PreSonus Quantum HD Review: A Seamless Recording Tool Leave a comment

For the longest time, I struggled with latency when recording audio, or the time it takes for recorded sound to register on the display. I’d plug in my audio interface to my pc, get all my drums all mic’ed up, and have a tough time getting my stuff to sync up with no matter I used to be making an attempt to file over. The primary technology of PreSonus’ Quantum audio interfaces solved my issues a couple of decade in the past. They used speedier-than-USB Thunderbolt connections to provide me near-zero delay, thanks partly to the no-bloatware connection it shares with PreSonus’s Studio One software program.

PreSonus’s newest Quantum HD interfaces have raised the ease-of-use issue even additional. You get USB-C connectivity, a good cleaner design, higher display, and front-panel instrument inputs designed in collaboration with PreSonus mother or father firm Fender. There may be even now automated acquire leveling on inputs, which implies one particular person can arrange a big studio by themselves.

In the event you’re after an reasonably priced audio interface that competes with heavy hitters from Common Audio, Apogee, Focusrite, Audient, or SSL, amongst others, the brand new PreSonus Quantum HD fashions are implausible and sound nice. In the event you’re a Studio One consumer, they’re a no brainer.

Audio Boxers

Each the HD 2 and HD 8 fashions will not be a lot to have a look at, designed to cover on the desktop of a severe residence studio fanatic amongst different toys. They’re each black containers with blue accents and shade screens, they usually look comparatively nondescript when not in use. (That is good for costly studio tools, which might generally scream “Steal me!”) The bigger mannequin is rack-mountable, the smaller designed for desktop or cellular use, although you may simply set the bigger one on a desk like I did if you do not have a rack to mount it.

The development of the unit is stable and metallic, with good large vents on the perimeters to maintain it cool throughout longer monitoring periods. I like that it simply takes a typical three-prong energy cable, so you do not have to take care of a wall wart, and that it connects shortly to any trendy USB-C machine.

I’ve been a longtime PreSonus consumer of the whole lot from its Faderport controllers (USB gadgets that will let you use faders to regulate playback in most DAW software program) and Monitor Station (an outboard field the place you may plug in and swap between a number of audio system with easy button presses). The gear works properly and prices lower than most rivals.

Professional-tier equivalents from manufacturers like Common Audio and Apogee can price between somewhat and plenty of multiples extra, relying on the class, and it simply does not really sound higher in my expertise. The Quantum HD interfaces simply compete with the wildly well-liked 8-input fashions from Common Audio when it comes to audio and construct high quality. The Common Audio fashions are the gold customary within the class proper now, and value over twice as a lot per unit.

Studio One instantly acknowledges the Quantum HD 8 and performs good, permitting you to do issues like activate 48v phantom energy for condenser mics and set ranges contained in the software program, slightly than having to make use of some bizarre middleman software program between the interface and the DAW.