Just setup my Evo 16 tonight. I'm not the most technical person when it comes to home recording, and this thing is awesome. Mic'd up my drum kit, set levels with Smartgain, and I was off to the races. I'll admit that the signal going into Logic seemed low, and thus the headphone output was super quiet. But I think that's a Logic issue, not an Evo issue. Very impressed.
I have an EMU 1616m and it never ceases to amaze me how powerful this audio interface is. It is from the year 2006, a little old but believe me that all the companies copied something from it. It has three pairs of inputs and outputs, 3 outputs plus mini jack and even input for turntable, adat, spdif, midi, a mixer (software) with enormous routing possibilities, dsp effects, built-in soft limit function. The converter is that of the Avid Digidesign 192 hhd, it has 120Db of dynamic tango and a THD of -110 at the input and -105 at the output. It also records up to 192kz and 24 bit. Hopefully someone does a review comparing it with newer interfaces to see its performance. Too bad they weren't made anymore.
I've been using it for a week and so far 👍. The smart gain works very well on drums, percs (congas / timbales / cajon / etc etc), also on guitars. I dont know for other systems but with macbook air m1 base model works very well...(no audible latency when using spark plugins from UAD while recording). I agree that the UI menu is a little annoying from time to time but I guess it will be better on the next generations of EVO.
The auto gain sounds great, you just check it after, great way to get a bullpark setting. Your sarcasm seems a bit over the top, assumed when I clicked this video that you were gonna be actually using it to review it lol
I have the Line 6 Digital Mixer that has auto gain. I always liked it. I’m curious to see how the Evo 16 handles it. I just pre-ordered one for $500. I plan to pair it up with my Apollo X4
What would your goto 8 pre be outside of this? I just bailed on an RME Octamix XTC with my Twin mkii. Was gonna do the X8P but outside of the unison pres, I can get what i want out of the Console software with alternative options. I like this thing because of the price point and the possibility of running on its own for podcasts and random tracking projects.
Honestly it’s got a great feature set and price and if it suits your needs, go for it. The only real thing I disliked is the smart gain gimmick. Everything else with this unit is a win. Great control software too.
Could this be used as a stand alone mixer, sort of like the focusrite? On the focusrite it will remember your last settings and as long as it is powered it can be used as a live mixer. thanks
I’ve had the Evo 16 for a week now! This thing is amazing! I coming from and older RME ufx, trust me the Evo 16 sounds phenomenal! Very clean sound and super easy to use, the smart gain is awesome because I can run to the drums after everything is set with smart gain when I’m by myself, it does a perfect job setting the levels especially when you’re alone, if y’all have or get this interface then you really can’t shit on this product lol until you actually use it! I was skeptical too but man is this worth it! Trust me! 🤘🤘🤘 I’ve been doing audio with a semi professional studio for 15 years, I know what I’m talking about! Get one of these! There is NO menu diving on this either just to confirm!!
Hey Ivan, i don't know if you watched the whole vid, but I actually think this interface is a great piece of gear and wasn't shitting on it at all. I make these videos to pick apart what might be good and what might be marketing spin. The autogain could be cool, but i would always be checking my gain, meaning going back and forth anyway which kinda negates the need for it. If it works for you, that's awesome though.
@@diyrecordingstudio Yeah I watched the whole video, I like your channel and subbed to ya bud, I thought I would contribute to the sh@t slinging in the comment section…🤣 Nice content though man 🤘🤘
Hi! @Audient can we get a volume control Mac Os, just as Evo 8 or 4, i'm able to control the volume control through the keyboard on Evo 4 but not on the Evo 16, a firmware update could do so, i believe. Thanks
Hey, thanks for the nice review! I got a 5.1 film project to start working on soon in my home studio, was waiting for Motu ultralight MK5 which suits me the best as I don't even record anything here, only mixing and sound design, but unfortunately it seems the MK5 won't come soon, do you think this EVO 16 will work for me or you have another better suggestions? Thanks in advance bro.
Ahh ok, so for film, do you need the extra outs to go to the rest of the 5.1? Is that the plan for you? That would probably work, to be honest 5.1 and film is not my area of expertise but I think you would be covered for enough outs here.
No midi…….Which matters. Behringer, Focusrite and others have it and if you need it you need it! I’d like a rack mount, 8 channel Audient ID series….. WITH MIDI. I have the SP8 hooked into and RME Babyface, the EVO is fantastic except for no midi. RME drivers are legendary too
@@diyrecordingstudio Thanks! So is that why Im getting high-frequency feedback when I turn on phantom power with a condenser mic plugged into them? It works fine in preamps 3-8
The evo 16 actually has very slightly higher dynamic range at the dac. It’s so close, I don’t think their will be a noticeable difference either way. If you’re upgrading for some extra, great mix pres then you should be all good.
So i agree you should set gain manually BUT auto gain does get you a good starting point quick and then you can fine tune from there so it can make things faster and easier on our end. Another thing for auto gain that I'm interested in, is if this were used in a live situation running an IEM rig (it can be done, Ive used a behringer umc1820 and ada8200 in conjunction with reaper for years for this), the auto gain would be really useful to get consistent, or close to, levels between venues and then your IEM template rarely needs touched since it will, in theory, keep you at roughly -18 or -12 or whatever target level they went for. So I do see auto gain being more useful than it seems but yes, still do agree when recording you should atleast fine tune the pres by hand
at the end of day wishes and reality depend highly on the trade off between costs and functionality. in that price segment i expect even from you a fairobjective comparison as your antelope interface seems to cost more. even autogain is not forced to use. gainstaging can even be done in your input devices imo. However thanks a lot for your end result. helps me little more. best regards
I think that you can see all those things that you state you cannot see at the same time in the little screen at the digital controller that's installed in the computer (driver/mix-control). I do not understand your concern with this. This is just a strange whim of yours, I think most people wouldn't mind controlling an interface on a super well designed mix controller in the computer itself.
It's not got all the mic preamps of this one. But, the MOTU Ultralite-mk5 is definitely a level above this, and others like this, on distortion, dynamic range (125db), noise with ESS Sabre32 DAC. Otherwise, I agree, and because of that, it seems to me that's it's better either to get the Behringer 1820m (which I have), or then hold out until MOTU/RME, where things do go up a level. Possibly some of the Arturia Audiofuses are better too, but I don't have personal experience of those. RME wins on driver too, and MOTU and RME have better mixer software for Pros too. Here in Europe the MOTU doesn't cost that much more, so long as you don't need all the Pres.
Yeah the motu I have to admit I didn’t even compare in this video because of only having 2 preamps. But the metering option on the motu is exactly what I think all these new interfaces should have to save on menu diving. Thanks for your input, another great suggestion. 👍
The motu is trash and I said this because the preamps are trash and don't sound as good! and u can't mute speakers or mic without the software! The thing about audient u get the best preamps across of all there interfaces! The same ones they use in there more expensive gear!
not wrong there at all Benny. But if I then have to dive through every preamp individually to check it, I'm just going to start that way in the first place.
@@diyrecordingstudio either way I’m strongly considering this unit as opposed to a cheaper stereo interface to use at home when I don’t feel like traveling 15 min to the studio. The expandability is a key selling point and I’m guessing the conversion is on par or better than my drummers focusrite claret which is a few years old
I don’t neccesarily need the 8-24 channels for what I’d use it for now but down the road if I end up with a home studio it could be handy for just a couple hundred difference from say the SSL plus
Yeah so it’s actually better than the claret. It’s always good to make a purchase that is somewhat future proof too. Just wish it was usb c. The pres, conversion, expansion and mix control/loop back cover a lot of bases though.
Interesting perspective, thanks for the detailed review. The smart gain feature actually appeals to me quite a bit as a hobby recordist because of how often I've made mistakes while setting gains and had to re-record parts due to clipping. It's very easy to set gains correctly when you're behind the desk but if you have to look across the room and guess while you're playing drums then walk back and tweak, I'd take the algorithm 10 times out of 10. The menu diving looks pretty naff but at least it has a dedicated headphone volume knob. Amazing what you can get for $500 these days, I remember my first audio interface costing almost tha tmuch and getting 2 of the noisiest mic inputs ever, no level indicator lights at all, and a plastic case that felt light as an empty soda can. Some things do get better over time.
Quality not withstanding - all they've done is re-release the Focusrite Clarett 8 Pre X from 2014. Almost no-one offers 8 mic preamps AND 16 ADAT I/O. Focusrite discontinued the 8 Pre X, so they don't even do it anymore. I'm glad there is something that can get me 24 mics into Pro Tools again :) Thanks for the review!
Yeah 16 channels of ADAT IO at this price is pretty much unbeatable. I paid a lot more for these specs in my Zen Tour a few years ago. Not a bad bit of kit. I just have to laugh at the spin some of these companies come out with. 😆 Thanks for leaving a comment
Hey man, nice review! I was wondering is this interface capable of saving presets for gain settings since its a digitally controlled unit. If so that would mean there is nothing close to this at this price point.
Yeah you're right, with these options and the conversion quality there is nothing close at the price their selling it. Out of interest, would you see yourself using the smart gain feature at all?
@@diyrecordingstudio No the smart gain feature is a pure gimmick like you said. But I would buy this for the ability to recall settings digitally, that would save me alot of marking with tape and taking photos of knob placements haha
Yeah I totally get the handiness of recall. It’s super handy being able to save for different types of tracking sessions too. I do this on my Zen Tour all the time for things like drums with/without external gear, band tracking sessions and then even ones for streaming via zoom for teaching etc. super super handy. Can’t go wrong I think for the quality and price on this one.
I'm not sure if it can be accessed via the new Motion UI, but I have the evo 8 as a handy, portable bus powered unit and the control software does allow you to save your settings. Not only will it save gain settings, but phantom power, stereo links, track names, track levels, pans, output mix levels. Super handy for setting up templates for different tasks.
I have an EVO 8, its great.... (I wish it had ADAT tho) and considering an EVO 16 but may actually just go for the Behringer. I agree.. Knobs and buttons all the way for me!! Its like in cars...... Screens are way cheaper to make than knobs and buttons..... But you have to take your eyes off the bloody road to use em!!!!!
I picked this interface up a month ago and I can honestly say most of your complaints are not a big deal. For the price, this is a great interface. And I own UAD interfaces as well. I've never heard much difference in interface mic pre's till I got this. But I do agree with you on the smart gain being a gimmick. It works fine but it's too quiet . I boosted it almost 10db above the smart gain result and still had plenty of headroom.
Oh that's a bummer! I wish I knew as well. It's a very high spec for interface in this price range. Only the more expensive interfaces usually have this much dynamic range available. It's still early days, not a lot of info out yet. Let me know if you find out, I'd be super keen to know!
This look like a great value price/input/quality but i don’t like the multi menu… and need real knobs for headphone, don’t want to blow speakers or ears because I need to go 3 or 4 actions to lower a volume. I better spend more on a « real knobs « interface.
Presonus is 114db dynamic range and the evo 16 is 121db. So on paper the evo 16 would appear to have better converters. It’s a little more complicated than that though in the real world.
@@diyrecordingstudio Thank you, this is very complicated stuff. I figure as long as I have a good mic Pre, DI and converters, I should get a pretty clean sound and that should be good to get started.
I bought an Evo 16 as a quick replacement for a recording gig after my aging MOTU 828Hybrid died… there’s no menu diving. Once you press the channel you want to work on, everything available is there. Except for phase inversion. That’s in the virtual console. And if you want to mix for the sends you need a computer to do that. That’s the only thing I find a bit disappointing but the little screen is so small there’s no point even trying… motu had the functionality. A giant pain in the ass and menu diving nightmare.
Ahhhhh....people and not being able to handle computer menus...maybe its just a younger generation thing...but it doesn't bother me at all. Menu diving on cameras are much more difficult than Evo 16, imo. And I'm used to menu diving on a camera. Wish you actually tried out the Smart Gain - apparently it is actually spot on...and on the conservative side of "gaining" things...which 121 dynamic range will help with in post. It gives you an error message when you play like crap and need to play more consistently. Its helpful for studios who don't have a dedicated interface just for drums which they can just leave gain knobs where it should be set. I need to plug in different mics for singers, drums, violins, guitars, shakers...etc. I can just press 1 button and focus on getting the DAW set up correctly while they are sound-checking/rehearsing/warming up. Its a gimmick...but compared to the digital EQ of the Focusrite "air mode"...this is 1000x more useful of a gimmick. Other than that...yeah...they could have made a much bigger screen...and included more screens. But then...another thing you don't talk about is headphone amp measurements. It performs significantly better than Focusrite or Behringer or whatever in harmonic distortion and being able to provide power to all headphone impedance levels...according to Julian Krause measurements. I mean...you could go with the RME or the Audient ID series for a better headphone preamp...but thats about it. And those are more expensive. But if they spend all their money on LEDs and "air mode"...they can't spend money on the headphone outputs. Audient EVO will leave its mark on the budget Audio Interface development war! Everyone who doesn't follow this digital controlling version with future updates...will get wiped out in the lower prosumer level of audio gear...mark my words! Don't worry...LED and tubes and real analog knobs will still have a place in the high end market...but EVERYTHING is going digital...and there's no going back. Not in the prosumer level at least... Even real analog consoles now are starting to include a 2nd mode to be a DAW controller...just because almost all studios rely on a DAW. Pure analog knobs will become more niche as the years progress. We are seeing something special here...I fully expect other companies to start to copy/add more features to this formula on their budget lineup from now on: Great preamps + Great headphone/output amps + digital workflow.
Everything you said is 100% facts. I guarantee other companies will start implementing their own version of smart gain and just call it something else. I'm not surprised by this interface, Audient has a track record of amazing sounding gear. For the price the ID4 is the best bang for buck entry level interface I'll never sell it.
I was thinking about the Focusrite 1820i but although it has two sets of ADAT ports you can only add 8 channels maximum. Each of the competitor interfaces has restrictions (fewer headphone outs, fewer ADAT ports, less functionality on the monitor section in terms of both mono and alt speakers etc. compared to the Evo16. I think quite a few of the features of the Focusrite can only be changed on the software, not even on the unit so there's nothing out there that ticks all the boxes but for the features I want I think the Evo is as close as it gets.
We’ll if that’s the case then the evo 16 sounds like the right interface for you. I think it is a decent bit of gear honestly. I just can’t help but point out some of the marketing spin these companies employ. Good luck with the interface. Let me know how you go.
I think you should actually try something before trashing it. I agree a lot of companies offer hype their products but some features can be legitimately useful. I think having the automatic gain setting feature on drums is brilliant. This should be fairly simple for a system to be able to do... and probably better than most human ears... and of course you can then go in and manually fine tune everything... but at least I'm theory this should get you to a good starting point faster without clipping. It's like quantizing or any other tool... it's not perfect but can certainly make the process from start to finish much faster. I'm really curious to hear the quality of the digital converters and mic pres in a real test as sometimes the people making reviews cheat and use much more expensive grear along with the interfaces to make them sound better...
Dude, im 100% not trashing this unit. I think its a great bit of gear. However, the auto gain feature is way too gimmicky, and actually useless if you're using external gear anyway. I would never trust a computer on something as crucial as gain staging. Just my opinion though, you're 100% entitled to yours too.
@@diyrecordingstudio I get it and understand where your are coming from. I haven't tried it yet but I'm guessing the auto gain will work very well to get to a starting point quickly. Maybe because I absolutely hate getting to the starting point and clipping etc until you get your levels dialed in... especially when recording live and you are pressed for time. Maybe it's just a gimmick as you say...or maybe it works extremely well. I would personally love to try it for that feature alone though. Anything to spread up the pain in the ass pre recording set up with. Technology is moving quickly and sometimes making life easier...
The only thing no one talks about is the real world latency on the unit. I wished they used Thunderbolt 3 or 4 on it for even the cost difference maybe $100 more. I hate freezing track and all the BS just to get a usable latency. I don't think the USB 2 can in real world even compete with the old fire wire which in real world is faster not on paper. I tried a Focus rite USB 2 versus my pro 40 fire wire same tracks same plugins and hands down the Pro 40 won. Yes my PC is twerked also for audio performance. I think right now I am going with the Quantum 2626 for the thunderbolt 3, Like you said in this price point all the converters are pretty much close.Even with the 121 db versus 110 I really don't think it will be that big of a difference in mix downs. I am not saying 121 DB is not better but its' 110 DB livable.
Great video but I feel you’ve missed the point. I’ve tracked the kit at rehearsal with my evo 8 and the smart-gain results are stellar, the pre’s were fantastic and no time was wasted. If I’m tracking carefully at home I can finesse as much as I want. At this price point getting bogged down with semantics is foolish. Use the right tool for the job, son. Evo 16 (or 8 or 4) for a demo / preproduction tool is a no brainer. Creativity over tech! We can poonce about with semantics when we’re paying for a fine studio, later. If you’re a genuine commercial facility- this isn’t for you… and that ok
Didn't miss the point at all, I don't know why I have to keep re-iterating this to people,..... I think this is a great interface with high quality conversion at a great price. However, the Smart gain feature is a gimmick. If it works for you, that's great, but there is zero chance i would trust the interface algorithm to do my gain staging for any serious recording. You can disagree, that's fine man, but personally there's just no way I would ever use it.
digi channels 15&15 don't work, only for loopback. it's a known bug (apparently only on some interfaces?) and it has not been taken care of yet. so if you need the full 16 extra channels - well it's 14. that's that. BUT: after an initial waiting period of 2 weeks until i got a response there hasn't been ANY more movement and messages by their support, for almost 3 months! even though i asked for news and at some point (understandably) complained they did NOT reply at all, but eventually marked the request as resolved :D that behaviour left me baffled. be aware of their "customer service", just saying. god thanks to musikhaus korn in Germany who took the unit back after 3 months and refunded me. it's a shame they have to stand up for audients conduct.
That's pretty disappointing to hear. Customer service and support is everything with these kind of devices. Pretty weird bug to have too. I wouldnt use a device without loopback these days. It's so crucial for a lot of applications now, especially post covid, doing more work online.
I am new to recording but have been doing research for a few months, someone is trolling us. There's no reason we can't get a single unit box that has Analog console mic pre amps and DI's with a good converter and USB Audio interface with plenty of I/O build in, straight from any of the major manufacturers. Might as well include a power amp as well, DVD burner and tuner, MP3 player, so you can hook up passive speakers. All these different things in the signal chain just becomes a mess of wires, more signal loss and wasted $$$. One 5U thing can replace 5 things, throw in exhaust fan I would pay maybe 2-3 thousand for that. Otherwise I am looking to build this part by part, wire by wire. In the old days, when things went digital we still had comprehensible audio systems, this is absolutely insane in 2022, nobody knows where to start out, seems like building a studio rack is the way to go, at least 5-6 spaces.This EVO 16 might be what I end up getting, with a scarlet mic Preamp and a power amp, CD+MP3 player and a power strip + exhaust fan.
If you don't like the smart gain, just don't use it. No big. On the other hand, this interface kicks the crap outta FR. It gives a Lynx aurora a run for it's money, For me, it's the fidelity, the price, and now UA offers native plugs? You can use their efx with this interface. You can run your outboard into the line ins, and you have a 24 channel system for $1500 USD. The menu diving? Not an issue. You know what really sux? Fixing 8 broken / worn out pots or encoders. In Logic for example, you have total recall from the daw on mic pre gains (saved with your sessions), and you can use your mouse from the computer to control the mic / line gain, without leaving the mix sweet spot. The evo can be across the room, you have meters in front of you, and control of the entire interface. In my opinion, this is better tech. To each their own. BTW, I don't use smart gain either. But the beauty is, you don't have to.
Please take this as constructive criticisim: did you realize that the overall feeling of your review is negative, yet when asked, you said that in reality you only dont like the smart gain feature? Not to mention that color lcd screens are an upgrade for any device, but just in this one is a cheap addition? Also, the smart gain feature is a time saver, once you do the setup, you fine tune every channel, besides the fact that if you take gain control so serious, what do you expect from a fairly mid range priced interface? I think your personal biases kinda ruin the objectivity of the review, thanks anyway for your work and perspective!
Good review, thanks for your insight. Most people don't have anything negative to say so it's refreshing to hear some criticism. My 2 cents are that smart gain is clearly aimed at beginners such as myself. I am keen to test it out. I plan to do some recordings with smart gain and then record the same thing when I have set the gain manually and then to compare to see if the time saving is worth it.
We should stop pretending all interfaces actually work. Not all drivers are created equal and not all software is either. Audient is proven solid in my experience. The Tascam 16x08, which I also use can’t hold a candle to my Audient ID44. It is just too buggy and has a terrible driver.
@@alexntemperley ah oke. Sorry about that. Im from europe. But i searched for us prices because it seemed odd to hear the 400$ mark on a behringer interface.
USB 2.0 is definitely more than enough. It doesn't even have enough channels to reach USB 2.0 performance limits. Only thunderbolt connection would give a slight boost in latency performance. RME uses still USB 2.0 and thanks to their super streamlined drivers the latency is top notch. Usually Dante and AVB interfaces need USB 3 or Thunderbolt to keep up with the data of the channel streams.
Hm, you show me that you know there is a software that shows on your...yeah, screen...so you can monitor and change every channels gain at the same BIG display right in front of you at any point! Why do you have to see all this on the interface I wonder? You talk bad about having to press two buttons instead of one to turn on for example the phantom power but you still think it's more convenient to maybe move away from your seat, bend over or turn around to watch an interface with small, imprecise meters next to every little gain knob? And mute switches...just hold a button for two seconds! I'd rather stay focused on my screen to control both my DAW and my interface to be honest. Also, the auto gain is AWESOME as a place to start! You don't have to choose between letting the interface do it for you or doin it yourself. I look at it like having an assistant setting up a starting gainstage before I come in to actually record. You can still adjust and keep an eye on your input gain as in ANY session where the musician may alter the volume being recorded by hitting harder, changing a boost pedal, changing sound between different parts of the song or whatever it might be. I think EVO hit the perfect target in like...almost everything...price, workflow, quality, dynamic range, features, I/Os. Love it =)
Just setup my Evo 16 tonight. I'm not the most technical person when it comes to home recording, and this thing is awesome. Mic'd up my drum kit, set levels with Smartgain, and I was off to the races. I'll admit that the signal going into Logic seemed low, and thus the headphone output was super quiet. But I think that's a Logic issue, not an Evo issue. Very impressed.
I have an EMU 1616m and it never ceases to amaze me how powerful this audio interface is. It is from the year 2006, a little old but believe me that all the companies copied something from it. It has three pairs of inputs and outputs, 3 outputs plus mini jack and even input for turntable, adat, spdif, midi, a mixer (software) with enormous routing possibilities, dsp effects, built-in soft limit function. The converter is that of the Avid Digidesign 192 hhd, it has 120Db of dynamic tango and a THD of -110 at the input and -105 at the output. It also records up to 192kz and 24 bit. Hopefully someone does a review comparing it with newer interfaces to see its performance. Too bad they weren't made anymore.
I've been using it for a week and so far 👍. The smart gain works very well on drums, percs (congas / timbales / cajon / etc etc), also on guitars. I dont know for other systems but with macbook air m1 base model works very well...(no audible latency when using spark plugins from UAD while recording). I agree that the UI menu is a little annoying from time to time but I guess it will be better on the next generations of EVO.
The auto gain sounds great, you just check it after, great way to get a bullpark setting. Your sarcasm seems a bit over the top, assumed when I clicked this video that you were gonna be actually using it to review it lol
Thanks for the informative vid! I look forward to other vids on the channel!
Thanks for stopping by and lending your support. More vids coming soon!
Great to find a fellow Aussie gear nerd! Great video mate keen to see what you put out in the future!
Thanks Ethan. I am very much , definitely a gear nerd! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Much more dot studio builds and gear reviews for sure.
first vid of yours I've seen. absolute gold. subscribed 🤙🏻
I have the Line 6 Digital Mixer that has auto gain. I always liked it. I’m curious to see how the Evo 16 handles it. I just pre-ordered one for $500. I plan to pair it up with my Apollo X4
What would your goto 8 pre be outside of this? I just bailed on an RME Octamix XTC with my Twin mkii. Was gonna do the X8P but outside of the unison pres, I can get what i want out of the Console software with alternative options. I like this thing because of the price point and the possibility of running on its own for podcasts and random tracking projects.
Honestly it’s got a great feature set and price and if it suits your needs, go for it. The only real thing I disliked is the smart gain gimmick. Everything else with this unit is a win. Great control software too.
@@diyrecordingstudio went with an x8p. I’m gonna stay in the UA realm🙌🏼
Could this be used as a stand alone mixer, sort of like the focusrite? On the focusrite it will remember your last settings and as long as it is powered it can be used as a live mixer. thanks
Yeah I mean theoretically you could. Don’t know if that’s the best option for live stuff. Depends what you’re doing I guess.
I’ve had the Evo 16 for a week now! This thing is amazing! I coming from and older RME ufx, trust me the Evo 16 sounds phenomenal! Very clean sound and super easy to use, the smart gain is awesome because I can run to the drums after everything is set with smart gain when I’m by myself, it does a perfect job setting the levels especially when you’re alone, if y’all have or get this interface then you really can’t shit on this product lol until you actually use it! I was skeptical too but man is this worth it! Trust me! 🤘🤘🤘 I’ve been doing audio with a semi professional studio for 15 years, I know what I’m talking about! Get one of these! There is NO menu diving on this either just to confirm!!
Also have the original UFX and considering switching so this is good to hear.
@@IconicPhotonic yeah man it’s almost like having a mini Ufx lol, I’m gonna do a little review on my channel soon on this 🤘
Hey Ivan, i don't know if you watched the whole vid, but I actually think this interface is a great piece of gear and wasn't shitting on it at all. I make these videos to pick apart what might be good and what might be marketing spin. The autogain could be cool, but i would always be checking my gain, meaning going back and forth anyway which kinda negates the need for it.
If it works for you, that's awesome though.
@@diyrecordingstudio Yeah I watched the whole video, I like your channel and subbed to ya bud, I thought I would contribute to the sh@t slinging in the comment section…🤣 Nice content though man 🤘🤘
Hello there! I have a question, is smart gain optional? I mean, can I decide when to use it and when not to use it?
Hi! @Audient can we get a volume control Mac Os, just as Evo 8 or 4, i'm able to control the volume control through the keyboard on Evo 4 but not on the Evo 16, a firmware update could do so, i believe. Thanks
Hey, thanks for the nice review! I got a 5.1 film project to start working on soon in my home studio, was waiting for Motu ultralight MK5 which suits me the best as I don't even record anything here, only mixing and sound design, but unfortunately it seems the MK5 won't come soon, do you think this EVO 16 will work for me or you have another better suggestions?
Thanks in advance bro.
Ahh ok, so for film, do you need the extra outs to go to the rest of the 5.1? Is that the plan for you? That would probably work, to be honest 5.1 and film is not my area of expertise but I think you would be covered for enough outs here.
@@diyrecordingstudio Cheers.
I think the digitally controlled preamp are a good idea. I agree about smart gain.
Yeah they can be great. Saves on broken potentiometers. But yeah wish they didn’t have to do the gimmicky stuff to sell a great product.
Honest review. I prefer hand on control when i playing anything.
100%. Also if you use any outboard gear, the auto gain feature becomes useless anyway.
No midi…….Which matters. Behringer, Focusrite and others have it and if you need it you need it!
I’d like a rack mount, 8 channel Audient ID series….. WITH MIDI.
I have the SP8 hooked into and RME Babyface, the EVO is fantastic except for no midi.
RME drivers are legendary too
The RME stuff is excellent, and yeah certain devices definitely still need midi, so often left out nowdays. Thanks for the comment!
Great review. Are the JFET preamps (1 & 2) also compatible with condenser mics using the 48v phantom power?
So the jfets are the instrument inputs for these type of devices and not part of the mic preamp circuit.
Mic pre 1 & 2 will have phantom power though.
@@diyrecordingstudio Thanks! So is that why Im getting high-frequency feedback when I turn on phantom power with a condenser mic plugged into them? It works fine in preamps 3-8
I pre ordered one. I'm upgrading from the motu m4.but my concern is am I down grading from ess Sabre 32 dac to ??? Unknown dac
The evo 16 actually has very slightly higher dynamic range at the dac. It’s so close, I don’t think their will be a noticeable difference either way. If you’re upgrading for some extra, great mix pres then you should be all good.
@@diyrecordingstudio good to know thank you for reply
So i agree you should set gain manually BUT auto gain does get you a good starting point quick and then you can fine tune from there so it can make things faster and easier on our end. Another thing for auto gain that I'm interested in, is if this were used in a live situation running an IEM rig (it can be done, Ive used a behringer umc1820 and ada8200 in conjunction with reaper for years for this), the auto gain would be really useful to get consistent, or close to, levels between venues and then your IEM template rarely needs touched since it will, in theory, keep you at roughly -18 or -12 or whatever target level they went for. So I do see auto gain being more useful than it seems but yes, still do agree when recording you should atleast fine tune the pres by hand
I've had the interface for a few months now, and I can't complain. I needed something affordable with a good deal of I/O options.
Totally left out the Roland Octa Cature or the Studio Capture which are more the 10 years old.
Your channel should have 50k subs at least to the tops. Your content and rev us litttt🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Thank you so much! We'll see, just gotta keep grindin out here haha!
at the end of day wishes and reality depend highly on the trade off between costs and functionality. in that price segment i expect even from you a fairobjective comparison as your antelope interface seems to cost more. even autogain is not forced to use. gainstaging can even be done in your input devices imo. However thanks a lot for your end result. helps me little more. best regards
I think that you can see all those things that you state you cannot see at the same time in the little screen at the digital controller that's installed in the computer (driver/mix-control). I do not understand your concern with this. This is just a strange whim of yours, I think most people wouldn't mind controlling an interface on a super well designed mix controller in the computer itself.
It's not got all the mic preamps of this one. But, the MOTU Ultralite-mk5 is definitely a level above this, and others like this, on distortion, dynamic range (125db), noise with ESS Sabre32 DAC. Otherwise, I agree, and because of that, it seems to me that's it's better either to get the Behringer 1820m (which I have), or then hold out until MOTU/RME, where things do go up a level. Possibly some of the Arturia Audiofuses are better too, but I don't have personal experience of those. RME wins on driver too, and MOTU and RME have better mixer software for Pros too. Here in Europe the MOTU doesn't cost that much more, so long as you don't need all the Pres.
Yeah the motu I have to admit I didn’t even compare in this video because of only having 2 preamps. But the metering option on the motu is exactly what I think all these new interfaces should have to save on menu diving.
Thanks for your input, another great suggestion. 👍
Motu Mk5 mixer is a knock off and stripped version of the mk4, I won’t invest in it and gladly pass. RME is very solid.
The motu is trash and I said this because the preamps are trash and don't sound as good! and u can't mute speakers or mic without the software! The thing about audient u get the best preamps across of all there interfaces! The same ones they use in there more expensive gear!
Good review. I don’t really see the issue with smart gain if used as a starting point, but agree I wouldn’t let it make my final decision
not wrong there at all Benny. But if I then have to dive through every preamp individually to check it, I'm just going to start that way in the first place.
@@diyrecordingstudio either way I’m strongly considering this unit as opposed to a cheaper stereo interface to use at home when I don’t feel like traveling 15 min to the studio. The expandability is a key selling point and I’m guessing the conversion is on par or better than my drummers focusrite claret which is a few years old
I don’t neccesarily need the 8-24 channels for what I’d use it for now but down the road if I end up with a home studio it could be handy for just a couple hundred difference from say the SSL plus
Yeah so it’s actually better than the claret. It’s always good to make a purchase that is somewhat future proof too. Just wish it was usb c. The pres, conversion, expansion and mix control/loop back cover a lot of bases though.
Interesting perspective, thanks for the detailed review. The smart gain feature actually appeals to me quite a bit as a hobby recordist because of how often I've made mistakes while setting gains and had to re-record parts due to clipping. It's very easy to set gains correctly when you're behind the desk but if you have to look across the room and guess while you're playing drums then walk back and tweak, I'd take the algorithm 10 times out of 10.
The menu diving looks pretty naff but at least it has a dedicated headphone volume knob. Amazing what you can get for $500 these days, I remember my first audio interface costing almost tha tmuch and getting 2 of the noisiest mic inputs ever, no level indicator lights at all, and a plastic case that felt light as an empty soda can. Some things do get better over time.
Quality not withstanding - all they've done is re-release the Focusrite Clarett 8 Pre X from 2014.
Almost no-one offers 8 mic preamps AND 16 ADAT I/O. Focusrite discontinued the 8 Pre X, so they don't even do it anymore.
I'm glad there is something that can get me 24 mics into Pro Tools again :)
Thanks for the review!
Yeah 16 channels of ADAT IO at this price is pretty much unbeatable. I paid a lot more for these specs in my Zen Tour a few years ago. Not a bad bit of kit. I just have to laugh at the spin some of these companies come out with. 😆
Thanks for leaving a comment
Hey man, nice review! I was wondering is this interface capable of saving presets for gain settings since its a digitally controlled unit. If so that would mean there is nothing close to this at this price point.
Yeah you're right, with these options and the conversion quality there is nothing close at the price their selling it. Out of interest, would you see yourself using the smart gain feature at all?
@@diyrecordingstudio No the smart gain feature is a pure gimmick like you said. But I would buy this for the ability to recall settings digitally, that would save me alot of marking with tape and taking photos of knob placements haha
Yeah I totally get the handiness of recall. It’s super handy being able to save for different types of tracking sessions too. I do this on my Zen Tour all the time for things like drums with/without external gear, band tracking sessions and then even ones for streaming via zoom for teaching etc. super super handy.
Can’t go wrong I think for the quality and price on this one.
I'm not sure if it can be accessed via the new Motion UI, but I have the evo 8 as a handy, portable bus powered unit and the control software does allow you to save your settings. Not only will it save gain settings, but phantom power, stereo links, track names, track levels, pans, output mix levels. Super handy for setting up templates for different tasks.
I have an EVO 8, its great.... (I wish it had ADAT tho) and considering an EVO 16 but may actually just go for the Behringer.
I agree.. Knobs and buttons all the way for me!!
Its like in cars...... Screens are way cheaper to make than knobs and buttons..... But you have to take your eyes off the bloody road to use em!!!!!
I picked this interface up a month ago and I can honestly say most of your complaints are not a big deal. For the price, this is a great interface. And I own UAD interfaces as well. I've never heard much difference in interface mic pre's till I got this. But I do agree with you on the smart gain being a gimmick. It works fine but it's too quiet . I boosted it almost 10db above the smart gain result and still had plenty of headroom.
@@zaiddthomaaus I love it! It's a great interface for the price.
Ace video mate ! Ive been asking Audient for 2 weeks which converters they use, sadly no replies :(
Oh that's a bummer! I wish I knew as well. It's a very high spec for interface in this price range. Only the more expensive interfaces usually have this much dynamic range available. It's still early days, not a lot of info out yet. Let me know if you find out, I'd be super keen to know!
This look like a great value price/input/quality but i don’t like the multi menu… and need real knobs for headphone, don’t want to blow speakers or ears because I need to go 3 or 4 actions to lower a volume. I better spend more on a « real knobs « interface.
Exactly!! Thanks for the great comment!
Which has the better converters EVO 16 or Presonus ?
Presonus is 114db dynamic range and the evo 16 is 121db. So on paper the evo 16 would appear to have better converters. It’s a little more complicated than that though in the real world.
@@diyrecordingstudio Thank you, this is very complicated stuff. I figure as long as I have a good mic Pre, DI and converters, I should get a pretty clean sound and that should be good to get started.
I bought an Evo 16 as a quick replacement for a recording gig after my aging MOTU 828Hybrid died… there’s no menu diving. Once you press the channel you want to work on, everything available is there. Except for phase inversion. That’s in the virtual console. And if you want to mix for the sends you need a computer to do that. That’s the only thing I find a bit disappointing but the little screen is so small there’s no point even trying… motu had the functionality. A giant pain in the ass and menu diving nightmare.
Ahhhhh....people and not being able to handle computer menus...maybe its just a younger generation thing...but it doesn't bother me at all. Menu diving on cameras are much more difficult than Evo 16, imo. And I'm used to menu diving on a camera. Wish you actually tried out the Smart Gain - apparently it is actually spot on...and on the conservative side of "gaining" things...which 121 dynamic range will help with in post. It gives you an error message when you play like crap and need to play more consistently. Its helpful for studios who don't have a dedicated interface just for drums which they can just leave gain knobs where it should be set. I need to plug in different mics for singers, drums, violins, guitars, shakers...etc. I can just press 1 button and focus on getting the DAW set up correctly while they are sound-checking/rehearsing/warming up. Its a gimmick...but compared to the digital EQ of the Focusrite "air mode"...this is 1000x more useful of a gimmick.
Other than that...yeah...they could have made a much bigger screen...and included more screens. But then...another thing you don't talk about is headphone amp measurements. It performs significantly better than Focusrite or Behringer or whatever in harmonic distortion and being able to provide power to all headphone impedance levels...according to Julian Krause measurements. I mean...you could go with the RME or the Audient ID series for a better headphone preamp...but thats about it. And those are more expensive. But if they spend all their money on LEDs and "air mode"...they can't spend money on the headphone outputs.
Audient EVO will leave its mark on the budget Audio Interface development war! Everyone who doesn't follow this digital controlling version with future updates...will get wiped out in the lower prosumer level of audio gear...mark my words! Don't worry...LED and tubes and real analog knobs will still have a place in the high end market...but EVERYTHING is going digital...and there's no going back. Not in the prosumer level at least... Even real analog consoles now are starting to include a 2nd mode to be a DAW controller...just because almost all studios rely on a DAW. Pure analog knobs will become more niche as the years progress. We are seeing something special here...I fully expect other companies to start to copy/add more features to this formula on their budget lineup from now on: Great preamps + Great headphone/output amps + digital workflow.
I think it's a great bit of gear...just listing some of the things that may be more about marketing and gimmicks.
Everything you said is 100% facts. I guarantee other companies will start implementing their own version of smart gain and just call it something else. I'm not surprised by this interface, Audient has a track record of amazing sounding gear. For the price the ID4 is the best bang for buck entry level interface I'll never sell it.
Haha hmmm, ill stick with my Apollos but will get this EVO to get on the go sessions outside the studio
Sounds like a pretty decent plan.
I was thinking about the Focusrite 1820i but although it has two sets of ADAT ports you can only add 8 channels maximum. Each of the competitor interfaces has restrictions (fewer headphone outs, fewer ADAT ports, less functionality on the monitor section in terms of both mono and alt speakers etc. compared to the Evo16. I think quite a few of the features of the Focusrite can only be changed on the software, not even on the unit so there's nothing out there that ticks all the boxes but for the features I want I think the Evo is as close as it gets.
We’ll if that’s the case then the evo 16 sounds like the right interface for you.
I think it is a decent bit of gear honestly. I just can’t help but point out some of the marketing spin these companies employ.
Good luck with the interface. Let me know how you go.
Wait...so you're just giving a review of the unit you didn't even try by yourself, or am I missing something?
I think you should actually try something before trashing it. I agree a lot of companies offer hype their products but some features can be legitimately useful. I think having the automatic gain setting feature on drums is brilliant. This should be fairly simple for a system to be able to do... and probably better than most human ears... and of course you can then go in and manually fine tune everything... but at least I'm theory this should get you to a good starting point faster without clipping. It's like quantizing or any other tool... it's not perfect but can certainly make the process from start to finish much faster. I'm really curious to hear the quality of the digital converters and mic pres in a real test as sometimes the people making reviews cheat and use much more expensive grear along with the interfaces to make them sound better...
Dude, im 100% not trashing this unit. I think its a great bit of gear. However, the auto gain feature is way too gimmicky, and actually useless if you're using external gear anyway.
I would never trust a computer on something as crucial as gain staging. Just my opinion though, you're 100% entitled to yours too.
@@diyrecordingstudio I get it and understand where your are coming from. I haven't tried it yet but I'm guessing the auto gain will work very well to get to a starting point quickly. Maybe because I absolutely hate getting to the starting point and clipping etc until you get your levels dialed in... especially when recording live and you are pressed for time. Maybe it's just a gimmick as you say...or maybe it works extremely well. I would personally love to try it for that feature alone though. Anything to spread up the pain in the ass pre recording set up with. Technology is moving quickly and sometimes making life easier...
The only thing no one talks about is the real world latency on the unit. I wished they used Thunderbolt 3 or 4 on it for even the cost difference maybe $100 more.
I hate freezing track and all the BS just to get a usable latency. I don't think the USB 2 can in real world even compete with the old fire wire which in real world is faster not on paper.
I tried a Focus rite USB 2 versus my pro 40 fire wire same tracks same plugins and hands down the Pro 40 won. Yes my PC is twerked also for audio performance.
I think right now I am going with the Quantum 2626 for the thunderbolt 3, Like you said in this price point all the converters are pretty much close.Even with the 121 db versus 110 I really don't think it will be that big of a difference in mix downs. I am not saying 121 DB is not better but its' 110 DB livable.
Yeah, it's pretty crazy that stuck with usb 2.0. Hope the quantum works out for you.
@@diyrecordingstudio Thanks. i hope so also.
Did you do this without having or used the Evo 16??
Really?
Yup. It’s an opinion not a review.
Great video but I feel you’ve missed the point. I’ve tracked the kit at rehearsal with my evo 8 and the smart-gain results are stellar, the pre’s were fantastic and no time was wasted. If I’m tracking carefully at home I can finesse as much as I want. At this price point getting bogged down with semantics is foolish. Use the right tool for the job, son. Evo 16 (or 8 or 4) for a demo / preproduction tool is a no brainer. Creativity over tech! We can poonce about with semantics when we’re paying for a fine studio, later. If you’re a genuine commercial facility- this isn’t for you… and that ok
Didn't miss the point at all, I don't know why I have to keep re-iterating this to people,..... I think this is a great interface with high quality conversion at a great price. However, the Smart gain feature is a gimmick. If it works for you, that's great, but there is zero chance i would trust the interface algorithm to do my gain staging for any serious recording.
You can disagree, that's fine man, but personally there's just no way I would ever use it.
digi channels 15&15 don't work, only for loopback. it's a known bug (apparently only on some interfaces?) and it has not been taken care of yet.
so if you need the full 16 extra channels - well it's 14. that's that.
BUT: after an initial waiting period of 2 weeks until i got a response there hasn't been ANY more movement and messages by their support, for almost 3 months!
even though i asked for news and at some point (understandably) complained they did NOT reply at all, but eventually marked the request as resolved :D
that behaviour left me baffled. be aware of their "customer service", just saying.
god thanks to musikhaus korn in Germany who took the unit back after 3 months and refunded me. it's a shame they have to stand up for audients conduct.
That's pretty disappointing to hear. Customer service and support is everything with these kind of devices.
Pretty weird bug to have too. I wouldnt use a device without loopback these days. It's so crucial for a lot of applications now, especially post covid, doing more work online.
I am new to recording but have been doing research for a few months, someone is trolling us. There's no reason we can't get a single unit box that has Analog console mic pre amps and DI's with a good converter and USB Audio interface with plenty of I/O build in, straight from any of the major manufacturers. Might as well include a power amp as well, DVD burner and tuner, MP3 player, so you can hook up passive speakers. All these different things in the signal chain just becomes a mess of wires, more signal loss and wasted $$$. One 5U thing can replace 5 things, throw in exhaust fan I would pay maybe 2-3 thousand for that. Otherwise I am looking to build this part by part, wire by wire. In the old days, when things went digital we still had comprehensible audio systems, this is absolutely insane in 2022, nobody knows where to start out, seems like building a studio rack is the way to go, at least 5-6 spaces.This EVO 16 might be what I end up getting, with a scarlet mic Preamp and a power amp, CD+MP3 player and a power strip + exhaust fan.
If you don't like the smart gain, just don't use it. No big. On the other hand, this interface kicks the crap outta FR. It gives a Lynx aurora a run for it's money, For me, it's the fidelity, the price, and now UA offers native plugs? You can use their efx with this interface. You can run your outboard into the line ins, and you have a 24 channel system for $1500 USD. The menu diving? Not an issue. You know what really sux? Fixing 8 broken / worn out pots or encoders. In Logic for example, you have total recall from the daw on mic pre gains (saved with your sessions), and you can use your mouse from the computer to control the mic / line gain, without leaving the mix sweet spot. The evo can be across the room, you have meters in front of you, and control of the entire interface. In my opinion, this is better tech. To each their own. BTW, I don't use smart gain either. But the beauty is, you don't have to.
Please take this as constructive criticisim: did you realize that the overall feeling of your review is negative, yet when asked, you said that in reality you only dont like the smart gain feature? Not to mention that color lcd screens are an upgrade for any device, but just in this one is a cheap addition? Also, the smart gain feature is a time saver, once you do the setup, you fine tune every channel, besides the fact that if you take gain control so serious, what do you expect from a fairly mid range priced interface? I think your personal biases kinda ruin the objectivity of the review, thanks anyway for your work and perspective!
I have one. Its an interface..its a good one, but its just an interface..Revolutionary? no..Oh..The Smartgain works fairly well actually
Good review, thanks for your insight. Most people don't have anything negative to say so it's refreshing to hear some criticism.
My 2 cents are that smart gain is clearly aimed at beginners such as myself. I am keen to test it out. I plan to do some recordings with smart gain and then record the same thing when I have set the gain manually and then to compare to see if the time saving is worth it.
If you do that, please let me know your results. I’d be super keen to hear your thoughts.
Am I the only one who is put off by the +12dbu max output? Most interfaces of quality have +18 or more. This would be very low volume
That’s a good point. I missed that one!
definitely a skeptic's POV 😆
Healthy skepticism maybe? Hahaha
We should stop pretending all interfaces actually work. Not all drivers are created equal and not all software is either. Audient is proven solid in my experience. The Tascam 16x08, which I also use can’t hold a candle to my Audient ID44. It is just too buggy and has a terrible driver.
uhm 400$ for Behringer? its $279 on sweetwater
He's in Australia. It's a bit over AUD $400 here. Believe me, we're jealous of your US$ prices.
@@alexntemperley ah oke. Sorry about that. Im from europe. But i searched for us prices because it seemed odd to hear the 400$ mark on a behringer interface.
@@tibi1687 ah and I just assumed you were in the US. Prices in EU aren't great either
If it isn’t hard then why are you making it sound soooo important
The thing that concerns me I that the Evo 16 still uses a USB 2.0 connection.
Very, very good point. USB C should be a must nowadays. Especially when it can significantly help bandwidth and latency issues.
USB 2.0 is definitely more than enough. It doesn't even have enough channels to reach USB 2.0 performance limits. Only thunderbolt connection would give a slight boost in latency performance. RME uses still USB 2.0 and thanks to their super streamlined drivers the latency is top notch. Usually Dante and AVB interfaces need USB 3 or Thunderbolt to keep up with the data of the channel streams.
Hm, you show me that you know there is a software that shows on your...yeah, screen...so you can monitor and change every channels gain at the same BIG display right in front of you at any point! Why do you have to see all this on the interface I wonder? You talk bad about having to press two buttons instead of one to turn on for example the phantom power but you still think it's more convenient to maybe move away from your seat, bend over or turn around to watch an interface with small, imprecise meters next to every little gain knob? And mute switches...just hold a button for two seconds! I'd rather stay focused on my screen to control both my DAW and my interface to be honest. Also, the auto gain is AWESOME as a place to start! You don't have to choose between letting the interface do it for you or doin it yourself. I look at it like having an assistant setting up a starting gainstage before I come in to actually record. You can still adjust and keep an eye on your input gain as in ANY session where the musician may alter the volume being recorded by hitting harder, changing a boost pedal, changing sound between different parts of the song or whatever it might be.
I think EVO hit the perfect target in like...almost everything...price, workflow, quality, dynamic range, features, I/Os. Love it =)
Your cons dont seem valid and are based on emotion. Lazy review from someone that doesnt know to use digital UI on pieces of gear.