******
- Verified Buyer
First let me qualify this review with my PC setup as most reviews will almost always eventually lead to "what kind of setup do you have" questions: I'm running a custom build Intel Hex-core i7-5820 overclocked to 4.2ghz, EVGA X99 Micro 2 MOBO, 32GB Corsair XMS DDR4, EVGA GTX950 video card, Samsung 256GB NVME SSD, Mushkin 1TB Reactor storage SSD, and WIn 10 64 Pro all in a liquid-cooled Corsair Air 240. This is NOT a "studio-only" PC. I use this PC for everything; email, surfing the net, Photoshop, video editing, telecommuting for work, etc. I know many people are VERY strict (anal) about not using their studio PC for anything but that but I have found after decades of building PCs that it's really not that big of a deal. I've seldom had any conflicts or performance hits due to also running software other than whatever DAW I was using. Lastly, you should know that my aim with this purchase was mainly focused on LATENCY. I've streamlined my home setup (kids will do that) so that I'm basically doing everything with VSTs/virtual instruments now. That means I need the lowest latency I can get to get a natural feel when tracking.Prior to this Zoom I was using an aging Mbox 2 with Pro Tools 11. I have since (finally) left the Pro Tools camp after over 15 years of far too many upgrades/crossgrades and over-charged nonsense. I have only recently begun to use Presonus Studio One. Running my Mbox 2 through Studio One would cap at a buffer of 128/44k and anything lower would seriously distort the signal. Some research showed that this is a known issue with the Mbox 2 on Windows 10 64. With that buffer setting I was getting noticeable latency. Presonus was reporting something like 10ms input and 10ms output. I've read that still wouldn't be the true real-time latency (RTL) number that ultimately matters (it would be higher) so that wasn't good at all. Especially since I couldn't get the buffer down any lower. After countless hours of research, mostly on Gearslutz and DAW Bench, it seemed that I either needed to drop serious money on an RME device or wait until the situation gets better with all the other brands. Well, I got kids...and RME wasn't going to fly with the wife. So that left me kind of stuck...I could get a firewire card and try out the Focusrite Saffire Pro series but I didn't feel like adding more PCI cards to my setup and some reviews were mixed on it. What was key in my research was this...it's not so much the interface hardware as much as the DRIVERS that matter. Apparently there are very few interface makers that actually develop their own drivers. RME, of course, is one of them and that's why they are always at the top of the list of low-latency interfaces. Most use the same generic driver that may or may not be fully optimized for the interface. So on one of my research binges I noticed some forum posters on Gearslutz mentioning ZOOM this and ZOOM that. Now, I'm primarily a guitar player and I had heard of Zoom before from way back in the day and my initial impression back then was basically that they were the Walmart of guitar products. Cheap, made-in-China, knockoff and low quality stuff that I would NEVER put on my pedal board. So as I'm reading some users raving on the quality and most importantly, the low latency of the UAC-2, I was skeptical. There were even some comments about Zoom supposedly contracting a company solely for the purpose of developing their own drivers for this product and the theory being that THAT is why the latency was so good on this device. That's how I ended up here. For $250 (vs. $750 for the RME Babyface Pro) it was a no brainer to check this one out. I'm very glad I did. I'm getting incredible latency numbers being reported by Presonus and most importantly, I can't detect any delay when I'm tracking guitar loaded with amp sims and effects or synth VSTs. It's amazing. Presonus is reporting something around 1.54 input latency and 4.04 output latency with a 64 buffer at 44k.. And again, yes I know that is not the true RTL number, but it sure is better than what my mbox was able to achieve and it's noticeable to my ears and playing.Lastly, the install was ultra smooth. I did not experience any issues installing the latest drivers or setting it up in Presonus Studio One. To summarize, if latency matters to the kind of work you're doing with your DAW, it's hard to beat the value this unit represents. FIVE stars.Pros: The unit has outstanding latency. Ran it at 2.9 ms with buffers at 32 with no problems, stops or glitches. This is as good or better than some PCI or Firewire audio interfaces. As a guitarist who uses plug-ins, this is an important issue. Also, the drivers are very stable and smooth. Installation was extremely simple: other manufacturers should take a lesson from Zoom on this matter. In addition, it runs great using power via the USB 3.0 cable.Cons: The headphone volume and clarity was less than desired. The output was not very high: I get better volume thru a iPhone. While I understand that this is a $250 unit, the audio output sounded slightly opaque, and some prerecorded tracks that were made on other units (for example, Lynx L22 or MOTU) occasionally distort thru this equipment. Aurally, the audio detail is good and comparable to more expensive audio interfaces, but the actual dynamic range is suspect. This makes mixing and mastering problematic, and it is not good enough for my needs.Overall, I highly recommend this as an entry level/hobbyist level, because it is excellent for the price range. Not comfortable using it for final demos or professional recordings. However, I think Zoom is on to something, because it would only take a few adjustments to make this an unbelievable audio interface. Maybe a company like Black Lion Audio might create a mod for this equipment.I bought this to record guitar with garageband. The previous solution i was using had a continuous hum when I connected the guitar. More annoying was the noticeable delay between playing and hearing it back through the computer. With the Zoom UAC-2 I don't have any static noise at all and zero delay while playing. I definitely recommend it.I needed a new audio interface for recording vocals since my old USB 1.0 interface has serious compatibility problems with my new X99 motherboard that I was unable to resolve. I use Zoom field recorders that have served me well, so I decided to give this one as a try. Very simple PC setup:Shure SM58 mic to XLR jack on UAC-2Monitoring with headphones on "Phones" jack on UAC-2USB 3.0 port on PCWindows 10 ProZoom UAC-2 ASIO Driver at maximum sample rateAbleton Live 9The MixFx application that launches automatically when you connect the UAC-2 works fine, but doesn't really provide anything I need for my simple setup. It is supposed to alert if new firmware is available for the UAC-2 so I usually keep it running.Signal quality and low-latency perfectly meet my needs as an aspiring musician.So worth the money! I don't go for low budget stuff because I see everything I have as an investment, and I have to say I'm happy with this 250 dollar interface. Of course you can find some that have additional options for 500 more, but trust me: this baby does the job and it's good!No issue with win 7/64, win 10/64. Latency is almost negligible. I have no mac book. So I can not tell. But I use Jam origin Midi guitar with iPad. To work with iPad it requires an external zoom power adapter. And that is a costly and rare item. It would be better to get the adapter in the packet with the price slightly increased.This is by far the worst soundcard I've ever own. Even the cheapest of Focusrite from 15 years ago is better than this faulty product from Zoom. I feel I've been ripoff since the soundcard has audio glitches and audio dropouts. Sometimes, it won't emit any sound and I have to unplug and replug it just to have my sound back. It makes FL Studio 20 crash and hang. A real nightmare. Avoid like the plague.Its my first every sound card. Love it. The first installation needs to be done using the usb 2.0 port. It may be ok with 3.0 port as well(I dont have one), but certainly problematic with USB 3.1 port. After first installation using port 2.0, i am able to use it with 3.1 port as well. I spent precious hours experimenting to find this out. Hope it helps someone.Las reseñas se quedaron cortas, la interfaz se lleva de calle al resto, no sé si el cambio a 3.0 sea la clave pero fuera de lo que hables no entran regalos jeje no hay ni un leve de gis y con los fierros adecuados vas a lograr un audio destacado.Good interface and low latency, for better performance use it with USB 3.0 port only
