It’s not often that we get to release a brand-new product here at Rogue Amoeba, so today is a special day. We’re very pleased to introduce our newest application:
PortAudio offers two methods for communicating audio data between an open Stream and your Application: (1) an asynchronous callback interface, where PortAudio calls a user defined callback function when new audio data is available or required, and (2) synchronous read and write functions which can be used in a blocking or non-blocking manner.
Cable-Free Audio Routing for Mac Suddenly, it’s easy to pass audio between applications on your Mac. Create virtual audio devices to take the sound from applications and audio input devices, then send it to audio processing applications. Loopback gives you the power of a high-end studio mixing board, right inside your computer!
Loopback gives you incredible control over how audio is routed between applications and devices on your Mac. With just a few clicks, you can easily pass audio directly from one application to another. Loopback’s virtual audio devices make it trivial to arrange complex audio setups that were difficult or even impossible before. It’s like having a high-end studio mixing board right inside your computer, with no physical wires required!
Loopback: What Is It Good For?
With Loopback, you gain incredible power and control over how audio is routed around your Mac and between applications. We can't wait to hear about the incredible new uses you find for it! Loopback 2.0.0 A Massive Interface Overhaul The most noticeable change in Loopback 2 is its brand-new user interface.
Absolutely all your audio routing needs! Here are just a few examples of what Loopback can help you do.
Take audio from your physical microphone and combine it with audio sources like iTunes or QuickTime Player. Presto! Your guests on Skype will hear your voice, as well your sound effects and musical add-ons.
Combine Multiple Hardware Devices
Audio apps like GarageBand, Logic, and Ableton Live only allow you to record from a single audio device at a time. Thankfully, these apps can record from nearly infinite channels. With Loopback, you can combine multiple physical input devices into a single virtual device with many channels, for easy recording in any application.
Create Top-Notch Screencasts
Screen recording tools like QuickTime Player tend to allow you to include either audio from a microphone or all the audio from your system. Neither of these options tends to be ideal. With Loopback, you can record audio from both the microphone and the application being filmed, so you get just the audio you need.
Loopback’s Secret
So how does Loopback do all this, and more? The secret to Loopback’s power lies in its ability to create ”virtual audio devices”. These are system-level audio devices which can be used in real-time by other audio applications on your Mac. These virtual devices appear throughout your system exactly the way a physical device like a microphone would.
However, virtual audio devices are far more powerful than a mere microphone. They can merge the sound from applications (like iTunes or Skype) and inputs (like microphones and physical mixers), bundling it all up into a single source. You can then select your virtual audio device in any audio processing application to get your audio exactly where it’s needed.
A Virtual Audio Device Created in Loopback
Above, we’ve made a simple virtual audio device called “Mic & iTunes”, which merges the sound from a physical USB microphone with music from iTunes. If we set this as our input in a VoIP application like Skype or FaceTime, the person on the other end will hear the audio spoken into the mic, as well as songs played in iTunes. Nice!
Pass-Thru Devices
Those who’ve previously used the open-source tool “Soundflower” will be familiar with the idea of passing audio directly from one application to another. Without any additional configuration, virtual audio devices made with Loopback will work in a similar mode. We call these “pass-thru devices”. A pass-thru device doesn’t gather any audio on its own, but it will appear as both an audio input and an audio output throughout the system.
Because pass-thru devices appear in all audio selectors throughout Mac OS X, you can use them to pipe audio directly between applications. Sending applications play their audio into a pass-thru device by configuring it as their audio output. On the other end, receiving applications pull audio out of the pass-thru device by selecting it as their audio input. Loopback provides a system for passing audio directly between applications and modernizes the necessary infrastructure to transport it reliably.
Try It Now
Loopback offers incredible power and control over how audio is handled on your Mac, and it’s sure to be useful in hundreds of different ways. The best way to experience it is to try it out yourself. Loopback 1.0 is available for immediate download. You can visit the Loopback page for more details or just download the free trial immediately. Loopback works on Mac OS X 10.9 and higher, and it’s fully functional in its trial mode, so you can explore all that it offers.
Once you’re ready to purchase the full version of Loopback, just visit our online store.
More to Come, Of Course
As you’d expect with a brand-new product, this is just the beginning. Izotope rx 7 audio editor advanced 7 01. We’re extremely grateful to our top-notch beta testers, who helped us improve Loopback immensely. Now, we’ll be listening for even more feedback. Get in touch to let us know how you use Loopback or what you’d like to see in the future!
2 x 2 USB 2.0 audio interface with 2 x D-PRE and 192 kHz support
Record and compose music in studio quality on your laptop, iPad or even iPhone with the UR22mkII. With outstanding audio and build quality for its price class, the UR22mkII combines choice components with advanced connectivity and flexible I/O options to offer a full-on mobile production platform.
24-bit/192 kHz USB 2.0 audio interface
Top of the range converters provide a maximum sampling rate of 192 kHz and a resolution of 24 bits, delivering pristine audio quality.
Two Class-A D-PRE mic preamps
Yamaha’s highly-acclaimed D-PRE preamps deliver a truly transparent and beautifully detailed sound that is unrivaled in this product class.
Rugged metal casing
Built to the most exacting standards by Yamaha’s experienced engineers, the UR22mkII is rugged enough to withstand all the rigors of the road.
Latency-free hardware monitoring
The UR22mkII features latency-free hardware monitoring and an intuitive Mix knob that allows you to blend between the direct signal and the output of your host.
Compatible with major recording software
Loopback 2 0 0 – Route Audio Between Applications Available Online
The UR22mkII is compatible with all major audio editing, mastering, and music production software supporting ASIO, Core Audio, or WDM standard.
iOS connectivity
UR22mkII offers connectivity with Apple’s iPad and iPhone. When paired with Steinberg’s iPad-based Cubasis or other iOS audio apps, the UR22mkII offers a portable and effortlessly intuitive production experience.
MIDI input and output
For utmost flexibility, the UR22mkII is equipped with a MIDI I/O port — connect your favorite synth, a drum trigger module or any other MIDI device!
Loopback function
UR22mkII offers an easy way to streaming performances live to the internet, with incoming audio signals merged to the playback signal from Cubase or other DAWs inside the computer.
UR22mkII provides a 5 V DC port to supply power when connected to an iPad or iPhone. A standard USB power adapter or an external USB battery can be plugged in to guarantee power stability.
Loopback 2 0 0 – Route Audio Between Applications Available Time
Cubase AI included
Based on the same core technologies as Cubase, Cubase AI offers an intuitive feature set for composing, recording, editing and mixing.
Cubasis LE is a streamlined version of Steinberg’s popular iOS music production app, offering professional music production on your iPad.
UR22mkII in detail
The world is yours
Together with the included Cubase AI and Cubasis LE software, the UR22mkII audio and MIDI interface is a fully-fledged mobile recording studio. Offering easy and stable connection to PC or Mac computers, the MKII version now adds pro-level recording for iPad and iPhone with the CC Mode and external power input. The UR22mkII offers total mobility, ultra-solid build quality and incredible sound characteristics for its price class, covering all aspects of recording and production in small studio environments as well as mobile production situations.
Integration you can rely on
When engineering the advanced driver architecture for the UR22mkII, our veteran team of audio and driver software developers created an I/O implementation that combines flexibility with stability. And because the drivers support the ASIO, Core Audio and WDM standards, owners of the UR22mkII are free to connect to all DAW applications available on the market today that support any of these widely accepted standards. Via the CC Mode, the UR22mkII also connects easily to your iOS device, enabling a wide range of iOS audio apps to be used with it.
Loopback 2 0 0 – Route Audio Between Applications Available Today
The included Cubase AI is a streamlined version of Steinberg’s world-famous Cubase production environment compatible with Windows and OS X. iPad owners can download Cubasis LE from the App Store for an exciting range of recording and mixing features optimized for touchscreen operation. Because Cubase can open Cubasis LE projects, you can capture musical ideas in Cubasis and transfer them to Cubase for further development, right up to full-on album productions. Quickly capture a melody when inspiration strikes on your iPad, sketch out a song on your PC laptop or MacBook and then transfer your project to a computer running Cubase in a full-blown studio to develop your musical creativity into a complete production, ready for mastering.
Loopback 2 0 0 – Route Audio Between Applications Available Version
iPad and iPhone ready
The UR22mkII turns your iOS device into a full-on professional music production platform. Connect to your iPad or iPhone with CC Mode using a compatible Apple camera adapter*. The power input socket supplies your UR22mkII with the electrical voltage needed to run professional equipment such as condenser microphones requiring +48 V phantom power by letting you plug in a USB power adapter or a USB battery pack. And with the included Cubasis LE version for iPad, you can start recording and mixing straight away, with the option to upgrade to the full Cubasis version via in-app purchase. *iPad Camera Connection Kit, Lightning to USB Camera Adapter or Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter
Compact without compromises
With UR22mkII, you’re ready for a huge range of recording and production scenarios, even when you’re on the move. Record vocals, guitars and other audio equipment with up to two audio channels in pristine 24/192 quality while simultaneously recording MIDI signals. And you won’t have to carry it everywhere on a silk cushion; its sturdy construction and steel casing means the UR22mkII can withstand the rough and tumble of mobile music production. On tour, at home, on stage, or at your rehearsal space: take your UR22mkII with you wherever you need ultra-reliable recording and first-rate sound.
With a flexible range of inputs and outputs, outstanding component quality, pristine sound and a functional depth that belies its compact size, the UR22mkII audio and MIDI interface is designed and built for mobile musicians, producers and DJs that want high performance at any place and at a low price.
Reliable recording
The UR22mkII is designed to give you completely dependable performance and a sound quality that can only be described as outstanding for a bus-powered USB interface. And these qualities make it an ideal mobile solution for recording gigs, choirs, concerts or field recordings. With the D-PRE mic preamp, the UR22mkII is equipped to offer a sumptuously detailed sound far beyond what is normally expected of compact interfaces in this price class. And despite its modest size it features switchable phantom power and thus allows you to connect a wide variety of microphones — up to the most expensive condenser mics. All AD/DA conversion is accomplished using choice components that deliver a transparent, detailed sound that does full justice to the original source.
The power to perform
The UR22mkII is designed for touring bands, gigging guitarists and mobile DJs. This compact interface fits snugly into your bag or case yet thanks to its steel casing, it’s virtually indestructible.
The UR22mkII offers the same performance hallmarks of as its bigger siblings, the UR824 and the UR28M, such as premium-quality D-PRE preamps, switchable phantom power, a Hi-Z input for guitar and bass recording as well as 24/192 sound quality. Take it to your rehearsal space or your next gig or show — wherever you are, the UR22mkII provides breathtaking audio quality and reliability.
Enjoy high-resolution audio
The UR22mkII offers the same sonic precision, clarity of tone and flawless dynamics as the other members of the UR family. Hooking up the UR22mkII to a pair of high-quality headphones will let you listen to your music collection with a new sense of perspective. This is thanks to the incredible sonic fidelity offered by 24-bit resolution and a sample rate of up to 192kHz. Each component of the AD and DA conversion stages has been selected to offer astounding quality; simply hook up your high-quality speakers or headphones to the appropriate output on the UR22mkII to lend your music collection a new lease of life.
The best for beats
Producers of electronic or beat-based music will find their ideal mobile interface in the form of the UR22mkII. Rock-solid drivers allow you to run VSTis at very low latencies, while the onboard MIDI I/O lets you connect synths, vintage drum machines, MIDI controllers or any other MIDI gear. Plug in a mic or electric guitar to record vocals or guitar parts, all in perfect sync with MIDI data from your project, and recorded with no latency and with the convenience of the Mix monitoring control on the front panel. And because of the outstanding sound quality of components like the amazing D-PRE preamp and the AD/DA converters, any audio you record is at studio quality, meaning you won’t have to go to a studio to re-record it later.
In the club, on the stage
Because it’s been designed to offer so much versatility, the UR22mkII is a perfect companion for live shows and gigs for DJs, guitarists, bands, drummers and just about any other kind of live performer.
One of the most important features here is the monitoring architecture: independent headphone and output controls mean you have all your audio channels under full control. This means that, say, bands sending backing tracks to the FOH mixer have an independent headphone output for the band member operating the laptop. Guitarists needing a reliable interface for live shows can plug directly into the Hi-Z input and route the audio to a virtual amp such as the VST Amp Rack in Cubase. You can even start and stop playbacks or record loop-based tracks on the fly by connecting a MIDI footswitch to begin a hands-free recording session. And thanks to its steel casing, the UR22mkII can take the little knocks and scratches that are bound to happen when you take your equipment onstage.
UR22mkII setup scenarios
Despite its compact dimensions, the UR22mkII connects to a vast range of audio equipment, instruments and other musical gear.
Support notice: Please note that running the firmware v1.00 together with Yamaha Steinberg USB drivers previous to v1.9.5 may cause a minor problem* under Windows. We ask you to update the firmware and driver for the UR22mkII to the latest versions. You can find the updates here.
* If the UR22mkII wakes up from sleep mode while the PC runs software that handles MIDI, it may occur that the UR22mkII no longer communicates with this software.
Technology
D-PRE mic preamps, dspMixFx, 24-bit/192 kHz — find out more on the technology behind the UR interfaces.
Why UR
Band recording, beat producing and much more — find out more on what you can do with the UR interfaces.
Compare UR models
Each member of the UR family offers a unique set of capabilities. Find out which UR model fits your needs best.