Comparison PreSonus AudioBox USB96 vs Steinberg UR22C

Connection interfaces that the audio interface is equipped with.

- USB A. Connection via standard USB port. Until recently, this was the most popular interface for external peripherals, found in almost all PCs and laptops. Nowadays, it is often replaced by a USB type C port (see the corresponding paragraph). Most USB A audio interfaces draw power directly from the PC or other host device.

- USB type B. The connector has a characteristic square shape, noticeably different from the well-known rectangular USB A ports. In audio interfaces, it is used to transmit signals from external sources to a computer for recording and processing.

- USB type C. A peripheral connector with a symmetrical contact group, which often replaces full-size USB ports on board modern PCs and laptops. Many new models of audio interfaces are being made for this interface. An exception to the rule is individual instances for Thunderbolt. For them, it is Thunderbolt that is indicated, and not USB type C.

- Thunderbolt v2. Initially, Thunderbolt is a universal connector used primarily in Apple computer equipment. On board audio interfaces it is used as a general peripheral connector (similar to USB). This uses the miniDisplayPort hardware port. The data transfer speed in this version reaches 20 Gbit/s. Recently, the v2 edition has been rep...laced by the Thunderbolt v3 version (see the corresponding paragraph).

- Thunderbolt v3. A universal interface that is found mainly in Apple technology. In audio interfaces it is used as a general peripheral connector (similar to USB). Specifically, Thunderbolt v3 provides data transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps and uses a USB type C hardware connector (as opposed to earlier versions based on miniDisplayPort).

- Lightning. A connector used exclusively in Apple portable electronics (since 2012). Accordingly, audio interfaces with such a port are aimed at ease of connection to iPhones and iPads. Note that today there has been a transition from proprietary Lightning to the common USB type C - the latest generations of Apple gadgets are produced with just such a peripheral connection connector.

- mini-USB. A smaller version of the full-size USB interface, created for portable equipment. It is found very rarely in audio interfaces.

- FireWire. Universal connector, also known as IEEE 1394 or i-Link. In terms of functionality, it is analogous to USB, and in some characteristics it even surpasses it. However, FireWare is much less common. Used to connect to computers and some types of specialized audio equipment.

— Dante Dante connectors are used to connect audio interfaces to a network to transmit audio digitally. In this case, a standard Ethernet port (RJ-45) is used for physical access to the network.

Characteristics of the built-in DAC - a digital-to-analog converter for converting digital audio into line-level analog audio, usually in stereo format.

— Bit depth. Bit size of the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) used in the device. In this case, the meaning of this parameter is as follows: the bit depth of the DAC must be no lower than the bit depth of the audio signal with which the converter is planned to be used, otherwise the device will not be able to effectively cope with the conversion. As for specific values, the standard options in modern audio interfaces are 16 bit, 24 bit and 32 bit.

- Sampling frequency. The sampling rate of the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) installed in the audio interface. Let us recall that such a converter is responsible for converting digital audio into an analog audio signal. The paragraph usually indicates the maximum value of the sampling frequency, for which one of the standard values corresponding to a certain sound quality is used ( 48 kHz, 96 kHz, 192 kHz).

The audio frequency range supported by the device. Most often we are talking about the range of frequencies that a device can produce in an analog audio output signal.

In general, the wider the frequency range, the fuller the sound, the lower the likelihood that the audio interface will “cut off” the upper or lower frequencies. However, it must be taken into account that the human ear is capable of hearing sounds at frequencies from 16 to 22,000 Hz, and the upper limit decreases with age. So from a practical point of view, it makes no sense to provide a wider range in audio technology. And the impressive numbers found in high-end devices are rather a “side effect” of advanced electronic circuits and are given in the specifications mainly for advertising purposes. Also remember that the overall sound quality is affected by many other factors besides frequency range.

Connectors used to connect musical instruments (acoustic or bass guitars, keyboards, etc.). Most often they are made in the form of 6.35 mm Jack format sockets, but there are other options (see below). The audio signal from pickups has its own specific characteristics, so the instrument input typically features a higher input level and special impedance matching to ensure optimal sound quality.

— Jack (6.35 mm). Jack sockets (6.35 mm) are most widely used as instrument audio input. They are very large in size, thereby ensuring tighter contact, and support a balanced connection (for transmitting a high-quality signal without interference over fairly long wires). The number of Jack connectors (6.5 mm) usually corresponds to the number of tools that can be simultaneously connected to the device.

- XLR. A characteristic round connector, often combined with a Jack interface (6.5 mm). XLR is equipped with a locking lock and three contacts (there are other options in terms of quantity, but they are practically not found). The connector is used to transmit an analog signal through a balanced connection, which provides high immunity to interference - sufficient for professional use.

The type of line input provided in the device. Uses the line input to feed audio from an external source to the audio interface.

The following types of connectors can be used for line input:

— mini-Jack (3.5 mm). A socket for a standard mini-Jack plug (3.5 mm). The connector serves as an audio input for two stereo channels. It is designed primarily for portable electronics such as smartphones, pocket players, etc. In stationary devices, Jack (6.35 mm), XLR and RCA are more popular.

— Jack (6.35 mm). A common audio connector for transmitting an analog signal. In design, this type of socket is as similar as possible to a mini-Jack (3.5 mm), but differs in size. Jack connector (6.5 mm) provides tight contact and is less susceptible to interference. It also supports a balanced connection - high-quality transmission of audio signals over fairly long wires with effective protection against interference.

- XLR. The XLR standard is considered professional - not only because of the high quality of signal transmission, but also because of its fairly large size and the presence of locks for securely securing the plugs. However, only one channel of audio can be transmitted over one cable, so XLR outputs are usually installed in pairs - based on stereo sound. Also note that these connectors can be combined with Jack sockets (6.35 mm). They also allow y...ou to implement a connection in a balanced format with a high degree of noise immunity and the use of fairly long wires without affecting the frequency of the analog signal.

- RCA. Connector for coaxial cable with tulip type plug. The standard RCA input consists of two jacks - for stereo sound, left and right channel. One analog RCA connector can only transmit one channel of audio, so the number of such connectors corresponds to the number of channels supported by the device.

Output connectors for connecting monitor speakers or headphones. Connecting monitors to the output of an audio interface allows musicians, sound designers, or sound engineers to monitor audio quality in real time. In audio interfaces, monitor outputs can be made in various formats, but most often there are various combinations of RCA, XLR and Jack connectors (6.35 mm), less often - the classic mini-Jack (3.5 mm).

The presence of a specialized processor in the device, which is used to process the audio signal in digital form. DSP processors are built into some audio interfaces to perform various audio processing operations in real time. This feature allows you to instantly apply various effects and audio processing without having to send a signal to your computer and back. This can be useful, for example, when streaming, where delays are extremely undesirable.

The Loopback function allows you to combine the signal from connected microphones, instruments and other line-level sources with background music, audio tracks and other sounds played on the connected equipment (usually a computer). Loopback will come in handy when recording virtual instruments, podcasts, streaming, etc.

There is a headphone jack on the front panel of the device. This is convenient because the user can easily and quickly connect or disconnect headphones without having to fumble for the corresponding output on the back wall of the audio interface.