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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
Quote from: tradja on November 04, 2005, 02:55:10 PMThe 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.

Quote from: tradja on November 04, 2005, 02:55:10 PMThe 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.

Quote from: tradja on November 04, 2005, 02:55:10 PMAlso, 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.

Quote from: tradja on November 04, 2005, 02:55:10 PMAre there any other new budget preamps out there, essentially replacing the niche that the UA-5 held?

None of which I'm aware.