I've got a u22 and a Scarlett solo, I'd never really used the u22 much and have been recording (bass+guitar) with the solo, I live in a flat so only using headphones playing (and experimenting with some re-amping) through an analog amp/cab sim and a tube preamp. The sound from the amp/cab is split and goes to both the interface and my mixer and the output of the interface goes to the mixer, I've got monitoring on the interface switched off. I hear the sound of the instrument I'm recording before it gets to the interface but when I played back what I'd recorded it was sounding completely different, there was a lot missing from the sound. So going through a drawer I rediscovered the u22, connected it up and tried it, what a difference. The u22 has a slightly higher noise floor but reproduces the sound so much better than the Scarlett solo.
Thank you for the review. I was skeptical before sawing your video, but now it is a locked deal. I am going to get one. My only question is, is it truly 24bit 96Hz. I know that you have mentioned in the video, but are you able to select this in the computer. Could you please confirm this. Thanks again.
Prasanna Venkatesh Hi, thanks 😀👍 I have done a 24bit 96hz test in Cakewalk just now and the wav file of me recording my guitar through the zoom u22 is stamped 24bit 96hz, so I think that pretty much says yes. The zoom doesn't have a settings panel app so you set it to 24bit and 96hz in the audio settings part of your DAW's preferences page. Please note that I have downloaded and installed the latest firmware update to my zoom u22 so I would strongly suggest to do the same, as it didn't work for me in Ableton Live until I updated the firmware. There is also a compatibility chart on the Zoom website, to check your DAW compatibility.
I just realized this doesnt have an sd card slot - you have to use it with a 2nd device! AHHHH - any recommendations for on the go? I have a dr05 but I'm thinking I should just get a Saramonic Smartrig II as its half the price of what I paid... I don't need another audio interface - I have a mackie profx6v3 and an allen & heath zedi8, as well as shure mvi and an m-audio m-track 2x2.
Sam Atherton I occasionally use the u22 with an OTG cable on my android phone (micro USB), OTG with USB-C is a dog so I use a 3.5mm headset socket splitter cable on my USB-C android tablet and a 5v condenser mic. I only get ideas down though, I do all my pro vocals in my DAW on pc.
José Nadesan Hi, the combined 1/4 inch jack / XLR mic input on the zoom U22 is a mono input and is turned off when a cable is connected to the 3.5mm stereo line input.
Can you connect 2 mics to the 3.5 jack via a splitter and then have them on single channels via the USB connection? I'm thinking about buying 3 of these to have 6 mics connected to my PC for a podcast 😬
Lyndon Hulme Hi, I would not recommend it... The 3.5mm socket has no phantom power so condenser mics won't work and it has no mic pre amp to boost the mic input volume (it's a line level input) so the recording level of a mic would be very very low. Also, you would need a Mac to run more than one audio interface at the same time (not supported in Windows). If you don't need to record each mic to a separate track, it would be better to use an audio mixer interface. If you need to record one track per microphone, the Tascam us16x08 would be a better solution.
Loststylus Turn the gain down, with the gain set to 8.5 or lower, I have no audible low level noise from the headphones jack. I always record with the gain set to 8.5
idriss Ben Jamaa Hi, thank you for your feedback, I'm glad you like my video. Yes, the u22 works with other software. If you take a look at my Komplete Kontrol video you will see I am using the u22 and the Kontakt plug in. Komplete kontrol also includes Reaper and that worked with the u22 too. ua-cam.com/video/x_oIEhB1_CA/v-deo.html
krishnachaitanya meka Hi, I don't have a NTG1 but I haved used a NT1 with the zoom u22 connected to an Android phone to record in the BandLab app the same way I used a XLR mic in this video... ua-cam.com/video/OkuoFQddCSU/v-deo.html Your android phone must fully support OTG, you must use a proper OTG cable and use the zoom u22 on battery power for the phantom power. Also, I have only tested it with an android phone with a micro usb socket... So I don't know if C type usb sockets will work (C type usb is a pretty dodgy version of usb).
sahara lei Luna Hi, I was literally just doing exactly that... So yes. I had my guitar plugged into the zoom u22, the zoom u22 plugged into my windows 10 laptop (with the usb cable), the zoom u22 stereo outputs connected to my yamaha drx12 pa speaker stereo line-in inputs and I was using guitar rig 4 in my DAW for guitar fx.
@@lukehutchings3718 It is about being able to be on the phone for 8 hours a day with some comfort. I am tired of my Jabra Evolve bluetooth headset. I also hope a dynamic mic will be slightly better to listen to than a condenser mic on a headset. I am at a supportdesk and my only phone is a mobile with VOIP integration via app.
Wannes Fey Hi, thanks for the interesting question. I have literally just tested it on an Android phone and it worked for me... But it isn't so simple. I connected a sm58 dynamic mic to the XLR input on the u22. I connected a 3.5mm cable from the headphones output on the u22 and turned on monitoring on the u22. I connected the 3.5mm cable to the mic socket of a trrs splitter cable, then connected headphones to the headphones socket on the spitter trrs cable. Finally, I connected the trrs splitter cable to my Android phone. Then I made a phone call. However... If you don't follow this procedure exactly it won't work, it won't work with a headset, trrs splitter cables are not a reliable connection so won't always work every time, the signal from the u22 phono outputs is too weak to trigger the splitter cable so you have to use the headphones output instead and if any part of this wiring setup comes loose you have to do the whole procedure again. I don't have an iphone or access to any other Android phone other than my honor 7x so I can't say if it would actually work with them.
@@IbandUK Well well, so it can be done bit not without hassle. Good question after all indeed.... Signalstrength is no exact science in these cases.... an intermittend factor. I will look into that and consider the U22 and/or some testing. Wondering if such a signal can be measured...... 🤔 Thank you so much!!
If you only have one input and want mic and guitar, get an XLR splitter and an XLR Male to TS (1/4 inch) Female adapter to give you two inputs, XLR mic goes into one Female XLR, then put the XLR Male to TS adapter on the other XLR Female input so you can plug in the guitar.
Arjun Sharma Hi, I don't have access to a Behringer u phoria umc202hd (I wouldn't use the umc22) so I can't comment on whether it is as good as a Zoom u22 or not but these are both the budget end of the market. I assume you want to record you playing your flute to a DAW on a computer so, if you don't have a DAW already, it is worth considering that the Zoom u22 ships with a download license for the Ableton live lite DAW.
Hi very nice video...can you help me with a doubt that will I be able to record a laptop output audio through 3.5 mm cable to the line in of this device. I am using windows 10. Your help will be greatly appreciated. It will be a life saver for me.
rajesh jc Hi, thank you for your feedback and your question. To answer your question directly, yes you can. I connected the headphone socket on my Hp G4 laptop to the line in input on the Zoom (using a standard 3.5mm stereo cable) and played a song using Groove Music on Windows 10 at full volume. I recorded it to Ableton live lite on my imac. The recorded level was about 80 percent, so pretty high, and it sounded identical to the original song. I'm not sure though why you would want to record this way.
@@IbandUK Yes I just want to record only the audio out from the laptop to any recording device like zoom. its not regarding music its just about voice clips that I am not able to locate on my laptop, but I am able to play it. I need that audio for my job. I got it right up to the stereo cable but I then got confused about Ableton live lite. I just want the audio from the laptop recorded in a better audio quality and send it to my coworkers through e mail or so.
rajesh jc I see, using the same laptop for both playing the audio clip and using the Zoom/Ableton live lite is slightly different to my original test. You would need to make sure you can set the output of the software that plays the clip to headphone/line out in the "speaker output settings" (in "other options") of win 10 (right mouse click the speaker icon in the windows bar at the bottom of the screen to find the speaker output settings ) and use the volume control of that software to control the recorded volume of the clip. The software will only appear in "other options" of the "speaker output settings" when the software is open. This set up worked on my laptop.
Jack Hi, thanks for your question. Unfortunately not, the zoom u22 is basically an external soundcard so needs to be connected to a windows or mac computer or an android/ios device. If you connected your keyboard to the input on the zoom u22, without connecting the u22 to a computer (or android/ios device), it would simply pass the sound from your keyboard straight to the ouputs on the zoom u22.
Arrokoth Hi, the zoom u22 has a stereo pair of phono outputs on the back for connecting to monitor speakers, either by using a pair of mono phono cables or using a pair of mono phono to 1/4 in jack (or required connector) adapter cables.
Social S Hi, thank you for your question. Sadly no, although the u22 has a stereo 3.5mm input as well as a mono mic (or guitar) input, when you plug a 3.5mm stereo cable into the 3.5mm input it disables the mono input. So you can record either through the stereo 3.5mm or through the mono mic input but not both at the same time.
Tina Wong Hi, the 22 in the u22 name means 2 mono in 2 mono out (this is a standard reference that many audio interface manufacturers use). So the u24 is 2 mono in 4 mono out. In the case of the u24, that is 2 combo mono mic/line inputs... You could use one input for a mic and ther other input for music but the music would be in mono instead of stereo. So if you don't mind the music not being in stereo (and being in stereo probably isn't that important for UA-cam videos), then yes you could use a u24. For clarity here, the u44 is 4 mono in and 4 mono out but it needs a special adapter (optional extra) to use inputs 3 and 4... At which point, on price alone, the u44 isn't a good choice (total price would be similar to a tascam us16x08).
Partha Banerjee Hi, yes, check out my video, the last section shows how to connect the u22 to an Android phone or tablet. ua-cam.com/video/OkuoFQddCSU/v-deo.html Be aware though that all Android phones and tablets are not made equal... your phone/tablet needs to fully support OTG (on the go) and you will need an OTG cable.
Thanks... 6:35 this was the important part I needed to know, many interfaces doesn't have an ASIO driver, and this is crucial! I might buy it!
@JoeX92
I'm glad you found my video helpful 😃👍
Great review, thankyou.
Trish Steele
Hi, thanks, I'm glad you found my video helpful 😀👍
Great video. Thanks for guiding us with your expertize. Thumbs UP!!! I'm already subscribed to your channel.
Carlos Saraiva
Hi, thanks, I'm always glad to help.
I've got a u22 and a Scarlett solo, I'd never really used the u22 much and have been recording (bass+guitar) with the solo, I live in a flat so only using headphones playing (and experimenting with some re-amping) through an analog amp/cab sim and a tube preamp.
The sound from the amp/cab is split and goes to both the interface and my mixer and the output of the interface goes to the mixer, I've got monitoring on the interface switched off.
I hear the sound of the instrument I'm recording before it gets to the interface but when I played back what I'd recorded it was sounding completely different, there was a lot missing from the sound.
So going through a drawer I rediscovered the u22, connected it up and tried it, what a difference. The u22 has a slightly higher noise floor but reproduces the sound so much better than the Scarlett solo.
@Stonemonkie1
Cool, thanks for your comment 😀👍
great review, kindly do video comparing it with other Scarlett interface
Nkhosi game changer
Hi, currently I don't have a scarlett interface but I have a new interface coming soon and will do a comparison video 😀👍
Great insight, thanks
Jontra Game4Us
Hi, thank you for your feedback, I'm glad you liked my video.
Thank you. Cheers!
@Seeitmove
😀👍
Great review, but the video quality is bad and the room is too dark. I would also decrease the sound volume a little bit (good backing track, btw).
Thanks to everyone who has liked, subscribed and taken the time to leave feedback.
Nice presentation, but your viewers need the test
Thanks for the feedback
You need it, don’t talk for everyone.
Great interface
Thanks for your comment
Thank you for the review. I was skeptical before sawing your video, but now it is a locked deal. I am going to get one. My only question is, is it truly 24bit 96Hz. I know that you have mentioned in the video, but are you able to select this in the computer. Could you please confirm this. Thanks again.
Prasanna Venkatesh
Hi, thanks 😀👍
I have done a 24bit 96hz test in Cakewalk just now and the wav file of me recording my guitar through the zoom u22 is stamped 24bit 96hz, so I think that pretty much says yes. The zoom doesn't have a settings panel app so you set it to 24bit and 96hz in the audio settings part of your DAW's preferences page. Please note that I have downloaded and installed the latest firmware update to my zoom u22 so I would strongly suggest to do the same, as it didn't work for me in Ableton Live until I updated the firmware.
There is also a compatibility chart on the Zoom website, to check your DAW compatibility.
@@IbandUK Thanks a lot for your quick reply. Much appreciated. :)
I just realized this doesnt have an sd card slot - you have to use it with a 2nd device! AHHHH - any recommendations for on the go? I have a dr05 but I'm thinking I should just get a Saramonic Smartrig II as its half the price of what I paid... I don't need another audio interface - I have a mackie profx6v3 and an allen & heath zedi8, as well as shure mvi and an m-audio m-track 2x2.
Sam Atherton
I occasionally use the u22 with an OTG cable on my android phone (micro USB), OTG with USB-C is a dog so I use a 3.5mm headset socket splitter cable on my USB-C android tablet and a 5v condenser mic.
I only get ideas down though, I do all my pro vocals in my DAW on pc.
Is the xlr input also stereo? I would like to connect my 4 channel mixer which has xlr outputs.
José Nadesan
Hi, the combined 1/4 inch jack / XLR mic input on the zoom U22 is a mono input and is turned off when a cable is connected to the 3.5mm stereo line input.
Can you connect 2 mics to the 3.5 jack via a splitter and then have them on single channels via the USB connection? I'm thinking about buying 3 of these to have 6 mics connected to my PC for a podcast 😬
Lyndon Hulme
Hi, I would not recommend it... The 3.5mm socket has no phantom power so condenser mics won't work and it has no mic pre amp to boost the mic input volume (it's a line level input) so the recording level of a mic would be very very low.
Also, you would need a Mac to run more than one audio interface at the same time (not supported in Windows).
If you don't need to record each mic to a separate track, it would be better to use an audio mixer interface. If you need to record one track per microphone, the Tascam us16x08 would be a better solution.
I like it, but it has a lot of low-level noise from the headphone jack even when no source is connected.
Loststylus
Turn the gain down, with the gain set to 8.5 or lower, I have no audible low level noise from the headphones jack. I always record with the gain set to 8.5
Hi, thanks for the video! Is it possible to use a different software from abelton to use the U-22? I have Reaper and Kontakt.
idriss Ben Jamaa
Hi, thank you for your feedback, I'm glad you like my video. Yes, the u22 works with other software. If you take a look at my Komplete Kontrol video you will see I am using the u22 and the Kontakt plug in. Komplete kontrol also includes Reaper and that worked with the u22 too.
ua-cam.com/video/x_oIEhB1_CA/v-deo.html
IbandUK thank you very much for the reply!
Can We connect Rode NTG1(XLR Phantom Power) into this and then connect it to an android phone to record the audio?
krishnachaitanya meka
Hi, I don't have a NTG1 but I haved used a NT1 with the zoom u22 connected to an Android phone to record in the BandLab app the same way I used a XLR mic in this video...
ua-cam.com/video/OkuoFQddCSU/v-deo.html
Your android phone must fully support OTG, you must use a proper OTG cable and use the zoom u22 on battery power for the phantom power. Also, I have only tested it with an android phone with a micro usb socket... So I don't know if C type usb sockets will work (C type usb is a pretty dodgy version of usb).
Wow, will it work on windows 10? I wanna use it live using my Guitar plug in on my laptop and send the signal direct to the PA.
sahara lei Luna
Hi, I was literally just doing exactly that... So yes.
I had my guitar plugged into the zoom u22, the zoom u22 plugged into my windows 10 laptop (with the usb cable), the zoom u22 stereo outputs connected to my yamaha drx12 pa speaker stereo line-in inputs and I was using guitar rig 4 in my DAW for guitar fx.
@@IbandUK WOW, thanks a lot brother for your help. God bless you ☺️
Cool, but can it be used between XLR mic + headphones and a cellphone on 3,5 mm jack to make calls with headset and mic?
Why would you even want to do this? 🤔
@@lukehutchings3718 It is about being able to be on the phone for 8 hours a day with some comfort. I am tired of my Jabra Evolve bluetooth headset. I also hope a dynamic mic will be slightly better to listen to than a condenser mic on a headset. I am at a supportdesk and my only phone is a mobile with VOIP integration via app.
Wannes Fey
Hi, thanks for the interesting question.
I have literally just tested it on an Android phone and it worked for me... But it isn't so simple.
I connected a sm58 dynamic mic to the XLR input on the u22. I connected a 3.5mm cable from the headphones output on the u22 and turned on monitoring on the u22. I connected the 3.5mm cable to the mic socket of a trrs splitter cable, then connected headphones to the headphones socket on the spitter trrs cable. Finally, I connected the trrs splitter cable to my Android phone. Then I made a phone call.
However...
If you don't follow this procedure exactly it won't work, it won't work with a headset, trrs splitter cables are not a reliable connection so won't always work every time, the signal from the u22 phono outputs is too weak to trigger the splitter cable so you have to use the headphones output instead and if any part of this wiring setup comes loose you have to do the whole procedure again.
I don't have an iphone or access to any other Android phone other than my honor 7x so I can't say if it would actually work with them.
@@IbandUK Well well, so it can be done bit not without hassle. Good question after all indeed.... Signalstrength is no exact science in these cases.... an intermittend factor. I will look into that and consider the U22 and/or some testing. Wondering if such a signal can be measured...... 🤔 Thank you so much!!
If you only have one input and want mic and guitar, get an XLR splitter and an XLR Male to TS (1/4 inch) Female adapter to give you two inputs, XLR mic goes into one Female XLR, then put the XLR Male to TS adapter on the other XLR Female input so you can plug in the guitar.
Thanks for your comment.
Shall i go with zoom22 or behringer uphoria .... i play flute
Arjun Sharma
Hi, I don't have access to a Behringer u phoria umc202hd (I wouldn't use the umc22) so I can't comment on whether it is as good as a Zoom u22 or not but these are both the budget end of the market. I assume you want to record you playing your flute to a DAW on a computer so, if you don't have a DAW already, it is worth considering that the Zoom u22 ships with a download license for the Ableton live lite DAW.
Hi very nice video...can you help me with a doubt that will I be able to record a laptop output audio through 3.5 mm cable to the line in of this device. I am using windows 10. Your help will be greatly appreciated. It will be a life saver for me.
rajesh jc
Hi, thank you for your feedback and your question. To answer your question directly, yes you can. I connected the headphone socket on my Hp G4 laptop to the line in input on the Zoom (using a standard 3.5mm stereo cable) and played a song using Groove Music on Windows 10 at full volume. I recorded it to Ableton live lite on my imac. The recorded level was about 80 percent, so pretty high, and it sounded identical to the original song. I'm not sure though why you would want to record this way.
@@IbandUK Yes I just want to record only the audio out from the laptop to any recording device like zoom. its not regarding music its just about voice clips that I am not able to locate on my laptop, but I am able to play it. I need that audio for my job. I got it right up to the stereo cable but I then got confused about Ableton live lite. I just want the audio from the laptop recorded in a better audio quality and send it to my coworkers through e mail or so.
rajesh jc
I see, using the same laptop for both playing the audio clip and using the Zoom/Ableton live lite is slightly different to my original test. You would need to make sure you can set the output of the software that plays the clip to headphone/line out in the "speaker output settings" (in "other options") of win 10 (right mouse click the speaker icon in the windows bar at the bottom of the screen to find the speaker output settings ) and use the volume control of that software to control the recorded volume of the clip. The software will only appear in "other options" of the "speaker output settings" when the software is open. This set up worked on my laptop.
@@IbandUK Thank you
This went on sale for $29.99. Im a happy customer lol
@Playerism
Cool bargain 😃👍
Can u get sound from it without a pc to improve my keyboard sound.
Jack
Hi, thanks for your question. Unfortunately not, the zoom u22 is basically an external soundcard so needs to be connected to a windows or mac computer or an android/ios device. If you connected your keyboard to the input on the zoom u22, without connecting the u22 to a computer (or android/ios device), it would simply pass the sound from your keyboard straight to the ouputs on the zoom u22.
IbandUK Thank you very much for answer.Kind regards
Can i connect monitor speakers in it?
Arrokoth
Hi, the zoom u22 has a stereo pair of phono outputs on the back for connecting to monitor speakers, either by using a pair of mono phono cables or using a pair of mono phono to 1/4 in jack (or required connector) adapter cables.
@@IbandUK thank u
I am a fitness instructor and I'd like to record a video having both audio input from a device and also a microphone. Is that possible?
seems like it is only 1 in and 2 out
Social S
Hi, thank you for your question. Sadly no, although the u22 has a stereo 3.5mm input as well as a mono mic (or guitar) input, when you plug a 3.5mm stereo cable into the 3.5mm input it disables the mono input. So you can record either through the stereo 3.5mm or through the mono mic input but not both at the same time.
IbandUK thank you very much! Would U24 be able to serve that purpose?
Tina Wong
Hi, the 22 in the u22 name means 2 mono in 2 mono out (this is a standard reference that many audio interface manufacturers use). So the u24 is 2 mono in 4 mono out. In the case of the u24, that is 2 combo mono mic/line inputs... You could use one input for a mic and ther other input for music but the music would be in mono instead of stereo. So if you don't mind the music not being in stereo (and being in stereo probably isn't that important for UA-cam videos), then yes you could use a u24.
For clarity here, the u44 is 4 mono in and 4 mono out but it needs a special adapter (optional extra) to use inputs 3 and 4... At which point, on price alone, the u44 isn't a good choice (total price would be similar to a tascam us16x08).
@@IbandUK thank you so much for the explanation! I am contemplating if I should go for Zoom U24 or Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. What would you recommend?
can this be connected with Android mobile/tablet? pls. reply
Partha Banerjee
Hi, yes, check out my video, the last section shows how to connect the u22 to an Android phone or tablet.
ua-cam.com/video/OkuoFQddCSU/v-deo.html
Be aware though that all Android phones and tablets are not made equal... your phone/tablet needs to fully support OTG (on the go) and you will need an OTG cable.
@@IbandUK thanks
Hi, is this supossed to record my electroacoustic guitar directly to my iPhone 6s? How Can i do that?
kevin gutierrez
I don't have one to test but you need the usb camera adapter I do believe.
It looks like you were kidnapped by the National Liberation Army. Great review though.
Hi, thank you for your feedback, I'm glad you like my video.