Universal Audio VOLT 276 - Review (Compressor and Vintage Mode Audio Samples)

[@JulianKrause]

Interesting side note: You can use the Volt 276 as a standalone unit. With the provided 5V DC to USB cable you can power the interface from a USB power source without the need to connect it to PC. The direct monitoring works just fine and you can also apply the vintage and compression effect.

[@Jghosn13]

@@lisan_al-ghaib Just using that way now....Testing without registering and downloading the software...just monitoring...

[@SahhilVats]

Please review Apollo Twin X

[@monaxp606]

Can you pls review some mic s (100 to 300 dollar range) ?

[@willgo7898]

@@Jghosn13 ... and what have you learned?

[@Jghosn13]

@@willgo7898 It runs all my headphones….

[@EdoDijkgraaf]

“We all know why you’re here!” No, you don’t. I am here because you inspire me. Because you are not just some vlogger that reads out loud some text found in the user manual. Because… I stop here. The other regulars know why we’re here. Cheers Herr Krause!

[@levondarratt787]

Or you could just start making music and try them out yourself, and do something, lol!!!

[@JulianKrause]

Big thanks, glad you all enjoy the videos!

[@mjk5254]

The most trusted source!

[@gkiss2030]

True German precision here!

Wow, this must have been one of the best audio related tech reviews I’ve ever seen. Big respect and thank you!

[@alessandrolazzari7937]

Absolutely the BEST tech review in the Tube. So many facts and figures that let you understand what's in the box and precious suggestions about how to spend money (is worth or not?) on these lovely equipments. Tanx so much Julian, you are a Pro!

[@freezeframeplease]

audio interfaces used to be such a niche and unnecessary hard topic to understand.... until i discovered Julian. then all the numbers and specs that companies don't bother to explain in a friendly manner, opting for more complex terms and a purely aesthetic video presentations, started to make sense. i can def say that in my +15 years buying and using interfaces now i can absolutely chose my next product with ease! thanks for that Julian !

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke!

[@GoldPhilip-nv8dn]

I've been looking for a channel with this type of content for years. I found a lot of sponsored videos and other videos with that 'I can hear the difference in THD' bullshit. Finally, I've found this channel with trustworthy measurements. Thanks a lot!

[@bahathir_]

The wooden side panels reminds me 1980/90s high end /ES series consumer hifi products. Thank you for the very informative review.

[@levondarratt787]

UA desperate to impress the street and home beat makers lol. Let's slap some wood on ....for a dollar each , hehe

[@bahathir_]

@@levondarratt787 Yeah. Japanese loves to make their products sound good and looks good too, which raised it's value. IMHO.

[@Comedy4cast]

Julian, I have come to your channel for audio interface reviews for several years now. One of the things I focus on are those pesky noise floors. You nail it by going in to the weeds on details. Based on you reviews, a while ago I bought the SSL 2. It has certainly met my needs. So, it was time for me to say "thanks" by becoming a patron. Keep up the great work, because I'm sure I'll want to move on to a new interface at some point. It's the nature of working with audio.

[@MartinMerayoUCDM]

Dude! Epic text during the test!

[@rockatanescu]

Julian, thank you for the review. I've just bought the UA Volt 267 from a local shop and I was surprised to see that I know more about the interfaces he sold than he did because I watched your reviews :-) You're doing an awesome job, keep going! There are two things I'd like to add to the hardware overview part: 1. The top part is not flat and the area with the levels is slightly angled so you can easily see the levels even if you're not looking at the interface from the top. 2. If the interface is slightly in front, the gain knobs cover completely the "vintage" button, so you can't see if the "vintage" mode was activated or not Otherwise, this interface ticks all the boxes for me: very good headphone amp, great design (it's going to be on my desk all day long so I'd rather have something pretty) and microphone amps way better than what I'd normally need (video calls, maybe a podcast). I only wish the inputs were in the back instead of the MIDI connectors, but...

[@dscryptprodbysounknox1296]

Between this and the Ssl2+ and audient mkii who do you think comes out top

[@dannymolns3573]

Dynamic range output just means how loud it can push my monitors right?

[@Fran93931]

Man, your videos are helping a LOT, there are just so many reviews out there, but didn't find any that gave that much OBJETIVE DATA. So grateful to be able to watch you, keep the good work, you are top notch :))

[@borensaumgardt2637]

Das ist mal genau ein Test wie ich es gebraucht habe. Unaufgeregt, Messwerte, Direktvergleiche beim Sound etc. Besten Dank !

[@robwasnj]

So clear and to the point, after watching over a dozen reviews on this product yours is the gold standard. Thank you!

[@PedroBellora]

Fantastic video! It's great to see everything expressed in such an objective and clear way. Thank you and congratulations!

[@phantomplastics6582]

Brilliant. Your work is impeccable as always.

[@theblowupdollsmusic]

Great review as always. I personally like the simplicity of the compressor having three settings. Fewer things to tweak and fiddle with.

[@borisdebork9987]

I watched a few of your videos about sound cards and it made my decision easier. Unfortunately, most of the videos either excessively praise or criticize the product, but you can be said to work completely objectively and with realistic arguments. Thanks and keep up the good work.

[@berenmatthews]

The trouble with these reviews is that they’re so detailed and helpful that it becomes impossible to purchase an interface without knowing what Julian thinks about it first! ;) I’m torn between the Arturia Audiofuse Rev 2 and the Focusrite Clarett+...I live in a constant state of paralysis until he tells me what to buy!

[@DJLethalAmusic]

Easy! Go for Clarett. It's dynamic range is best.Audiofuse however has a built-in hub which is useful to connect your USB devices, say a Pen drive or USB MIDI devices, makes it convenient for live scenario.I'd personally go for clarett

[@rjb7569]

Not enough connectivity for me. But... another excellent tech overview from Julian. And the freakin' elephant in the room made me chuckle.

[@robertmiller3987]

Thank you, Julian, for another excellent review! Free of hype, and filled with facts. Your reviews are the most useful I’ve found!

[@Terribleguitarist89]

@6:13 I've been trying to find these comparisons, so definitely keeping an eye out for the vid

[@ArrakisOCE]

Fantastic review as always - I love this channel. Thanks for the video.

[@IamSavoiiMusic]

absolutely fantastic job as always! Thank you for putting these video together. an an engineer who plays with music production at home I really like getting the specs like this with a deeper understanding of how things work! and this is great, well done. I bought one of these that I use mainly for my acoustic guitar that I mic. sometimes I will also use the line in. I like the comp and coloration there for that purpose. It makes the act of recording while monitoring in real time a little bit better for me. I know there are more capable comps in my DAW but I like this for the playability and ease of recording. Its a little more musical to work with that way. Thanks again, fantastic job! I took screen shots of all the graphs and will reference them from time to time!

[@NoelWatson-kg9qh]

You got my follow sir. thanks for actually useful information and analytical approach. reminds me of reading Paul White in SOS in my youth.

[@spishco]

Thumbs up for the great review, as always, AND for the Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy reference!

[@bryanhughes8024]

Hey dude, you're much more advanced then what I require, but I still really enjoy your videos.

[@ancientalien815]

How have I never seen your channel!? Love it!

[@powersliding]

this is why this channel is so important

[@bahathir_]

The compressor and limiter features are very useful to get 'consistant audio level during live' streaming.

[@IKARIANOFFICIAL]

You do the best reviews. Great video and extremely informative!

[@kingech_B15]

Nice channel, You actually going deep inside those things.

[@henrikneesgaard1764]

Great and valuable review.., thank you!!👍👌

[@halorama.]

Incredible tech review! Clear and deep. Thank you!

[@derzuerandinoguezcano1514]

I loved your explanation on how the compression worked, so easy to follow! I would love if you could do something similar to the Roland Rubix line with its compressor and limiter, as Its interesting how it can be adjusted but there is nothing about exactly what it does :c. Great Video by the way, you are my one trusted source of audio information!

[@A7mad.]

perfect review thanks julian

[@michaelruck4264]

My favourite tech vlogger!

[@John-km2uw]

Thanks Julian. I am a newb, so I purchased the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 for use at Apple Music playing & for Garage Band lessons as I attempt to learn acoustic guitar. It's working well for both, and as you said it's plastic but very well built. I'm totally satisfied and 'enjoy it's desktop presence next to the Mac Mini. All of your reviews have been fascinating, and your bits of humor are always fun, thanks again...j

[@thebandthatisDAVE]

Julian. My go to guy. Thank you.

[@rollin8srecords435]

Finally 😭 Julian you are the man!

[@matiascastrocomposer]

Awesome review as always Julian. Can you please do a Apollo Solo review???

[@star_pilgrim_music]

Thanks for another great review, Julian. Are you planning to do a review of the RME Babyface Pro FS in the near future?

[@Mheyos]

Thank you so much for your great work 🙃🤟❤️

[@eleanorgiovanni]

your reviews are just amazing! thanks!

[@tyroneonokue1342]

explaining done right ! thank U!

[@MichaelW.1980]

Great video overall. You stuff so much information into it, that I need to focus on your videos really hard, to not miss any details. I love it! One little thing challenged me this time: I noticed, you said, it has a dynamic range of 118.8db(A). With that kind of dynamic range, it should be sitting within the top 3 of the chart, challenging the Clarret 2PRE and Ultralite Mk5. But on the chart the VOLT 2 and 276 sit at the same spot, well below 115. Is the chart faulty, or is it more like 111.8dB(A) of dynamic range?

[@someonesgottapostit]

You are by far the best audio interface reviewer in the world for my money. To be fair though 6:39 distorted guitar is already compressed so demo'ing a compressor using this instrument choice isn't an accurate barometer of its capabilities. Clean guitar played with varying dynamics would have been preferable.

[@tasothdevil01]

awesome review!!!

[@erictraaaan]

Great review as always! Could you review the new Focusrite Clarett+ line? Apparently they've upgraded the headphone output and I'd love to see your tests run on their new hardware!

[@misterringer]

Good stuff as always.

[@alguitarchristie]

I got this one, because the compression is great! Going to save me time in post production. Even if they are fixed, it's still very convenient

[@nateihara]

This was really informative. I was looking at this as a secondary mobile interface to my Apollo. I think I may just go with the 176/276. The plug-in bundle is not impressive but I can just use my UAD plugs in post. But the info on dynamic range being dropped while the 76 comp is engaged was key. Thanks!

[@BobCorey]

If you care only about the quality of the AD/DA, for external pre use, which interface of these would you choose..? Thank you for the video, incredibly detailed

[@FastTcX]

Nice review

[@bachatero2010]

Great video! I'd like to learn more about some of the Instruments you use to take measurements. Perhaps a future lab tour video.

[@menasafwat4951]

Amazing video👏👏👏

[@the_red_channel]

Great review, very pro, thanks!

[@slayabouts]

Is there a place we can download all the charts and graphs comparing the various interfaces you've reviewed?

[@mentalprogram5256]

Omfg waited sooooo long for this!

[@NeilMcKee]

Great, pragmatic video - thank you 🙏 I was wondering who you reminded me of. Answer: Paul Muad'dib as played by Kyle MacLachlan

[@Guitar_Man]

Really nice post. For many potential users, it might also be important to know that you have to store your personal data with UA for commissioning on the computer. The Volt 276 can only be commissioned online (analogue use is of course possible). Simply downloading and installing Asio drivers is not possible without UA Connect and offline. An important decision-making aid for many users.

[@LTPottenger]

If you buy any software you will be forced to do that anyway, and all you get is a free trial so I didn't even bother.

[@Steve68858]

Great review. Unfortunately we in Australia are still waiting for our orders made in Oct to be fulfilled. Can’t wait to get one.

[@progpogs]

Hey Julian- amazing video. One other video mentioned noise via the headphone amp, did you notice that?

[@TheProducers]

Hi Julian, I bought a VOLT 476 last week and I loved how clean the audio output was until I noticed the left channel had a hum and the left-right balance was off until the monitor level was higher than 10%. The headphone output had none of these problems. Fortunately, Long and McQuade exchanged the unit right away for a new one. What is unfortunate is that the new one has the same balance problem as the original but this time, the headphone output is the faulty one. I am now on the fence about what to do. I really like to monitor at low levels, which I could do with my lowly Focusrite Audiobox iTwo without any noise and perfect balance. Do you recommend another interface or should I bite the bullet and just use the Focusrite for monitoring. thanks!

[@elijahmant2855]

Thanks for the video. As usual, great review. Hey Julian. I had a thought. It would be interesting if you could gather up some old studio grade Audio interfaces of 10 to 13 years old. To see how they differ compared to today's standards? 🤔

[@AlessiaandFamily]

nice video..do you have review MoTu M4 ??

[@baptistec.4546]

Hé reviewed the M2 which is basically the same interface with 2 inputs

[@honeste6652]

13:31, I don't think I've ever seen that much expression on your face. Your comedy is getting better every video!

[@ShnobelNOS]

Most audio gear reviews on KZbin are highly subjective and often don't really show anything.. You are the only one who do this right! Thanks for your hard work with all measurements, not just blah blah blah into a random mic with random settings) Happy new year!

[@dmitrypolyakov6162]

Nice review. It would be nice to hear a/b test audio samples as with noise floor comparison on different units 👍

[@GingerDrums]

Lieber Julian, vielen dank für diese tolle reviews. Ganz grosse klasse. Ich bin seit länger eine treue RME nutzer, wäre toll zu sehen wie du die aktuelle generation von Soundkarten findest.

[@mattdylan664]

i realize this video is two years old now , but i'm just now delving into the world of home recording and wonder, couldn't i save $100 and just use a software compressor in my DAW and get the same/similar results as well as keeping control over the other aspects such as ratio, attack and release? i have definitely decided on purchasing the Volt 2 or Volt 276 just wondering how crucial the compressor is or isn't or if it is indeed just a convenience

[@jonoak738]

Happy to be subscribed, Julian. Hope you'll be able to look at the PreSonus Revelator soon.

[@JulianKrause]

I'm currently testing it :)

[@guilhermemazorra1746]

Hey my friend Julian! What a great channel you got in here! You mentioned that this ad/da converter is little bit old... What would you say compared to the Audient id14 MK2 's converter? It would have a better converter? And for in line guitar plugged in which one would have the best pre amp? Thanks for all you work! ❤

[@abregoja]

amazing review, very detailed and end user driven. Thanks for your time mate! Ok, one question, does they work well as a live session performance?

[@LTPottenger]

I got it last week, and while I really love it I am going to have to get a fethead to fully drive the audio on my mv7 unless I eat the mic (which for me sounds awful). The compressor only kicks in as you drive up towards the top so that is an extra 7db you need to drive it to make full use of it. The preamp does great but when I have it fully engaged it starts to get some unpleasant character to the sound. That said, this is the closest I've come to being able to just record and done, no processing needed. And that is nice because I usually have to spend hours messing around with the audio to get a good result. I also like the vintage mode a lot. Similar features on other cheap interfaces sound like absolute garbage to me, and presence boost and similar features on microphones make my voice sound stupid. But this vintage mode is really magical stuff. Like having just a touch of Mel Torme in my voice. Subtle though, maybe 2-3% Mel Torme that livens up my voice just enough to make it sound interesting! So I am very happy with it, but I am getting a fethead, and I think this is really necessary if you want to make proper use of the compressor feature. And if you don't, you probably didn't buy this is the first place.

[@SeanKing0109]

Damn I use a presonus audio box 96 too luckily upgrading after watching these videos

[@audiovid.]

Hello Jullian, I like your work. Especially collecting the data regarding dynamic range + noise flor for preamps. I wonder though why there is no yet one of the famous ZOOMs tools (h6/h8/p4/p8) - which can serve as audio interface. How are they comparable to the others regarding dynamic ranges and preamps. Are they so weak you are not taking them into account or just they are not falling into that standard Audio Interface category? Thanks in advance for answering :) My congratulations on such a detailed work on audio and sharing it online!

[@jmmusic9297]

Great video

[@samothydude2694]

Danke für den Einblick in das UA interface! Sehr geil gemacht! Welche Lautsprecher stehen da hinter dir :-D ?

[@JulianKrause]

Hey, das sind KEF iQ1.

[@samothydude2694]

@@JulianKrause Danke dir !

[@SimplicityForGood]

And now, the big question! Should I as a new recording singer setting up my first home studio choose this Volt 276 or go with the Audient id 14 mkll?! 😀😅😲😉

[@arash5550]

I'd 14. It has better A/D converters. And solid preamp as well

[@HabibiTommy98]

Audient

[@genuinemember5766]

same question from my side

[@carlosserrano3985]

Audient ID14 way better than this Volt, check the Motu M4 also.

[@happyjessus]

That was a really great review and input! Do you think the recording quality is better than komplete audio? Also, do you think the inbuilt compressor could be used for mastering or is it better just to get a cheap behringer one for that purpose?

[@filippodam1782]

Great review. What do you think about the volt 4? Does this review apply also to that and the 476 audio interfaces?

[@whois7even]

thank you

[@sam24bit]

Is it just me or was it a nail biter to see the charts which compare the pre amp noise and dynamic range and see the ID4 mk 2 win in both categories :D

[@wooptoo]

Amazing review as always Julian. Any chance you can review the Roland Rubix24? That one also has a built-in compressor/limiter.

[@blessedlifechronicles]

Would be interested in this as well.

[@KevinDubois]

Thank you for this super informative video as always Julian! Can you please review the Focusrite Clarett+ line next?? :)))))

[@juanfranchsiquier4678]

Hi Julian. What do you think about the Volt 476 compared to other 4 input interfaces such as Motu M4 or Focusrite Scarlet 18i8? Thanks for your answer!

[@NHail]

the manual says that guitar setting for the compressor has a slow attack? and vocals is fast and "fast" is very fast

[@marcoscamillo6606]

This interface is not avaliable in my country yet, so I've bought the Audient ID4 and I'm not disappointed.

[@Eric_In_SF]

I’m pretty sure it’s not available in any country yet. Every website is only taking pre-orders

[@genuinemember5766]

is available here in my country NEPAL , where are you from?

[@marcoscamillo6606]

@@genuinemember5766 Brazil.

[@genuinemember5766]

@@marcoscamillo6606 iam little bit confuse which one to choose volt 276 or audient iD14 mkii

[@YoungZ1314]

@@Eric_In_SF Here in Los Angeles I’ve seen it in a few stores. Only the 276 but not the 176 or 476

[@zerberk]

Dear Julian, I am an avid viewer of your channel as I find your reviews trustworthy. I was searching around but saw you have no videos of RME products. I am planning to buy a babyface pro fs soon and your thoughts on this would mean a lot since it's a big purchase for me. Even if you don't make a video a simple comment on what you think about it would help me a lot. Much Love, Internet Guy Who Loves Your Reviews.

[@peterhughes8699]

Hi Julian - I enjoy your reveiws. Can you please review the new Focusrite Clarret+ interface and maybe compare it to the old Clarret model ?? Is the Clarret+ a significant upgrade in quality??

[@JulianKrause]

Absolutely, will do so, once I get my hands on the new Clarett+ series :)

[@roushanhelmy]

Looking forward to this!

[@ThomasHope73]

So glad I found this channel 👍👍

[@tedrackley6233]

I'd be curious to see how the new Focusrite Clarett PLUS 2Pre performs. It has new ADC/DAC chips, so it is a slightly different design.

[@augustwhite4630]

Hello Julian. I am currently recording with a 10y old Scarlet 2i2 1Gen and want to upgrade to something more professional (had a few songs on the radio and my interface is really lacking). I now have the chance to buy a used (1y old) UAD Apollo Solo Interface (with classic collection plugins) from a local recording studio and was wondering if it is worth the higher price point when compared to other (cheaper) interfaces (eg. Audient iD 14, SSL2/2+ or even UADs own VOlt 276). To be clear - i am looking to buy something that will serve me well for another 8-10 years of my musical journey. Thank you very much in advance and all the best!

[@markowalski1]

That's a really nice sweater

[@dakotaspencer8743]

Is the table at 10:46 available online in a spreadsheet somewhere?

[@sickofsycos8370]

Please review the Mackie Big Knob Studio+. It is an 18v unit with a 15v/5v digital board. I would like to know if this makes a significant difference with the noise floor and available headroom.

[@Dante-qf9yd]

I’ve been doing extensive research on this item and been looking for some answers. Someone made a video comparing the Apollo, Focusrite, SSL and another interface, they did a good job and I heard the difference between them. The Apollo sounded really good, making the others having lesser quality of sound. So I got my answer from there. The SSL was not so bad, just not as good. Now my question is, how will the Volt sound compared to the Apollo? I have an Apogee right now that sounds amazing, but won’t be compatible with my newer MacBook Pro Max. I’m not concerned with Apollo DSP, I’m more concerned about the quality of sound. So I want to know what the Volt sounds like next to the Apollo and will it be good as the X4.

[@kerosenefilms]

I’ve got an Apogee as well and looking at the Volt for the compression, etc. Did you get a Volt?

[@Dante-qf9yd]

@@kerosenefilms Yeah I have the Volt. It sounds really good, but I haven’t really had a chance to really test it out yet. But so far, it sounds about good as my Apogee. I’m trying to figure out what to buy next. Maybe I’ll get the SSL Big Six. But I’m thinking I can get what I want with this Volt.

[@kerosenefilms]

@@Dante-qf9yd Thanks for the update.

[@Dante-qf9yd]

@@kerosenefilms You’re r welcome.

[@HowardOlsen]

As always, Julian - I really appreciate you video - the depth of knowledge and insight and clarity you provide is amazing. I've got an Motu M2 and am very happy happy with it. but I get very animated and can have wild volume bursts. I'm a solo streamer and run a daily zoom call with live audinece streamed out to YT and FB. The only thing the M2 is lacking is Compressor. I tried the Tascam Mixcast but too much feedback off my speaker and I wont go to Headphones. So that leaves me with a DBX 286 into the M2 or perhaps this 276. What do you think? Volt or DBX or ???? I'd really appreciate your insight Vilen Dank

[@garygohmusic]

Thanks Julian for doing this! Not gonna lie, the "compressor" seems more gimmicky than useful, looking forward to your comparison of the 3 interfaces! Sometimes I do wonder if a mixer is better at this point since the lines seem to be blurring especially with products like the RME Fireface UCX II

[@baptistec.4546]

It’s a gimmick, thats true, most users already own extra plugins but how many of them know exactly how to use it ? I simply assume it’s an interface made for beginners or advanced amateurs, and it does the job pretty well ! My music level is high enough to qualify for an Apollo Twin or higher (without being presumptuous ofc!!) but to make music for me, family or friends, this interface has nothing to envy to its competitors of the same value. That’s why I ordered one after many years using an Apogee Jam+ (nice tiny gimmick-ish interface btw!) 🙂 Now if they communicate that a guitar/vocal duo can use a 276 stand alone on stage, they'll sell full containers !

[@Estoeslvl]

@@baptistec.4546 Also I see useful the compressor for better audio for streamers/video calls for example, people who doesn't know about audio, it should be an upgrade for them.