USBPre 2 from Sound Devices

Sound Devices’ USBPre® 2 is a high-resolution, portable hardware interface for Mac- and Windows-based digital audio. The USBPre 2 is the industry's highest performance and most flexible portable interface, connecting professional microphones, line-level sources, consumer audio electronics, and S/PDIF digital sources with Mac OS and Windows computers via USB. The USBPre 2 includes two discrete-transistor microphone preamps with 24-bit converters and sampling rates up to 192 kHz. These preamplifiers provide the highest performance in any portable interface. Peak limiters, high-pass filters, and a 15 dB pad add overload protection. All analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion is performed by the USBPre 2 for superior audio performance. As a class-compliant audio device, the USBPre 2 is limited to a maximum data rate of 24-bit, 48 kHz in Windows, Linux, and Mac OS versions 10.4 to 10.5.7. Mac OS 10.5.8 and higher support the audio class 2.0 device and can address the USBPre 2 up to 24-bit, 192 kHz.
Key Features:

• High-strength extruded aluminum chassis
• Extended bandwidth, low-noise microphone preamplifiers with 48 V phantom, limiters, high-pass filters, and 15 dB pad
• Dynamic range greater than 114 dB (in 24-bit operation)
• Flat 10 Hz to 40 kHz (@96 kHz SR) audio bandwidth with very low distortion characteristics
• Each input individually selectable between microphone, line, and aux level signals (both channels selected simultaneously for S/PDIF connections)
• Precision, 23-segment, multicolor LED peak/VU meter, selectable between input and output sources
• High-output headphone amplifier can drive a wide range of headphones
• Balanced outputs on XLR connectors with dedicated level control can be used to drive line- or mic-level inputs
• Mac® OS X 10.4+, Windows®XP/Vista/7, and Linux, class-compliant audio device