Mackie Onyx Producer 2.2 2x2 USB Audio MIDI Recording Studio Interface

Onyx Producer 2.2 is a two-in, two-out USB audio interface with two Onyx mic preamps, so you can record two sources at once at 24-bit/192kHz. Both inputs are XLR/TRS combo jacks with 48V phantom power and Hi-Z switches, which covers a pair of condensers on a piano, a vocal and a guitar tracked together, two hosts on a podcast, or a mic and a bass line.

Built-in MIDI in and out is the piece that separates it from a basic interface. Connect a controller keyboard, a drum pad, or a hardware synth and it talks to your software without a second box or a USB hub.

Zero-latency direct analog monitoring sends your inputs straight to the headphone and monitor outputs, so what you play and what you hear line up regardless of buffer size. Dedicated outputs feed a pair of studio monitors, and the headphone output is powerful enough for tracking.

The interface is bus-powered over USB 2.0 and weighs 1.35 lb in a Built-Like-A-Tank chassis, which means a laptop plus this box is a complete portable studio. Recording software and 16 plug-ins are included, covering equalizer, compressor, reverb, limiter, and auto filter, and they work in all major recording programs on Mac or PC.

It suits home studios, duos and podcast teams, mobile recording, and anyone whose setup includes hardware synths or controllers.