Behringer U-Phoria UMC404HD 4x4 USB Audio Interface

I've been using this for the last three weeks doing live recordings for online church music with Cockos Reaper. When the interface initially arrived, I had issues getting it to select different track inputs, but that was an issue with my laptop, which is kind of old. However, once that was sorted, the interface has been very reliable and allowed us to make good, live recordings quickly. I can't comment on how well the MIDI or inserts work, but I didn't need it for that. What I would say is the controls work very well for instrument/line inputs and the inbuilt phantom power is fantastic for active DI boxes and condensor mics. And there simply isn't anything on the market that competes with it pricewise. I'm very happy.

Behringer UMC404HD - Just what I wanted!

I had been using an Edirol USB bus-powered audio interface with 2 inputs and MIDI, but I was starting to run out of options when trying to do live recording. Even miking a drum kit was going to be problematic if I ever went to analog drums. So I bought this unit and it is already paying dividends. I can run audio from multiple keyboards, guitars etc and record simultaneously in a live context. Great!In the home studio, unlike the Edirol unit which has one audio out, this unit has two pre-amped audio out channels, so I can run my Rokit 6’s as near-field studio monitors, and run some large flat panel speakers I made using audio-exciters to provide a wider sound stage.This unit requires a power supply (provided) and means that it can power up and start making sound ... MoreI had been using an Edirol USB bus-powered audio interface with 2 inputs and MIDI, but I was starting to run out of options when trying to do live recording. Even miking a drum kit was going to be problematic if I ever went to analog drums. So I bought this unit and it is already paying dividends. I can run audio from multiple keyboards, guitars etc and record simultaneously in a live context. Great!In the home studio, unlike the Edirol unit which has one audio out, this unit has two pre-amped audio out channels, so I can run my Rokit 6’s as near-field studio monitors, and run some large flat panel speakers I made using audio-exciters to provide a wider sound stage.This unit requires a power supply (provided) and means that it can power up and start making sound right from their get-go, whereas with the Edirol I had to wait for the USB bus to power up after booting the PC, so that’s another bonus.Fair warning, though, you have to connect to the net to get the driver install program for Mac or PC, as there is no driver disc supplied. But so far that’s the only downside, and a very small one at that.Another upside is that the device sets up perfectly in WinXP on my dual-boot PC, as Behringer supply backwardly compatible drivers, a lesson Roland could learn with their Edirol stuff - I have multiple retired devices that became obsolete courtesy of Roland’s indifference to their client base.So far, 100% happy.

Don't buy until it's in stock here.

So far I've used this thing a few times for practicing and recording vocals and guitar, as well as a few hardware tests.One of the first things I had to do when I tried to record this device was to set the input levels in the computer such that they would be equal to the levels I heard when utilizing the direct monitoring. I think I set the level to about -11 on the software to get them to be the same, or you can go through the PC's sound card settings and set it to 50. I've needed to do this for other products before, it's a setting issue on your computer, not with the device. Fixing this will make it much easier to record quickly, because the levels you hear of yourself will be equal to the levels you record.There was not a very good set of documents for this ... MoreSo far I've used this thing a few times for practicing and recording vocals and guitar, as well as a few hardware tests.One of the first things I had to do when I tried to record this device was to set the input levels in the computer such that they would be equal to the levels I heard when utilizing the direct monitoring. I think I set the level to about -11 on the software to get them to be the same, or you can go through the PC's sound card settings and set it to 50. I've needed to do this for other products before, it's a setting issue on your computer, not with the device. Fixing this will make it much easier to record quickly, because the levels you hear of yourself will be equal to the levels you record.There was not a very good set of documents for this product, it had instructions that took me a while to get through. I registered the product, the site is hard to use, it bounces you up to random spots in the page if you accidentally click near instead of on any of the information entry boxes. I haven't gotten my code for Trackition for registering it yet.The sound is great. There's plenty of in's and out's for me. I use the inserts to run 4 channels of Gate and Compressor, I'm going to be adding 2 channels of GEQ once I get the right adapters. My computer was able to run on minimum latency and it's quick enough that you could probably run a small gig in very high quality through this device with your choice of both software and hardwired gear.I'm not sure that the "Midas preamps" are more than just buzzword (allegedly these have XL4 chips in them--same as the M32 and X32 as well as several other Midas mixers and preamps), but there are definitely high quality preamps built into this machine... I might even plug all of my vocals or drums into this, run them out of the inserts and through my outboard effects then into my mixer at a bigger gig.

Excellent value with Achilles heel

This interface is an incredible value with excellent performance. The one fault I discovered is that the line outputs are underpowered, unable to muster a professional +4db line level output. In my case I was sending stereo mixes out to hardware processors and having to use other devices to increase the gain to a professional level. While perhaps I am in the minority in using this interface for mastering, I have had to upgrade to a different interface for this purpose, which realistically will surprise no one. Still, this is still a very solid 4.5/5 review and I will be hanging on the umn404hd for the foreseeable future. It's honestly lovely other than this and I love the inserts!!!!

Lightweight, transparent sound, great features

I had a first gen Focusrite 6i6 that was underwhelming with its sound and a bizarre application that you had to use with your DAW that unclear both with it's manual and labeling. 6i6 made recording a real chore. The Behringer UMC404HD is a dream come true. You load the driver on your computer, plug the UMC404 in, fire up your DAW, and it just works seamlessly & intuitively. The mic preamps sound better than the Focusrite in terms of less noise floor, EMI issues, and just sheer transparency. Latency is really low. The headphone amp is powerful enough for tracking. MIDI interface worked well too. The only cons on this are: no SPDIF, no AES/EBU, and Phantom power is either active on all 4 inputs or off on all 4 inputs, so no mixing and matching condenser & ribbon mics ... MoreI had a first gen Focusrite 6i6 that was underwhelming with its sound and a bizarre application that you had to use with your DAW that unclear both with it's manual and labeling. 6i6 made recording a real chore. The Behringer UMC404HD is a dream come true. You load the driver on your computer, plug the UMC404 in, fire up your DAW, and it just works seamlessly & intuitively. The mic preamps sound better than the Focusrite in terms of less noise floor, EMI issues, and just sheer transparency. Latency is really low. The headphone amp is powerful enough for tracking. MIDI interface worked well too. The only cons on this are: no SPDIF, no AES/EBU, and Phantom power is either active on all 4 inputs or off on all 4 inputs, so no mixing and matching condenser & ribbon mics in the same interface. But considering the low cost of this interface, I would just get a SPDIF or AES EBU box for digital transfers or another UMC404 if I needed to mix & match phantom power inputs. Don't hesitate if you are on a low budget, just buy it!!!!

Quite Surprised

For a long time, I resisted upgrading from my M-Audio Delta Audiophile 2496 PCI card. Nothing seemed to really convince me that it was better than what I had, because my card could do everything I needed and wanted. Sadly, though, the driver support degraded over time and eventually halted completely. After years of fantastic performance, I was forced to deal with popping, sizzle, and weird menu issues in the later versions of Windows.Along came the UMC404HD.I've used Behringer products for years. I've had their condenser microphones, their mixers, and their signal processors. I've even tried their amps, and everything they offered was impressive. But, because I understand how computers work, I didn't think a USB audio device could be comparable or superior to a ... MoreFor a long time, I resisted upgrading from my M-Audio Delta Audiophile 2496 PCI card. Nothing seemed to really convince me that it was better than what I had, because my card could do everything I needed and wanted. Sadly, though, the driver support degraded over time and eventually halted completely. After years of fantastic performance, I was forced to deal with popping, sizzle, and weird menu issues in the later versions of Windows.Along came the UMC404HD.I've used Behringer products for years. I've had their condenser microphones, their mixers, and their signal processors. I've even tried their amps, and everything they offered was impressive. But, because I understand how computers work, I didn't think a USB audio device could be comparable or superior to a PCI audio device. I mean, how could a USB device possibly command the kind of bandwidth needed for audio production work? Well, I wondered that until I ordered the UMC404HD on a whim.Give it a shot. You might like it.

Robust, simple and effective

Costing almost a quarter of its competitors the UMC404HD is perfect for a home studio. It lacks some of the bells and whistles and specifications of more expensive gear but for my needs that didn't matter. It is solidly constructed and cleanly set out. I've been using it for sax duets and it's just plug and play straight into your recording software on a Mac. You can record 4 tracks simultaneously so it's perfect for small groups. For Windows you need to download drivers from Behringer's website but no reviewers have complained about that. You can just plug the USB cable in your computer to record unless you need phantom power in which case you would use the power cable provided. The documentation is no more than a quick guide, but even for a novice like me that was ... MoreCosting almost a quarter of its competitors the UMC404HD is perfect for a home studio. It lacks some of the bells and whistles and specifications of more expensive gear but for my needs that didn't matter. It is solidly constructed and cleanly set out. I've been using it for sax duets and it's just plug and play straight into your recording software on a Mac. You can record 4 tracks simultaneously so it's perfect for small groups. For Windows you need to download drivers from Behringer's website but no reviewers have complained about that. You can just plug the USB cable in your computer to record unless you need phantom power in which case you would use the power cable provided. The documentation is no more than a quick guide, but even for a novice like me that was all I needed. It doesn't come with any software unlike the competition which, I guess, has kept the price down. But if you're a hobbyist then you can use Pro Tools First, Audacity or Garageband and if you're a pro you're probably using pro gear any way, but I can recommend this as a mobile interface.

They knew it was too good and raised the price!

Got mine when it was 80 less. I knew they were giving us too much. They raised the price soon after! I love that it has insert jacks. I use the insert jack as an output by only clicking the plug in to the first click. This let's me record using the unit's preamps, but monitor through my console where I can add reverb to my headphones without recording the reverb. No other interfaces have inserts. What gives? I am worried they may discontinue this and I am thinking about getting another even at the higher price for when mine stops working. I have had it for close to 5 years now and it is a fantastic piece of gear.

Wasted 25 hours on audio that's "clipping" / unusable

This little box of deception cost me 25 hours of recording time on a contracted guitar-recording project I now have to completely start over on. Why? Because this interface has a massive flaw. It causes clipping in guitar! Just google it. The project manager and I noticed that, even though the clipping lights on the interface aren't showing any clipping, all of my guitar takes, even with the right gain staging, are CLIPPING CLIPPING CLIPPING. Not against the -0db threshold, but against its own threshold... even though the interface shows no signs of clipping!You'll see many people with this problem online. The issue is when you have instrument level cables plugged in and the pad turned on, on any given input channel. In other words, if you're trying to record a ... MoreThis little box of deception cost me 25 hours of recording time on a contracted guitar-recording project I now have to completely start over on. Why? Because this interface has a massive flaw. It causes clipping in guitar! Just google it. The project manager and I noticed that, even though the clipping lights on the interface aren't showing any clipping, all of my guitar takes, even with the right gain staging, are CLIPPING CLIPPING CLIPPING. Not against the -0db threshold, but against its own threshold... even though the interface shows no signs of clipping!You'll see many people with this problem online. The issue is when you have instrument level cables plugged in and the pad turned on, on any given input channel. In other words, if you're trying to record a guitar, it's either going to clip too easily against the headspace threshold (which is why you put the pad on) or you'll put the pad on and it will act like it's not clipping but IS STILL CLIPPING.Deceptive, misleading, and completely bogus. I will be calling support tomorrow to get my money back on this thing (I don't care if it's been more than 45 days since purchase-yes, this thing is that much of a let-down!) because it's obviously a broken product being sold as a "value" brand new one. I thought maybe for once, it wouldn't be too good to be true, but indeed it was once again. Maybe there's no such thing as a value bargain in the music industry.

Where is the DAW? What's up with the static?

The whole set up is good overall. The only issues I am having is setting up the DAW and the static in the headphones. The instructions on what the DAW is, where it is, and how to install it are just not there. I'm not really sure how to access it. I have been on the website downloading drivers and I am able to record. The problem is that I have no abilities for effects, so I can not alter delay or tune the sound of the tracks I am recording. The headphones have static in them when turned to slightly moderate volume levels, even when the microphone level is all the way down so I know its not coming from there. I have tried by passing the mixer and by passing the interface, using each independently, and the static remains with either setup. I can get some of it out by ... MoreThe whole set up is good overall. The only issues I am having is setting up the DAW and the static in the headphones. The instructions on what the DAW is, where it is, and how to install it are just not there. I'm not really sure how to access it. I have been on the website downloading drivers and I am able to record. The problem is that I have no abilities for effects, so I can not alter delay or tune the sound of the tracks I am recording. The headphones have static in them when turned to slightly moderate volume levels, even when the microphone level is all the way down so I know its not coming from there. I have tried by passing the mixer and by passing the interface, using each independently, and the static remains with either setup. I can get some of it out by turning the low and high levels all the way down on the mixer and adjusting various level controls for volume through the headphones but even then when i turn the sound up I hear the static. It's only in the background though. When I play and sing into the mic, the sound overpowers the static some and it is less noticeable. Not really sure what to do.