PreSonus Quantum 2626 interface
PreSonus recently released a new addition to its line of Quantum interfaces, the Quantum 2626 (Street price: $599.99). The 2626 is a Thunderbolt 3 interface that supports up to 26 inputs and 26 outputs. Operating at up to 24bit/192kHz sampling rates with 115 dB of dynamic range for the A/D/A converters, we were looking forward to getting one in for evaluation.
First impressions upon opening the box were that the unit was laid out for ease of use and connectivity. All eight onboard analog inputs are located on the front panel along with the unit’s gain controls and the attenuation controls for main outputs and headphone amplifiers (of which it has two). Each of the eight analog inputs has PreSonus’ well-known XMAX preamps (found throughout the product lineup) and supports both XLR and line level inputs through the use of XLR combi jacks. Channels 1 - 2 also support instrument and mic-level connections. Channels 3 - 8 support line-level and mic-level inputs. All eight inputs can provide phantom power which is enabled in two banks of four, for channels 1 - 4 and channels 5 – 8. In addition, channels 1 and 2 have preamp direct outs and balanced TRS line returns for inserting outboard gear.
Front
rear
On the rear of the unit you will also find balanced jacks for analog outputs 1 – 8 and the main LR outputs (note that analog outputs 1 and 2 mirror the Main L&R output as non-attenuated sources of LR). Additionally, the rear is also where you will find jacks for its Thunderbolt 3 connection, as well as the unit’s MIDI, S/PDIF, word clock, and ADAT optical I/O.
The ADAT jacks support expansion with 16x16 channels at 44.1 or 48 kHz sample rates or 8x8 channels at 88.2 or 96 kHz sample rates. By using these jacks to connect to other A/D/A converters, this unit can support its maximum 26 inputs and outputs, although the sampling rate configured will have a bearing on how many inputs and outputs can be used simultaneously. If you stay within the PreSonus product family while expanding the 2626 and make use of PreSonus’ DP88 expander units, the 2626 can remotely control the pre-amp settings of those units, thereby centralizing gain control.
Testing
For this evaluation we made use of an older MacBook Pro using PreSonus’ Studio One DAW (which PreSonus provides with the purchase of a Quantum 2626), as well as an older version of the now discontinued WAVES Tracks Live recording package. Since the MacBook does not have a modern Thunderbolt 3 port, a Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter was used, demonstrating the 2626’s support of the legacy Thunderbolt protocol. An Apple Thunderbolt adapter is required, as it is the only bidirectional adapter on the market.
The unit sounded great and was exceptionally easy to use, never displaying any of the usability issues or quirks that sometimes show up in other interfaces that are overly feature-laden.
Testing was done in multiple configurations starting with its use as a D/A converter for driving analog outboard gear and ending up with tracking into a DAW session while supporting multiple artist cue mixes. The unit sounded great and was exceptionally easy to use, never displaying any of the usability issues or quirks that sometimes show up in other interfaces that are overly feature-laden. Making use of the 2626 was as easy as plugging it into the MacBook and selecting it as the desired interface within either of the DAW’s used for testing.
The small amount of configuration available for the interface is performed through PreSonus’ UC software, which made the chore of an initial firmware update relatively simple. In addition, the UC Surface software, part of Universal Control, allows you to manage the device’s sample rates, clock source, as well as the pre-amps of any DP88 units connected to the 2626. The UC software also allows the monitoring of the 2626’s inputs and outputs through a full featured Spectrum analyzers and level metering. This is a great feature that allows for monitoring of your signals without having to clutter up your DAW workspace.
One of the goals set by PreSonus while designing this interface was for it to be fast, which is a major calling card for the Quantum line of interfaces. As such, PreSonus claims a round trip latency of less than 1ms for the 2626. We found their claims of speed to be well founded, and we were able to reliably get 2.5ms round trip latencies (as reported by Studio One) at 96 kHz sampling rates using a lesser machine than PreSonus uses for their test bed. Ultimately, we think it’s unlikely that this interface will end up being a bottleneck for the vast majority of tracking situations.
Speed
One of the ways that PreSonus was able to keep up the speed of the 2626 was to minimize the processing and DSP capability residing onboard. Effectively, the fewer the things that are done between the inputs and outputs of the interface and the computer the faster it can go. What you give up to this approach is that many of the routing and monitoring functions that you might find on other interfaces is not present. For instance, with the 2626 you are not able to internally create cue mixes, host fx, or mirror inputs to outputs. This latter limitation is what prevents the 2626 from acting as an expander to other interfaces (although, it can be expanded). Ultimately though, this approach is a good one if you build a fast-enough interface because then you won’t actually need onboard DSP for HW monitoring, etc. You can do it directly through the DAW while making use of what is a faster and less expensive interface. And, this is what PreSonus has achieved.
Other than a simple install of the UC software for the host and an initial firmware update for the interface, the unit was immediately recognized by our software platforms and its I/O easily addressed.
The other sizable benefit from this approach is that the resulting interface is less costly and easy to use. This was also proven out by the 2626. Other than a simple install of the UC software for the host and an initial firmware update for the interface, the unit was immediately recognized by our software platforms and its I/O easily addressed. This makes the unit an ideal candidate for usage in church production where there is generally a mixed bag of capabilities and skillsets. Instrumentalists using tracks and cue'ing software while on stage should find the 2626 very easy to live with, while more advanced engineers will find it capable enough to act as the center of portable recording rigs and permanent facilities, while promoting simple-to-use routing and configuration setups.
Combined with its price point, the 2626 makes for a very compelling option for ministries looking for a new interface. Don’t hesitate to check one out.
