Review of the Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 XLR Microphone USB Interface: Bizarre Test Results
The Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 XLR microphone USB interface has received excellent reviews. So has the Audio Technica AT2020 XLR microphone.
What I am about to describe seems unbelievable, but I include the screencasts to prove it.
I used Screencast-O-Matic to record the screencasts.
I am using a new Windows 10 computer with a good audio card. I have been using it with an Audio Technica AT2020USB microphone, which has performed well. A recent sample test is here. Use it as a marker for my new system.
9 TESTS
Here is my problem. There is no consistency of the audio input settings, screencast vs. screencast. With one exception (test #7), every time that I recorded a new screencast, everything was louder at all settings. Distortion appeared at a lower setting than before. Before I ended the tests, the Behringer unit produced loudness distortion at level 7 o'clock, the lowest setting. Yet this level had started out too soft.
Test #1 produced reasonable results. I used the GAIN 1 dial. I set it at 11 o'clock. (Note: this is a reference to an ancient technology: a circular analog 12-hour clock face. See Wikipedia.) I tested it up to 5 o'clock. It began to distort at 2 o'clock. The file is here.
Test #2 was a test of a pop filter. I set the dial at 1 o'clock. When I played it back, there was distortion. The file is here.
Test #3 was without a pop filter. I set it at 12. There was distortion. The file is here.
Test #4 began at 9 o'clock. It was good. I then moved it to 10 o'clock. There seemed to be distortion. At 11 o'clock, there was distortion. The file is here.
At this point, I started to panic. Why was the distortion coming in at lower settings every time?
Text #5 started at 9 o'clock. There was major distortion. I cut it to 8 o'clock. That sounded right. Then I went to 7 o'clock. That was a bit low. The file is here.
Test #6 was limited to 7 o'clock. There was some distortion. The file is here.
Test #7 started at 12 o'clock and worked down to 7. There was distortion at 12 o'clock, but as I lowered the setting, distortion disappeared. By 9 o'clock, it sounded good. 8 o'clock was too quiet, and 7 o'clock was way too quiet. The file is here.
Test #8 started at 9 o'clock. It was distorted. Then I went to 8. There was some distortion. I moved it to 8.5. It was also distorted. The file is here.
Test #9 was at 7 o'clock. It was too loud. It was distorted. The file is here.
CONCLUSION
So, there you have it. I am unable to record at 7 o'clock, the lowest setting.
My question: Why was there such inconsistency in 13 tests? I did not move. I did not raise my voice.
I may have to go back to my Audio Technica 2020USB. That would not be a disaster. But I had thought this upgraded system would perform better.
Suggestion? Send it here: garynorth@garynorth.com