PreSonus Studio 6|8

Function: USB Audio Interface
Price: $299.95
www.presonus.com

Overview: We’ve been anxiously waiting to get our hands on the Studio 6|8, the newest audio interface from PreSonus, and it definitely did not disappoint! Small enough to hold in one hand and throw into a gig bag, we love how much I/O and features PreSonus packed into this little box. Featuring 4 analog line outputs, a stereo headphone jack, and stereo S/PDIF, I/O, Studio 6|8 is ideal for a home/office setup or running tracks/playback from the stage.

Specifics: At the heart of the Studio 6|8 are four class-A XMAX pre amps with two mic/instrument/line inputs on the front and two mic/line inputs on the rear. Using audiophile-grade converters and low-jitter clocking, Studio 6|8 can operate at up to 24 bit 192kHz for extremely high definition recording. On the front panel, Studio 6|8 has four gain controls for the preamps, a main volume knob, and a headphone volume knob, as well as a button for 48k phantom power, an option to accept line level inputs on channels 1-2, a direct monitoring button, and an A/B switch that switches the headphone output between the main mix and a cue mix. The back panel sports a dedicated headphone output, four ¼” outputs, USB input and a MIDI/SPDIF connection, which is accompanied by a breakout cable that supplies the 5-pin MIDI connections as well as SPDIF digital connections. Possibly our favorite feature is the ladder-style LED meters on the front panel that gives you a visual on your inputs and main mix. Included with the interface is Studio One Artist, one of our favorite DAWs made just for creatives and musicians, as well as the Studio Magic Plug-in Suite, a collection of plug-ins that model a massive amount of studio gear legends, such as Arturia, Maag Audio, and Lexicon.

More: Solidly built, plenty of I/O, portable and sounds great.
Less: Not much.