Recording Live DRUMS with the Steinberg UR-RT4 / Review

[@DUBCEAST49]

Just got the interface the other week and it sounds amazing! Better than I thought it would be!

[@SuperCILP]

Wow the bass sounds really good with the neve transformers, nice review!

[@declanmurray]

Thanks for this, listening on a UR44 and thinking about getting the RT4. Couldnt hear any significant difference between transformers and without. So thanks for saving me 500 quid!

[@Espresso101]

Honestly, it was very difficult to hear the differences with you talking in between. Not sure why so many reviewers seem to feel the need to announce every time they're going to change to the next sample when a simple visual text over the video like you did the first time would've been perfect. I greatly appreciate your feedback and explaining what to listen for. That is always invaluable information. Aside from that, overall great video.

[@eddieruxspin]

Subtle but huge difference when stacked together

[@mixdownonline]

Exactly!

[@WAVSAudioStudio]

Hey Chris! Can u pls tell me abt the usb 2.0 and usb 3.0 (c type). And also I can see that ur-rt4 interface is 24 bit and usb 2.0 whereas ur44c is 32 bit and type c. Which is better and can u pls explain abt it.

[@Thatguy-ky2sr]

Besides the neve transformers is there any difference between the ur rt4 and the ur44?

[@Mmoody2112]

Great video as always Chris. . . I have the two channel one and really like it (it stays at my place mostly for over dubs). I really wish they'd make an 8 channel model with adat. . . Lots of folks moaned about the usb 2 - but since it has dsp - there isn't a need to have a faster round trip since you're already getting direct monitoring.

[@mixdownonline]

Cool that you have the 2 channel... yes an 8 channel version would definitely be welcomed. You mark a good point about USB2 :-)

[@leebuck8532]

There are 2 line inputs. You could hook up 2 preamps and have 6 mics!

[@atreyfall3812]

I have a problem with this interface ( I have the 2 input versión ). When I set set it in Hz mode for recording an electric guitar, the DI signal peaks with the gain at minimum. Can the interface's software reduce the gain? Or do you know any solution that is not a DI box?

[@B1TCH35K1LL3R]

Hi ! Great video! So does this interface would allow to use up to 6 mics? even though I understood there are 4 pre amps, would I have the possibility to have 6 separate lines on my DAW? Thanks and greetings from Mexico!

[@mixdownonline]

Yes, absolutely if you're using an external Preamp for ch 5-6

[@24mkim1]

Thank you for the nice video! Do you think budget mic pre like FMR RNP will help URRT4 to get better sound? or use without pre? or, buy other higher grade audio interface? Thanks again in advance.

[@mixdownonline]

Never tried FMR RNP but heard good stuff about them. An external Mic Preamp will have its own color so it can yes, give you another type of sound as a result. Upgrading to a higher grade interface will give you better converters. What will help you get a better sound in my opinion is a good or several good microphones, then good preamps and the converters will come in last.

[@24mkim1]

Chris Selim - Mixdown Online Thank you for kind reply! Subscribed~

[@johnnychirnside4513]

Thanks Chris, Excellent as ever. Looking forward to the viseo on the UR44 with DSP. I can't get the reverb through the earphones when tracking without printing to cubase?

[@FaridRoland]

Hi,Happy new year Chris , thank you for your videos, i do apologize for taking your time, i have a question and problem in steinberg sound card 'UR-44" I want to use all outputs ( separate channels) in ur44 but output 3,4 are FX bus ! For example I want to choose output 4 for click (metronome in F4 ) in Cubase but when I choose it , i listen metronome in headphones jacks and all outputs,but in main LR and outputs 1,2 you can use it and no problem. What's your idea about it i want to use all outputs in UR 44 , (( in control room mode and when disable control room mode Ur44 have this problem))

[@רמיניניו]

hi' nice review. can i send 6 different signals from each one of the 6 outputs ??

[@coastalcruise1345]

Sounds great on the bass. Can a track within cubase be routed through the transformers, allowing it to be mixed down as new track?

[@mixdownonline]

You mean re-amping?

[@coastalcruise1345]

@@mixdownonline Hey thanks for the reply. Yes maybe 'reamping' is what I am referring to. For example: You have a kick drum audio part in the Cubase project, but wish to pass this kick drum through the UR-RT4 transformers to get the transformers effect on it. I wonder can this be done 'in the box' or does one need to physically output the kick, out through the sound card outputs and back in through the inputs, passing through the transformers.

[@JulianFernandez]

subscribed! Cubase rocks!

[@mixdownonline]

Awesome, thanks :-)

[@theblowupdollsmusic]

Thanks for doing this!

[@mixdownonline]

You're welcome!

[@gjganotisi]

Sounds really good. However, couldn't I get that sound by engaging magneto and using other plug ins like tube comp?

[@mixdownonline]

You can, yes. Will it give you the exact same sound? No, since Magneto and Tube are not emulation of Neve Transitors. But you will get something in the same family for sure.

[@gjganotisi]

@@mixdownonline thanks for the reply. And thanks always for the great content!!!

[@olegloza]

Dear Chris, in terms of the sound quality, would you call the RT2 or RT4 an upgrade from the UR242 that you also reviewed some time before? And did you try the transformers on vocals? If yes, do they make a big difference to the stock D-Pres?

[@mixdownonline]

The D-Pres are good to start with, the Neve Transformers will add a different color to the sound on vocals like it did with the drums in the video. It's not a huge difference but noticeable for sure.

[@olegloza]

@@mixdownonline thank you very much for answering!

[@ivanchimoy7309]

Which was your peak level with drums? I saw you video about gain structure and you said -18 -15 is good, but in a kind of signal as drums that are all transients? Thanks.

[@mixdownonline]

Yes, I aim between -18-12 when recording so this way I don't need to gain stage much while mixing. If your drums goes up to, lets say -6 dbfs, don't stress out too much, as far as you don't pass 0DBFS, you're good. You can always gain stage afterward in Mix prep.

[@ivanchimoy7309]

@@mixdownonline thank you so much! :D

[@realraven2000]

So here is my use case - I read that the UR interfaces can be connected to an ipad and run Cubase LE there, could / did you test this? Would be much nicer for mobile use (also live!) rather than having to bring / buy a laptop / iMac. I am using the live effects / compressors just for monitoring all the time, super handy as it is really latency free.

[@mixdownonline]

I would love to try this on an iPad but mine is only a 16GB and it's full. Probably gonna buy a new one next year and try this out

[@realraven2000]

Also, did you try the "hardware" integration on input section off the Cubase mixer? the interface is a little finicky, you need to zoom in enough to make the bypass/pre/post switch visible.

[@paulneeds]

Hey Chris, interesting video, especially the Glyn Johns stuff. How would you use 4 mics to track a bigger kit?

[@mixdownonline]

Depends how big is the kit. With an extra Tom and Floor on this same kit, the Glyn Johns will work very well and even with bigger kits that is if you like a vintage sound. The Recorderman technique is cool as well

[@ellikozak5130]

Great video! I was wondering whether the UR-RT4's preamps have enough juice to drive a ribbon microphone? Any insight is appreciated!

[@mixdownonline]

You're gonna have to boost the gain knob a bit but they do have enough gain

[@ellikozak5130]

@@mixdownonline Thank you so much for the reply Chris! I actually checked the gain amount available on the UR-RT4 and it seemed to be slightly less than the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 that I currently own, which can't drive a ribbon microphone. Is there something I'm missing in terms of specs that actually tells how much gain a preamp can provide? Or did I get a faulty ribbon that actually doesn't work?

[@mixdownonline]

@@ellikozak5130 I don't know but I tried with a cheap MXL ribbon mic with my voice and like I said, I had my gain level at 3 o'clock... But I like to record at around - 18 to - 12 dbfs... I don't record very loud... Maybe you should try with another ribbon mic

[@mrmorpheus9707]

How r u using this is post? After you printed... Then ingaging the pres?

[@mixdownonline]

Yes, what you hear in the video is the playback of what I recorded with and without the transformers

[@DesmondBedlow]

Can you tell me the reason why my others tracks are being recorded in my audio tracks I'm trying to record. thanks and greeting .

[@mixdownonline]

Probably because you have several tracks that are Record activated

[@SauloAllende]

Does anyone know if the interface UR RT4 runs with Pro Tools 2018? Please help me

[@mixdownonline]

The UR RT4 will run with all DAWs

[@SauloAllende]

@@mixdownonline thanks bro 😃

[@rt-uh6mt]

Clean 10:17 vs Neve 10:30

[@jamieanderson7757]

Without the Neve transformers the sound was natural and exciting. With them the sound became lifeless distorted mush.

[@canvoodoo]

big difference.

[@BrewerShettles]

4 XLR + 2 Line In - why can't you get 2 Mic-Pres for the Line in jacks - now you have 6 mics!!!!!!!!!

[@pikkubuddha]

It’s really shocking that ADC dynamic range is only 101dB!!!!! Same like Focusrite Scarlett consumer interfaces! Why the Hell they would do that and use Neve designed transformers???? 👎👎👎