Steinberg has introduced the AXR4U audio interface that provides USB 3.0 data transfer with USB-C connectivity. The AXR4U also offers DSP effects to monitor sound with various signal processors alongside hybrid microphone preamps and Rupert Neve Designs SILK technology.
The AXR4U’s front side provides four accessible Neutrik combo inputs and two headphone outputs with individually adjustable level controls. The rear panel comes with eight TRS line inputs and eight TRS line outputs. Also available are two pairs of ADAT I/O doubling as S/PDIF, the second of which provides an alternative AES/EBU Sub-D connector. Overall, this counts to 28 channel inputs and 24 channel outputs. By also factoring in its MIDI input/output and word clock ports — with SSPLL (Super Suppression Phase Locked Loop) jitter reduction technology — the AXR4U interface offers a wide range of input and output options.
Equipped with the custom designed SSP3 chip from Yamaha and the latest drivers, the AXR4U connects to Steinberg Cubase, Nuendo and other DAWs through a USB-C connector with the USB 3.1 Gen 1 SuperSpeed standard, providing connectivity to both Mac and PC computers.
The design of the AXR4U has a 32-bit integer resolution as well as a maximum sample rate of 384 kHz. Its sound comes from its balanced specifications and components that include refined transformer circuitry and four digitally controlled hybrid microphone preamps — each with switchable Rupert Neve Designs’ SILK processing.
Taking a closer look at the SILK emulations reveals two choices: the red mode adds sparkling energy, while the blue mode provides solidity and power. The additional texture control adjusts the harmonic content of the source audio. All microphone inputs, either individually or globally, benefit from SILK’s signal processing function. On the front panel, the first element is the multi-color display, alongside its dial button, for configuring and using the AXR4U.
The AXR4U houses DSP effects for latency-free monitoring. The Compressor 276 and the EQ 601 are based on the VCM technology that models analog audio processors. Other effects included with the interface are the Sweet Spot Morphing Channel Strip and the REV-X reverb.
These onboard DSP effects are also available as VST 3 and AU plugins. The VST 3 versions integrate easily into Cubase AI, also included with the AXR4U.By harnessing the power of the dspMixFx AXR mixing application, users of the AXR4U can set up a 28×24 matrix mixer for routing and monitoring audio signals.
