M-Audio M-Track Solo and Duo USB Interface- REVIEW (compared to Behringer)

[@JulianKrause]

Important note: The "Not recommended for New Designs" @ 4:50 only applies to the original TI PCM2900. The M-Track Solo and Duo and Solo use the TI PCM2900C which is an active product of the TI product range as of Jan 10, 2021. The 16-Bit specification still applies.

[@MichaelNatrin]

so interesting. thanks for catching this.

[@debiddo9204]

Your Informative Speeches are Game man!

[@KING_DRANZER]

@Julian Krause Do you have any plans of reviewing Antelope Zen Go Synergy Core

[@eddmtz4028]

does it fix with Ableton?

[@maxwellvangulinja]

i really enjoy ur reviews bro

[@ObscureMics]

Best interface reviews ANYWHERE. Thank you for this. It's too quirky for me, but having your tests and numbers to compare are gold.

[@JulianKrause]

Thank you Bark!

[@peteryoung9991]

yes I join in on your comments. This is the 2nd time that you opened up my eyes on gear which I would have bought "because everybody says it is good" but technically it is not suitable for real home-studio work. THANK YOU!!!!!

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Hey Julian. Just saw you have 44.1k subscribers. Hope you reach 48k, 96k and beyond soon! :)

[@Y2Kvids]

There is no benefits after 96k Subscribers.

[@vinodsrivatsava]

As a composer this is an excellent interface for a travel setup and for a home studio environment, I believe that if you can't do your best work with the basic tools you won't do much with expensive ones, these are much better than the pro equipment we had 10, 20 years ago, excellent for the price

[@EdoDijkgraaf]

I just got an idea that should be picked up by one of the brands. An interface by Julian Krause. I would order the Behringer JK 1 or the Komplete Audio JK 4 without blinking.

[@JulianKrause]

"without blinking" I see what you did there 😂

[@BandrewScott]

At 4:30 - glad I wasn't crazy. I did a first impressions video and said it was 16-bit and someone in the comments said it was 24-bit. Glad you confirmed why I was getting 16 bit only.

[@bastianmaze_beats8730]

It was me, but only because that’s what’s stated on M audio web page, glad Julian cleared that out for us!

[@draxlevi9267]

you are like one of the best audio youtubers man, i already got what i needed but i still find myself wanting to watch your content cause its just that good!! please do more mic reviews too, theyd really benefit from that julian krause quality

[@MichaelBruceTaos]

You have the BEST content ever for home musicians and above. THANKS !!!

[@SparkY0]

I just bought one of these interfaces, although I am new to audio interfaces. Thanks for talking about the driver quirks, because I was about to return this thing for not being able to change settings to the marketing claims. They are on V1.0.3 now and it seems to behave the same as V1.0.2 with no apparent new features. Another thing I noticed, when the interface was set to 32 bit (seemed to be default) the sound output from the microphone would be weird and bassy, with random little "pops" or crackles. Setting this back down to 16 bit fixed it. This seems to be related to TI's PCM290x Eratta section 2.2 "Exceeding Max Packet Size", which says TI was planning a fix in a new hardware revision, circa 2008. M-Audio is using some bargain-basement old-stock USB1.1 chips in these Audio interfaces. As far as I can tell the most recent revision is the PCM2900E, which is the fixed version from March 2008 (still not recommended for new designs). I got mine used for $37 so its not a big deal to somebody like me who is just trying to learn more about audio, but I think M-Audio is just clearing out old chips. Nobody should go into this purchase expecting long term software/driver support from the company, because there's a good chance the M-track Solo/Duo gets discontinued when they run out of old-stock ICs. Also, I was unable to find a listing for an updated drop-in replacement with a better ADC/DAC, but maybe one exists from another company. Update: I should have returned it, because the interface constantly resets itself to that unusable "32-bit default" setting. I've lost way too much work when I realized that the interface randomly decided to reset itself to broken settings between takes.

[@AtylaReisGuitar]

Really important thing to say! Thanks for this too!

[@schtormm]

best thing is just to uninstall the drivers, it works fine without it for everything but musician usecases

[@aerofart]

Julian, Nice work catching M-Audio’s misleading claims. Equipment tear-downs should be a basic feature of any good review. I always enjoy yours. And that German accent is FANTASTIC! CIao!

[@bastianmaze_beats8730]

Why would M audio advertise these interfaces as 24 bit if they are only using a 16 bit converter? that would be the only thing that keeps me from purchasing. I hope they see your video and offer an explanation. Thank you very much for your review.

[@mbaksa]

You gave the exact reason! Many people would rather buy an interface with a 24-bit converter, which means that this interface would automatically be disqualified for many people. So how to circumvent that? By faking bit-depth. Essentially, by lying, misleading. They are very sneaky about that, though - on their page it says "The M-Track Solo incorporates pristine A/D converters for 24-bit resolution digital audio with explosive dynamic range that captures every nuance and subtlety of the performance." So, they don't say that A/D converters are 24-bit (which they are not), rather that "digital audio" (of the interface?) is 24-bit (which is technically true, if they are talking about digital audio that comes out of the interface). In the end - this kind of marketing practice should be against the law.

[@jiehoo4465]

44.1k subscribers is lying, misleading. the real is 192k. keep calm

[@lambda7652]

Why would you even consider this? its the worst performing i know of and its not even cheap.

[@jimmyjames2022]

I'm guessing they had proposed a model that used a 24bit chip but somehow production skipped that for supply reasons and the drivers and documents were left unchanged. Deliberate misleading can be legally expensive, so I think this was incompetence. Course it was still be expensive as all the buyers who expected 24bit ask for their money back.

[@BrunodeSouzaLino]

16 bit has 96 dB of headroom. 120 dB for 24 bit and 150 for 32. If they're not using good preamps, having a larger dynamic range could introduce more noise into the signal. 16 bit converters can record at 24 bit though. What happens is you get a 16 bit integer with the extra 8 bits filled with zeros.

[@devrimayer]

audient ID MKII's pls

[@iamlate5964]

Good spot for the 16-bit. You are a hero. Thanx man for such accurate tutorials!

[@hunterjg777]

That 16-bit trick is really sneaky. Thanks for helping me not waste my money on this, I was seconds away from pulling the trigger on it.

[@Ryezn5057]

Do you plan to review the Audient iD4 MkII?

[@redlgv7977]

Yes please

[@simzsimmo]

This guy even opens the equipment. You're the best bro

[@javierz9696]

Julian covers every aspect I'd like to know about. Reliable as always!

[@supnovaco]

really helpful bro you covered basically each and every detail. Thanks!

[@fitzroylawrence7905]

Hey Julian, first review i have read from you and I think its absolutely perfect for what i needed to know. The limitations of the product will also help me to better understand where it can be used and identify defects/subtleties that may arise during live performances. Your name is reminiscent of one of the great audio reviewers of all time, I'm sure you know Julian Hirsch. Wonderful job.

[@EdThorne]

Another great video, Julian, thank you!

[@vroge3275]

Julian, I really enjoy your very detailed technical reviews. It really helps those of us who might be blinded by the PR machines of these various companies. I would love you to consider doing actual breakdowns of the units, to see how well they are constructed internally. A lot of people have issues with interfaces failing due to sloppy soldering, or component failure due to heat build up etc. Not sure if you would have the expertise to give opinions on this aspect, but it would certainly add to the decision making process. Thanks.

[@Dracomies]

Thank you so much Julian!! Love your engineering stand point of view! And at that, we now officially have a new budget interface :P

[@hildemora]

I really like the way that you do reviews bro, very technical. Love it.

[@v.vananabread]

now this is how you do a proper review. earned a sub

[@djolestefanovic]

This review deserves subscribing to this channel. Well done Julian!

[@braunhausmedia]

For direct monitoring a microphone on a Behringer UMC202HD, I added a Y cable to my mic so that I can plug it into both sockets. That way I get the feed from both left and right. It's a compromise, but it works.

[@yatsenkoanton]

I admire your review style, nothing by facts and required information. Thank you very much for helping me to choose the interface.

[@sheffieldgeek]

hands down the best technical review of this thing. Thank you so much. here take my money.

[@babar69110]

best review work !!! kudos !!! go on !!! you deserve it !!! You are an example for all other testing people

[@ellisgl]

It's fairly similar to the Miditech Audiolink III. 2 main differences I see are the preamps and the case. The Miditech uses NE5532s and has a metal case.

[@Gibson_Praise]

Thanks. I needed a nap. Very thorough and enlightening

[@ffs_idol]

Been using one of these for a year or so, and think I'm probably ready for a bit of an upgrade. It's definitely great for the price, but it took some getting used to. Had quite a bit of trouble trying to get the drivers to play nice, but once I got that sorted out I've been able to use it mostly fine ever since. No hardware issues to speak of, and I do like the stark design, but the flimsy plastics don't exactly inspire confidence in the long term. Still, if you need an interface and really can't afford to spend more than $50 or so, it does a really impressive job for the price. Really happy I found your channel, as after checking a few of your videos I'll definitely be using these reviews to decide what I'll actually upgrade to. Thanks for all your hard work!

[@memonunezc]

I really like your reviews bro, good to se that other viewers think the same, you earned a new follower, thanks for clarifying things in such an easy way for normal people like me.

[@jahstafari4606]

....you do BEST rewievs ...thanks a lot ...no one get into this detailes ...very important ones ...glad i found this channel 👍

[@aperson4051]

TASCAM just released an upgrade to their US series interfaces. I don't think you've ever reviewed a Tascam interface... Curious what you think about the new range!

[@_thevaporz]

I considered the 208i and the new 4x4 HR models but they don't have loopback feature and they aren't bus powered. They're still offering free TH02 headphones and TM80 mic on the 208i/102i models though. Nice little spiff you could either keep or sell for a few bucks, might get $150 for both. Have you checked out the MOTU M4? ~$210 4x4, loopback, bus powered, and visual meters.

[@aperson4051]

@@_thevaporz Oh yeah, I'm an anything-MOTU guy, but this time for what i need it's out of my budget. I went with a second hand focusrite Scarlett solo 3rd gen. I'm curious if the tascam HR will have more gain and lower noise floor though.

[@martinking2170]

@Zach M According to the Tascam website the US-4x4HR does have loopback www.tascam.eu/en/us-4x4hr.html

[@MisterDivineAdVenture]

Fantastic review. Hope to see more!

[@AxelAlexK]

Thanks this is very helpful. Considering M track duo with an AT2035 for my first XLR setup. Hopefully the product has improved a bit since this review but seems plenty good for my purposes which is home podcast spoken word and guitar instrumental recordings.

[@andrewleviste611]

Awesome detailed review Julian!

[@chrisbreame]

I love your channel and have been hoping that you might consider looking at the Arturia Audiofuse range of interfaces. They seem to have have received almost no coverage anywhere, especially regarding the technical aspects. Is this on your schedule to review at all?

[@miguelrivasmar]

Excellent review ! Regarding the dynamic range of 88.2 dB, in their specifications MAudio states a 104 dB dynamic range. I don't know if im reading that correctly. Same case for Presonus Audiobox USB96 with a dynamic range of 105 dB accodrging to manufactuter against a lecture of around 97 dB made in this channel.

[@lambda7652]

Can you test what happens if you feed it signal where only the last 6 or 7 lest significant bits oft the 24Bit signal change? With a real 24Bit DAC you should defiantly see the signal in the FFT even if its behind the noise floor.

[@andreipopa4969]

Very very detailed and informative! It would be a blast if you could do such a video about Latency and also Real Life Performance Latency, such as testing how many plugins can you load on your PC with the specs shared of course. Best regards and Danke schoen!

[@gabedestellano]

Best home studio gear reviewer ever! Cheers mate!

[@egarjanis]

The more I learn, the more I'm unsure what to buy. Any plans on budget DAC reviews?

[@jalentayshaun]

Your content is awesome man. Great information! Keep up the great work

[@botzer8817]

Thank you for this valuable review. I'd love to see you reviewing the new (released in december) Swissonic Audio 2 from Thomann. About the same price of the M track duo BUT 24 bit 192 khz and looks very sturdy.

[@petitpanierdosier]

loving the graphs to compare interfaces

[@二加二]

Very professional comparision and review.

[@AlexJohn2us]

" Excellent Julian : I hope your doing Fantastically Well ! "

[@acrophobe]

I've seen three different reviews mention the huge and unusable gain jump at the 9.5-10 mark on the knob, and I found that to be the case with my Solo interface as well. I guess it's just baked into the product at the factory. The problem really does occur exactly where I need to set my gain, so I'm able to set it literally anywhere but where I need it. Very annoying. That to me is a fatal flaw in an otherwise good interface, but I got mine at auction for $20 so I'm pretty happy with it.

[@MichaelNatrin]

Thanks for pointing out that 16 bit spec...interesting.

[@DavesDomeTube]

Maybe a good idea to review the Arturia Audiofuse, all three models (rev2, 8pre and Studio) have comparable audio quality in inputs and outputs so a review of one of those units would be very efficient and helpful.

[@ArianTashakkor]

Amazing informative reviews!

[@lenink9788]

Excellent review with tons of info

[@adams.555]

Probably the most unjustified dislikes I’ve ever seen on KZbin . Great video, very knowledgeable.

[@Marlow925]

It's probably people working for M-Audio, that are unhappy, that they got caught :)

[@jorisArt]

Thanks for a top-notch review. Well done!

[@Raul-lc4gh]

I appreciate the time stamps.

[@J0ECrow]

Amazingly thorough. Thanks.

[@robinicus1133]

I owned the Duo for one week. All its bits worked fine except the guitar input. I had a high frequency squeal in my computer software (Amplitube 5, Cubase 11) and tried everything I could to eliminate it. Eventually, I returned it to Amazon and went back to using my $19 USB guitar cable which has no squeal at all and is very quiet.

[@autotropicplaybench1819]

Very nice, comprehensive review! While I got it regardless due to curiosity I do agree with your findings here that it's a shame for a budget audio interface to not improve much on previous ones from Behringer, and I would honestly follow what my former schoolmate recommended to get, the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. To add, that change in line 1 from knob 9 to 10 where a millimeter of change is enough to raise volume of mic input very high is even more annoying in use than on the videos that review this interface. Not only that, but aside from being unable to change sample rate on the fly while programs like Audacity or OBS are running, there's a weird quirk where in Windows 10 sometimes the Sound properties settings for Line 1 input reverts to 2 ch 16 bits 44100Hz anyway after closing all programs that use the mic, even if M-Audio's own driver program shows 48000Hz, which causes recording in Audacity or OBS to change pitch to be lower and throwed me off for a bit until realizing what was going on. Third is with the latest drivers from M-Audio's site for the record. Also, compared to just using my AT2005USB's built in USB connection for headphone monitoring, it seems that this interface, when I use the USB mode rather than direct monitoring causes both input mic and output headphones to have a warmer tone, more bass and lower mids. Using the direct monitoring meanwhile, aside from the expected lower volume for headphone output, also seems to have a tad less detail (and it's not just because of the higher bass and lower mids when using USB mode, I can't pinpoint exactly what is lost though).

[@jochung11]

Love your reviews! Would you consider looking at the Tascam US-2x2/1x2 interfaces? The specs look great on their website, but I only really trust your measurements now!

[@JulianKrause]

I'm currently working on a review of the US-2x2HR ;)

[@jochung11]

❤️

[@terry-]

9:29 in you behringer review of um2 and umc22 you measured a diferent dinamic range, (85dba and 87.5dba respectively) but here they are shown with lower values, did you measured them again?

[@datarecoverysweden]

Great upload. Very thorough, as always.

[@luguinacinovic]

Nice videos, man!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!!!

[@dimitrisloufakis916]

Slate audio came out with their audio interfaces a couple years ago (I think) and they promised the highest quality interface you can get for a relatively high (but not super high end) price. I think you should definitely request a sample and put it through your tests! I am very curious to see what happens there! If a $1500 interface is as good or better than a $3000 interface, that's a lot of money that we consumers can save!

[@345builderman345]

As well as M Audio saying it's 24 bit when it's 16, If you're a Mac user, they don't mention in their advertising, that you need an Apple power adapter (£19), an Apple Camera Connection Kit (£34.75) and a usb breakout cable, which I don't know the cost of as I've got no idea what type of breakout cable I need.

[@jimshaw899]

I enjoy hearing your organization of information and presentation. Thanks. You may not be quite ready for a move to stand-up comedy. ;)

[@alexernst1537]

Can you do the Audient id14 Mk2?

[@nahailyenvanakkor]

7:02 - I was like, it can't be that bad... I was wrong, recording acoustic guitar with a dynamic mic is a struggle...

[@jeangaly]

Danke schon Julian, habe viel gelernt von dir 👍🏼

[@JDStone20]

awesome review! liked and subscribed!

[@The_Acquainted_Era]

I already bought the duo and now watching the videos about it

[@jayantakumarbose4264]

Very nice research you have made... Joy frm Kolkata

[@yardchopuniverse7339]

Hey I really need some help with this thing and you look like perfect person to ask. I have duo and it has the 2 red clipping lights that will not go away for nothing. I get no audio from the thing when I hook it up to my phone or computer. I’ve seen where many ppl face this issue but no one who’s how to fix it. I was hoping you had some insight.😊

[@MrBozunio]

Very good review ✌🏻

[@PeterUrbanec]

Nice and comprehensive series of tests. How well do the interfaces perform with guitar inputs?

[@crissto8591]

not really used to audio stuff, but it would be nice to see the UMC22 in the graphs so we can directly compare to its biggest rival.

[@Jhet]

44.1K subscribers A relevant number to the audio space lol nice Also, your videos are awesome as always. These M-Audio stuff are very easy to get in my country but I was put off by the price since it seemed way too cheap and I couldn't find any quality reviews anywhere. I ended up getting myself a Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen, but we might consider this for our small podcasting studio to start with

[@AnkitSingh101]

This is the first video I watched on this channel.... What a detailed review 👏👏 I am a fan and suscriber of this channel now 😊 !!!!

[@AlexD12345]

Please review TASCAM 102i . Thank you.

[@thechisensei]

the best review ever. keep it up! thanks 😊

[@thechisensei]

.. now i just got my Duo delivered here in my home. so excited to test it and write/record songs. for now, this is enough. soon, ill watch your reviews if i need to upgrade. thanks to your review!

[@kristenarchervo]

I own the M-Track Solo and can confirm that the input gain is very finicky. It clips when it doesn't need to. I keep mine beteen 8 and 9, even then I have to be careful. The 16 bit chip explains why my audio sounded a bit distorted on an XLR mic. This is my first audio interface. At the start I had no idea I couldn't use 32 bit on it. So I turned it down to 24 bit. While it sounds better it still isn't great. Thanks for mentioning the chip. I guess I will use 16 bit setting from now on.

[@rsilvers129]

Why would 16 bit sound distorted?

[@kristenarchervo]

@@rsilvers129 Wow I forgot about my outdated comment that you've replied to here. Compared to 24, 32 and 48 bits, 16 can sound bad depending on the quality of the equipment. I had that problem on this particular audio interface which isn't the best. I've sinced upgraded to something better.

[@RichardCampion-gh4rb]

What XLR microphone were you using with this interface?@@kristenarchervo

[@kristenarchervo]

@@RichardCampion-gh4rb Neat Worker Bee XLR (first version), the same mic I have now. It sounds so much better with my Focusrite Scarlett Solo Gen 3.

[@wojciechstecyszyn6040]

Another great in-depth video. Thanks! But do I get it right - these interfaces can only record in 16 bit depth? No 24?

[@BrianMarcWhittaker]

Regarding the preamp performance, I bought the M-Track solo and the Samson Q2u dynamic mic. I find that it is very low when recording and it has to be boosted in post. I this typical/expected performance? I was considering getting a Fethead or different interface in general because the levels were so low, like -48db. Maybe as loud as -24db. Normal voice was not going near -12 or -16 unless I boosted it in post. Are you saying that there is enough range to "fix it in post"? and to save money and not get a mic preamp like a Fethead?

[@samnicholson5051]

Are you using the mic at a great distance or for very quiet sounds? Julian didn't specify what the max input level of the mic input was, but I doubt it's high enough (especially when using a 16-bit chip) for +55dB not to be more than enough to drive a dynamic mic in this case.

[@arturreshetov2513]

just ordered one of them!

[@hugotislifebyjas192]

This is how a real audik engr. Make a reviews

[@ADGreen-es6hm]

Julian I wish you could do a podcast on the Black Lion Audio Revolution 2x2 2x2 USB audio interface...

[@berndkiltz]

Which interface would you recommend for practicing/playing guitar with ampsims in the pricerange to about 80,- ? Great Video, very good research, thanks a lot!

[@olonoli]

Cool ! I learn a lot in this channel ! What do you think about the mixer yamaha ag03? Want to upgrade but dont know if focusrite would be an upgrade...

[@shawngrenaud]

I'll answer my own LATENCY question from minutes ago. Best I could manage in Sonar, Win7 64 bit is 7.9 ms (round trip). Slightly noticeable when running an e-drum module into a laptop and through Addictive Drums. By comparison the MOTU traveler (original) is 15-20 years old and did it in 5.9. I'm looking for a seamless 2.5 to 3. Thanks again for the video.

[@Dude_Guyman]

Very good review, but I have a question/comment for Julian or anyone with an m-track. In Windows > Sounds where you select your bit rate, I like to set it to 16 bit / 48000 Hz for both input and output. Problem is, it just instantly changes itself to 32x41000 (or other random number?). Any idea why it does that when the thing can't even do 24 bit, let alone 32 (I assume that means 32 bit floating point or something above my pay grade?). Why is 24 and 32 bit even an option in there and why does it refuse to stay on 48000 Hz? How do I know what the heck it is doing in Reaper while recording? Also, the strange, massive gain bump above ~9 is still present in the newest models, I just got mine. Not a problem because I have not needed my gain anywhere near that high anyway...yet.

[@GeneralPickle]

great product review, thank you

[@okay1904]

Thank you for this review - You get what you pay for. I think the Behringers are already cheap enough and these M-Audio interfaces really cross a line and should not be considered. A Behringer UMC404HD is already cheap enough for anyone interested in decent audio. But lots of people will buy the M-Audio, thinking they are as good as something like the Behringer HD interfaces. Sad, cos they do not have the benefit of JK's review. Excellent review. Thanks.

[@jazzylei143]

Very detailed review. Please do a zoom u22 review

[@davidbazomusic]

Hi Julian, if your budget is between 150 and 200 €, what would be the audio interface you'd choose? Regards and keep the good work.

[@_thevaporz]

MOTU M4

[@davidbazomusic]

@@_thevaporz thank you, have you got one? Do you work in Windows?

[@_thevaporz]

@@davidbazomusic Yeah, it's nice. No issues with Windows 10 and Ableton Live 10. It comes with Ableton Lite.

[@davidbazomusic]

@@_thevaporz much appreciated for your recommendation mate!

[@mitchellwong883]

So a couple of questions personally for the solo. Does the headphone output have the ability to monitor pc audio playback and your mic at the same time, if so how? Is there latency? Which do I put to listen to pc audio playback, direct or USB? Thanks!

[@axefromrussia]

Please do a review on Yamaha AG03.

[@mandomandorukot]

Please make a review of audient id4 mkII

[@hermianofficial3400]

Julian, please review the new Audient iD interfaces and if possible compare them to the older gen and MOTU ones. Thank You so much, have a nice day :)

[@cpt.jacksparrow6162]

yeah, a comparison with older gen would be great!

[@hermianofficial3400]

@@cpt.jacksparrow6162 Exactly what I was thinking since Audient advertises that Mk2 interfaces are a significant upgrade.

[@punishment7800]

Great videos and reviews you do @Julian Krause congratulations, I have a question: 1.4 kilo ohms is still good for the mic output on the interface? is the microphone still heard well? and I would like to ask you if you could analyze the presonus 24c interface beforehand thanks.