Studio Recording Shopping Reviews: New MOTU MicroBook
Its wee size is a clear deception of what it can do the new MOTU MicroBook might be small, but is definitely huge when it comes to audio quality. The MicroBook is a USB-powered audio interface that makes studio-grade performance possible at a size of your pocket. Despite being small, about the size of a regular pocket, the MicroBook can turn your Mac or PC into a personal 4×2 recording studio all complete with the needed audio I/O and mixing features for professional recording.
Check out MOTU MicroBook USB Interface.
Whether on a Mac or a PC, the MicroBook gives you a complete personal recording set up on any platform. It has four simultaneous inputs that allows for a microphone, a guitar, a keyboard, or any other stereo line-level device. It has a 20dB pad and a 48V phantom power in its condenser mics, which allows its mic preamp to produce nothing but a neutral coloration and pristine sound. On top of that, the MicroBook offers flexible monitoring options choose among a programmable analog, a digital and headphone outputs.
Because the MicroBook is slim, its mic input is a balanced quarter-inch jack. But should you wish to use a mic cable with an XLR plug, you can use the XLR-to-1/4-inch adapter that comes with the MicroBook. The MicroBook has a Precision Digital Trim, which means that you can control analog trim on all units. This means that you get to enjoy both worlds an excellent signal quality of analog audio circuitry as well as the fine-tune precision of digital control. Not only that, you also get to save and recall trim settings on your computer.
But the main feature of the MicroBook is its unparalleled audio quality. Its accurate audio quality is a perfect fit to the demands of any professional recording set up. And because the MicroBook belongs to a family of high quality devices such as the FireWire, USB and PCI audio interfaces, you are assured that it embodies decades of great engineering experience.
While most of the audio interface brands in the market today cut corners with unbalanced analog inputs and outputs, the MicroBook is different. Such imbalance then results to a greatly compromised performance that falls way below an equivalent balanced circuit. The MicroBook has a well balanced inputs and outputs that makes sure of the best protection possible from RF interferences, AC hum, and other noise-creating factors.
The MicroBook’s guitar input gives only the proper guitar impedance loads for guitars, so you can play through guitar-processing plug-ins in a host software with the assurance that you will get a natural feel and a natural response. MicroBook’s “mini” eight-inch analog input can be connected to an iPod or any other stereo-level signal. This allows audio input mixing with other inputs and routed to any output device.
Who says good quality recording can be done just in the studio alone? With the MOTU MicroBook, good quality I/O recording, personal tracking as well as laptop-based DJing is possible anywhere, anytime.
Read another review on the MOTU MicroBook USB Interface.
