Shop and Buy Sound Card – PreSonus Quantum Audio Interface
Make The Quantum Leap, Make Better Music at the Speed of Sound
Taking full advantage of the high-speed Thunderbolt™ bus and ADAT Optical I/O, the PreSonus® Quantum audio interface delivers up to 26 inputs and 32 outputs, with extremely low latency. Boasting superb audio quality; 24-bit, 192 kHz recording and playback; recallable XMAX microphone preamps; and the ability to expand your system as your needs grow, it’s a great choice for a wide variety of professional and semi-pro producers and electronic musicians.
Every design decision during Quantum’s engineering was made with one goal in mind: speed. Quantum sports high-speed Thunderbolt connectivity and a no-frills, direct-to-DAW architecture, with no DSP. The result is our leanest, fastest, lowest-latency interface to date.
Cutting-edge 24-bit, 192 kHz converters with 120 dB of dynamic range and a surprising amount of expandability and software control options round out the package.
The Quantum audio interface offers two combo mic/line/instrument inputs and six combo mic/line inputs, each with a digitally-controlled XMAX preamp and individual +48V phantom power. You also get two ¼-inch TRS main outputs, eight ¼-inch TRS aux outputs, and two independent headphone outs with dedicated volume controls. But that’s just the start. With ADAT Optical I/O and S/PDIF stereo digital I/O, you can have up to 18 digital inputs and outputs. And if you need even more I/O channels, you can stack up to four Quantum interfaces via Thunderbolt to create a monster system with up to 96 in and out. BNC word clock I/O ensures your Quantum and other digital audio devices operate in tight sync. And of course, you get MIDI I/O, too.
Audiophile-grade digital converters, low-jitter clocking, and recallable preamps add up to a superior recording and listening experience. The Quantum audio interface operates at up to 192 kHz for ultra-high-definition mixing and recording. High-quality converters on every input and output provide 120 dB of dynamic range to capture complex musical harmonics smoothly and naturally with no audible distortion. And our recallable XMAX Class A analog microphone preamps deliver incredibly high headroom, deep lows, smooth highs, and a rich overall sound so you’ll hear every breath, transient, and detail in your recordings.
Quantum audio interface fits into any recording and production environment.
With its pro features and abundant I/O, the Quantum audio interface fits into any recording and production environment. You get two main and eight auxiliary balanced line-level outputs, as well as Mute/Dim and Mono controls. The onboard talkback mic can be routed to any mix, and you can listen to any mix from either of two independent headphone amps. All 10 analog outputs are DC coupled so they can provide control voltage to external analog equipment. Add that to Quantum’s expandability, flexible software suite, blazing speed, and superb sound quality, and you have a recording system that will be the heart of your dream studio for years to come.
Quantum, your audio interface is an integrated extension of your recording environment
With Quantum, your audio interface is an integrated extension of your recording environment. The perfect companion for any recording software, Quantum comes equipped with Studio One Artist to provide you with a complete recording solution. Launch Studio One®, and you’ll find full preamp control integrated into your recording environment.
Seamless integration.
Quantum Thunderbolt audio interfaces are fully integrated with Studio One® to provide unparalleled control over your hardware right from your recording environment. Launch Studio One, and you’ll find full preamp control, talkback, and speaker switching integrated into your Studio One console. Need to track away from your computer? Launch Studio One Remote on your iPad® or Android™ tablet. Quantum preamps can be also controlled via MIDI in Pro Tools, Logic, or Live so you can save the settings with your recordings.
Features
General Features
- 26×32 Thunderbolt ultra-low-latency audio interface
- PreSonus’ fastest interface; record direct to DAW (no DSP)
- Stack up to four Quantum interfaces via Thunderbolt for a monster system
- Talkback switch and internal Talkback microphone
- Mute/Dim and Mono switches
- Assignable output level control
- 10 8-segment LED meters (8 input, 2 output)
Integrated Software
- Tight integration with included Studio One® Artist DAW software (Mac®/Windows®) for multitrack music production and studio command features
- Wireless control over preamp levels from free UC Surface touch-control software for iPad® and Android™ tablet and from free Studio One Remote for iPad and Android tablet
- Wired control over preamp levels from free UC Surface touch-control software for Mac and Windows computers
- Compatible with most recording software for Mac and Windows
- Studio Magic Plug-in Suite included
Flexible Connectivity
- Simultaneous I/O up to 26 inputs/32 outputs (at 44.1 or 48 kHz)
- 2 front-panel combo microphone/instrument/line inputs
- 6 rear-panel combo microphone/line-level inputs
- 8 XMAX remote-controllable, Class-A mic preamps with individually switched 48V phantom power
- 2 balanced ¼” TRS line-level main outputs
- 8 balanced ¼” TRS line-level outputs
- Line outputs are DC coupled for sending control voltages for analog gear
- ADAT Optical/Dual SMUX inputs/outputs: 16×16 channels at 44.1 or 48 kHz; 8×8 channels at 88.2 or 96 kHz
- Stereo S/PDIF coaxial input and output
- 2 high-volume headphone outputs with dedicated volume controls
Digitalia
- Thunderbolt 2 high-speed bus (Thunderbolt 3 compatible)
- 24-bit resolution and up to 192 kHz sampling rate
- Top-quality 120 dB A/D/A converters
- BNC word clock input and output with low-jitter clocking
- MIDI I/O on 5-pin DIN connectors
Physical
- Road-rugged construction with all-metal chassis and metal knobs
- 1U rack-mountable
- 12 VDC external power supply (included)
Technical Specifications
Microphone Preamp |
|
|---|---|
| Type | XLR Female (via Combo), Balanced |
| Maximum Input Level | +10 dBu (Balanced, min. gain) |
| Gain Control Range | 60 dB |
| Frequency Response | 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.15 dB, unity gain, 48 kHz) 20 Hz to 40 kHz (±0.22 dB, unity gain, 96 kHz) |
| Dynamic Range | > 110 dB (A-wtd, min. gain) |
| Total Harmonic Distortion | < 0.005% (1 kHz, min. gain) |
| EIN | < -131 dBu (max gain, 40Ω, 22 kHz BW, A-wtd) |
| Input Impedance | 1.6 kΩ |
| Phantom Power | +48V, > 8 mA per input |
Instrument Inputs |
|
|---|---|
| Type | ¼” TS Female (via Combo), Unbalanced |
| Maximum Input Level | +15 dBu (Unbalanced, min. gain) |
| Gain Control Range | 60 dB |
| Frequency Response | 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.2 dB, unity gain, 48 kHz) 20 Hz to 40 kHz (±0.6 dB, unity gain, 96 kHz) |
| Dynamic Range | > 106 dB (A-wtd, min. gain) |
| Total Harmonic Distortion | < 0.005% (1kHz, min. gain) |
| Input Impedance | > 1 MΩ |
Line Inputs |
|
|---|---|
| Type | ¼” TRS Female (via Combo), Balanced |
| Maximum Input Level | + 18 dBu (Balanced, min. gain) |
| Frequency Response | 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.05 dB, unity gain, 48 kHz) 20 Hz to 40 kHz (±0.10 dB, unity gain, 96 kHz) |
| Dynamic Range | > 118 dB (A-wtd, min. gain) |
| Total Harmonic Distortion | < 0.005% (1 kHz, min. gain) |
| Input Impedance | 10 kΩ |
Main and Line Outputs |
|
|---|---|
| Type | ¼” TRS Female, impedance balanced, DC Coupled |
| Maximum Output Level | +18 dBu (Balanced) |
| Frequency Response | 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.05 dB, unity gain, 48 kHz) 20 Hz to 40 kHz (±0.15 dB, unity gain, 96 kHz) |
| Dynamic Range | > 118 dB (A-wtd) |
| Total Harmonic Distortion | < 0.0035% (1 kHz, +4 dBu) |
| Output Impedance | 51Ω |
Headphone Outputs |
|
|---|---|
| Type | ¼” TRS Female, Stereo, Unbalanced, x2 |
| Maximum Output Level | 175 mW/channel (56Ω load) |
| Frequency Response | 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.5 dB, 48 kHz) |
| Dynamic Range | > 110 dB (A-wtd) |
| Total Harmonic Distortion | < 0.03% (1 kHz) |
| Headphone Impedance (working range) | 16Ω to 300Ω |
Crosstalk |
|
|---|---|
| Input to Input | < -110 dB |
| Output to Output | < -115 dB |
| Input to Output | < -120 dB |
Signal Level LEDs |
|
|---|---|
| Clip | -0.5 dBFS |
| Signal 1 | -2 dBFS |
| Signal 2 | -4 dBFS |
| Signal 3 | -6 dBFS |
| Signal 4 | -10 dBFS |
| Signal 5 | -20 dBFS |
| Signal 6 | -30 dBFS |
| Signal 7 | -50 dBFS |
Digital Audio |
|
|---|---|
| Connection Type | Thunderbolt* |
| ADC Dynamic Range | 120 dB (A-wtd) |
| DAC Dynamic Range | 120 dB (A-wtd) |
| Bit Depth | 24 bits |
| Internally Supported Sample Rates | 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz |
Clock |
|
|---|---|
| Jitter | < 70 ps RMS (20 Hz – 20 kHz) |
| Jitter Attenuation | > 60 dB (1 ns in => 1 ps out) |
Power |
|
| 12 VDC, 5A, external power supply |
Physical |
|
| Dimensions | |
| Height | 1.75″ (44.45 mm) |
| Depth | 7″ (177.8 mm) |
| Width | 19″ (482.6 mm) |
| Weight | 6 lbs (2.72 kg) |
Computer system requirements:
Below are the minimum computer-system requirements for the Quantum Interface.
Mac
- Mac® OS X 10.11.6 64-bit or later
- Intel® Core™ i5 or better
- 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)
Windows
- Windows® 10 64-bit or later
- Intel Core i5 or better
- 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)
Mac and Windows Systems
- Thunderbolt™ 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 port (NOTE: Your computer’s motherboard must support Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt 3 requires an adapter, not included.)
- Internet connection (required for Studio One Activation and Content download)
- Internal or external 7200 RPM storage drive highly recommended
- 30 GB hard disk space
- Monitor with 1366×768 resolution
Note: The minimum system requirements may differ for DAWs other than Studio One. Please check the requirements for your DAW of choice with its manufacturer.
Note that the speed of your processor, amount of RAM and size and speed of your hard drive will greatly affect the overall performance of your recording system. Also, a more powerful system (faster processor with more RAM) will allow for lower latency (signal delay) than you might experience while monitoring audio signals.
Sound Card – Presonus Quantum Audio-Interface
The Quantum leap.
Industry-leading speed and pristine audio quality combined with jaw-dropping expandability are the hallmarks of the Quantum interface design. Record and monitor from your favorite DAW with any plug-in engaged. Take advantage of onboard mix features like Mute, Dim, Mono, and integrated Talkback. Regardless of your studio’s size, Quantum audio interfaces streamline your recording process—you’ll make better music, faster.
Godwin Isaac –
I wasn’t expecting much when I got this sound card, right now the sound card surprises me every time I use it.