Recording - April 2015 - 62

B Y M I K E M E T L AY

Steinberg UR12 Audio Interface

Sometimes all you need is a very simple audio interface for basic applications like solo
recording or podcasting, with just enough inputs, outputs, and functions for you to work
smoothly. With that in mind, you don't want to compromise on audio quality or reliability;
you want an interface that will hold up under portable use, dodge the common ailments
of cheap interfaces, and deliver great sound. The Steinberg UR12, the smallest of the UR
interfaces (we reviewed the UR22 in Octember 2099, and there's a larger interface, the
UR44, available as well), aims to do just that.
The UR12 is a 2-in/2-out USB 2.0 interface with one XLR mic input, one 1/4" TS Hi-Z
guitar input, a 1/4" TRS headphone output, and unbalanced stereo Line Outputs on RCA.
Phantom power is available for the mic input, as is zero-latency direct monitoring. All very
straightforward, right? Well, it's how these features are delivered that makes the UR12
special.
When I took the UR12 out of the box, I was struck by how heavy and solid it is. The interface is packed in a solid aluminum enclosure with a wraparound shell that protrudes slightly in the front and back to protect the RCA jacks and the Direct Monitor switch (if not the
knobs). The front panel has a bright white USB light, two red Peak LEDs that flash if you get
within 3 dB of clipping, and a +48V indicator LED. There are Gain knobs for the two inputs,
a global Output level knob, and a Direct Monitor switch next to the Phones jack.
The rear panel has the RCA Line Outs, the phantom power switch, and the USB 2.0
port, as well as an extra USB Micro-B port labeled 5V DC and a switch labeled Power
Source. What's that for? All data is handled by the USB port, but there may be occasions
when your computer can't supply the robust power requirements of the UR12-maybe you
have a less expensive laptop that doesn't supply reliable current to its USB ports, or you're
using an iPad, which can't power the UR12 at all. Under those circumstances, you can

RECORDING April 2015

plug in a standard USB wall charger or
portable phone battery into the 5V DC port
and run the UR12 reliably. Some interfaces
in this price range don't offer external
power as an option, so this is a nice plus.
The UR12 is a cinch to set up; plug it in
and it's immediately recognized by Mac
OS X and Windows computers, and by
iOS devices, as a class-compliant stereo
USB interface, supporting up to 24bit/192 kHz operation (depending on
platform). You can download your own
licensed copy of Steinberg's Cubase AI if
you don't have a DAW yet.
An installation CD has drivers for Mac
and Windows. The Windows driver offers
you the ability to set buffer size for latency
minimization vs. CPU load performance
(this is done within your DAW on a Mac).
Both drivers, however, allow you to implement a function called Loopback, a trick
common to PCs but harder to find on Mac
hardware and software. With Loopback,
audio from your computer does just that:
comes out through the UR12, mixes with
the two input signals, and is sent back into
the computer (all in the digital domain, so
there's no extra conversion stage). This is
handy for applications like streaming
Internet broadcasting, where a voiceover
mic can be mixed with audio tracks easily.
The manual warns-and I can confirm-
that Loopback has only one gotcha: you
need to remember to disable DAW monitoring in your software before you use it, or
you'll set up an infinite feedback loop that
creates a pretty impressive noise!
The UR12 has the same Steinberg D-PRE
preamp as its larger siblings, and it sounds
fantastic, clean and clear. Gain control
ranges from +10 to +54 dB, plenty for condensers, higher-output dynamic mics, and
active ribbons; if you own vintage mics that
need more gain, you probably wouldn't
pair them with this interface anyway. The
Hi-Z input captured my test guitars cleanly
with no tonal problems. That's to be expected, given its 1 Megohm input impedance,
which won't mess with even the fussiest
pickups, and gain control from 0 to 40 dB.
What else is there to say? Tracks
record beautifully, playback is loud and
clean, and it worked flawlessly on my test
Macs, iPad, and Windows (7 SP1) PC. If
you want "simple but great" in a portable
audio interface, the UR12 places
Steinberg's great UR line in your hands at
a very nice price.
Price: $99.99
More from: Steinberg, www.steinberg.net

http://www.steinberg.net

Recording - April 2015

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