I “GAINED” a lot of understanding from this video. Thanks!

@RyanMcQuen

2 жыл бұрын

Dad joke alert.

@GangsterNap

2 жыл бұрын

Get off the ‘stage’ 🤓

@sheLovesG

2 жыл бұрын

Lol

@joelonsdale

2 жыл бұрын

Oof!!

@somethingsomething3248

Жыл бұрын

lol love it

Another excellent masterclass from the University of Krause! Thank you, very well explained.

Julian, thanks for doing this - very useful. I would be interested to see a chart showing the relationship of both the analog gain & digital conversion step. Thanks for making audio info more user friendly for the non-audio engineer crowd.

Hey all your videos are amazing, lots of respect for actually doing the numbers and presenting them in a way that makes so much sense.

This is indeed a very very useful & informative video, as always great job Julian!

Marvelous technical explanation. Well managed. Clear and detailed. My compliments

Fantastic! I never know if the specs of audio interfaces are actually telling me what I think they are. Gonna have to check out more of your videos.

Great explanation Julian, thanks! Considering that nowadays it’s more an more podcasters who are looking at i.e. the SM7B and that podcast recording consoles are USB audio interfaces too, it would be really interesting to see how the Zoom Podtrak P4/P8 (70db “gain”), the Tascam Mixcast4 (66,5db “gain”) and the Røde Rodecaster Pro (55db “gain”) stack up against the other interfaces on your killer graph.

Great info! One other thing I'd love to see you do would be a minimum "gain" comparison, too. For example, my Focusrite Scarlett 2Pre clips on its input with active guitar pickups and palm mutes even when the gain is set to minimum at "Instrument" level forcing me to use a DI box. Setting it to "Line" level or whatever they call it makes the signal sound strange. My Apogee Duet 2, however, takes the signal totally fine without the need of a DI box. It would be useful information for guitarists who may not have a DI box handy, I think.

@PabloUliver-Bass-Guitar

2 жыл бұрын

I have something like this situation. I have a first generation Scarlett 2i2 (yes, it's alive!) and when I record a Squier electric guitar directly (then I use Amplitube), it sometimes overloads, no matter the gain level is all the way down. I ended up moving the pickups further away from the strings. I don't have a DI...

@ferdinandobarisciano6934

2 жыл бұрын

@@PabloUliver-Bass-Guitar beware the fact that changing your pickup height will change your sound! There are inexpensive DI that work great like the behringer ones. It would be better to use one of them and keep the pickup in it's proper position.

@ferdinandobarisciano6934

2 жыл бұрын

@@PabloUliver-Bass-Guitar i suggest you to see the video poste by Jim Lill on youtube called : where does guitar tone come from. It will shock you

@PabloUliver-Bass-Guitar

2 жыл бұрын

@@ferdinandobarisciano6934 Thanks a lot for the information! I'll have that in mind and as soon as I can I'll buy a DI. But, for now I have to do it my way. Thanks again!

@joelonsdale

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, and I would like you to measure how aerodynamic each unit is when travelling at sub-mach speeds at an altitude of 4000 metres.

This was the easiest explanation I've seen. I always wanted to explain but your video nailed it. Next time the topic comes up, I know where to direct the questions.

Hi Julian, great work on this :D Since interface manufacturers do not have a universal standard specification for the minimum and absolute gain on their interfaces, do you think it will be a good idea to *cover this aspect in your interface reviews?

Great vid and exactly info I been looking into . By any chance have you done a review of the Audient ID44 ?

Hey Julian, good that you added this chart to your reviews. But can you also add the Hi-Z input specifications of the different interfaces you reviewed? (just like how headphone outputs differ in quality in audio interfaces, I wonder if Hi-Z affects recorded DI signal)

@megyalilaballad

Жыл бұрын

+1 ✅

Nice video! ✨ Thanks a lot. Have you already made a specific video about ad/da convertion? I might have missed it.. If not, i would find that a interesting topic for a future video! :) best regards

Thanks for sharing, Julian. Really helpful

Thank you for the awesome tutorial! I noticed a lot less reverb in your vocal track this time! Did you do some acoustic treatment in your room?

@JulianKrause

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, glad you noticed :) You can see the panels in the background of the video. They are melamine foam panels.

Hey Julian, What an amazing video. Well explained. I see that I have chosen the right interface m-audio air 192/4 and other interfaces that I own are top too I see. Ok even though it not only has to with gain range only. But before I had an expensive Focusrite, it was not bad but not as good as I wanted so I sent it back and purchased the m-audio. Much better than the twice as expensive Focusrite. Danke sehr für deine Video.

Thanks so much. I literally just used your "math" to calculate the "gain" of a mixer I am thinking of buying. Very helpful.

So if I use a Meris 440 mic preamp module that has 60dB gain and a +12db output trim in a Cranborne Audio 500R8 audio interface that has an max input level of up to +24db and a gain range of 105db, what line-up level do I get? 24-105=81? Or 12-105=93? Or something else? You got me interested, but confused 😂

Good as always!!! could you analize the Apolo UAD? It would be super nice to ser all elements you normally analize into that interfaces! (solo and twins) Thanks for your awesome vids always!

Excellent explanation Julian!

Thank you! I was wondering why two of my audio interfaces produced wastly different recording levels

Thank you for setting everyone on the correct path. Have a great year.

Very useful discussion here. A lot of nuanced quantities involved!

Julian casually destroys all other KZreadr's reviews... Great video as always.

@ValioN77

2 жыл бұрын

Because JK backs it with science, other vids are based on opinion 😂

@EdThorne

2 жыл бұрын

@@ValioN77 Very true. KZread defo needs JK!

Hey Julian what is the best 2 channel audio interface for around $200? I like the motu m2 but lots of nice stuff on the market. Thanks in advance and keep up the great work!

Thx of helping me to gain a useful information you provide.

Julian, I wish you to come with a video about GOXLR and GOXLR mini, I really want to hear if this is a really a good interface for the money and it really has what it says it has, there are tons of videos on KZread but I think that you understand these things much more than anyone else. When it comes to comparing interfaces I always look up to your channel, thanks to you I bought NI Komplete Audio 1 and it even powers up my SM7B quite good, it only goes around -18 dBfs which is great for streamers not to clip the microphone and adjust it with compressor

Thank you! This is an awesome explanation 😁

Very well explained mate!

Yes, this was what I was confused about.. thanks for this video

Very useful info. I need to watch one more time

Great video! Hadn't considered this yet in my 10 year audio journey haha

This helped a lot 🙌🏼

This is very helpful, thank you. Any chance you might review the Cymatic uTrack24?

6:32 This kind of breakdown is so useful when investing in an audio interface! Outstanding video. Thank you!

Very educational and informative. Thank you.

Hey Julian, I'd like to hear your thoughts on a recent discovery I made thanks to your video. I just compared the outputs from my Rode AI-1 using patch 1.3.0 (latest standalone firmware) and patch 1.3.1 (updated with Rode Central*) and found that at 100% gain the gain range increased from 45 dB -> 60 dB. This seems to align with the updated website copy that claims as much. My understanding and methodology is very basic so I'm not sure what exactly changed, but I am seeing ~15 dB louder digital levels now. Hope this gives you a lead. Results before and after firmware update: (1 kHz test tone from a speaker, 3" from a Behringer XM8500, recorded into Audacity, measured with Youlean) 100% -36.6 LUFS -> -21.3 LUFS (+15.3 LU) 50% -56.7 LUFS -> -48.2 LUFS (+8.5 LU) 0% -80.9 LUFS -> -80.7 LUFS (within margin of error) Gain range: 44.3 LU -> 59.4 LU *For anybody having issues installing the update, Rode Central seems to close if there are no active sound devices in Windows 10. I had to plug my headphones into the motherboard instead of the interface for it to not exit prematurely during the firmware update. Otherwise it would drop out during the update, indicate a yellow signal level, and require power to be disconnected before it can be detected again.

DANG IT JULIAN. HAHA The big "GAIN" pop up had me laughing so hard there are tears in my eyes!!! Great video by the way, very useful information.

Very informative. This messed me up by choosing an Interface because of its large gain range to find it wasn't that great. You would think manufacturers would just start including this in their specs.

Great explanation, thanks so much.

Hi Julian Do you have a measured calculation for a Roland Rubix 22. I bought an audient 1d4 mk11 and the gain is about half of my previous rubix 22. the seller says there is nothing wrong with it? this was my calculation - audient - Maximum input level 12DB - Gain range 58 DB = - 48 DBu rubix - Maximum input level 2 DB - Gain range 48DB = - 46 DBu by the the audient should be louder not quieter?

Thanks a lot for your great videos, we are learning from you :)

Good stuff. Thanks. I guess that Cloud Lifter endorsement won't be coming any time soon!

excellent Julian...thank you for this

Wow! Who knew? Thanks for the excellent and clarifying video!

Exceptional Channel. Undoubtably professional and scientific. I love Julian Krause channel. Sorry for the entusiasm.

@JulianKrause

2 жыл бұрын

No need to be sorry 😃

Hallo Julian, weißt Du zufälligerweise, welches Audio Interface sich für weibliche Stimmen eignet? Ich hatte vor 8 Jahren, als ich mein Mikro (sE Electronics USB2200a, USB/XLR-Hybrid) kaufte, da schon Problem, eines zu finden, das zu meiner Stimme passt. Da mein altes Mikro nicht auf Windows 10 per USB laufen wird, muss ich es leider per XLR anschließen, aber ich bin mir unsicher, welches Interface in meinem Fall am besten wäre. Schöne Grüße!

@OKvalosound

2 жыл бұрын

Die meisten Audio-Interfaces haben keinen hörbaren Einfluss auf den Klang. Sie verstärken das Mikrofonsignal und digitalisieren es. Den größten Einfluss auf den Klang haben die eigene Stimme (Tagesform, Stimmung, Trainingszustand, ...), das verwendete MIkrofon und die Raumakustik. Die analoge und digitale Technik sind heutzutage durchentwickelt. Klangliche Quantensprünge nicht mehr zu erwarten. Wenn Du mit deinem Mikro happy bist, sollte jedes Interface zwischen 100 und 200 Euro Dir helfen können.

Hi Julian!!! I noticed a Loxjie D30 USB DAC on your desk!!! I have gen1(akm4493, sold) and gen2(ess 9068AS, in service), which version is yours currently? Do you pair it with a headphone amp?? Could you test its audio performance and give some of listening opinions? Thanks! Cheers!!

Spitzenklasse. Wie immer! Danke Julian. Jetzt hab sogar ich es verstanden

The Rode AI-1 just recently came out with a firmware update to increase the gain. 1. Is that possible? I had always assumed it was hardware based. Someone did a test on Reddit, and determined the SNR was the same, however, which I assume is good. Secondly, I assume because of that, the AI-1 would sit higher on the list now, yes? (The update came out after this video)

Thank you for the video, very informative! Too bad Analog can't convert to digital at 1:1 huh? Would make things easier lol

I just want to add this here, because I think it's important context that is missing from the video. This type of "gain" is usually present in budget interfaces and is not always desirable. If you look at the chart, the interfaces with the least "gain" are among the most expensive. That's because this isn't really "gain" - it's actually "headroom". The more expensive audio interfaces have a ton of headroom - that M-Audio interface can only handle a 2v signal whereas the Focusrite interface could handle a signal that is twice as loud at 4v. In other words, you can send a LOUDER signal to the Focusrite. The thing about using audio interfaces with expensive microphones is that the onboard preamps on even the best interface can't compete with a real outboard mic preamp. If you're going to spend $400 on a microphone, you're wasting your money if you're just going to run it through the onboard preamp of an audio interface. BUT if you have a good interface you can turn the gain all the way down and have enough headroom to run a really loud signal from a good quality mic preamp. All of this is really expensive, which is why so many people would be better off buying an SM57 instead of the SM7B.

@andynonimuss6298

2 жыл бұрын

I learned something new from what you wrote. Everyone is assuming that every audio interface has the best preamps when that would make the whole interface a lot more expensive.

@samnicholson5051

Жыл бұрын

There are numerous aspects to why a microphone costs $400 or $800 or whatever and most of them are not made redundant by using an interface preamp.

Hi Julian! Sorry if this question is off topic from the video but thought this was the best way to contact you. I have 28 ohms headphones and I recently got a great deal on an audient evo 4. After watching your videos you mentioned there could be an issue with low impedance headphones with this interface. Would you be able to explain what issues it causes when listening to something like game audio or music?

You are explaining very good 👍🏻

🤩Amazing videos and the best reviews on you tube thank you So much… may we please see a review of the Zoom F3 if this can be used as a quality audio interface for pro voice over compared to Motu or Apollo even scarlet ? Thanks so much if possible 😊🙏

So how does signal to noise ratio factor into this? My first thought watching this was that the usability of a higher input gain would have to be dependent on the noise floor of the system as a whole too, but how would you factor that into the gain calculations shown here?

Excellent info yet again.

I have both of these and I was using m-audio one first but I hear better when singing with the Scarlett 2i2 …… and is it me or on the Red Scarlett there are some laser line and dots that (I’m still playing with these) but if we get the perfect adjustment we get a awesome result, but I’m still trying to figure about do I use the second xlr input when the mic is on the first and turn at max level and the big silver monitoring where it needs to be set and last the volume button, does it affect the level of your recording or it’s only for headphones ???? And the 48v for phantom power red button do I use it even if the mic don’t need it lol sorry but it’s been a year now I’m learning all by myself but need some answer by a pro and you seem to be this guy lol ✌️ and you videos are really helpful to understand this confusing world of audio interfaces hehe

I would like to see a EIN vs gain graph. From this you can see when a higher gain will not make EIN substantially lower and the higher gain will just make the dynamic range lower.

Great on "GAIN"! Appreciated 👍👍

Thats helps me a lot. As i bought TLM 102 and scarlett can't handle it i had to found this video to understand why it's so quiet (small waveform) at HALF OF GAIN. Big thanks! Maybe you can recommend me something for my TLM?

As always, good video with no bullsh.. in it, just pure useful information

@NemouseJurado

2 жыл бұрын

200%

Hello Julian. What a precious videos!!! Regarding the gain. My Fast track has: max input level from +24dBu @ min gain, pad on to -40dBu @ max gain, no pad. Preamp gain > 40dB. Is it a crap then? Is it almost mute?

thanks for the explanation

Thanks for the explain! But still want to ask, is the higher max input level good or useful?

@7171jay

2 жыл бұрын

Like many things the answer is... it depends. An interface with a low max input is actually a help (the first half of Julian's gain equation here) in getting more signal into the device and getting you closer to 0dbfs. While that might be a good thing if you have low gain mics and low level sources it can be a problem if you have high gain mics and/or loud sources because you may experience clipping in the analog stages of the preamp before getting even near digital clipping (Odbfs). Manufactures have to make a decision of the balance between max input, amount of preamp gain, and cost when designing a device. If the mic input has more overall gain (Julian's combined figure) that would benefit someone recording a podcast with an SM7b (the actual gain of the micpreamp matters as well of course) but that same micpreamp if it has a low max input might easily overload on someone recording say a drum kit with a large diaphragm condenser mic or sometimes really loud sources even with dynamic mics. What is "best" comes down to cost, what exactly you record, and what mics you use to record with. Knowing what you are doing like matching high output mics with low level sources, low output mics with loud sources and knowing when to engage a pad (on a mic, micpreamp, or adding an in line one) will help you to get more into the sweet spot and get more out of any interface.

@PileOfEmptyTapes

2 жыл бұрын

Oh, definitely, particularly if you are known for yelling (or singing very loudly) into your LDC microphone. Some of them have a sensitivity as high as -33 dBV/Pa without featuring a pad switch. If now the interface cannot take more than say -4 dBu (Behringer UMC202, 204, 404), that's the equivalent of 120.8 dB SPL if you do the math. Opera singers at 6" may peak at up to 125 dB SPL, and you may be singing closer than 6". Some LDCs can handle more than 140 dB SPL, most will make it to 126 dB (at 1% THD) at the very least. Now thankfully most interfaces will accept around 0 dBu at least - in fact values of +9 to +10 dBu are quite common these days. Maximum input level tends to attract more interest from guitar and bass players - humbucker pickups in particular are known for delivering particularly high output, although even those tend to peak at no more than 1 V peak... still enough to just about clip a Behringer UMC202 instrument input (-3 dBu max = 775 mV peak). The 1st gen Focusrite Scarletts were also known to be somewhat problematic in this regard, later ones can take higher levels and are generally considered fixed.

@nick_978

2 жыл бұрын

@@PileOfEmptyTapes thanks for explain, I am a electric guitar player and I am very curious how to record the guitar with the best quality(full, juicy, powerful ^_^). So that’s to say , higher max input level can record the sound better, but less “gain”. The lower max input level can get more “gain” but it would be clipping easily. Right?

Useful video, thank you!

You can really make a hobby out of this. There seems to be endless information about audio and recording. Thx for providing all that with "made in Germany" quality

As producer! I really appreciate each and every videos. All videos are informative and accurates.. love from india!! 🇮🇳❤️

good info helped me buy my mic and audio interface

very educational as always!

Hello Julian! I have a question about using a mixer with an usb interface. What if I want to use my audio interface preamps? Do i have to connect the mic first to the interface or no? Am I using the mixers preamps if i connect the mic to them first? Its a bit confusing how this works xD if i have an audio interface with better preamps, i wish I could use them, but then if I send the signal to my mixer I have no way of connecting it to my pc :( Regards from Portugal!

Gracias Krause, yo conseguí la M-AUDIO hace poco:P

Since the maximum achievable minimum noise of the converter is determined by the accuracy of stabilization of the supply voltage, and if we assume that in absolute terms the stabilization accuracy is approximately the same for everyone, it turns out that the achievable signal-to-noise ratio during conversion will be greater for those converters that have high supply voltages, and therefore the maximum input level. Thus, despite the lower dBFS value, the signal-to-noise ratio of the conversion will remain approximately the same, but the interface with a higher input voltage value has the ability to record a more powerful signal with a lower signal-to-noise value. However, there is no direct comparison. Here it may turn out that a card with a large intrinsic gain has a small maximum input voltage, not because the reference voltage of the converter is small, but because the minimum gain of the preamp is permissible +10 dB (for example), compared to another similar converter, but with a preamp with minimum gain +6dB. As can be seen from the characteristics of the two cards in the video, the Scarlet's declared converter noise is less than that of the second card. Thus, they most likely recorded the signal given to them with approximately the same signal-to-noise ratio, but Scarlet has the ability to record a more powerful signal with less noise, and the second card does not have this ability.

Simply excellent!

Many thanks. Now it all makes sense.

I'd appreciate if you could do a review on the new Yamaha audio interface the AG06MK2.

Please review something from the Universal Audio Apollo line. Thanks!

Thanks very helpful

Fell for the marketed "65 dB" of gain with the zen go. It actually works out to 45dB in practice, so it's fortunate that the interface makes it easy to add digital gain in real time or it's be no good for live applications with lower sensitivity mics.

Oh no... I'm going to have "Gain" repeating in my head randomly for weeks now aren't I?? 😂

Doesn’t the maximum input level indicate the point where the mic preamp would be overloaded? If that is in fact the case, the Focusrite can handle a hotter input signal (2.18V RMS) than the M-Audio (0.92V RMS) or am missing something?

How do I apply "pad" in these formulas? Let's say, i have +0dbv unpadded and +16dBV padded and 50dB preamp gain. Do I really have -34 dBu padded? Thanks in advance, great video, keep up the good work!

@agentviktor3297

2 жыл бұрын

Instrument input, the mic and line inputs are even higher.

@PileOfEmptyTapes

2 жыл бұрын

A pad generally is a fixed attenuator at the input, so the gain range is in fact shifted whenever it is turned on, just like you were suspecting. Not like anyone would ever be using both the pad and full input gain at the same time, mind you. It's generally going to be more noisy than just reducing gain with the pad off. So you'd only be using the pad whenever reducing gain all the way to minimum is not sufficient for an undistorted recording.

Hey how is everything? wual is better , focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd generation, or SSL 2 ? success there, thank you!

Hey Julian, could you try and get yourself a unit of the new MOTU M2/M4 which have different internals in them and see if you can spot a difference in performance?

@dare2liv_nlove

2 жыл бұрын

Seconded this, about to order a MOTU M2 myself & would like to know.

@saikousocial

2 жыл бұрын

I have a MOTU M4 of the new units being made in China. As far as the interface itself, everything seems to work as intended with the original units, the mic pre-amps can power an SM7b/SM57/RE-20 to clipping levels. As far as the DAC inside the interface I believe it is an upgrade over the original components, as it's now the same chip that is in the Ultralite Mk5. I unfortunately don't have any measurement equipment in order to test these things out, though. Would just be a good video update since they're no longer making the M2/M4 that he reviewed.

@dare2liv_nlove

2 жыл бұрын

@@saikousocial Again, agreed there. Hope you notice this Julian! :)

7:52 I would really like a touch more information on the sensitive Mics - I occasionaly see comments about mics that need a bit more power. That might be useful for a noob like me.

How does this affects when recording guitars with hot pickups? When I record guitar with active pickups I always get about -1, -2 or close to 0 dbFS which leaves a very little headroom and when adding more layers of plugins it starts clipping. to get a lower (like -6dbFS) input should I get an interface with low "gain" or high "gain" ? in my case lower "gain" is better, am I correct?

Any chance of reviewing the Fluid Audio SRI-2?

this ones hard. glad i use mic preamps for the gain

Where can I find material that goes more in-depth on this topic?

I am curious… From my results, I get the impression, that unlike the signal, the EIN of the preamp is always relative to the full scale, no matter what the max Voltage may be. At the same time tho, the signal, being a certain voltage is relative to the maximum voltage. Is that accurate? And If so, would an EIN of -129 dBu and a max input level of 10dBu have the same noise in the DAW, compared to what I’d get with -128dBu EIN and 9dBu max input level?

very well done

Thank you!

Cheers! But - how come you didn't mention the Dynamic Range details and added it to the calculation? As far as I remember, it says something about the quality of a device, isn't it?

So which interfaces have the most headroom? I have a Scarlett 2nd gen and it clips with most of my guitar pickups without the pad engaged.

@ylanstockholm

2 жыл бұрын

Having a hot source straight into- your interface is exactly what the pad is for.

@francisv1021

2 жыл бұрын

From my experience with a Scarlett 2i2, UMC404HD, Motu M2, Audient iD14 and Apogee Duet, the best has been the Apogee, followed by the iD14 and surprisingly then the Behringer. With Motu M2, I could never get a clean signal with my guitar with SD Blackouts and EMGs 85/81 at max volume, even setting the level at minimum in the interface (it has't a pad button), I didn't like how it sounded, somekind of distorted and clipping with strong strums. 3 months later the unit died. Maybe I just got a bad unit. The Apogee Duet and the iD14 handle very well also the UMC404HD (without pad engaged) but this last adds a little coloration.

This particular issue is part of why I've been struggling to make my online DIY sound level calibration calculator more user-friendly. I think I've seen just about any conceivable combination of maximum input level, input sensitivity, and either gain range or min/max gain in specs - any two of them will tell you what you need to know, give or take some math, but having the user do math beforehand is sort of not what you want in an online calculator, if you know what I mean... Ultimately I may be forced to provide input fields for all kinds of data, showing/hiding them as needed. (I reckon I'll be a JS wizard one of these days.) The fact that some interfaces have the luxury of a gain display while in others with analog gain dials you are best off estimating your delta to maximum is in no way helping.

@AllanFelipe

3 ай бұрын

Did you complete your project?

@PileOfEmptyTapes

3 ай бұрын

@@AllanFelipe I haven't been working on it any further, but maybe it's of use to you as-is: stephan.win31.de/aud-calc.htm#splcal (I hope this works...)

I hate it when i cant compare two of the same specifications, without having a degree, The last few weeks i read up on the subject of audio equipment and i thought iam now capable to compare DACs Interfaces, Preamps and Microfones. Its not very beginner friendly, but i will try my best ^^ One question: How can i find out, without measurements, how much voltages is supplied by audio interfaces on the "XLR & 6.3mm combo port" when phantom power is turned off ? Icant find any information on this, neither for my umc202hd nor a different audio interface. If i had to guess, id said its 5V coming from the USB port that gets converted to ~48V

Hi, Julian, can you review the new Presonus audio box GO?

What is the best home audio interface for music in your opinion?

Focusrite clarett+ & Motu Ultralite mk5 are from the same level but gain range like sky & earth