PreSonus music equipment has really taken over the recording game, especially with their latest addition, the AudioBox iTwo audio interface. At $160 retail and offering two preamps and a MIDI in/out in the back, this thing packs a very powerful punch yet still remains friendly to your wallet. What we love especially with this interface is the conversion rate going up to 96kHz – crystal clear recording sound quality while giving us the zero latency all of us musicians crave. If you’re looking for a solid audio interface and need two preamps, this is one to definitely take into consideration. Otherwise, you can also check out our review of the AudioBox iOne interface, coming in at $30 cheaper and featuring only one preamp and no MIDI in or out. Regardless, let’s take a better look into the iTwo.
Main features of the AudioBox iTwo audio interface
Zero latency monitoring- Main volume knob on front
- 2 high-headroom Class A mic preamps
- 2 mic/line/instrument analog inputs
- 2 1/4″ TRS main and 1 1/4″ headphones output
- 24-bit/up to 96kHz sample rate
- LED indicator lights
- 48V phantom power
- MIDI in and out on back
- USB bus-powered (2.0)
- Metal chassis construction
- Comes with Capture Duo and Studio One Artist DAW (free downloads)
We love the two mic preamps on this interface, as they’re a very high quality high-headroom Class A (our preferred amp make). You get your standard 48 volts of phantom power but what’s nice is the option to plug in two for convenience. The MIDI in and out is a big positive as well, being that we’re organization-buffs, so being able to plug in your MIDI controller into this as well as your microphones is great for work flow and convenience. Latency is basically gone with this interface, so if you’re looking for the solution to get rid of that lag, this is it.
Another large part of PreSonus’ marketing with this interface is the seamless integration with iPads. If you’re using an iPad to record some tracks, this is a monster. You’re able to plug this straight into your iPad and record tracks (as seen in the photo) using their app entitled ‘Capture Duo’, which is then shot out to their Studio One Artist DAW to mix, master and rearrange the tracks into a beautiful song instantly. You can then upload to SoundCloud or other websites. Again, this interface is a must if you’re strictly looking for a recording solution with iPads, and even if you aren’t, it’s a solid audio interface for the price.
The stability is rugged, giving us a metal chassis build and a smaller size for easy portability. It’s USB bus-powered so you don’t have to use an AV adapter and carry an extra wire around. You can plug in your studio monitor speakers in the back or use the headphone jack in the front for easy listening.
The final word on the PreSonus AudioBox iTwo interface
We love the way they’re integrating the iPad and very convenient workflow with the track record and transfer functions of their apps. We feel that this is a pretty big trend nowadays in the music equipment world, although not everybody is doing it as of now. This is obviously only a plus if that’s what you use to record. If so and you happen to make your tunes on a smart device, you should definitely grab this one, especially for the price.
Even if you don’t use an iPad and have your DAW and other equipment already set up, it is a nice bargain for an interface that converts to 96k — one of the industry standards that will give you very clear sound quality and zero latency for recording. Two mic preamps, phantom power, some MIDI in and out as well as easy access to volume control on the front paints the picture that the PreSonus AudioBox iTwo audio interface really doesn’t lack anything and is highly affordable. An overall solid interface. We’d go with this if it suits your needs, especially if you’re on a budget.
If you’re looking for some more options, always remember to check out our top 10 best audio interfaces article to help with your shopping endeavors.
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