KillerReviewz.info

Overall Rating

Functions, but not as high quality as advertized.
This device is great for those who just want to get sound in and out of the computer conveniently without plugging in too many audio cables. It is nice to sit down at a desk, plug in the USB hub, and get sound in and out right away. I used mine to connect out to my ADS monitors and in from my run-of-the-mill Behringer 802 mixer.

Key word “used.” After a few hours of listening to the device, both recording and playback, I realized that it actually sounded worse than the headphone output on my laptop. Now, realize that I am a stickler for audio quality - your needs may vary - but for those with good ears this may be useful information. The sound is dead and lifeless, without much clarity or image. It seems as though a veil lies between me and the music that I can’t get rid of.

This, my good-eared friends, is the problem with a cheap DAC. That’s the Digital-to-Analog converter, and it’s what takes the bits from your computer and decides how to make sound waves out of them. Devices such as this one are cheap for a reason - the DAC chips and op-amps and components in the signal path are cheaply bought and cheaply constructed, and you’ll get that signature veiled Behringer (oops, am I generalizing?) ‘cheap’ sound.

If you have good ears and know you will be able to hear a difference - do yourself a favor and invest in a good DAC and ADC instead of this. You will thank yourself many times later on for it. There are many options in the $100-$200 range that those with good ears will (unfortunately for our wallets) require.

So this review is mainly targeted as a warning to folks with discerning ears. However, if you’re just looking for simple input and output and aren’t running it to a good set of monitors or doing serious recording, then this will do just fine. If you know you won’t be able to hear the difference, there’s obviously no point in spending any more than this. Enjoy!

(As a side note - if you’re wondering why I care so much, let me put it simply: I end up listening to and enjoying more music when it sounds remarkably real. That’s all it is really.)

Overall Rating

Eliminate Buzz
Had nasty ground buzz recording directly through sound card. This device cleared it up. I use it to record music and spoken word in stereo and have been very impressed with the quality and quietness. The headphone jack on the side with volume control is very handy during recording too. It helps hear exactly what you are recording. Stereo out is handy too. Works great on laptop and desktop.