Hi there, thank you so much, I really appreciate it. I always try to get down to the nitty-gritty, as I actually am USING the gear day-to-day, and I've been in audio/video production for a while, so, even though I do get to work with some higher end gear, I still also use budget gear where applicable. I'm glad the video helped, cheers!

Hi there Awan. Awesome! Thank you for the kind words, and I'm very glad this video helped you, and that you're happy with your selection. Happy Recording and streaming, cheers!

Thank you! I appreciate it. I'm glad the video helped, and thank you for the kind words. Happy recording and streaming!

Hi Jonathan. Thank you very much, I'm very glad the video helped. I wasn't planning on making it until I got my M-Track solo and realized it wasn't very good, thought I'd warn everyone! In regards to your question about "so few likes," I don' t know, I've just been working on building my channel this year and plan on continuing to build it in 2022!! Again, I'm very glad the video helped you decide, good luck, and happy recording :)

Exactly

Read my mind. Great video.

Glad it was helpful! And you’re welcome. :)

Hi there. thank you so much!! I'm glad the video helped. :)

Glad it was helpful!

Awesome! Wow, the M-box! I also had one of those, I think we all did ;) Good luck on your upgrades!

Hi there. That's great, I'm so glad the video helped! Good luck with your studio!

@@MarcusHutsell Thank you for your best wishes

Thank you Abdulwahab! Have fun!

Hi there Amhmet. Awesome, thank you so much, I'm glad some of my content helped you, cheers!

Hi there Don. You are welcome, I'm so glad the video helped. I've got a couple of UM2's, and I use them a lot for work as well, it's one of the best little interfaces for $45! And YES, You are my 1,000th subscriber!! This is awesome, thank you so much!! I'm hoping this KZfaq thing can continue to take off for me and that I can provide valuable information to all of you, thank you again! 🎉🎈🍾🥳

You're welcome, I'm glad the video helped :)

You’re welcome:)

No problem!

Thank you Mahid!

Thank you :)

Thank you Tavia!

HI there Josh. Thank you. And, oddly enough, I didn't use either one to record this video. I probably should have, but my typical setup is this: Rode VideoMic NTG running 1/8" cable out directly into my Panasonic GH5. So, my mic gets recorded directly into my camera and baked into the video file. I do, however, apply some post processing in Premiere like a little noise reduction, EQ, compression, and sometimes a De-Esser. I primarily use my Um2 for virtual meetings at my office at work, where i have an inexpensive shotgun mic running into input 1, and I use the output for headphones. I also use the UM2 if I need to record some guitar.......which isn't often b/c I'm not a good guitar player! But, at least it offers that feature. Cheers!

Yeah, sounds really good. A friend gave me his Rode Podmic, so I'll probably just pair that with the Behringer and a Klark Teknik MIC BOOSTER CM-1 Dynamic Microphone Booster and see what I can come up with. Thanks!

@@joshpankey1184 mm

@@MarcusHutsell hey Marcus what shotgun mic do you use for your meetings?

Hi Paulino. For my daily meetings at my office at work, I use a LyxPro CMG-50. I made a video about that mic. It's cheap enough, but sounds pretty good. Definitely has a decent amount of self-noise, but, I also show in my video how much the meeting platform can clean it up. It's perfect for my internal meetings where I need to sound better than my laptop mic, but not "radio broadcaster" good. Link to my video on the LyxPro CMG-50: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/frp_gZRkq9Swqqs.html

Hi there. It's never great to try to adapt an XLR microphone to 1/4" connections. 1/4" inputs generally don't have the same mic-pre circuitry as an XLR mic-pre. For instance, on the UM2, trying to plug in an SM58 to the 1/4 instrument input with an adapter, I CAN get a signal if I turn the gain ALL the way up, but it's very weak. ON the m-Track Solo, the 2nd input is expecting a line-level signal (AKA a high/loud signal with high voltage amplitude and lots of current/push) or an instrument level signal (same amplitude of voltage usually, but very little current/push). But a microphone sends a low amplitude/voltage with a decent amount of current/push, and this just isn't "line" or "instrument" signal type, so, input 2 won't handle it well.....long story short, you'll probably get a signal if you use an XLR>1/4" adapter and gain up input 2, but you will most likely add more noise than you want, even if you boost in post, and it won't work with mics that need phantom power.

;)

You are welcome. :)

You are welcome, I'm very glad the video helped, and thank you!

Hi there. If your electronic drum kit has a stereo (left/right) output, I'd probably get the next higher model, the Behringer UMC202 HD, as it has (2) proper mic/line inputs. The UM2, although it has a 2nd 1/4" input. that input is "meant" for plugging in a guitar or bass directly. Granted, I have used input 2 to run a line-level signal into and, to my ears, it sounds fine, so, you may get by with the UM2, but the UMC202HD has (2) matching inputs which is better if you're trying to feed a stereo input into a USB interface. Happy drumming and recording! This one: amzn.to/3CLv7tp

Thank you for the reply. I will look at the link

Hi there. If you want to run your drums into your computer and get stereo sound, I'd go for one of the other versions, specifically at least the Behringer UMC202HD, amzn.to/3U7mQW2, as that will give you (2) true, line-level inputs, which is best if you feed the Left/Right outputs from your td4kp over to an audio interface. The only reason you'd need an interface with MIDI is if you want to use your Roland drum kit to cue sounds inside your audio software via MIDI.....using your electronic drums as a controller for other drum sounds that live in software on your computer. If you just want to use the onboard sounds from the td4kp and record that......you don't need MIDI on your audio interface. I hope that helps

i get one um2, what did you think bout highnoise, using the native drivers from windows, and also using Asio4all that happens the gain disappears?

@@LuizFeijotheGuitar I'm not sure about noise, it rather depends on your microphone. Some soundcards are known to work noisy with dynamic ones. ASIO has been used to lower the latency.

@@Ardolynk i am using one sm57.

@@LuizFeijotheGuitar yes, it's dynamic, and I don't know how does UM2 handle it. I can hardly suggest anything yet, using UMC22 and Rode NT-1A on a Linux machine.

Hi there. The focusrite’s Scarlet interfaces are great as well. They are definitely better-built with metal exteriors. I have heard that they have issues with Windows computers, and that they are better on Apple computers, mainly due to not needing drivers with Apple computers. I’m an Apple-guy, and I do use Scarlett’s at work some. But honestly, the UM2 is a great little interface for only $45. The Scarlet Solo is more than twice the price and also does NOT have a combo 1/4”/XLR input on input 1. On the Scarlet solo, input 1 is XLR-only, but, most people are using input 1 for an xlr mic, but if you need to run a line level input into either the UM2 or scarlet solo, the UM2’s input 1 allows that more easily by using a 1/4” cable on input 1, because it’s expecting line level on input 1 when you use a 1/4” cable instead of an XLR Cable. So you do have that option with the UM2, however, with the Scarlet solo, you have the option on input 2 to do the same with the line/instrument switch. The scarlet May last you longer if you plan to move or take the interface with you, since it’s metal it’s more road worthy, and it has flashier lights, but a lot of that is cosmetic. I totally like the look of the Scarlet interfaces, but, I went with a UM2 because it does exactly what I need for $45, and the preamp is clean.

Hi there. Long story short, yes, the Focusrite Solo is going to do you much better. In general, the focusrite Scarlett's are "better" overall in terms of build-quality, can have lower noise (depending on your mic, etc), but I also have a Behringer UM2 and UMC-22, and both sound great, and I also have a 2i2, and the Behringer's sound fine next to them. The Behringer UM2 and UMC22 only do 16-bit depth, while the 202HD/404HD and the 2i2 will all do 48 bit. The Behringer models are less rugged, especially the UM2, as it's all plastic. Check out Julian Krause's channel he does a lot of testing with these interfaces and has a lot more stats. www.youtube.com/@JulianKrause The 2i2 has a different Analog-to-Digital converter in terms of this: The clip-light on most of the Behringer interfaces will CLIP-out before the software meters clip out. So, if you're ONLY watching your software (Adobe Audition, any DAW/recording software), then you may think you're find and NOT clipping, but your preamp on the interface may be in full-clip and you might not notice, and your audio would be ruined......so, always a reminder to keep an eye on the physical preamp's clip light on the interface, and never clip it out. And this means the Behringers will record a *slighly lower level into the computer overall. not much, but a bit lower than the Focusrite scarlett series. All that to say, the Focusrite's are the better interface for durability, features, build-quality, and its preamps clip when the digital signal clips in software, so it's easier to NOT mess up with the Focusrite models As long as you pay attention to gain structure and know how to route signal, you can avoid clipping, and then amplify your audio a bit in post or even live through software like OBS. I hope that makes sense, cheers!

But as far as noise goes… I wouldn’t worry too much about a huge noise difference between a Beringer and a Scarlett, You’re going to be more limited by the microphone you choose then adding a lot of noise from either of these preamps

Wow. Thanks for the fast and detailed replies. Really appreaciate it man

You're welcome :)

HI there. Yes, but here are some notes: Most guitar amplifier OUTPUTS are line-level outputs. So, you might be better getting the M-Track Solo in this case because the M-Track Solo's 1/4" input is selectable between "Line" or "Guitar," and you'd want the "line" option on your interface if going from Amp-Output-to-USB-Interface. The Behringer's 1/4" input is "instrument" only, and, although it usually works with a "line level" signal, it's best to try to match signal types if possible. You CAN also put a microphone in front of your amp and use the XLR input on either interface. This is very common in studio recording and you can also capture natural reverb of your room (if you want). I've done both, and often when recording you CAN do both, record the direct output/signal from the amp-output, AND add in some audio from a microphone sitting in front of that amp. Long story short, the M-Track solo would be better for you in your case. If you wanted an interface that's just a bit more robust, I'd get the Focusrite Scarlett Solo, much better built, will last you longer.

Hi there. I'd go with the Behringer UM2. The "gain jump" issue that I talk about concerning the M-Audio M-Track Solo makes it worse in my opinion. The UM2 doesn't have any issues like that, so I'd go with the UM2. As far as condenser mics go, for starting out, the Audio Techica AT2020 is a great condenser mic for only $100. It's been around a while, it's not expensive, and has a great sound.

Hi there Lepus. Between the m-audio and focusrite, I would go with Focusrite. Much better built unit. M-audio seems to have gotten cheaper and cheaper. The company I work for.......we have about (30) Foscrite 2i2's on our shelf that get used very often for lots of stuff, and no complaints there, they work great and are metal so they can travel (a bit) better (although always use a case for transport). It's been a LONG time since I've tried running a guitar amp into an audio interface, so I can't remember the exact output type of an amp,.......however, the 2i2 still has the switchable line/instrument on both inputs. So, honestly, I'd go with the 2i2. You can use the XLR input on either of the XLR-1/4" combo inputs if you're using a microphone, you can use the 1/4" input (again, on EITHER of the XLR-1/4" combo inputs) if your guitar amp is sending a balanced signal, and you can then switch it to "instrument" if you want to plug your guitar in directly. As far as line-vs-instrument coming out of your guitar amp, it really depends on what type of signal your amp is actually sending out: Balanced Line-level, or unbalanced line level, or unbalanced instrument level. But I think the 2i2 would be able to handle any of those 3 options. The 2i2 is going to last you a lot longer, and I think ultimately you'd be happier with it. I hope that helps, cheers!

Thanx Jaimes. Good tip on making sure input 2 is turned down if not using it. Happy Recording!

Hi there Alfred. Assuming the cloudlifer devices do their jobs and provide the amplified signal before it gets to the M-Track solo, then yes, that would work, because the louder/stronger signal from the cloudlifter will mean you won't have to gain up the input as much, never reaching that upper range and not getting into that "gain jump" area on the m-track solo's preamp.

Hi there Samson. I honestly think that the Behringer UM2 is a much better unit, mainly because of that "gain jump" issue I talk about in the video. I have a mic that I use with the UM2 that requires a lot of gain, so I have to have the input gain on the UM2 way up near the top end. And I wouldn't be able to do that with the M-Audio M-Track solo because I'd be up near that 95% mark and the gain might "jump" and ruin my recording or meeting. So, if you're choosing between these 2 models, go with the UM2.

Thank you!

Hi there. I would always try to use the output port first, so, the RCA, or 1/4" outputs on the back. Headphone output ports can have different output impedances meant for headphones and that *Can (not always) affect the frequency response depending on what you have the headphone output going TO. It should still work using the headphone output, but I'd always start with the mains-outputs. Secondarily.....You ask if you should use the left OR the right side output.......but, what "amp" are you going TO? What kind of "amp" are you talking about exactly? And, is it a mono-input or does it only have a single audio input? If it only has a single/mono input, I'd get a Y-cable that takes the left-right out of the interface and joins it (properly) as a mono input on the other side of the y cable......but the specific cable you would need depends on the type of input your amp has.

Hi there Kauser. If i were you and you were choosing between these 2 interfaces, I'd get the UM2. The UM2 will have less noise on the preamp and should be more effective in recording clean vocals. Godspeed, and good luck on your recording!

Hi there. Thank you. I haven't used the Presonus interfaces (in a long time). Not sure *exactly what you mean when you say "Makes Pops when clips," but if the red "clip" light lights up on the front when you're using your mic, you're obviously clipping out the preamp, and yes, that will absolutely mean you get "pops" and "clips/clicks" in your audio. Watch that clip light and never go into red/clipping. If you turn down your input gain to where that red light NEVER comes on when you're talking into your mic and you STILL Get pops-and-clips in your audio, it could be a driver issue (if using Windows) or a sample-rate mismatch somewhere. Hard to tell, but keep testing

Hi there. Correct: Balanced audio signals on a single TRS 1/4" cable are NOT stereo audio signals......to get a balanced STEREO signal, you would need (2) independent cables going into (2) independent balanced inputs: Signal 1 = Left (XLR or TRS balanced), and Signal 2 = Right (XLR or TRS Balanced). And, to get a properly balanced signal the equipment SENDING the signal has to balance it first before sending out of a 3-wire shielded cable. So, yep, I'm glad that little snippet helped, good luck!

Hi there. Honestly, based on the fact that I ALSO returned 2 m-track Solo's, I would return it. I haven't had any issues with the UM2. Seems like M-Audio quality has gone down hill. It never was really excellent-quality, but it was OK. Seems now it's just bad.

Hi there. In my opinion the Behringer is the better unit, simply because of the issue that I found on multiple versions of the M-Audio M-Track Solo. The gain on the M-Track solo "jumps" way up at the end/top of the gain knob, so, you may run into problems with your level jumping and clipping out. The UM2 doesn't have that problem and is clean all the way to maximum gain. So, I'd go for the UM2. Of course, then, you can use whatever XLR microphone you want. Good luck!

HI there. Both the headphone outputs on these devices are fine and can drive almost any headphones. I'm currently using the UM2 with my Beyer Dynamic DT770, 80-ohm headphones, and it gets way louder than I'll ever need (if I want to keep my hearing). You should be just fine with either, but I do recommend the UM2 over the M-Track solo because of the input-gain issue on the M-Track solo. Good luck!

Hi there. Well, you're right, I certainly would't turn the phantom power ON while using that cable. But you won't break the audio interface by just using that cable. It may not work as you think it would, because the XLR input is looking for a balanced signal, but as long as phantom power isn't on, you shouldn't hurt anything. Question, why exactly are you using an unbalanced cable?

Hi there Ege. You should be just fine using this interface on a Windows computer. You'll just need to install the driver from Behringer, you can download it for free from the Behringer website, and you should be good to go after installing the driver. www.behringer.com/downloads.html Good luck!

Hi there. Yes, absolutely, the interface itself should work just fine, you may just want to use a mic, like a condenser mic, that doesn't need as much gain so you aren't at the top of that gain knob range. And this particular "gain jump" issue is another important reminder to always "avoid extremes," with your gear. If you HAVE to be up at that top-end (or bottom-end) of a control dial......maybe something else is wrong and it's something to investigate. I talk about that in this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fp93aLeDmdOZl4U.html Cheers!

Hi there. I'd always choose the Behringer UM2 over the M-Track Solo. The M-Track solo has a gain-jump issue near the top-end of each of the gain knobs, whereas the Behringer is clean all the way up. You can plug the electric guitar directly into input 2 for a clean elec. gtr sound. Of course, if you're playing through an amplifier with distortion, reverb, etc, then just put a microphone on the amp (SM57) and run that mic into input 1 to record. Either way, I'd always choose the UM2 as a great budget audio interface.

Hi there! Honestly, for longterm use and rock-solid quality, I'd spend just a bit more money and go with at least the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. They have quiet preamps, have a metal-housing, have more modern USB-C ports, and will last you longer. If you want a separate volume knob for the main output and one for your headphones, then go with the Scarlett 2i2. The UM2 is great if you really are on a tight budget, but I have had at least one have some breakaage inside, but that was due to it being tossed around in a road case when traveling. Good luck!

Hi there. Yes, you can use any audio interface that has a mic preamp with a Shure SM58 or the V7. I use an SM58 with my UM2 all the time.

Hi there. I didn't thoroughly test the headphone output, especially since I sent the M-Audio back really quickly because I wasn't going to keep it with that "gain jump" issue I talk about. But, I don't recall the headphone outputs being any different in sound quality.

@@MarcusHutsell thanks a lot, I appreciate your answer!

@@emperomassinencambio...9941 You're welcome :)

Hi there. Actually, you can record in mono using the m-audio Duo, you don't need to return it. Recording into your computer and getting either mono or stereo recordings, depends on the software you're using and HOW you set it up. For instance, if you are using Garageband or Adobe Audition (or really any software), you have to tell that input track WHICH input to use. Sometimes if you add a "stereo" audio track, and hit record, that stereo audio track is most likely using "input 1" as the left and "input 2" as the right. So, that's most likely how you are hearing audio "only on the left." Again, it depends on the software you're using and setting up the inputs correctly. You can tell any software to use input 1 only, and record a mono track. The UM2 also technically has 2 inputs, an XLR input and a 1/4" instrument input, so, it will behave the same way.........you can select input 1 or 2, or both if you're recording into a stereo track. So, try to check all the settings in your software, you should be able to select "input 1" only.

@@MarcusHutsell Thank you so much for the reply.My situation is I'm no professional on this and I just want to record video use my cellphone I have condenser USB mic That works without any problem. But I just want to try out the dynamic if I use xlr to USB cable the mic is not loud enough, so I need to have interface, but with interface if I just use cellphone am not able to setup mono, so How u record video with dynamic mic? record video use camera or dslr AND using professional software record vocal only so u can set mono and after everything match the video AND audio? Is there any way I can record the video and the audio at the same time and using dynamic mic?

Hi there Alessio. So, it depends, and it's hard for me to tell how that noise sounds since I can't listen. But, it could be coming from a few different places or issues. I'm also curious as to exactly how you're hooking up the UM2 to a console. Are you just using the USB Port to provide POWER To the UM2 and then feeding in an XLR or 1/4" to the UM2 from your console? Let me know, I'm curious. So, as far as noise goes, it could be a couple of things: #1. If your gain structure on your audio console is low on the input preamps of your channels.....then your audio signals running through your console may be very low and close to the console's noise floor, and as they get bussed-around in the console and processed (compressor, EQ, buss-sends, stereoo left/right buss,, etc), then you could just have improper gain structure at your inputs.......aka, noisy audio in the console, and if that's the case, and then you send that out of the console, you'll be boosting the console's noise, as well as any more noise added by the UM2 (depending on if you're using the 1/4" or XLR option on Input 1 of the UM2). #2, there might be a problem with your UM2. Oddly enough, I started having a strange issue in ONE of the several UM2's that I use (we have about 15 of them at my work for live/virtual event production). And, I just happened to plug one in the other day and I heard this noise that shouldn't be there, it was kind of this, always-present interference noise. So, I tried changing some things and even used a different computer, but the same results, this unwanted noise. And this wasn't just white or pink noise or hiss, it was much more of a kind of mix of white noise with some garbled stuff, sounded like some sort of wireless interference. So I grabbed another UM2 and it did not have the same problem. Then I started searching and came across this video (different model, the UMC22, but I was experiencing the same issue on the UM2): kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l7qRZaVjltercY0.html Now, that guy had to replace a resistor, and for a $45 UM2, I'm not that good at soldering those small parts! So, check your gain structure first. If you are hearing the noise even without anything plugged in to the UM2, the UM2 might be broken. And, this is one of the things I touch on briefly in this video, that the UM2, being made of plastic, *might not be as road-worthy as other interfaces if it gets tossed around. And I think the one that I'm having issues with was probably just that: It got tossed around a lot in our shop, in/out of road cases, and something inside just broke. If you're going to replace it and are transporting it around.....I'd probably go with a little more sturdy interface, maybe a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, they've got a metal housing and can be a bit more robust.....but I'd still transport it in a case either way. Let me know your signal flow and if you have any noise with the UM2 WITHOUT an audio input plugged into it.

Hi there. If you're just starting out, the UM2 is a very good first choice for an audio interface. Otherwise, the Behringer UMC202HDamzn.to/3U7mQW2 is a very quiet, clean interface, and will keep a lot of noise out of your recordings. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is also very good. As far as microphones go, the best thing to do is just decide if you like the sound of your current microphone. If you like the sound you're getting, there's no need to change mics. I've never used the Behringer C3 mic, but again, if it's working for you, keep using it!

@@MarcusHutsell Thank you so much for you are valuable Reply sir. I have aproched many channels but no one replied to my comment but you given the valuable answer sir. From INDIA..

Hi there. I would not get the M-Audio at all. Also, I've heard the Behringer drivers for PC can be a pain sometimes. Honestly, I'd probably try to save up and go for at least the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. But, if you're choosing between these 2, I'd go for the UM2.

Yeah, I'm pretty much done with M-Audio gear. I used it for a while about 10 years ago because Pro Tools and M-Audio partnered so you could use M-Audio hardware with Pro Tools. Worked well for me back then and I had a much more expensive M-Audio 8-channel Firewire mic preamp for my drums, but these small interfaces seem to just be low quality now.

@@MarcusHutsell Yes they are and the latency is terrible ! Will find something else !

Hi Natalie. Well, if you're using studio monitors that have a built-in amplifier in the speaker (like most studio monitors do), you actually *don't Need an additional interface. Since the amplifier is in the speakers, they are expecting a line-level signal, and, you can just use the 1/8" headphone jack of your computer and get proper cable to take the stereo signal from the 1/8" headphone jack on your computer and get to the left, and right speakers accordingly. Then, you can just use the volume buttons on your computer to control the operating system volume, which will send signal out of the headphone jack and to the speakers, then, the speakers will amplify the signal just fine. Again, assuming your speakers are regular studio monitors with built-in amplifiers. So, if I were going to do this, I have the Presonus Eris E5's, which have RCA, 1/4", or XLR inputs. Therefore, I could get a 1/8" (3.5mm) to dual XLR cable like this amzn.to/3MATEmm, and just go directly to the speakers. That's because this cable will properly send the left signal to one of the XLR-ends on the cable, and the right signal to the other XLR-end. And I'd be just fine, and I could use the volume on my laptop to control the overall volume coming out of the speakers. The only thing you need to worry about is to not run these cables to far, because the signal is unbalanced with this splitter cable, and the longer the cables, the more noise can get into the signal and end up at your speakers. The second option would just be to use something like the Behringer UM2 as a master controller for your speakers. For $45, you can use the outputs of the UM2 (RCA outputs on the back of the UM2), and then run an RCA cable over to your speakers. Then just use the output knob of the UM2 to control the volume to the speakers. You'd just, obviously, have to tell your computer to use the UM2 as your master audio-output device. If your spekaers have RCA inputs, that's easy. If they do NOT have RCA inputs, you'd just need cables that are RCA-to-1/4" or RCA-to-XLR to ensure you can actually get your signal into your computer. RCA to RCA: amzn.to/3kpHdhe RCA to 1/4" amzn.to/3s1YlxN RCA to XLR: amzn.to/3KvmqDA So, you do NOT need a $200 audio interface. Technically you don't need one at all just for audio output to your studio monitors. But, if you want one to have a dedicated volume knob that's NOT on your computer, then I'd go with the UM2, it's only $45. I hope that helps, cheers!

@@MarcusHutsell thank you so much for replying me , sir ... I'm actually beginner muisc producer , looking forward to shifting to monitors from Headphone .... So I guess Having Interface is Ideal for music production which Every producers recommend ... Your recommendations were helpful and detailed.. Thank you for giving your time , I'm looking for to buying Yamaha HS series Monitor along with the One you mentioned , UM2 interface ... Thanks again

You're welcome. Great choice (Yamaha) for some studio monitors!

Good question, but, it appears that no, you cannot do that. I just tried it with 2 different USB power sources (USB Power Strip, and USB power brick), and neither would power on the unit.

First of all you have to intsall the drivers from Behringer. This is one thing about using PC's/Windows.....you have to install drivers for many audio cards. You can search for your model on the Behinger website here www.behringer.com/downloads.html and download the .exe ASIO drivers. Start there, then reboot your PC,

Hi there. I have never used Bias FX2, but, the UM2 (or any USB audio interface) should work with any audio software. As long as the computer can see the interface, so should the software running on that computer

Hi there. For me, yes the preamp noise and gain issue is something that just should NOT be there in any preamp. Again, the UM2 doesn't have any of those bad characteristics, and it's about the same price. So, if one company (Behringer) can do it for $50 and sound clean, then a competitor should be able to do the same. If you can't even slightly change the gain up/down without it introducing audible noise, then I wouldn't use that preamp. Maybe not every single M-Track solo does this, but at least 2 units that I tried had the same problems: the gain-jump at the higher end of the gain knob, and they added a dirty/fuzzy noise when simply turning the gain knob anywhere else along its path of travel. And you're right, if you're pushing any preamp above 80%, we all should be asking ourselves "why" and possibly look at a different mic, or any problems in the signal chain, but, occasionally we need to gain that high.......like for an SM58, it needs a lot of gain from ANY preamp, recording or in a live-environment. An SM58 is my go-to mic (mostly because I come from the live-audio world, concerts, corporate events, etc), and I always have a 58 around for quick testing, and since it needs a lot of gain, if a preamp is bad-quality, then testing it with an SM58 will immediately tell me if the preamp is noisy b/c I'm going to have to boost it way up and hear what the preamp is doing. As far as your issues with the UMC22, I'm not sure about that. I'm sure you're plugging it into the instrument input which has a higher impedance and should be able to more properly gain an instrument-level signal from your guitar. Not sure if you're using acoustic or electric guitar, but, obviously check simple things like the 9V battery (if acoustic guitar), and watch that clip-indicator on the UMC22, you might be clipping out the input and not know it. As far as drivers go, I'm in the Apple-Ecosystem, which usually means no drivers!! That's one thing I hate about using Windows and PC's. Cheers!

Thank you!

Hi there Antonio. According to the spec sheets, I believe you are right, the UM2 is only 16 bit. Good catch, that's not something I was looking at or testing, but definitely worth knowing.

Hi there Richmond. Unfortunately in my tests of (2) different M-Track Solo units, both preamps were noisy when turning the gain knob, and they both had that sudden jump in gain at the end. Another user also commented that they experienced the same thing. So, because I tested 2 different units and they both displayed the same noisy preamp, I can only conclude that this model is just that way - cheap and noisy, or M-Audio has a quality control problem. Either way though, it still means there's most likely more of a chance that people will receive an M-Track solo that DOES have a noisy preamp. Whereas I've used about 15-20 different UM2 units in the past year and NONE of them have any issues, none of them have any noise in the preamps, and they all work great, so, Behringer seems to at least be shipping a more consistent product. However, I AM very glad that your version of the M-Track solo is working well for you. I wish mine didn't have the noisy issues and I would have kept it. Cheers!

@@MarcusHutsell Oh yeah the big jump of the noise in the gain knob's present and it's an issue that really is m track's big downside, I have that in my unit too. But it's not a big deal for me at least. I'm more concerned with sound quality of the preamp and that's where m audio's Crystal Preamp is a big win over Behringer Xenyx for me. But I hope so too that M Audio's 3rd iteration of the M Tracks will fix the issue of the gain knob. Thanks for your reply, man! Happy New Year!

And a purist would never "want" to use the pre-amp gain because there is a sweet spot for the pre-amp and if you need more pre-amp gain it's probably because you need to compensate for a weak mic/instrument signal. So assuming you don't, what you say applies.

​ @Maxotics ​ @Maxotics Yeah, like I said in the video, no one should really ever "need" to be up that high on the preamp, but, if you did need to, it shouldn't behave that way. lways best to have plenty of headroom.

@@MarcusHutsell Thanks, yes, great video! Enjoyed it! My guess is we both agree, if you can't deliver, don't do it ;) I've never used any M-Audio stuff but have always thought my Behringer stuff great value for the money and works well.

I have NOOOOOO idea. I gave up on trying to be a Linux guy around the year 2003 when I got it all installed on a 2nd partition on my computer......but couldn't do much with it at that time due to there just not being a lot of drivers or software for anything......so,........great! I have Linux installed, but now what?!?! ha! Good luck :)

Yeah, I’ve been hearing that. I haven’t been a Windows user for a long time, despite the fact that I still occasionally use windows for my work with live streaming and V-Mix, but we usually use Scarlet Solos & 2i2’s for audio input for work instead of the cheaper UM2. Good to know, thanks for the info.

Well, that means it is a generic usb audio device and works with other gear, too, and I would buy it exactly for that. In Win I use Asio4all for almost 20 years now and with the right tweaking and a bit of experimentation it works good.

@@georgeclarksonpenge You mean browsing in the background ? Yes, that won't work (with audio), and I am not unhappy about it. But apart from that, I rarely experienced crashes with or by Asio4all. I work with Reaper, Ableton Live, Cubase and Flstudio, from winXP to 11.

I'd say it's not "who" boosts up to 95%, but, what equipment NEEDS to be boosted that much? In my case, for my office at work, I have an, albeit, cheap LyxPro CMG-50 shotgun mic that i use for virtual meetings. I have it boomed up just out of frame, which puts it about 14" away from me, and, with that mic, at that distance, with the UM2, my gain is DEFINITELY up near 95%. That combination needs that much gain to get a good signal into my computer. If I were to use the M-Track Solo, I'd run into that gain jump issue and probably wouldn't be able to use that combination. Other mics may required the same amount of gain like dynamic mics. The point is......yes, like you asked "Who gains to 95%???" And while it's not somewhere I ever LIKE to be on a gain knob......if I find that I NEED to be there, the preamp shouldn't "jump" up in level like the M-Track Solo. If Behringer can make their $45 preamp/interface clean all the way to 100%, there's no reason M-Audio can't do the same for $50. Yes, most of my setup at work is certainly budget, but that's all I needed. I'm not doing voiceovers for an audio book, I'm just having virtual meetings to get work done. And, for me, my set up with my UM2 works great. Hope that helps to answer "why" or "who" boosts that much ;)

@@MarcusHutsell yes that explains it. In that case I wouldn't be using that unit. Thanks for your reply.

I have had good-and-bad luck here and there with Behringer Equipment. But, honestly most of the time it's been pretty good for my uses.

Hi there Richie. No, zero-direct-latency is not a big lie. Almost every USB audio interface I've owned in the past 18 years has a direct-monitor feature that allows you to hear your live, incoming mic signal in real-time, with legitimately zero latency. That's because all of those audio interfaces are sending/bussing the incoming mic signal directly to the headphone output on THE SAME interface, internally, in the interface itself. So, there's a hard-wired buss that goes from the input, directly to the headphone output (and usually the main outputs as well) of the interface. That's because those interfaces (and companies making them) realize that there's no way to monitor THROUGH the computer or software without latency. So, yes, in Adobe Audition, I can turn on the "monitor channel" and it will send my mic back to my headphones, but that's listening through the software, and it WILL be delayed, so I can't really monitor in real-time that way, but I can at least verify the signal is still clean when it gets to the software. I usually check there, then turn off the monitor feature in the software, and then turn ON the direct monitor feature on my interface if I need to hear myself. The Behringer Um2 has this, all the Scarlett interfaces, even my original Digidesign MBOX (Circa 2004) had a direct monitor feature. So, yes, and no. You can't monitor your effects from your software in real-time, but you CAN monitor your incoming, dry signal, in real time. I've multitracked my drums with M-Audio 8-channel input interfaces for years, and I play back my session from pro tools/audition, etc through the interface, and I also have the direct monitor feature on so I could hear my drums in real time, and that all worked and has worked just fine for many years. Again, just ensuring I don't have the "monitor" button pressed inside pro tools/audition. I'm not sure why you're getting a 2-second delay, I'm assuming you're monitoring through the software (?) and not using the direct monitor feature. I hope that has helped :)

Great! If it works for you, then it's the right tool. Cheers!

Yes, I've had an issue with (1) UM2 (out of about 20 that I've had access to), but, for a beginner who doesn't want to spend a lot of money, it's a good first choice that won't break the bank. And, I still use one weekly in my office at work for virtual meetings, so, for me, it still works great, going over 3 years for $25. Sure, there are more professional models that have more features and are more road worthy, but for fixed locations it's probably the best choice for a low price.

Are you saying you're sorry about MY views and opinions in this video? I bought the M-audio M-track solo from Amazon, wasn't planning on even doing a video on it, but since I found the "gain jump" issue with the M-audio and since I have used several UM2's, figured I'd talk about it. Nobody sent me anything. This is my free time (currently). Granted, yes, I have affiliate links in the description which can help me out financially, but everyone has to put a roof over their heads......plus I really like filming, editing, and talking about audio, so, there's that. Cheers. :)

@@MarcusHutsell I see now, you're right. I changed my mind, new follower here.

Yes, I agree, the Focusrite's are a lot better in overall quality, (sound quality and build quality). But for some people just starting out, they're just looking for anything/something that can get them started, and for $45, it's hard to beat the UM2. I remember a long time ago when my budget was slim.......down-to-the-dollar every single month, and I think it's important for everyone to get what they can afford, as well as pick something that's at least decent, which is why I made this video, because yes, these are definitely BOTH budget (M-Audio, Behringer). I really just wish the Scarlett solo had a combo 1/4"/XLR jack for input 1 so you could feed mic-or-line level properly into input 1, But, I guess you do get the 1/4" jack on input 2. Aaaanyway, cheers!

According to your opinion, which one is better from those two?

@@memoresmen16 I went with the UM2. Per my video, that "gain jump" issue on the upper end of the m-Audio is not acceptable.

You're welcome!