Alesis iO2

Dolphin ID: 8246

Manufacturer SKU: iO2
Take It Away

Web Price: £ 109.99 inc VAT

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  • Product Description
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Designed as the ideal Audio/MIDI companion to notebook computer-based recording environments, the iO|2 USB has a compact form factor that can easily fit in a laptop case or small backpack. The iO|2 USB features durable aluminum casing, USB power (eliminating cumbersome external power supplies) and is optimized for minimal laptop battery drain.

The iO|2 provides 2-channels of pristine 24-bit/48kHz audio directly to your computer via the integrated USB interface and features 2 channels of switchable Mic/Line Inputs. And with Hardware Direct Monitoring, you never have to worry about dealing with audio latency while recording.

Small enough to fit in a backpack, but powerful enough to get the job done right, the iO|2 is perfect for musicians on the go.

Features

  • 24-bit, 48 kHz operation with high-end A/D and D/A conversion through integrated USB audio interface
  • 2 XLR Mic inputs with 48V phantom power plus 2 1/4" balanced line inputs that can accept guitar level signals
  • 1/4" balanced Main Outputs
  • 1/4" TRS inserts on input channels
  • 1/4" TRS headphone output
  • Dedicated four segment signal/clip LED meter on both channels
  • Ultra low-latency ASIO 2.0 drivers (with zero-latency hardware monitoring)
  • 24-bit S/PDIF I/O for direct Digital recording
  • MIDI Input/Output
  • USB powered—no external AC power supply necessary
  • Low power usage for minimal laptop battery drain
  • Bundled with Steinberg Cubase LE software

Specifications

  • Frequency Response:
    • Mic/Line In to SPDIF/USB Out +/-0.1dB Input Gain = minimum
    • Mic/Line In to Main Out (through ADC/DAC) +/-0.35dB Input Gain=minimum
  • Signal To-Noise Ratio (SNR):
    • Mic/Line In (balanced) to Insert Out: 110dB A-weighted, input impedance at XLR or 1/4" jack = 600 Ohms, Input Gain = minimum
    • Guitar In (unbalanced) to Insert Out: 99dB A-weighted, input impedance at 1/4" jack = 600 Ohms, Input Gain = minimum
    • Mic/Line In (balanced) to SPDIF/USB OUT: 99dB A-weighted, input impedance at Mic or LINE jack = 600 Ohms, Input Gain = minimum
    • Guitar In (unbalanced) to SPDIF/USB OUT: 94dB A-weighted, input impedance at 1/4" jack = 600 Ohms, Input Gain = minimum
    • Mic/Line In (balanced) to Main Out (through ADC/DAC): 97dB A-weighted, input impedance at Mic or LINE jack = 600 Ohms, Input Gain = minimum
    • Mic/Line In (balanced) to Main Out (through direct monitor): 95dB A-weighted, input impedance at Mic or LINE jack = 600 Ohms, Input Gain = minimum
  • Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (THD+N):
    • Mic/Line In (balanced) to Insert Out: <0.001% Input Gain = minimum, 1KHz input signal, Insert Out = 5.7dBV
    • Guitar In (unbalanced) to Insert Out: 0.034% Input Gain = minimum, 1KHz input signal, Insert Out = 5.3dBV
    • Mic/Line In (balanced) to SPDIF/USB Out: 0.003% Input Gain = minimum, 1KHz input signal, Digital OUT = -0.3dBFS
    • Guitar In (unbalanced) to SPDIF/USB Out: 0.034% Input Gain = minimum, 1KHz input signal, Digital OUT = -0.7dBFS
    • Mic/Line In (balanced) to Main Out (through ADC/DAC): 0.005% Input Gain = minimum, 1KHz input signal, Main Out = 5.6dBV
    • Mic/Line In (balanced) to Main Out (through direct monitor): 0.006% Input Gain = minimum, 1KHz input signal, Main Out = 5.6dBV

Alesisi io2

Tez
April 1, 2009

Rating: 1/10

I bought the i02 with Cubase le4 and it has had me nearly throwing the computer out of the window. The instructions are very poor and there is no troubleshooter or FAQ to look up. There is a delay from the interface to computer that renders recording audio and analogue instruments near on impossible, I would stay clear of this Im going to try to get my money back from the dealer

Alesis io2

Pete
February 27, 2009

Rating: 9/10

Easy to use, incredibly well built and very compact.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS & IN USE

I purchased the io2 for use with GB and Logic Express 8, on a 2.4GHz MacBook running OS X 10.5.6. The simple layout, rock solid build and class compliance with 10.5 appealed and the device certainly hasn\'t disappointed.

I was a little concerned about comments regarding compatibility with OS X 10.4, but having seen other users report no issues with 10.5 I took the plunge. The device was recognized instantly and I had no problems getting my DAWs to play nicely with the io2.

Guitars and bass are a breeze, playing/recording like a dream through Guitar Rig 3 with no noticeable latency! I\'ve also had great results recording vocals and acoustic guitar with a T.Bone SC400 condenser. Some may say the preamps are a bit weedy but they\'re fine for my needs and have yielded surprisingly clear and warm results.

Initial problems sending MIDI data (from an old keyboard) were rectified by removing a badly built aggregate device with the OS X \'Audio/MIDI Setup\' utility; most definitely a case of user error on my part. I was helped through this by the Alesis UK tech support line and was chuffed to bits by how helpful they were.

While I\'m unable to vouch for the io2\'s compatibility
with Vista (32 or 63 bit) and can state that it works without a hitch in XP; both natively and running through Bootcamp and a virtual machine.

BUILD QUALITY

This thing is built like a tank, with all jacks and connectors being bolted directly to the unit casing, so longevity shouldn\'t be an issue. The casing itself is thick, rigid and far more durable than other interfaces at this price point and I\'ve no qualms about chucking it in my laptop bag for a session away from home. Switches have a positive action and are easily accessible and the status light-strip lets you know if you\'ve left the phantom power on by mistake.

There\'s no discernible noise from the control pots and the \'direct/USB monitoring mix\' control is very useful. The only addition I\'d make would be a couple of guard rails on the top to protect the knobs while in transit (as per the Tapco Link devices).

SUMMARY

In summary, I\'ve no reservations about recommending the io2 to anyone looking for an affordable, durable and very versatile interface.

While you should certainly consider the potential issues with earlier versions of OS X (specifically 10.4) and think about how much welly you need from your mic preamps, I\'d be surprised if these were a show-stopper for most users.

Whether you\'re a hobbyist or a seasoned pro who likes to travel light, you\'d do well to check out this device.

Alesis io|2

Andrew
December 11, 2008

Rating: 8/10

Can also confirm that this works perfectly on a Mac (OS X 10.5.5) and also on Windows XP running under Boot Camp.

It does work on macs!

Nick Allott
November 28, 2008

Rating: 8/10

Don\\\\\\\'t listen to the guy above about the mac problem. I\\\\\\\'ve got one of these little boxes, I just plug my perception into it and i get a sweet sound constantly. I\\\\\\\'m running my mac on 10.5.5 and I\\\\\\\'ve no problems what so ever.

Perfect gear for home studio

Mike
December 28, 2007

Rating: 9/10

My first impression of IO2 was bad - I listened through headphone out, with my trusty headphones. Trebles and ~3-10kHz are accentuated, making your ears ache after a few minutes of listening. Turned out it was a mistake to do so. Connect it through your amplifiers s/pdif coaxial input, and you are suddenly in heaven. Sound is perfect. So what is that headphone input good for anyway then?? You can use it to monitor your recording without latency, mix the USB/input signal so you dont need to stress your cpu with monitoring (and anyway, normally this would be unusable due to latency).

There is a small bug that it cannot function if you put your PC to standby and start again, noisy clicks are starting to appear. Just boot your machine or dont allow your PC/Windows to go to standby, and all is well! I dont think Alesis will ever fix this, so its up to you if you can live with this little glitch or not. For me, all the robustness and quality features of this box are more than enough to compensate.

One minus for the bad headphone out, otherwise it rules.

IO2

craig.edwards
October 18, 2007

Rating: 2/10

IO2 I bought has been nothing but trouble. It has been back to Numark twice, both times it took nearly a month to get it back. Numark support was beyond poor. As for the unit itself The volume control already crackles when you turn it(I am not a heavy user by any means. When it worked it was OK but I am scrapping it after 18 months.
Its not worth the hassle.

ALESIS io2

candypoppa
July 28, 2007

Rating: 1/10

Please people, if you own an Apple computer with intel, you will have not only wasted your money but you will be banging your head against walls, since the 10.4.10 mac software update, the interface has been RENDERED USELESS, it's totally NOT compatible with the latest mac intel, Apple has acknowledged the problem, However, Alesis have failed to acknowledge the problem on their website and get this, they are still selling the device as a "Mac compliant interface" ITS NOT COMPLIANT!! I implore to review an on going thread with the apple forums, where people are outraged and dissapointed with the lack of support and acknowledgment from Alesis, Its a shame, and a waste of $300 AUD. I beg you all to do your research well, and if you work with an intel Mac, find another device to fork out your hard earned money on. Here a some of the links to the discussion's and real reviews that are going on at present:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=4967716#4967716

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1030947&start=30&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1036170&tstart=0

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1036170&tstart=0

Alesis IO 2 Review

Paul
June 26, 2006

Rating: 6/10

I tried the Alesis IO 2 for a couple of weeks. I never realy got on with it. The instrument to pc responce was very hit and miss and the only time I had any real joy was if I plugged everything in and rebooted, only then would anything register. The guitar/bass worked ok but had no real joy with midi keyboard. I succeeded only once to get a any midi data into the pc but the latency seemed to hugh? The manual was very simple and gave no real explaination as to what does what? Consequently, I spent hours tweaking, switching on and off and pluging/unpluging and got very little in return. The best thing about the this product was the Cubase LE software which was brilliant. The alesis went back I'm afraid. Not very impressed and not very user friendly. Either that or I expected far too much? Sorry about that!

Competition - Have your say

Have your say and submit your own product review on the Alesis iO2
Please let us know what you think of the Alesis iO2 or any other product on our site. The best review chosen from all that are submitted this month will win a fantastic pair of M-Audio IE-30 - High-Definition Professional Reference Earphones with Dual-Driver Technology worth £189.00 M-Audio IE-30
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