Hello Ola ! Thank you for your work and videos ! Please tell or try to recreate a similar this sound: "Lee Malia - Bring Me The Horizon pedal overview with Boss" (1:58) You will understand what I mean when you hear. I can't paste the link, my messages are then blocked It didn't work for me.... (I used all the equipment from that video and many others over the years) 😔 You, too, have never had anything like this on your channel in terms of the nature and structure of the sound, like many other blogger musicians. If you can get at least 70-80% closer to such a sound, I will be very grateful to you and you will help me (perhaps us) a lot. (sorry for my bad English)
@@OlaEnglund I just bought Motu M4 because of it's features and and really low latency. How do I know if the input/preamp is clean enough or comparable with the unit you have tested right here?
@@OlaEnglundFAQ: I'm curious how to reamp with an interface with only a left and right stereo output. I always assumed I couldn't do it with Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 because of this. Master Ola, please give us your knowledge.
Hi there, The reason why a Volt interface do not "unlock" your UAD plugins is because the Volt do not have the processing chips that the Apollo comes with to run the UAD Plugins. So it's not going to happen unless Universal Audio release a "standard" version of their plugins that runs on your computer and not directly on their hardware. Which is not likely to happen as they have done that to reduce latency as much as possible and maybe also to keep their customers buying their stuff over other brands so they don't have to buy another library of plugins if they leave UAD. I think they make some of the best interfaces and plugins but they also kind of want to "trap" you in their eco-system.
No it doesn't.... Preamps exist for a reason, the lower your gain the higher your noise (when leveled again). You always want to set your gain as high as possible in relation to the source. If that wasn't the case then preamps would be totally useless ;)
I feel like it's up to the laptop/desktop manufacturer to include all necessary I/O to enable most modern devices. The interface manufacturer can send as many cables as they want, and Apple will continue to remove I/O from their laptops and desktops so that they can market unnecessary dongles and adapters to their customers.
The Volt is also very much a value-oriented piece of gear, and it's primary targeted at people looking to get their first interface or who are maybe relatively new to recording in general. USB type-A is still way more ubiquitous than type-C, and with UAD trying to minimize costs where they can to reach their target price, it just doesn't make sense for them to include more than one cable, or only include the one that's less likely to be used by most their target consumer. And honestly most people who are in a USB-C dominate ecosystem still keep an adapter or hub around for type-A needs.
I was looking for this comment. Not sure how long the Native plug-ins or Spark have been arround, but yeah work just fine with the VOLT. The VOLT doesn’t have the DSPs like the Apollos obviously, and therefore can’t run the UAD-2 plug-ins.
I feel like UAD once again misses the mark with these units once you go up the range. They just end up having a lot less I/O compared to say Focusrite in the same price range and to me the built in compressor and whatnot don't make up for that. I feel their more pricy interfaces have the exact same issue where things like non-optical SPDIF is just missing and the amount of analog inputs/outputs is quite low compared to other brands. Software support is also not UAD's strong suit.
This range is cheaper than their other interfaces because they don’t have the onboard chips to run the UA plugins. They are targeting a different market with these. They are now offering plugins that don’t need the hardware processors if you wanted to access their plugins with this cheaper line or any non-UA interface for that matter.
He isn't talking about having the interface run the plugins, running the plugins in your DAW requires the UAD hardware but this hardware won't work to allow your use of the plugins you have already purchased and are offloading from the hardware already.
Gotta love when software is arbitrarily locked behind hardware. Am I supposed to believe my PC cant run their plugins and only the little DSP in their interfaces can?
Probably, because the DPS does things by hardware, which means lower latency and better general performance. The problem is that the plugs use some DPS instructions that are not present in a regular processor. That's the use of a DSP, and it would be absurd to emulate it by software, having the hardware.
@@matasg7600 Fuck everything that is a subscription. Time to go back to old school methods of recording boys. This whole "you will own nothing and be happy" shit needs to stop.
In my experience, their DSP was not great. I had the Apollo Twin Duo MkII, and it could only run two or three plugins before crapping out. It was also a huge pain to record loopback. The sound quality was great but everything else, not really.
@@breadnaut3087 I agree, if they've proved that they can make versions of the plugins without the need for the Apollo's DSPs then why can we not just buy a single plugin and own it outright, and if it's as good as they think it is then why not charge a little bit extra for it, I think that the idea of a subscription model for any kind software is very flawed
I have the Volt 2 and was surprised by how good the headphone amp is in it. Compared to Focusrite and some other, cheaper ones, it's definitely a step up. I think it's the same one as in the arrow but I may be wrong.
Hi, does it work well with humbuckers? My Steinberg ur22c is clipping when I play my Seymour Duncan JB equipped guitar, directly to an instrument input of the interface, even while an input knob is set to 0.
@@rassimkr9441 Good suggestion but that's not an option since I've got it optimal so it sounds good with my real amp. I've had already tried Volt 2, it's a bit better than UR22C but still sometimes clips when chugging palm mutes. Then I got Motu M2 and it's finally ok. I think the relevant parameter here is "maximum input level" which is +9 dBu (Steinberg)/ +12,5 dBu (Volt)/ +16 dBu (Motu).
Hi Ola, thanks for the review 🤘 Could you please do a nerdy review like you did in the past comparing the noise level and frequency response of that thing compared to your more expensive interfaces?
Ola, I just saw a video where you said you like the SLL2 for travelling. Do you think the Volt series are better for guitarist? Finally did you substitute the SLL2 interface for this Volt? I would really appreciate to know what are your thoughts. I remember the noise test you made for the SLL2 and was awful. Hopefully you had made a noise test on this one. Thanks a lot man. Saludos!!!
Hello Ola ! Thank you for your work and videos ! Please tell or try to recreate a similar this sound: "Lee Malia - Bring Me The Horizon pedal overview with Boss" (1:58) You will understand what I mean when you hear. I can't paste the link, my messages are then blocked It didn't work for me.... (I used all the equipment from that video and many others over the years) 😔 You, too, have never had anything like this on your channel in terms of the nature and structure of the sound, like many other blogger musicians. If you can get at least 70-80% closer to such a sound, I will be very grateful to you and you will help me (perhaps us) a lot. (sorry for my bad English)
hey! i'm to new to audio interfaces and such, but could i ask why your plugins won't work with the volt 1? is there something i need to check beforehand? i'm thinking of getting bias fx 2 and was wondering what interface i should get. all recommendations would be appreciated. thank you!
Hi Ola, great review. I see one other use for the 48Volts phantom power, which comes in handy. I bought a Radial J48 box, that allows sending the DI signal in parallel to my tube amp and the audio interface or allow ground lifting. The DI Box is connected via XLR and phantom powered. So it's a good thing to have it.
Every one connecting directly sounds awesome, every one except me... Folks I have a problem with tone, my interface is cheap Behringer umc202hd, I'm connecting directly, impedance switch is set to instrument, gain is set below clipping. I have three guitars, all with different pickups, all sound dull, muddy and low gain. There are very few amp sims that I can make sound good "out of the box". My zero budget isn't helping either, I just can't buy stuff to try if it helps because I can't afford it right now. The main problem seems low gain, every amp sim needs some sort of boost either virtual or my real Maxon 808, without it there's no way I can achieve good saturated overdrive tone. My main guitar is 7 string LTD with active EMGs, but same goes for SDs and Sure pickups in two other guitars. I have no idea if I need di box or new better interface...
Did you fix it ? i did have a problem with my m audio solo interface .. I can’t get a metal tone with it even tho my guitar has an EMG Pickups .. only clean tone .. I returned it and im planning to get the volt soon
@@user-hf2yr3cz9s unfortunately not, I have learned to live with it ;) At some point I'll upgrade my interface too, but currently I can't afford even new cables ;)
"I always record at 0 gain...." thats so stupid, you have always to record at maximum level before clipping, otherwise it is totally useless to have 24 or 32 bits of dynamics. Physics and computer science 101, sorry.
There's a big problem with this interface which you haven't analyzed Mr. Ola... it doesn't have a "loopback" interface... so if you want to stream sound online... you are screwed.
How does this compare to the Scarlett, a Behringer or a Focusrite? Sorry if I'm too vague or I've spelled those wrong, I have no knowledge in audio interfaces. But one day, you know, I'd like to try one out and mess around with IRs.
That’s sort of what the 2 series is, but they are on the higher end of “budget”, maybe a 3 series is needed then? 🤔 Not sure how much further he could cut the price from the 2 series, they’re already very good value for the money, and Solar is still a decently small company
Hey Ola! I was surprised to hear that you record your guitar with the input gain at zero on your interface. I always heard that it was recommended to record with the highest possible volume before clipping. Can you tell me more? Thanks
Nah... this product has been subject of a lot of debate. Basically it seems its nothing special and that they avoided publishing certain specs. Im a bit tired of youtube framing everything as BEST EVAR even if its hedged with a question mark.
Well they could i include both usb c to usb a and usb c to usb c, but since they included only one of them, its clear to me why they chose c to a. Its a simple interface, so most people will probably use it for home recording, and most people dont have macbooks (if you are not a professional, why would you throw your money away for it) but normal pc, and most of them have ordinary usb a.
Well, and my laptops don't have a usb-c port. Don't discriminate against value pcs and laptops! If you can afford a new laptop or macbook with usb c, you can afford a cable :-P
Hey Ola!! My kid wants to start recording using his computer and I have no idea where to start. Would this be good for him to get up and running? Also a recommendation on what plug ins and other software I should get him. Thanks dood!! \m/
This would do the job more then fine, you could even go with a cheaper brand like focisrite. For software I would suggest using Reaper to record, it's very cheap, easy on the processor and it comes with lots of stock plugins for free.
Apogee Jam+ (if you don't need a condenser mic input with phantom power) and any NeuralDSP plug-in of your choice. As DAW, you can start with Reaper for example. The Jam can be used with any IOS device as well.
I use a focusrite scarlett solo which works great and you can use reaper as a DAW, the free trial (with all features) never expires and if you decide to buy it it's not very expensive. As for the plugins you can't go wrong with any of the Neural DSP stuff, they're a bit expensive but very very good
I don't know if you realize this but most guitar players plug a mic into the interface and then put the microphone in front of a speaker cabinet lol it would have been great to hear you include that in the demo as opposed to only focusing on di which I've never actually seen anyone ever do to be honest lol
"This is UAD hardware, why can't I use my UAD plugins with it?" That's because it's NOT UAD hardware, it's just UA hardware, as in Universal Audio. UAD is ONLY the name for their plugin line and their DSP accelerators. This interface is not the UAD Volt, it's the UA (Universal Audio) Volt, so there was no promise of it running the plugins. However, this is probably exactly why they have UAD Spark now, their subscription-based native plugins, so you could run those with the Volt.
Not all the plugins are included with the Spark subscription though. There was talk of adding more plugins to the collection, but that hasn’t happened yet. Plus, it’s a subscription based platform which honestly kind of blows. I’d be way more willing to do it if all the plugins were included instead of like 5 or whatever.
I got the 2 input volt interface three weeks ago and I love it, the plug-ins you get with it are great, especially the Marshall Plexi. You should have tried it in the video
Ola, you should look into the Audient id4 MKII interface. I have it and it is excellent. Really clean sounding preamps, JFET instrument input, and a really powerful headphone amp. I got it for 85 GBP without VAT
Gotta be able to use USB-C on your computer to get all you can out of the headphone amp. My old ASRock B350 board cannot do audio over USB-C for whatever reason.
@@soundstorm9508 I have an ID44 and have no complaints about the hi-z input. Would definitely use something better if I ever planned on re-amping, though.
@@amirtak9886 that's the one. I also bought a Countryman 85 DI just to compare. Many people rave about using those into the preamp for amp sims like Neural.
I had this, sold it to get the Volt 176....gotta be honest, I couldn't tell the difference having the built-in compression. But, the unit is easy-to-use. Like.....SUPER easy-to-use .
This reminded me of a old style ola gear video but now ola is super comfortable infront of the camera. This was super helpful just for interface 's in general. Love this shit 🤘🖤
I’m using nearly an identical rig here, for my traveling setup (travel for work). Strandberg 7 with Fishman Moderns -> Volt 1 -> brand new 16” MacBook Pro -> Logic Pro -> Neural DSP SLO. Aside from the huge disappointment of not being able to use my UAD plugins, I can’t seem to get a decent tone out of any Neural plug-in with the Volt. I’ve tried tons of googling and adjustments without any luck. I’ll be returning the Volt next week and have already ordered an Audient mkII interface, which are supposed to have top notch JFET hi Z inputs for instruments. The default input of the Audient is -10dB, while the Apollos (not sure about the Volt) are +10 on the Hi Z (not pad-able). So a 20dB difference. I have a hunch this could be the issue with the active pickups. Hoping it does the trick so I can just go back to jamming and recording without it sounding like a fizzy mess. If you have any advice for a rig like this I’m all ears, thanks Ola.
@@JackManDemand it was pretty good, but after a few more interfaces I settled on an Apollo Mk 2 Quad. I like their integrated software (console) more than the Audient, and I also already had a number of plug ins. I’m happy for now.
@@666meatballs they are definitely too hot for most recording interfaces, without some kind of pad. One thing that didn't help was that mine was a 7 string, so the extra low end makes the signal even hotter. I ended up moving away from active pickups and it's been fine with my UAD Arrow (same as Solo, which does have input pads if you need them).
The UAD plug-ins currently can't work with the volt, it's not just a hardware licensing barrier. As you mentioned early on in the video, the UAD interfaces all include DSP hardware, which is what the plug-ins are written for. It looks like they're beginning to roll the plug-ins out to run natively (i.e. without hardware) on a subscription plan, so it hopefully won't be long until you can, but subscriptions are pants! Running the plug-ins on DSP hardware has it's benefits - primarily the ability to use them during tracking with low latency within the UA Console application. It's UA's main selling point, so I can understand why they have held off porting them to run natively until now. Also, UA don't include Thunderbolt cables with their Apollos, it's really irritating!
Why adjust the project sample rate instead of the buffer?? In Reaper the lowest buffer (48 smples) my roundtrip latency is 3.0ms. Can't feel or hear 3ms. Granted I use an old RME FF400 not UA and their s/w has always been the best.
I have had so many interface/DAW combos over the years that I can't list them all. I was using the Focusrite Scarlett Solo into the Reaper DAW. It's a very solid budget rig. The Solo was $100 and the Reaper is like $60. But then I made the switch to the Helix board and that is my current interface. It is like Reaper was MADE for the Helix they work so well together. But for a budget rig the Focusrite Scarlett Solo is hard to beat
@@alecse5478 Doesn't the Beringer interface have like the worst preamp dynamic range out of everything Julian's tested? And i believe it's also capped at 16-bit. Idk, I feel like the Scarlett Solo is already such an excellent value (even cheaper if you get it used) that the Beringer becomes a pretty poor value proposition.
@@ahriik I dunno which Behringer model u are talking about? Maybe the very cheapest ones, which are indeed 16bit and might be dynamically limited somehow. I have the UMC202HD, which is 24bit and 192kHz and it cost only 66 euros! And it has TWO inputs!! Easily the best bang for the buck! And I remember Julian Krause test this one having super low noise at least.
@@MaximusAdonicus I was referring to the UM2, which is usually the one people are referring to because it's so darn cheap. The more expensive models are much more in line with entry-level interfaces from competing brands (it's worth noting that the HD models are different than the non-HD ones with the same model number - can be confusing to some). I've no doubt that pretty much anything above the UM2 is probably great, but I do think the value proposition starts to lose a bit of weight unless all you need is literally just inputs/preamps, and even then at $80-90 it doesn't feel like much of a bargain. The other options that typically have DSP implementation and often other niceties can definitely make for an interface that continues to offer worth even after the user has "outgrown" it.
Looking at one of these to go with....my new TREMOVERB! I am equally excited and terrified for this amp to arrive. Mesas are notoriously difficult to work on, but man....that tone you got 3 years ago I've never been able to shake. Brutal as fuck! Had to find one....Pray with me metal community.
For context the round trip on an X32 digital console from remote AES50 stage box through the consoles and back out into analogue is 8ms ( 2.74 m of distance). More or less you are in un-notable territory. When it comes to the in-room phase alignment of the source & playback at that soft of offset you re no where near nulling territory.
Nice concise video... but apart that, discovering your channel... I'm really wondering if there's any chance that you could be a relative (maybe far of grand nephew haha) to Robert Englund
Hello I am a beginner not an audio engineer, nor familiar with the fts on this interface but I know the vintage button cannot be undone in the recording, so would that effect the mixing process later on?. What would that do to the vocals aswell. Also so I could just leave the interface plugged in my pc and power it off by the on and off switch in the back and it wouldn't damage it?. I currently have a umc 204 HD but it gives a static buzzing sound although I changed the bit rate,cables,mics, got a ground loop so I'm thinking of switching to this one also I heard it gives mics like the sm7 and other mics more clean gain without needing cloud lifter.
IM A NOOB, I NEED HELP W/ YOUR REC: 1) I have a guitar, I want to plug it into my pc through an audio interface 2) I want to use my pc as my amp 3) I want to be able to use/download lots of different effects as to not spend on pedals (for now) 4) I want to use it to record/ make my own tracks and play to them (less important than 2) ) 5) I'm cheap What would you recommend?
I couldn't find any information on what is inside. What DAC, components... I assume it uses the same Cirrus Logic DAC as the Behringer UMC 202HD which costs half the price of UAD VOLT1
Clearly UAD has been following too close to Apples anti-consumer bs business moves with their respective products. The price of the volt just adds salt in the wound, and even IF one thinks UAD has the best preamps on the market. You can't justify when a company handicaps the functionality of their own product to make their more expensive products look better. Ween they could've easily had 2 cable types and allowed THEIR software on THEIR product for the same price. Great video though Ola!
Are the electronics proprietary? Could that be the raeason you cant use the plugins? Wouldn't be the first time some electronics was branded differently... just saying :D
1:30 I don't think that's a weird or "backwards" decision. Most computers still have the regular USB connection. I'd be bummed if there had been only a USB-C to USB-C cable included.
Bought a volt 1 a few months back and i cant get a Good sound out of it all plugins sound like you play on a clean Chanel and with a fuzz pedal. I know nothing about computers can someone bumb it down for me // Swedish village idiot :D
Cool demonstration of this AI, although I don’t play the guitar. I purchased it today and it costs me € 115.-. Much cheaper than a year before. Thank you for your review.
Hello Ola. Quick question concerning this very product ( amateurish I know): will it work all right with Bias FX2 and what type of cable do I plug it in to my Gibson Les Paul? Thanks for reply - I’ll appreciate it
This shit is way over my head. I haven't owned a computer since windows 98 lol. I'm about to buy one to upgrade the firmware in a couple things but boy do I have a lot of research to attempt.
Thanks for the review! Just wondering about the UAD plugins. I don't know this for sure as I don't have any of their stuff but I thought I remember hearing that they are only designed to run on the DSP of the higher model interfaces. If that is the case, that would explain why you can't use them with the Volt as there is no DSP. Could be wrong, though.
There’s no good reason other than to trap people into buying their DSP based interfaces. The M1 chip in Ola’s MacBook Air is many many times more powerful than the outdated SHARC processors in the Apollo units.
Wait is that true so the free plugins that come with this if you log in untill 30.04.2023 will be not usable with this ??? Thats soo stupid if thats true
You can't use the UAD plug-ins on the interfaces, because they don't have the hardware for it. That's also the reason why the interfaces are a bit cheaper. They simply have way less DSP on board. The apollo interfaces don't "unlock" the plug-ins, they literally run them on the hardware of the interface. Like an external DSP box. That used to be a big deal in the past, because CPUs were slow and DAWs poorly optimized, especially on Apple hardware. Nowadays, you can run hundreds of plug-ins on your CPUs, so that's not an issue any more. And I think they're slowly giving up on trying to compete in the plug-in/effects space because let's be real - are they going to sound better than NDSP with their amps? Or will their emulations of classic compressors etc. sound better than Slate stuff? Doubt it. So they're burning money trying to develop software instead of focusing their efforts on hardware.
Thanks for the videos. I’m currently building a simple home setup to record dry (signal) guitar tracks to be reamped in a real studio. I’m looking for a simple interface with studio quality. Do you think this could be it? Thanks!
Have a great Thursday everyone! I’m off work today!
I LOVE THIS DUDE !
Enjoy your day off
Hey! Do you use a Hi-Z option when recording guitarswith a UAI or without?
Hello Ola ! Thank you for your work and videos !
Please tell or try to recreate a similar this sound: "Lee Malia - Bring Me The Horizon pedal overview with Boss" (1:58) You will understand what I mean when you hear.
I can't paste the link, my messages are then blocked
It didn't work for me.... (I used all the equipment from that video and many others over the years) 😔
You, too, have never had anything like this on your channel in terms of the nature and structure of the sound, like many other blogger musicians. If you can get at least 70-80% closer to such a sound, I will be very grateful to you and you will help me (perhaps us) a lot.
(sorry for my bad English)
Ola please show us your new ESP RIPPED! We are hyped for it
1:42 ... Nope it's not weird, Ola. Most of the people buying this probably use cheaper laptop/pc...
first thing that came in my mind as well
di Bekasi bilang nya kaum "kere hore" bang wkwk 🤣
I might be wrong but how could you tell how clean the preamp is with the noisegate turned on?
I’ve played it for a week and tried reamping with it. It’s usually when you reamp that you hear how much noise it has
@@OlaEnglund I just bought Motu M4 because of it's features and and really low latency. How do I know if the input/preamp is clean enough or comparable with the unit you have tested right here?
would you say imcould use it to direct Monitor a Captor x?
@@OlaEnglundFAQ: I'm curious how to reamp with an interface with only a left and right stereo output. I always assumed I couldn't do it with Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 because of this. Master Ola, please give us your knowledge.
@@OlaEnglund allright Ola proofed 😉 -/,,/
I think the cable situation is if your buying the cheapest di box you probably dont have a top tier laptop pc imo..
Good point!
UAD VOLT 1 or Focusrite Scarlett solo?
Exactly, is there any difference in quality of the input to other interfaces in the price range?
Hi there,
The reason why a Volt interface do not "unlock" your UAD plugins is because the Volt do not have the processing chips that the Apollo comes with to run the UAD Plugins. So it's not going to happen unless Universal Audio release a "standard" version of their plugins that runs on your computer and not directly on their hardware.
Which is not likely to happen as they have done that to reduce latency as much as possible and maybe also to keep their customers buying their stuff over other brands so they don't have to buy another library of plugins if they leave UAD.
I think they make some of the best interfaces and plugins but they also kind of want to "trap" you in their eco-system.
UAD now has the spark - like you can have something like a mothly cloud payment and can use the plugins even without any UAD hardware... or the Volt.
@@gradientblue Ha ok I did not know that :) thanks for the info.
I don’t mind being trapped in an ecosystem that sounds better than any other software I’ve used
@@gradientblue I just checked out spark, it looks promising but is still far far away from original UAD plugin collection.
Just get neuraldsp plugins
How the hell did I never think of recording with gain at 0? This really cleans up my DI signal.
No it doesn't.... Preamps exist for a reason, the lower your gain the higher your noise (when leveled again).
You always want to set your gain as high as possible in relation to the source.
If that wasn't the case then preamps would be totally useless ;)
@@wertj3977 well it’s working for me lmao gain at 0 on the instrument setting of my input. Never sounded better.
@@wertj3977 WRONG LMAO. wtf is this misinformation
I feel like it's up to the laptop/desktop manufacturer to include all necessary I/O to enable most modern devices. The interface manufacturer can send as many cables as they want, and Apple will continue to remove I/O from their laptops and desktops so that they can market unnecessary dongles and adapters to their customers.
The Volt is also very much a value-oriented piece of gear, and it's primary targeted at people looking to get their first interface or who are maybe relatively new to recording in general. USB type-A is still way more ubiquitous than type-C, and with UAD trying to minimize costs where they can to reach their target price, it just doesn't make sense for them to include more than one cable, or only include the one that's less likely to be used by most their target consumer. And honestly most people who are in a USB-C dominate ecosystem still keep an adapter or hub around for type-A needs.
these days, UAD native plug ins work fine with this or any other interface
I was looking for this comment. Not sure how long the Native plug-ins or Spark have been arround, but yeah work just fine with the VOLT. The VOLT doesn’t have the DSPs like the Apollos obviously, and therefore can’t run the UAD-2 plug-ins.
Likes at 666. Do I like or let Satan ride?
Im done with interfaces and subscription based everything. I will own everything and be happy.
I feel like UAD once again misses the mark with these units once you go up the range. They just end up having a lot less I/O compared to say Focusrite in the same price range and to me the built in compressor and whatnot don't make up for that. I feel their more pricy interfaces have the exact same issue where things like non-optical SPDIF is just missing and the amount of analog inputs/outputs is quite low compared to other brands. Software support is also not UAD's strong suit.
4:10 cause like… science and engineering, man. This is a budget device with no onboard DSP.
Please try behringer umc202HD
Try 60 Bucks Behringer U-Phoria UMC22
This range is cheaper than their other interfaces because they don’t have the onboard chips to run the UA plugins. They are targeting a different market with these. They are now offering plugins that don’t need the hardware processors if you wanted to access their plugins with this cheaper line or any non-UA interface for that matter.
He isn't talking about having the interface run the plugins, running the plugins in your DAW requires the UAD hardware but this hardware won't work to allow your use of the plugins you have already purchased and are offloading from the hardware already.
I see. Still it’s a product line differentiation.
What's better this or Focusrite Scarlett?
Does it require cloudlifter with Shure sm7b?
Gotta love when software is arbitrarily locked behind hardware. Am I supposed to believe my PC cant run their plugins and only the little DSP in their interfaces can?
I mean there's the UAD Spark service now, but 1. It's a subscription model and 2. It's currently for Mac users only, which kinda sucks
Probably, because the DPS does things by hardware, which means lower latency and better general performance. The problem is that the plugs use some DPS instructions that are not present in a regular processor. That's the use of a DSP, and it would be absurd to emulate it by software, having the hardware.
@@matasg7600 Fuck everything that is a subscription. Time to go back to old school methods of recording boys. This whole "you will own nothing and be happy" shit needs to stop.
In my experience, their DSP was not great. I had the Apollo Twin Duo MkII, and it could only run two or three plugins before crapping out. It was also a huge pain to record loopback. The sound quality was great but everything else, not really.
@@breadnaut3087 I agree, if they've proved that they can make versions of the plugins without the need for the Apollo's DSPs then why can we not just buy a single plugin and own it outright, and if it's as good as they think it is then why not charge a little bit extra for it, I think that the idea of a subscription model for any kind software is very flawed
I have the Volt 2 and was surprised by how good the headphone amp is in it. Compared to Focusrite and some other, cheaper ones, it's definitely a step up. I think it's the same one as in the arrow but I may be wrong.
Hi, does it work well with humbuckers? My Steinberg ur22c is clipping when I play my Seymour Duncan JB equipped guitar, directly to an instrument input of the interface, even while an input knob is set to 0.
@@majkon93 Try lowering pick-ups from i mean make them far a little bit from the strings
@@rassimkr9441 Good suggestion but that's not an option since I've got it optimal so it sounds good with my real amp. I've had already tried Volt 2, it's a bit better than UR22C but still sometimes clips when chugging palm mutes. Then I got Motu M2 and it's finally ok. I think the relevant parameter here is "maximum input level" which is +9 dBu (Steinberg)/ +12,5 dBu (Volt)/ +16 dBu (Motu).
Hey I'm looking for some help on setting up my volt 176 , would you be willing to help me on this? -Thank you
Ola, this or the SSL2? What would you say?
Probably this because of the price
This or Motu M2?
Hi Ola, thanks for the review 🤘 Could you please do a nerdy review like you did in the past comparing the noise level and frequency response of that thing compared to your more expensive interfaces?
Ola, I just saw a video where you said you like the SLL2 for travelling. Do you think the Volt series are better for guitarist? Finally did you substitute the SLL2 interface for this Volt? I would really appreciate to know what are your thoughts. I remember the noise test you made for the SLL2 and was awful. Hopefully you had made a noise test on this one. Thanks a lot man. Saludos!!!
🖤
Hello Ola ! Thank you for your work and videos !
Please tell or try to recreate a similar this sound: "Lee Malia - Bring Me The Horizon pedal overview with Boss" (1:58) You will understand what I mean when you hear.
I can't paste the link, my messages are then blocked
It didn't work for me.... (I used all the equipment from that video and many others over the years) 😔
You, too, have never had anything like this on your channel in terms of the nature and structure of the sound, like many other blogger musicians. If you can get at least 70-80% closer to such a sound, I will be very grateful to you and you will help me (perhaps us) a lot.
(sorry for my bad English)
hey! i'm to new to audio interfaces and such, but could i ask why your plugins won't work with the volt 1? is there something i need to check beforehand?
i'm thinking of getting bias fx 2 and was wondering what interface i should get. all recommendations would be appreciated. thank you!
Hi Ola, great review. I see one other use for the 48Volts phantom power, which comes in handy. I bought a Radial J48 box, that allows sending the DI signal in parallel to my tube amp and the audio interface or allow ground lifting. The DI Box is connected via XLR and phantom powered. So it's a good thing to have it.
Every one connecting directly sounds awesome, every one except me...
Folks I have a problem with tone, my interface is cheap Behringer umc202hd, I'm connecting directly, impedance switch is set to instrument, gain is set below clipping. I have three guitars, all with different pickups, all sound dull, muddy and low gain. There are very few amp sims that I can make sound good "out of the box". My zero budget isn't helping either, I just can't buy stuff to try if it helps because I can't afford it right now. The main problem seems low gain, every amp sim needs some sort of boost either virtual or my real Maxon 808, without it there's no way I can achieve good saturated overdrive tone. My main guitar is 7 string LTD with active EMGs, but same goes for SDs and Sure pickups in two other guitars. I have no idea if I need di box or new better interface...
Did you fix it ?
i did have a problem with my m audio solo interface .. I can’t get a metal tone with it even tho my guitar has an EMG Pickups .. only clean tone .. I returned it and im planning to get the volt soon
@@user-hf2yr3cz9s unfortunately not, I have learned to live with it ;) At some point I'll upgrade my interface too, but currently I can't afford even new cables ;)
Great Video Ola 👍🏻👍🏻
Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺
"I always record at 0 gain...." thats so stupid, you have always to record at maximum level before clipping, otherwise it is totally useless to have 24 or 32 bits of dynamics. Physics and computer science 101, sorry.
There's a big problem with this interface which you haven't analyzed Mr. Ola... it doesn't have a "loopback" interface... so if you want to stream sound online... you are screwed.
For the same reason I've sold all of my UA plug-ins and interfaces... Bought Apogee Jam+, it is just awesome :D
How does this compare to the Scarlett, a Behringer or a Focusrite? Sorry if I'm too vague or I've spelled those wrong, I have no knowledge in audio interfaces. But one day, you know, I'd like to try one out and mess around with IRs.
Are you planning to make a budget series of Solar guitars?
You get a hell of a lot of guitar for what Solar is asking at their price point! Currently saving for my first solar artist series!
Man that would he soooooooo great
That’s sort of what the 2 series is, but they are on the higher end of “budget”, maybe a 3 series is needed then? 🤔
Not sure how much further he could cut the price from the 2 series, they’re already very good value for the money, and Solar is still a decently small company
There is already the 2 series?
@@HaydenMcCarry 2.5, 2.7 and 2.8 are all second tier guitars
Thanks for a great review but I just wondering between Volt1 vs SSL2 which one do you prefer for guitar recording ?
For ~150 euros it is really good but it costs more in my place. Btw is it really better than Behringer U-phoria?
Hey Ola! I was surprised to hear that you record your guitar with the input gain at zero on your interface. I always heard that it was recommended to record with the highest possible volume before clipping. Can you tell me more? Thanks
maybe because it was near clipping on gain zero
if it would ship with only usbC to usbC i would be furious..
Nah... this product has been subject of a lot of debate. Basically it seems its nothing special and that they avoided publishing certain specs. Im a bit tired of youtube framing everything as BEST EVAR even if its hedged with a question mark.
Well they could i include both usb c to usb a and usb c to usb c, but since they included only one of them, its clear to me why they chose c to a. Its a simple interface, so most people will probably use it for home recording, and most people dont have macbooks (if you are not a professional, why would you throw your money away for it) but normal pc, and most of them have ordinary usb a.
I recently bought this and I love it. It's better than a scarlett by a mile and I loved my old focusrite.
Hey I'm looking for some help on setting up my volt 176 , would you be willing to help me on this? -Thank you
@@ThmsGlnn hi Friends, which is better between Volt 1 and Arturia Minifuse 1?...
Well, and my laptops don't have a usb-c port. Don't discriminate against value pcs and laptops! If you can afford a new laptop or macbook with usb c, you can afford a cable :-P
We have a lot of very good options under 100USD, this UAD could be anything, but not best budget option.
can you give some examples?
@@visionofdisorder U-Phoria UMC202HD
@@Yanko_427 Please, do not compare universal audio and behringer...
@@KewKylyu why not? Brand doesn't define quality. At all.
Well, you saved me from spending money on Universal Audio plugins if I ever buy this interface 😂
Hey Ola!! My kid wants to start recording using his computer and I have no idea where to start. Would this be good for him to get up and running? Also a recommendation on what plug ins and other software I should get him. Thanks dood!! \m/
This would do the job more then fine, you could even go with a cheaper brand like focisrite. For software I would suggest using Reaper to record, it's very cheap, easy on the processor and it comes with lots of stock plugins for free.
I agree, I have this interface and it would be really good but you could even go for something more affordable.
Agreed
Apogee Jam+ (if you don't need a condenser mic input with phantom power) and any NeuralDSP plug-in of your choice. As DAW, you can start with Reaper for example. The Jam can be used with any IOS device as well.
I use a focusrite scarlett solo which works great and you can use reaper as a DAW, the free trial (with all features) never expires and if you decide to buy it it's not very expensive. As for the plugins you can't go wrong with any of the Neural DSP stuff, they're a bit expensive but very very good
I just bought this interface, I am so old school, hopefully I can figure it out, but I have Windows and not a Mac!
Agree, apple guys always make weird decisions xdd
btw amazing review^^
When Focusrite Scarlett 4gen - for example solo model. Please chęci this machine 😊🤟
I don't know if you realize this but most guitar players plug a mic into the interface and then put the microphone in front of a speaker cabinet lol it would have been great to hear you include that in the demo as opposed to only focusing on di which I've never actually seen anyone ever do to be honest lol
"This is UAD hardware, why can't I use my UAD plugins with it?" That's because it's NOT UAD hardware, it's just UA hardware, as in Universal Audio. UAD is ONLY the name for their plugin line and their DSP accelerators.
This interface is not the UAD Volt, it's the UA (Universal Audio) Volt, so there was no promise of it running the plugins. However, this is probably exactly why they have UAD Spark now, their subscription-based native plugins, so you could run those with the Volt.
Not all the plugins are included with the Spark subscription though. There was talk of adding more plugins to the collection, but that hasn’t happened yet. Plus, it’s a subscription based platform which honestly kind of blows. I’d be way more willing to do it if all the plugins were included instead of like 5 or whatever.
Yeah I know it's only a few of them for now
I got the 2 input volt interface three weeks ago and I love it, the plug-ins you get with it are great, especially the Marshall Plexi. You should have tried it in the video
Does it require cloudlifter with Shure sm7b?
They didn't include it because is the cheaper version 😂 why would they put a more expensive cable in the cheaper version
they sampled white noise, then added a fade out, like a reverse noise gate, and called it "vintage" ?
lmao
Ola, you should look into the Audient id4 MKII interface. I have it and it is excellent. Really clean sounding preamps, JFET instrument input, and a really powerful headphone amp. I got it for 85 GBP without VAT
Gotta be able to use USB-C on your computer to get all you can out of the headphone amp. My old ASRock B350 board cannot do audio over USB-C for whatever reason.
I just ordered the Audient id14 to replace the same interface Ola’s using here. Very high hopes for that JFET instrument input here.
@@soundstorm9508 I have an ID44 and have no complaints about the hi-z input. Would definitely use something better if I ever planned on re-amping, though.
@@soundstorm9508 I'm not sure about the mki, but if it is the mkII than you will love it.
@@amirtak9886 that's the one. I also bought a Countryman 85 DI just to compare. Many people rave about using those into the preamp for amp sims like Neural.
Here you see one of those rare times you'll need a cable from the box containing all the cables you've ever collected.
*why no fart comments? you guys are too serious here*
Thanks for the video. I’m trying to find a good Audio interface to hook up my guitar. With best quality!
Apparently the VOLT 2 is better than this one.
I had this, sold it to get the Volt 176....gotta be honest, I couldn't tell the difference having the built-in compression.
But, the unit is easy-to-use. Like.....SUPER easy-to-use .
what is good speaker set for under $350?
Unable to use UAD plugins, needle moved to the left.
This reminded me of a old style ola gear video but now ola is super comfortable infront of the camera. This was super helpful just for interface 's in general. Love this shit 🤘🖤
UAD is freaking ridiculous. What a rip off.
My uac-8 usb3.0 interface still works fine for me. When I do upgrade it'll have to have similar features and a thunderbolt 3 connection.
We need reviews using PC not only Mac hahaha
I’m using nearly an identical rig here, for my traveling setup (travel for work). Strandberg 7 with Fishman Moderns -> Volt 1 -> brand new 16” MacBook Pro -> Logic Pro -> Neural DSP SLO.
Aside from the huge disappointment of not being able to use my UAD plugins, I can’t seem to get a decent tone out of any Neural plug-in with the Volt. I’ve tried tons of googling and adjustments without any luck. I’ll be returning the Volt next week and have already ordered an Audient mkII interface, which are supposed to have top notch JFET hi Z inputs for instruments. The default input of the Audient is -10dB, while the Apollos (not sure about the Volt) are +10 on the Hi Z (not pad-able). So a 20dB difference. I have a hunch this could be the issue with the active pickups. Hoping it does the trick so I can just go back to jamming and recording without it sounding like a fizzy mess. If you have any advice for a rig like this I’m all ears, thanks Ola.
How's the Audient mkII interface? Have you been able to test it by now?
@@JackManDemand it was pretty good, but after a few more interfaces I settled on an Apollo Mk 2 Quad. I like their integrated software (console) more than the Audient, and I also already had a number of plug ins. I’m happy for now.
Im about to buy my first audio interface and have fishman moderns are u saying they dont run well with this interface?
@@666meatballs they are definitely too hot for most recording interfaces, without some kind of pad. One thing that didn't help was that mine was a 7 string, so the extra low end makes the signal even hotter. I ended up moving away from active pickups and it's been fine with my UAD Arrow (same as Solo, which does have input pads if you need them).
no,its not the best Interface only trash an to expensive ... there gives a lot of better one for cheaper price
Like?
I would have liked to see you compare noise level to the Apogee like you did with the SSL one.
The UAD plug-ins currently can't work with the volt, it's not just a hardware licensing barrier. As you mentioned early on in the video, the UAD interfaces all include DSP hardware, which is what the plug-ins are written for. It looks like they're beginning to roll the plug-ins out to run natively (i.e. without hardware) on a subscription plan, so it hopefully won't be long until you can, but subscriptions are pants!
Running the plug-ins on DSP hardware has it's benefits - primarily the ability to use them during tracking with low latency within the UA Console application. It's UA's main selling point, so I can understand why they have held off porting them to run natively until now.
Also, UA don't include Thunderbolt cables with their Apollos, it's really irritating!
I love the way this interface looks. Super snazzy!
Looks more like cheap junk to me..
@@ShadovvV It looks better then my behringer um2
Why adjust the project sample rate instead of the buffer?? In Reaper the lowest buffer (48 smples) my roundtrip latency is 3.0ms. Can't feel or hear 3ms. Granted I use an old RME FF400 not UA and their s/w has always been the best.
Thank you Sir. Very good video. Btw what do you think about Scarlett solo gen 4? For recording podcasts, listening to music and editing short films
I have had so many interface/DAW combos over the years that I can't list them all. I was using the Focusrite Scarlett Solo into the Reaper DAW. It's a very solid budget rig. The Solo was $100 and the Reaper is like $60. But then I made the switch to the Helix board and that is my current interface. It is like Reaper was MADE for the Helix they work so well together. But for a budget rig the Focusrite Scarlett Solo is hard to beat
I'm currently running a Focusrite Scarlett 2.2 and Reaper
Scarlet solo, stl amp hub and cakewalk works great for my needs
@@alecse5478 Doesn't the Beringer interface have like the worst preamp dynamic range out of everything Julian's tested? And i believe it's also capped at 16-bit.
Idk, I feel like the Scarlett Solo is already such an excellent value (even cheaper if you get it used) that the Beringer becomes a pretty poor value proposition.
@@ahriik I dunno which Behringer model u are talking about? Maybe the very cheapest ones, which are indeed 16bit and might be dynamically limited somehow. I have the UMC202HD, which is 24bit and 192kHz and it cost only 66 euros! And it has TWO inputs!! Easily the best bang for the buck! And I remember Julian Krause test this one having super low noise at least.
@@MaximusAdonicus I was referring to the UM2, which is usually the one people are referring to because it's so darn cheap. The more expensive models are much more in line with entry-level interfaces from competing brands (it's worth noting that the HD models are different than the non-HD ones with the same model number - can be confusing to some). I've no doubt that pretty much anything above the UM2 is probably great, but I do think the value proposition starts to lose a bit of weight unless all you need is literally just inputs/preamps, and even then at $80-90 it doesn't feel like much of a bargain. The other options that typically have DSP implementation and often other niceties can definitely make for an interface that continues to offer worth even after the user has "outgrown" it.
Looking at one of these to go with....my new TREMOVERB! I am equally excited and terrified for this amp to arrive. Mesas are notoriously difficult to work on, but man....that tone you got 3 years ago I've never been able to shake. Brutal as fuck! Had to find one....Pray with me metal community.
For context the round trip on an X32 digital console from remote AES50 stage box through the consoles and back out into analogue is 8ms ( 2.74 m of distance). More or less you are in un-notable territory. When it comes to the in-room phase alignment of the source & playback at that soft of offset you re no where near nulling territory.
Nice concise video... but apart that, discovering your channel... I'm really wondering if there's any chance that you could be a relative (maybe far of grand nephew haha) to Robert Englund
Hello I am a beginner not an audio engineer, nor familiar with the fts on this interface but I know the vintage button cannot be undone in the recording, so would that effect the mixing process later on?. What would that do to the vocals aswell. Also so I could just leave the interface plugged in my pc and power it off by the on and off switch in the back and it wouldn't damage it?. I currently have a umc 204 HD but it gives a static buzzing sound although I changed the bit rate,cables,mics, got a ground loop so I'm thinking of switching to this one also I heard it gives mics like the sm7 and other mics more clean gain without needing cloud lifter.
IM A NOOB, I NEED HELP W/ YOUR REC:
1) I have a guitar, I want to plug it into my pc through an audio interface
2) I want to use my pc as my amp
3) I want to be able to use/download lots of different effects as to not spend on pedals (for now)
4) I want to use it to record/ make my own tracks and play to them (less important than 2) )
5) I'm cheap
What would you recommend?
i have 0.3ms with a pod ux1 lol
I couldn't find any information on what is inside. What DAC, components... I assume it uses the same Cirrus Logic DAC as the Behringer UMC 202HD which costs half the price of UAD VOLT1
UAD do many many stupid things ..they don't respect their customers! that's just my opinion! I dont care about UAD at all and never will
Clearly UAD has been following too close to Apples anti-consumer bs business moves with their respective products. The price of the volt just adds salt in the wound, and even IF one thinks UAD has the best preamps on the market. You can't justify when a company handicaps the functionality of their own product to make their more expensive products look better. Ween they could've easily had 2 cable types and allowed THEIR software on THEIR product for the same price. Great video though Ola!
Are the electronics proprietary? Could that be the raeason you cant use the plugins? Wouldn't be the first time some electronics was branded differently... just saying :D
I have a Roland GO:MIXER Pro-X that works pretty good and it's 149 USD...I've wanted an Apollo but they're pretty spendy.
I don’t understand why Universal Audio are including plugin software if the Volts cannot support them…
1:30 I don't think that's a weird or "backwards" decision. Most computers still have the regular USB connection. I'd be bummed if there had been only a USB-C to USB-C cable included.
1:41 “why don’t they ship with USB-C to USB-C?” Because UA are cheap assholes.
Bought a volt 1 a few months back and i cant get a Good sound out of it all plugins sound like you play on a clean Chanel and with a fuzz pedal. I know nothing about computers can someone bumb it down for me // Swedish village idiot :D
Cool demonstration of this AI, although I don’t play the guitar. I purchased it today and it costs me € 115.-. Much cheaper than a year before. Thank you for your review.
Do I get you right, the Volt comes with plugins that cannot be used unless you have an additional UAD hardware connected?
Hello Ola. Quick question concerning this very product ( amateurish I know): will it work all right with Bias FX2 and what type of cable do I plug it in to my Gibson Les Paul? Thanks for reply - I’ll appreciate it
This shit is way over my head. I haven't owned a computer since windows 98 lol. I'm about to buy one to upgrade the firmware in a couple things but boy do I have a lot of research to attempt.
Thanks for the review! Just wondering about the UAD plugins. I don't know this for sure as I don't have any of their stuff but I thought I remember hearing that they are only designed to run on the DSP of the higher model interfaces. If that is the case, that would explain why you can't use them with the Volt as there is no DSP. Could be wrong, though.
There’s no good reason other than to trap people into buying their DSP based interfaces. The M1 chip in Ola’s MacBook Air is many many times more powerful than the outdated SHARC processors in the Apollo units.
@@soundstorm9508 yeah I don't doubt it...companies always trying to make their buck...
Wait is that true so the free plugins that come with this if you log in untill 30.04.2023 will be not usable with this ??? Thats soo stupid if thats true
Why wouldn't they have a usb c to usb c cable? Because most people aren't unfortunate enough to not have a usb a on their computer, sorry to say Ola!
You can't use the UAD plug-ins on the interfaces, because they don't have the hardware for it. That's also the reason why the interfaces are a bit cheaper. They simply have way less DSP on board. The apollo interfaces don't "unlock" the plug-ins, they literally run them on the hardware of the interface. Like an external DSP box. That used to be a big deal in the past, because CPUs were slow and DAWs poorly optimized, especially on Apple hardware. Nowadays, you can run hundreds of plug-ins on your CPUs, so that's not an issue any more. And I think they're slowly giving up on trying to compete in the plug-in/effects space because let's be real - are they going to sound better than NDSP with their amps? Or will their emulations of classic compressors etc. sound better than Slate stuff? Doubt it. So they're burning money trying to develop software instead of focusing their efforts on hardware.
Thanks for the videos. I’m currently building a simple home setup to record dry (signal) guitar tracks to be reamped in a real studio. I’m looking for a simple interface with studio quality. Do you think this could be it? Thanks!
Hello. what do you think about UA Volt 176 compared to Volt 1. Otherwise use up to 76 Compressor
This interface doesn't use its CPU to run UAD Plugins that's why they don't work on it.