Last week at the AES convention in San Francisco, Sound Devices introduced its USBPre 2, an all-new version of its USBPre computer audio interface.
The two-channel USBPre 2 offers audio professionals a powerful, yet easy-to-use, portable interface to interconnect audio sources to Mac OS and Windows computers over USB. Featuring an entirely updated electronic design, it uses the same extended-bandwidth, low-noise microphone preamplifiers and digital converters as Sound Devices 7-Series digital recorders.
The USBPre 2, which is shipping now, is ideal for a broad range of applications, including voice-over recording, reference playback and monitoring, and test and measurement. The class-compliant, plug-and-play device accepts mic level, line level, consumer line level and SPDIF digital (coaxial or TOSLINK) inputs.
Its microphone preamplifiers have selectable analog limiters, high-pass filters, 48V phantom power and high-resolution LED meters. Because the USBPre 2 draws its power solely from the computer’s USB port, no additional power source is required.
Sound Devices designed the USBPre 2 for both reference quality input and output. Its balanced XLR outputs offer rejection to interference and are switch-selectable between mic or line level. Additionally, a consumer RCA-type output is available for connection to unbalanced inputs. Its headphone amplifier easily drives full-sized headphones with extensive gain.
In its stand-alone mode, the USBPre 2 functions as a two-channel microphone preamplifier with analog, digital and headphone outputs. Stand-alone mode is perfect for applications that require an easy-to-use, quality microphone preamplifier. The device features a built-in high-resolution LED level meter.
The device is an ideal audio interface for Avid, Apple Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro editing systems.