KVR Audio

Ja.x · Post by **Ja.x** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 8:39 pm

I need to get a new audio interface: my old desktop PC died and now I'm using just the laptop with a ridiculous Behringer UCA202. The problem is that I'm broke (Christmas, etc) and I need a really unexpensive one; according to the specs the Swissonic Easy USB could be the choice: ASIO, 24/96...

Anybody uses or used one? How is it (sound, reliability, drivers)?

LOSER · Post by **LOSER** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 2:28 pm

Ja.x wrote:I need to get a new audio interface: my old desktop PC died and now I'm using just the laptop with a ridiculous Behringer UCA202. The problem is that I'm broke (Christmas, etc) and I need a really unexpensive one; according to the specs the Swissonic Easy USB could be the choice: ASIO, 24/96...

Anybody uses or used one? How is it (sound, reliability, drivers)?

I was (still think about getting one of those as well). So far I found out that rumor has it that it is identical to the Phonic Firefly USB (http://www.phonic.com/en/audio-interfac ... 2-usb.html ) this is supported by the fact that the product pictures at Thomann even sport a Phonic logo on the PSU (http://images2.thomann.de/pics/bdb/2184 ... 44_800.jpg ), the driver is reported to be that of Phonic as well ( (bottom of page at "Treiber Download": http://www.thomann.de/de/swissonic_easy_usb.htm has a PHONIC in the name as well and also in the manual of the Swissonic EASY Firewire it has "Phonic" in the screenshots of the device driver control center). Also the MSRP isn't too much away from that of the Phonic Firefly USB (though Thomann is selling it for 80% of the price (though since they are Swissonic, that might just be marketing)). Furthermore is it supposed to be using AKM converters and ICs (from what you can read in the reviews anyway).

Anyway so far to what I heard, from hearsay - but I haven't actually heard the device.
If anyway should have it a short posting of the RightMark Audio Analyzer would be much appreciated.

ruud07 · Post by **ruud07** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 11:05 pm

Wow, that's really a cheap audio interface. You can get 12 for the price of my Audio Kontrol 1

The building quality looks good on the pictures at Thomann. Would love to hear some user experiences!

Ja.x · Post by **Ja.x** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:41 am

After all I bought it. Haven't had he time yet to fully test it (the input part at least) but it sounds fine once we get the proper ASIO settings. It's a Phonic thing, yep, and what surprised me more was that from the pic at Thomann I assumed that it had a plastic case; in fact it's a sturdy metal case and the whole thing looks very solid, including the phones volume control.

If the recording thing goes well I think that for this price it's a steal, specially comparing with the crappy Behringers.

LOSER · Post by **LOSER** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:44 pm

Ja.x could you please do me (and probably many others) a favor and run the Rightmark Audio Analyzer test: http://audio.rightmark.org/download.shtml (RMAA 6.2.3.)?
It's an app that measures the audio cards performance (THD, SNR, frequency response, etc..). You basically just connect the soundcard output to the input and it then performs a loopback test by playing a test signal to the soundcard's output and analyzing the input. You can then also conveniently export the results as html like: http://www.birotechnology.com/soundcard ... e-line.htm (Behringer UCA202)

Even just the summary of this test (without) the graphs (that is just the plain figures) would be much appreciated, since that is IMO the only way to really tell how good the device really is and it is not just interesting for potential buyers, but you yourself might find it interesting to see how the card really performs and maybe compare to other higher priced cards: http://audio.rightmark.org/test_results.shtml

Anyway have much fun with the card.

Ja.x · Post by **Ja.x** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:48 pm

As I mentioned I never tried to record anything before. Now I tried and found out that the windows mixer does not show any recording channel. Even selecting the on-board Realtek it only shows the mic input, not the line in. It's really strange. I'll have to do some research on it. And so no RMAA test for now

. Sorry.

Ja.x · Post by **Ja.x** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 7:50 pm

OK, not sure how it worked or what it means, but the results are, at 24/96:

Frequency response (multitone): db +0.01, -0.05
Noise level, dBA: -93.5
Dynamic range, dBA: 93.5
Total harmonic distortion %: 0.0030
Intermodulation distor+noise %: 0.0094
Stereo crosstalk, dB: -63.6
Intermod distort+noise(swep freqs %: 0.011
Frequency response(swept sine) db: +0.8, -07

At 16/44.1 the results are:

Frequency response (multitone): db +0.02, -0.18
Noise level, dBA: -88.5
Dynamic range, dBA: 88.5
Total harmonic distortion %: 0.0028
Intermodulation distor+noise %: 0.0016
Stereo crosstalk, dB: -89.6
Intermod distort+noise(swep freqs %: 0.038
Frequency response(swept sine) db: +0.4, -04

Is that good, bad, what?

By the way, it seems to be a rebranded Sonic Firefly 202.

Edit: in the test it referred that either the output or the input level was too low. The output was at the maximum so it was a low input level; it seems that the input level can't be adjusted (no adjustement in the mixer); maybe because it's a balanced input? Just a wild non-geek guess. Later I'll try to make a proper audio recording, no time right now.

LOSER · Post by **LOSER** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:39 pm

Ja.x wrote: Is that good, bad, what?

Well just judging the raw numbers it's just what one would expect from a decent soundcard, nothing super stellar though. But in this price segment it is unbeatable IMO. (The weakest point IMO is the crosstalk though at least at 24/96 it is really high, but that might be a measuring error or some such). Anyway the card is up to spec with much higher priced devices IMO. Especially when taking the following into account:

Ja.x wrote: Edit: in the test it referred that either the output or the input level was too low. The output was at the maximum so it was a low input level; it seems that the input level can't be adjusted [...]

Just checked the manual (which BTW is also almost identical to that of the Phonic Firefly 202 USB

) and found that the maximum input level is +16.1dBu, while the maximum output if +6dBu, thus the (inevitable) level difference, which flaw the RMAA measurements, thus the actual specs should be better than what the RMAA measured. This makes this device a real steal and IMO beating anything in the cheap section of USB audio interfaces.

Ja.x · Post by **Ja.x** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:39 am

At last I did some audio recording with it. It behaved fine at 16 and 24 bits, no latency problems, no surprises. Just FYI

.

MelodyMan · Post by **MelodyMan** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:14 am

Check the SOS-review of the Phonic Firefly here:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov07/a ... fly302.htm

Ja.x · Post by **Ja.x** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:15 am

That's the 302, Firewire version. It has S/PDIF and MIDI, not sure if the rest is that same. In any case I must say that so far I am vey happy with it (the "Swissonic" Easy USB, I mean).

SebbyNC · Post by **SebbyNC** » Tue Feb 09, 2010 3:36 pm

Does anyone know if there is support for Windows 7?

Ja.x · Post by **Ja.x** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 6:16 pm

SebbyNC wrote:Does anyone know if there is support for Windows 7?

The manual's date is Jun 2009 and just noticed that it refers Windows XP SP2 and Vista. So it's possible that it includes Win7 too.

Ja.x · Post by **Ja.x** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 4:51 pm

SebbyNC wrote:Does anyone know if there is support for Windows 7?

Swissonic Easy USB = Phonic Firefly 202. I think these are good news, for those who bought one:

http://www.phonic.com/learn/en/product- ... ility-2152