Steinberg UR22 MKII USB Audio Interface - SonicLAB Review

[@basura]

Didn't expect the totally killer jam. This was awesome Gaz!

[@mCKENIC]

Benchmark set - Now THAT is a brilliant demo/test of any bit of kit! Thank you Nick & Gaz!!! Bloody Brilliant! Im on my 3rd listen to the tune Gaz - major props, love it! :-)

[@kentkacs3140]

Really, really wonderful review and presentation. Very impressed. This is more than just running the UR22 through its paces but is also a demo of a work process. And the piece Gaz created is splendid. Thank you so much for this!!

[@t0sh400]

Fantastic editing. Must have been so many hours to put it all together, let alone the song and instrumentation. Capturing the essence. Just great!

[@SlowCarToChina]

If Steinberg doesn't sponsor the show now there's no justice in the world.

[@TheRealTakumaji]

Thanks for the review, the UR22 MK2 has been on my wishlist for a while now and it convinced me to go for it. Killer Company is awesome, as is Gaz' creativity, positive thinking and musical prowess, love the guy. Goes to show that inspiring music has fuck all to do with expensive gear and thousands of options in a synth or program. Rock on, guys!

[@MarctheDarc]

What is that around the 0:20 mark and forwards? Seems rather unintentional. But damn good review, pardon my language, nicely different and creative way of going about it. Lets be honest, reviewing an interface is hard to make interesting, but it's quite possibly the most important bit of your studio as everything goes through it. So getting a proper impression is very useful. You 2 really nailed it! Have worked with a UR22 mk1, and it too is quite good. Though some of those had problems with high noise from the phantom power. Obviously not an issue here, atleast on the test unit.

[@christophermatthias3327]

Brilliant track Gaz your band have a great sound

[@NoRobotAudio]

I've tried this audio interface, nice DA converters and micpres + AD converters, also very nice class compliant driver for mac, but the headphone amplifiers sucks big time, very low power and crappy sound. You guys should've said something about this.

[@pepe6666]

thats great. youre right - some times you really gotta go to town to push something to its limits. neato

[@badfreddytube]

Go Gaz. Great tune

[@padmarley]

Would this work with a samsung tab ? basically with an android device to play and record guitar? would it interface with FL studio mobile on android?

[@AnalogNoiseLab]

U rock Gaz!

[@supersquare]

LOVED THIS!!

[@rickakashockshockey9151]

I wonder how this would sound as an interface for an Avalon 737sp for just voiceover?

[@Lemon8]

Very well done. :)

[@laurafernandez7906]

Hi, I connected the UR22 km II to my IPad and when I tried to record 2 tracks (guitar and voice) I heard noises and I could not save a clear sound in any audio app. Any idea, please?

[@drstupid1]

some reviewers and product demonstrators can barely play a coherent sequence of notes... then there's sonic state :) so cool

[@djak6698]

'Going to get mine tomorrow. :p

[@smashedintopieces000]

does gaz have his own channel? love that guy

[@SoloElROY]

Hi! do you know if with the loopback feature I can stream my DAW while playing guitar and singing live through it?

[@ikickss]

You can do that with Yamaha AG series. That thing is pretty much made for that kind of usecase.

[@dannyd1224]

what type of fender is that at 6:10?

[@GazWilliams]

Aha! Well spotted it is a Fender Marauder

[@dannyd1224]

thanks! im not so keen on all the models...i like it!

[@dannyd1224]

great vid. btw. amazing how powerful technology is these days....somehow we can still get lazy with all this power at our finger tips....being able to do all this on an ipad is ridiculous

[@Uemitay]

How is it compared to focusrite scarlett 2i2 ?

[@B1SCOOP]

+Ümit Ay Focusrite Scarlett has better pre-amps, costs more, but lacks midi in and out.

[@savanaviolenta]

B1SCOOP no it doesent have better pre amps.

[@Mixnar98]

Can i use this interface with fl studio 12 ??

[@Kirsh1793]

+Marnix Kil Yes. Just make sure you have the necessary drivers installed for windows and that you have selected them in the FL audio settings. :)

[@Mixnar98]

Thx i found out by now but still thx dude !

[@Kirsh1793]

Always trying to help. :)

[@roqueguitarra1702]

When I use this device to record my classic guitar (one microphone on input 1) on my computer, I get mono signal only. How can I make it stereo?

[@sonicstate]

If your guitar is mono, then it will be a mono signal. If you want to record it as stereo, can split the signal and record both inputs. Not sure why you would want to do that though

[@esoteric6178]

Just use stereo separation. Like Waves S1

[@eclipsez0r]

That guys epic

[@Oleg__]

1:17 - that is the only reason, why I immediately stopped to consider this interface. Probably Steinberg doesn't care about keyboardists, who need to hear stereosound of their keyboards when recording, monitoring etc. Some close competitors offer the choice: Mono or Stereo with dedicated selector. Steinberg doesn't give any choice in this regard.

[@garyabbot4659]

6.34 needs more cowbell

[@hacksman6238]

why no android? :(

[@AbnerChamate]

+WIKIWIKI Im buying this thing to record on my xperia e3 or acer one 7 with field recorder on android, only classical guitar solo or with orchestra, stereo recordings. For projects like Gaz, bands, etc, I would use a laptop for sure, although my wife has an Ipad Air 2 I would not use it cause editing can still be a real pain.

[@andersingram]

what is the difference between this and the MkI which looks plenty similar ... ?

[@sonicstate]

+Anders Panders power supply on micro USB, class compliant

[@andersingram]

+sonicstate thanks

[@febardamu5413]

I ve got to add that mk2 is slightly worse when it comes to latency and a lot worse on the headphone out which is very-very weak. I prefer the older model by far.

[@ConenRuam]

Hi Anders, I'm thinking about this one too....

[@Texturas75]

@@febardamu5413 Really? That's crazy!

[@TheRealSasquatch]

it needs more cowbell ;)

[@oc101289]

thats a piece of s* soundcard

[@joeltomaneng231]

Apple now has a lightning connector that. Allows your iPad to charge while connected to the UR22. I just used it this morning -- works great! www.apple.com/shop/product/MK0W2AM/A/lightning-to-usb-3-camera-adapter

[@BURG]

i was thinking.. why the hell are sonicstate doing a boring soundcard review.. until Gaz exploded into amazeballs demo-mode. I have not had this fun for ages.. kudos to you again, still reigning top tech/gear/music channel on youtube! :)

[@grizcuz]

This is the 'Bohemian Rhapsody'/'I'm Not In Love' of gear reviews. Every manufacturer of audio interfaces should be beating his door down for the same treatment after this.

[@HotStrange]

grizcuz I'm Not In Love by 10cc?

[@albedo0point39]

Go Gaz! Awesome track and review!

[@pizzamangargatuloth4804]

+albedo0point39 Agreed Gaz is my favorite!

[@TheRevWillNotBeTelevised]

This was hillarious. Gaz is nuts. Though those lip syncing skills need some work ha!

[@mewraz]

The most awesome review I have ever seen!

[@bdw0lf]

Great job guys! Fun track and love the synth booth in Gaz's studio!

[@savanaviolenta]

sounds great to me are you kidding me for the money this interface is amazing!!!I remember 8 years ago I had m audio fast track pro which costed me more than UR22,but never sounded as good as UR22.UR22 is the cheapest and best sounding audio interface on the market.

[@piscue]

what about latency when recording? ms? any difference from mk1?

[@Vodka2199]

if i was never to use an ipad and only wanted this as a new soubdcard would you go for the mk1 or mk2 given the choice? I'm deciding between this and komplete audio 6.

Nick and Gaz making a proper and fun review about a black metal box with a lot of holes :-) It seems that works ...

[@AbnerChamate]

Im buying this thing to record on my xperia e3 or acer one 7 with field recorder on android, only classical guitar solo or with orchestra, stereo recordings. For projects like Gaz, bands, etc, I would use a windows laptop for sure, although my wife has an Ipad Air 2 I would not use it cause editing can still be a real pain. Great review anyway.

[@du3z]

UR22 MK2, or UR242? Just looking to connect my Yamaha CP4 to the Mac for Mainstage 3, and then out to 2 monitor speakers (which are currently connected directly from the CP4), or headphones at times. Might wanna record more things in the future, but not yet.

[@RedMeansRecording]

Love, love, love the jam session. Wondering what you shot it with... the moire is absolutely insane. Did you downsample from 4k? Was this with a DSLR?

[@melodychest9020]

Cool stuff .. awesome effort taken to test. You guys should do some basic review of the hardware inside the box to see if quality parts are used inside. Just 4 screws to undress it!!

[@Himlajchan]

Not sure if it's just me or if this is standard for cheap interfaces, but the headphone output is only mono no matter the source.

[@hansendesigns]

The roland duo capture ex can run on aa batteries contained in the box (or bus or wall adapter) and seems to have mostly all the other features (and a metal case) and you dont need a battery pack (2 sets of rechargeables might be good) is this box better somehow?

[@B1SCOOP]

+hansendesigns It's cheaper. Looked on eBay and it's 50 dollar difference.

[@solognabologna]

I have the mk 1, and everything about it is sturdy, the drivers, the jacks, the chassis, w/e. I really want that separate power feature though, my budget laptop underpowers the ur22 if It's not plugged in to the wall.

[@inUR2teeth]

Sloane McCarthy Portable power banks? Have you tried?

[@esoteric6178]

Gaz reminds me of Cukoo

[@profoundisstereotactic835]

Awesome!!!! Please do more like this when you can ofc, I know making a track for every sound card is too much to ask but similar will do. Also, do you know if Steinberg is planning on upgrade all the others as well?

[@matrixate]

This device is quite stable and does a remarkably great job with a desktop. I strongly suggest to use an SSD on your desktop but this little device can even handle monster sized projects in Ableton Live. I haven't yet tried it with Pro Tools but I imagine that it will probably pass with flying colors. I just wish they would create a PCIe version. That would be awesome.

[@adamlewis4047]

question - was your vocal mic going through an external pre-amp before the UR22? or was it plugged right into the audio interface? thank you! great review!

[@supermonkeycollider]

Remarkable review - seems to have covered just about any sort of input one might throw at it - well done!

[@highpeakrecordings]

GAZ GOD! (and this was almost as good as a proper replacement for SonicTouch....)

[@redstrom_edm]

Thank you for such a great review. I've been looking for a good audio interface with these features and thanks to you I'm sold! Great job!

[@marike1100]

I love my UR 22. It has great sounding mic pres with close to 60 dB of clean gain and features like dedicated midi ports and 24-bit/192 kHz that my previous audio interface, the Focusrite Scarlet 2i2, do not offer. Thanks for the heads up on the new model and the excellent performance featuring real, honest to goodness acoustic instruments including my axe, the alto sax. Kudos.

[@Texturas75]

G Hey. How does it compare to the Scarlett in other aspects? Workflow, setup, sound, software?

[@V4D2]

this was great ! You guys actually cared.. and gave a lot of yourselves to everyone that's watching. congratz ! PS: I've watched online.. ppl connecting the iPad's newer camera plug to a USB dock that then plugs to the wall-charge. That way you don't need to use the iPad's battery . Can you confirm this ? Thank you for this !

[@sauce_aux]

wow that ipad app has quite some power for a little doodad! thats pretty sweet Gaz

[@didierpaget-musique]

Do you know how many "dB" are calibrated converters of this audio interface (UR22mkii). Thank you in advance for your kind reply

[@sglov25]

What foot pedal are you using on the guitar at 5:02 and in what configuration or connection?

[@PHeMoX]

It's the SONUUS Wahoo Analog Multi-Effects Pedal he is using there.

[@Michael_Smith-Red_No.5]

Excellent. What was I just watching? Excellent.

[@AdiBrighlight]

since the katest macpro do not have input so i can do my webradio ... i will buy this one and thanks fir the review, it was very enjoyable

[@craigs4647]

This is the review that made up my mind to go for the Steinberg. Great track, by the way, Gaz!

[@CTBlaze]

Choice products round... System-1, Sonuus Wahoo and so on.. coool style, cooool track

[@fuzzupuzzu]

Gaz is the real mad scientist!

[@bigmoneysteppa]

roland quad capture still seems the better bet?

[@Pauluz_The_Web_Gnome]

Thanks for this demo! I was looking for a new soundcard....not looking further anymore! Great quality! Thanks again!

[@tiny-church2448]

You can power the iPad at the same time if you use a gen 2 camera connection kit which has a port to power the iPad at the same time. It’s a bit bulkier but it works.

[@GeorgeMartinReports]

excellent, thanks much, great show, or, in English, Jolly good show!

[@PHeMoX]

Now *that's* how you demo gear! LOL. Good sample project!

[@djtruflava]

The headphone output is NOT loud enough for a vocalist to feel comfortable while recording a dance track. I also think they need to come up with a newer method of monitoring. I am not happy with the Input/Daw mix rotary knob.

[@ConenRuam]

+sonicstate Hi, Gaz Williams or Nick Batt (plus anyone who has used the UR22 mkii), can I please ask for a more detailed assessment of the headphone output? In the video, when asked how it is, Gaz says "errrr....it's ok....." but then says "it's definitely a nice clean headphone output". Is it the case that it's quite nice and clean but very underpowered? I have read a lot of comments from people stating it is a weak Headphone ouput (posted this as a comment, but it hasn't come up)

[@djtruflava]

not very loud! excellent question. This was the one thing I noticed the one time I used the UR22.

[@farfymcdoogle3461]

It's loud enough. Do you want to be deaf?

[@savanaviolenta]

then turn down the track so you can hear yourself and protect your ears,jeez

[@Texturas75]

Maybe the impedance of your headphones is too high. Headphones of lower impedance yield louder audio.

[@sporebyosoch]

i have this problem with my interface, that is that when i plug my headphones into the headphone input of the interface the right side sounds louder than the left, but connecting them to another device they sound just fine. what could be the cause of this probem?

[@JamiesonM]

i believe he stated it had a more mono output than anything but that just what I heard. If you have a chance to e-mail customer support through steinberg they should be able to tell you

[@officialpoa3171]

That song is kinda dope!

[@mykytarusakov8214]

Wow. Amazing review!!! Thank you guys for taking your time to make this

[@jarsamo]

Simply excellent demo. Thanks Gaz! :D

[@joshsfox6266]

Do jack and mic leads fit into the same socket? Is that why they look so unusual?

[@squirrelturds]

The fuck did I just watch? Thank you

[@liudas5377]

Nice work, hard to believe its 16b/44. Thanks for your effort.....

[@janminor1172]

Why is 16/44 hard to believe? Pretty much all recordings of the first half of the digital recording age were done in that format. It's not a big problem if you are competent and know how to handle it. And processing is done in 32bit float anyway...

[@V4D2]

true story. ;) Plus.. we're listening to this through KZbin so... high sample rate is a bit overkill, if one doesn't plan to channel the recording to other platforms that use uncompressed file formats.

[@paufabregaroda]

he looks like Ricky Gervais

[@gorillaxrich]

Some real hippie stoner shyt... The song...

[@Seanitzel]

Hey, a few questions: 1.Can i connect a microphone, a guitar and a keyboard to it at the same time? 2.Is it ok if i connect a guitar to an effect and then connect the effect to the audio card? 3.If i use a guitar amplifier as a speaker, should i connect it through one of the left/right jacks or the headphones jack? Thanks in advance!!!

[@V4D2]

dude, you need to do your work and check the I/O ports. Just listen to the video, more carefully.. and check the interface's ports online. that should take you like 3 mins.. which is less than what i am using to write this reply ;) . There are only 2 INs .. so, unless you use the MIDI IN for the keyboard..... no.. you can't plug all 3 at the same time. 2. is the effect a plug IN.. or a hardware pedal or board ? You shouldnt have any problems with that. Just watch the gain on the interface's In, if you already have a preAmp on the guitar effects board. 3. As for the amp as speaker.. i reckon it should work both ways.. If you're recording with the microphone.. and then using the amp...beware of the feedback loop. I would plug it to the line out (left - mono) .

[@torpedo35]

Sounds smooth at 16/44.1 .

[@oroncz]

What an amazing thorough video! Well done and thank you!

[@rults9150]

Whoa! Throughout the song I kept thinking Flower Kings.

[@kwyman986]

Some kind of editing glitch at 0:20 to 0:40

[@pauls-audiolabor]

Steinberg forgot an Stereo/Mono switch for monitoring on this one.

[@artg7909]

Totally beatles/Pink Floyd

[@sallosito9097]

wow. that was crazy..

[@David_Smith]

Can I use it to rip vinyl?

[@spaceorbison]

my stupid scarlett headphone output is cutting out

[@savanaviolenta]

SpaceOrbison forget about scarlett man. get the UR22

[@SuperDanMan83]

ohh i really like that mr gaz! good stuff.

You guys are the absolute best :)

[@skejja9593]

Can he support rokit g3 monitors?

[@kassie2k4]

from the grave of sonic touch!

[@issiewizzie]

Wow fantastic bro

[@biesmusik]

this is good stuff

[@rolandgerard6064]

Great review, wow :-)

[@mikehydropneumatic2583]

About midi not a word?