31May ART USB DUAL preamp video review
I finally had a chance to do some testing on the ART USB DUAL preamp. The quality and range of its preamps aren’t life changing. There is a bit of high end roll off and the audio ends up sounding a little bit muddy. But overall it did as good or better then I would expect for the price range.
When you have a device that has a ton of features crammed into a small box, you usually end up with something that does ok at everything but not great at anything. The ART USB DUAL preamp definitely fits into this category.
On the positive side:
- Price ($75)
- Phantom power
- XLR & 1/4 inch inputs
- Battery powered
- USB audio interface
On the Negative side:
- High end roll off in the preamp
- Slight hum when powered by USB
- Not designed for camera mounting
I’m still happy with it for the price and the USB feature is a real plus for me. You could spend $200 or more on something with less features but slightly better audio quality, or you can save that extra $125 and get the poor man’s Swiss army knife of audio gear.
June 22nd, 2011 at 10:53 am
Does plugging into a laptop via usb and recording audio have any lag?
June 22nd, 2011 at 11:56 am
The short answer is yes. The long answer is that the latency or “lag” can very depending on the USB device you are using. The lag can be so small that it’s not noticeable, or so long that it can make it tough to use.
June 23rd, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Hey thanks for your really helpful video and guide.
I’m confused though – it sounds like the audio was better on the video before you plugged in the interface!
Am I missing something? What were you using for the sound before you plugged the interface in?
Thanks!
E.
July 4th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
The audio recorded before I plugged in the ART USB Dual preamp was actually from my sennheiser G2 wireless mic. The close placement of a lapel mic will normally give you better audio then a boom mic at a distance.
July 31st, 2011 at 8:37 pm
Hey Deejay,
Do you need to use attenuated cables (like Sescom’s) to plug the Art Dual Pre straight into the 550D?
July 31st, 2011 at 8:39 pm
no, there is a volume output control knob built in.
August 1st, 2011 at 6:31 am
Deejay, one last question:
Based on sound quality and gain potential only, which one is better: the Juiced Link DS214 or this Art Dual Pre?
December 28th, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Hey, I hope you still check up on this blog. I just purchased this recently and have had some trouble with it. I know very little about audio compared to video and cant figure some stuff out. Why do you use splitter cables, instead of just plugging the single mic into one channel? Should the 1/4” plugs be mono or stereo (for input and output) ? I have a shotgun mic with a 1/8” plug and have to use 1/8 to 1/4 inch adapters and I cant figure if Im using the right kind because I get no signal response from the preamp nor any output in the camera or other devices. (I am plugging the mic into the 1/4” adapter in one channel and doing the same in the corresponding output. Adjusting the level of gain does nothing and all batteries are new). Thanks!
August 24th, 2013 at 9:53 pm
Hi! Thanks for the review I HAVE A QUESTION, can you connect the Sennheiser MKH-416 to a zoom h2n I have this mic and I have not been able to use because the H2N does not provide phantom power, and you think the ART USB DUAL is usable for my problem, thanks again