfaces, loudspeakers and other sound equipment. Its products are notable for high quality and acceptable prices, currently offices and facilities of company are located in a couple of countries of the world.
Lets review compact external USB sound card Behringer U-PHONO UFO202, which is able to record and play stereo signal and styled as cassette player on 90ties. It works with sampling rates up to 48 kHz and 16 bits precision ( sampling rate is more or less acceptable, but 16 bits is not enough for high quality nature sounds recording, capturing signal from analogue sources and voice and music recording in studio ). On top side it has : inputs work mode switch; grounding connector; 2 RCA inputs and 2 RCA outputs with gold-plated connectors. On front side it has USB connection indicator, to the left panel USB cable itself is mounted; bottom side has : 1/8″ mini-jack output for headphones and volume control.
Behringer U-PHONO UFO202 can work in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X operating systems, but has no specialized drivers with support of ASIO 2.0 and CoreAudio interfaces, however there is ability to download and install ASIO4ALL drivers for it with simulation of such interface. So, it is not very well suited for work with DAWs. After purchase there is ability to download from manufacturer’s site DAWTracktion and large amount of VST plugins and sounds samples packs. Package contains : Behringer U-PHONO UFO202 sound card itself, 3-year warranty card and user’s guide. Card has following pluses : ability to record and play stereo sound, headphones output and adequate price for its functions. But, if there is need to buy sound card for professional work with sound, then it is better to buy device with 24 bits precision and native support of ASIO 2.0 and Core Audio, so that there’ll be ability to use device for wide spectrum of tasks. So, it is better not to buy this sound card and acquire more functional audio interface.
