ALESIS IO2
Posted on Wed 17 November 2010 in entries
Now, before I start, I have to admit that I’ve recently sold my Alesis IO2 in place of a MOTU Traveler! But that’s only because I felt it was time to upgrade to something that offers a little more flexible functionality, and after five years of quality service, I can honestly say that it is hard to pick any faults with the Alesis IO2; at such a bargain price, it’s well worth the money for any small home studio. So if you want to learn why I rate the Alesis IO2 so highly, read on…
ALESIS IO2 – WHAT IS IT?
The Alesis IO2 is a compact Audio/MIDI interface, which provides 2 channels of (up to) 24-bit/48kHz audio directly to and from your computer via a single USB connection, from which it is also powered.
The 2 channels of the Alesis IO2 can be switched between accepting Mic/Line, or guitar level signals, and each channel also features a 1/4" TRS Insert connection for external effects. Both channels offer individual gain controls and a four segment signal meter, to tame any incoming signal and prevent clipping, as well as Analogue/Digital input, and mono/stereo switches, and the unit even features a ‘+48V’ switch for supplying phantom power to condenser microphones.
At the bottom of the unit is a headphone input with volume control, a master level dial, and a monitor mix dial, which can be used to fade or select between the signal from your computer (USB), and the signal entering the Alesis IO2 (Direct). Although this is a common feature of most soundcards, I sheepishly have to admit that this essential control has caught me out far more times than it should have!
“OH NO, MY INTERFACE IS BROKEN, THERE’S NO SOUND COMING OUT OF IT!”
or
“WHY IS THE VOLUME SO LOW WHEN I RUN SIGNALS THROUGH MY INTERFACE, IT MUST BE BROKEN!”
…followed shortly by:
“…..oh….wait a second….I haven’t switched the dial over to USB/I’ve accidentally nudged the dial slightly over to it’s direct setting.”
Panic over, time to hang head in shame!
I’m sure I’m not the only one that’s been caught out by that one though! D’oh!
Anyway, quickly getting back to the review, and moving onto the back of the interface, which features connections for 2 jack outputs, MIDI In and Out, and even S/PDIF in and out for direct digital recording.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEKHgSVFZFE
ALESIS IO2 – SOFTWARE
The Alesis IO2 is a plug-and play device meaning that it requires no additional software to run! Just hook it up to your computer, and it will be recognised as a soundcard, and instantly ready for your computer to communicate with. That said, you can install an optional ASIO driver for Windows machines (available on DVD or from the Alesis website), which gives you additional options for adjusting configurations such as latency and buffers, and is well worth doing in my opinion.
All Alesis IO2 units also ship with Cubase LE4, so if you’re new to the recording game, you’ve got everything you need to get going, in one convenient package.
ALESIS IO2 – MY THOUGHTS
As previously stated, I am a big fan of the Alesis IO2. If you are constantly working on projects that never require more than 2 inputs then you really can’t go wrong with it.
The build of the Alesis IO2 is surprisingly solid with it’s durable aluminium casing, and the dials are a hell of a lot more sturdy than the majority of other budget interfaces. It actually feels like you're working with a professional, reliable piece of kit; which is exactly what it is! This thing never let me down, and I certainly put it through it’s paces!
The compact design of the Alesis IO2 and it’s rugged build make it the perfect portable recording companion to take on your travels and use with your laptop computer. That said, it’s also a brilliant piece of desktop kit!
ALESIS IO2 – SUMMARY
So, the Alesis IO2 has many excellent qualities. But if I was going to be really picky, what would I say? Hmmmmm. It’s tough! I guess one of the reasons that I decided to upgrade (as well as requiring more than 2 inputs) was the fact that I wanted to build up my sample library from old vinyls with recordings of a 96kHz quality. Although, inevitably, most of my music is going to get bounced down to 44.1kHz (CD quality), I always prefer to work at a higher sample rate before any bounce occurs. That said, the Alesis IO2 is capable of recording beyond CD quality (up to 48kHz), and some people do arguet that above this, most people cannot determine any difference in audio quality anyway, especially as most of today’s music ends up getting converted to MP3.
I would also argue that the Alesis IO2 could be improved by upgrading it from a USB connection to a USB 2 or Firewire connection, although I will say that the latency from this device is practically non-existent and I never noticed it! In fact, with the Hardware Direct Monitoring, you never have to worry about dealing with audio latency while recording.
However, if Alesis were to implement these feature changes, then it would inevitably drive up the price of the IO2, and the beauty of this product is it’s low price combined with it’s exceptional quality!
So, you’ve heard what I’ve got to say on the matter! And I admit I was a little sad to send my trusty Alesis IO2 on it’s way in the eBay post, but I’m more than confident that it will be appreciated as much by it’s next owner as it was by me! And if everything you have read here seems to suit your project needs, then what are you waiting for? You will NOT be disappointed with this quality piece of kit!