Topic: Shure X2u: In-Line Audio Interface

[digifish_music]

Video here...

http://www.shure.com/NewProducts/X2u/index.htm



It's a usb preamp in a can

http://www.gearwire.com/shure-x2u-wnamm09.html <- Video...ANNOYING video, as you will see

Frequency Response
20 to 20,000 Hz +/- 1 dB

Power Requirements
USB-powered, 500 mA, maximum

Digital Noise Floor (20 Hz to 20 kHz, A-weighted)
Minimum MIC GAIN setting: −81 dB FS
Maximum MIC GAIN setting: −78 dB FS

Sampling Rate
up to 48 kHz

Bit Depth
16 bit

Peak Signal Indicator (Tri-color)
OFF: −30 dB FS
Green: −30 to −12 dB FS
Yellow: −12 to 0 dB FS
Red: >0 (digital converter clipped)

Adjustable Gain Range
40 dB

Headphone Output
3.5 mm (1/8 inch)

[DSatz]

If I'm not mistaken MXL has had a product out for several months now with similar general function. These are designed for "tracking," not for stereo recording. No way is provided to synchronize a pair of them, so each channel has its own sample clock which may run slightly faster or slower than the other. Even if a computer can accept two simultaneous single-channel USB audio inputs, it can't sync their clocks.

It's all very frustrating. Schoeps and Neumann have nice digital microphones ready to sell, but the only available recording interface that could keep a pair of them powered and synched to a common clock costs over $1,000, and most settings require a computer. I hope that some day in the not too distant future, a simpler, less costly interface will be available, that isn't designed around having a connection to a computer.

--best regards