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Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: tradja on November 04, 2005, 02:55:10 PM

Title: New crop of budget preamps?
Post by: tradja on November 04, 2005, 02:55:10 PM
After a $140 repair this spring, my UA-5 is acting up again.  I'm tired of this lemon. 

I just got the new Sweetwater Winter 2006 ProGear catalog.   There are some intriguing new devices out there around $200 (my budget).  I wonder of any of these would work for our purposes, especially being able to function without USB?

The TonePort UX2 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TonePortUX2/)

The Alesis IO2 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/io2/)

Also, what's the verdict on the UA-25?  Are there any other new budget preamps out there, essentially replacing the niche that the UA-5 held?
Title: Re: New crop of budget preamps?
Post by: Brian Skalinder on November 04, 2005, 03:06:41 PM
The TonePort UX2 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TonePortUX2/)

Looks like all its control functions are s/w based, so...no go on this one.

The Alesis IO2 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/io2/)

Doubtful, given its powered via USB and includes no output options other than USB.  I suppose theoretically you could hack the USB connector to run power from an external power source, and a digi-signal out to a non-USB source, but...maybe, maybe not.

Also, what's the verdict on the UA-25?

Nope.  Its configurations, e.g. bit-depth, sample rate, etc., are all managed on the software side.  Same issue as the UX2 above.

Are there any other new budget preamps out there, essentially replacing the niche that the UA-5 held?

None of which I'm aware.