Every person who decides to devote himself to music should understand not only the notes and sounds, but also the equipment that will help him in creating this very melody. And just listening to songs in good quality will bring much more pleasure than using headphones, “plugs” for 100 rubles. It is for these purposes that the external sound card Steinberg UR22 serves.
Assembly and connection
We will start with the appearance of the device. The sturdy metal case, durable mounts and stable I / O connectors allow you to move the equipment without fear that it will fall apart on the road. Yes, and most users respond positively about this moment. At the same time, the design of the case is able to fit into almost any interior, which is good news. With the reliability that metal provides, one could imagine a sort of “tank”. But no! Minimalism and accuracy are the motto of the creators of Steinberg UR22.
What can be said about connecting the device to a computer. Compared with the previous released model, the creators of the device we are considering took an interesting step: the sound card is connected to the computer via the USB 2.0 interface and does not require any additional Cubase series programs. Due to this, the price was much reduced, which cannot but rejoice.
However, here the first problems begin. Judging by user reviews, for many, the device stops working after a while, or rather, the sound disappears. In most cases, this is due to computer illiteracy. To solve this flaw, you need to check the version of USB ports on the PC. In order for the sound to reappear, you just need to connect to the 2.0 ports, not 3.0, like most.
Cost
Since we are talking about the price, here we can not help but rejoice. But there are also cons. As already mentioned, the price has fallen significantly compared to previous devices in this series. But what could it be connected with?
The fact is that the licensed utility Cubase AI comes with the Steinberg UR22 device. Although it allows you to immediately start working, it does not have full functionality. But this program can be updated to the full version much cheaper than if you buy it from scratch. Here are some examples:
- Buying a Cubase 7 Retail version costs about 25 thousand rubles. When updating AI, you will pay only 17,000.
- If you are going to buy Cubase artist 7 retail for 12 thousand, then instead you can upgrade AI to a similar version for only 8 000.
As you can see, the benefits of buying a Steinberg UR22 are obvious even to the most inexperienced buyer. Yes, and user reviews of this device are encouraging. Almost everyone agrees that for such a price the quality is quite consistent.
Control
All control knobs are located on the front panel. At the back, there are only a few connectors. In fact, you can, having connected all the necessary equipment 1 time, put the device into the box and only open it a little for adjustment. This is undoubtedly convenient. We recall at the same time that the utility installed on the computer does not have wide settings, and we conclude that all device control can be done from the hardware panel.
As for the device driver itself, only two settings can be selected in it.
- Sampling rate.
- Buffer size
You can configure the rest from the device itself. It is debatable enough what is more convenient for the user and which control method is preferable, but most buyers separately highlight the ability to adjust the headphone volume regardless of other sound in the Steinberg UR22. Reviews are only positive.
Characteristics
What can be said about the technical component? Steinberg UR22 delivers excellent results on various tests. But we will start with the declared parameters. The minimum buffer size that you can configure through a computer is 64 bits. At the same time, the device supports frequencies from 44.1 to 192 kHz. Which is pretty good. If you strain a little and test, you can find out that the minimum delay in the buffer will be only 9 ms.
If you play, for example, on a MIDI keyboard and use virtual musical instruments, this number will be halved. Thus, the device we are considering is very well suited for studio recording.
Tests
What the creators and designers of devices say to us is, of course, good, but what does practice show? Let's try to analyze the Steinberg UR22 device that you are reading now with RightMark Audio Analyzer.
- Frequency response - 4.
- Noise level - 5.
- The dynamic range is 5.
- Harmonic distortion - 4.
- Harmonic distortion and noise - 3.
- Intermodulation distortion - 5.
- Channel Interpenetration - 3.
- Intermodulation - 4.
Grades were set from 1 to 5 depending on the test results. We did not spread the exact values, as professionals can do this on their own, and for those who do not understand physics, the data will not say anything. In general, you can see that the average score for the test is 4. This is not so bad, especially considering the price category of the product.
Practice
Any tests and analyzes of equipment are an important part of the selection of compatible devices. But the most important thing is how the devices will sound in practice. In order to better appreciate the sound of this sound card, compare it with the "brother" in the category EMU 0204 USB. As monitors (speakers) we will use ordinary budget equipment, which you should not even call.
On a subjective view, “0204” sounds a little better. They benefit in quality due to a bit more granularity. The difference is felt in the duration of the reverb. In addition, installed Yamaha preamps provide saturation, but to a small extent. So it’s difficult to challenge customer reviews - the quality is on top.
Compatibility
Separately, it is worth mentioning the drivers that come with the kit. They are excellently installed on most operating systems of the Windows and Mac families. For some, a surprise will be the lack of support for Windows 10, although other versions (up to XP) work just fine. To install on a MacBook, you will need an OS version 10.5.8 or later, and this should not cause any special problems.
If we talk about music and sound programs, then Steinberg UR22 will surprise us. Its compatibility is beyond praise. It works in conjunction with almost any software, supporting two output channels. Sometimes you can find reviews in which customers complain that the Steinberg UR22 does not work with Logic Pro. Often this is due to problems on the user’s computer, so they won’t be able to predict their interaction in advance.
findings
Once we have provided you with a review of the Steinberg UR22 and reviews about it, you can summarize. What are the benefits that customers find in this device?
- Compactness.
- Reliability.
- Sound quality.
- Price.
- Equipment.
As you can see, this list includes most of the elements that people pay attention to when buying. As for the shortcomings, then, according to consumers, they are not. The difference in sound or delay can be noticed only by high-level professionals or people with very subtle hearing. In general, this is a worthy device for its money with the possibility of additional expansion through the acquisition of specialized professional programs. Despite the fact that the technical laboratory assessment is 4, users put a solid five, and it is almost impossible to find dissatisfied, because you do not need instructions to use Steinberg UR22. Try it yourself to see for yourself!