This is above all a great sounding interface. I recently moved to this platform from an old Focusrite Saffore Pro 40 Firewire. I still have that interface in my studio so I was able to A/B compare it with the Quantum 2626 Thunderbolt 3 interface.
The difference in sound quality is immediately apparent. The best and most detailed comparison I could make between the two was by listening to the same audio tracks played on both interfaces through a pair of Sony Z1R headphones. The dynamics and overall clarity of the Q 2626 is far superior to the Pro 40. It's a major upgrade. Perhaps that is to be expected due to the difference in age between the two platforms but I was always happy with the sound of the Pro 40, until I heard the Q 2626.
I'd like to point out (as other reviewers have) what is perhaps thr biggest flaw in this unit, the lack of any hardware monitoring for any of the audio inputs. That omission has been fairly criticized but it's not a dead end to your workflow that some other reviewers have implied. If you plug anything into the XLR/TRS inputs on the Q 2626 you WILL NOT hear it through the headphone jacks or the main outputs without doing more setup. This is not what most people are used to with their audio interfaces and I'd never encountered it in over 20 uears of audio production using many different audio interfaces in that time. In order to hear your microphone, guitar, keyboard or whatever you have plugged in to the Q 2626 you need to open your DAW software of choice and route the audio signal through there first. For example you plug your mic or instrument into the front panel of the Q 2626, then open a new project your DAW program of choice. I will use Cakewalk by Bandlab for example as it's a well known and free DAW but the steps will be roughly the same for any DAW like Reaper, Studio One, Pro Tools, etc.
Open a new project in your DAW software and select or insert an empty audio track, then press the button on the track that will enable Live Monitoring. In Cakewalk that would be the "input echo" button right next to the Record Arm button on the audio track. Once you do that you should immediately hear the audio from whatever you have plugged into the Q2626. If not then make sure you have the input on your audio track in your DAW set receive audio from the Q 2626 input where your mic or instrument is plugged in (Cakewalk has a drop down menu on the track to select this) and make sure the output on the same audio track is set to the Master Out for your mix, AND that your Master bus is set to output to the Q 2626.
It's easy for any experienced audio engineer or hobbyist, and while it may be work for a beginner, once you get a track template set up and saved you just need to reload it each time you need to monitor or record and you're all set.
That being said I do not prefer this implementation and would have liked Presonus to include a hardware mixer built in. I can only hope it was a worthwhile trade off from a design and engineering perspective and not some plan to get users hooked on subscription based audio production software from Presonus or to buy one of their outboard hardware mixers.. Even cheap $50 audio interfaces have hardware monitoring and have forever, but maybe a quality hardware monitoring implementation would have been too expensive? I'm stretching to give Presonus the benefit of the doubt here. There is an idea that because this is a Thunderbolt 3 interface that latency is a non factor, but there is always monitoring latency, and it will become worse if you are recording in a project with 100-200+ audio tracks and running dozens of plug in effects forcing you to increase the buffer size and adding more latency to live monitoring. Most people don't have such needs though, and others who do cam get around it by upgrading their computer hardware to be more powerful if necessary.
That being said what matters in the end to me is the quality of the audio this thing can produce. I don't think you can do better for the money. It's much better than I was expecting as having heard other Presonus interfaces in the past I was not impressed, but this unit is different and exceeded my expectations for audio quality by quite a lot.
The preamps are full bodied and quiet even when turned all the way up. They also deliver great dynamics (to my ears) and the DI for guitar & bass excels in my opinion. It passes a very full, dynamic and clean DI signal that amp sims should love. It sounds great with Neural DSP Architype plug ins for example, partly because of the quality of the input from the Q 2626 preamp (use a good quality guitar cable too).
Vocally the preamps also sound great to me, although there is likely better out there if you want to spend a lot more. These will be more than enough for most people if they have a decent mic to plug in.
Another point I want to make is about the power plug on the back of the Q 2626. Yes it's a small plug similar to one you'd see on an external hard drive or laptop computer, but what's not readily apparent is that it's a twist-to-lock plug. You have to insert it and give it a press-twist to lock it in place. Once that's done the plug will not wobble and will stay in place much more securely.
The power button on the back of the unit was a design mistake. It's rack mount so most people can forget about being able to use it once the interface is racked. You'd have to leave it on 24/7 or rig it through a power strip or similar that has it's own on/off switch. If it's sitting on your desktop it's less of a problem, or you can rack it on the bottom and leave an open space to get your hand behind it. The unit is not very deep, only about 6 inches so it's not too bad if you have to do this.
Build quality is solid. The unit jas a good weight to it and the volume knobs have a nice resistance to them, they don't feel like cheap loose spinners.
As for Thunderbolt 3 just make sure you are set up correctly if it's not a native feature of your computer. In my case I run Windows 10 x64 on an AMD CPU platform that I built. My motherboard (Gigabyte) has a Thunderbolt header on it and I'm using Gigabyte's Titan Ridge 2.0 Thunderbolt 3 PCI card. In my case I had to make sure I was using the correct PCI slot (the PCI x4 slot, usually located as the bottom slot on newer motherboards) and had to make sure the thunderbolt header on the motherboard was plugged into the Titan Ridge card and that both power cables were plugged into the back of the Titan Ridge card. You may also need a BIOS update to unlock thunderbolt fucntionality depending on the age of your BIOS. If you are an Intel or Mac user and your system came with native thunderbolt support you won't have to worry about any of this, which is great.
Assuming you have your thunderbolt connection properly set up you should get very good speed from this interface. If you are a windows user there are things you can do to further improve performance and reduce latency like turning off HPET, disabling C-States, setting power modes to max performance, and more you can look up elsewhere.
I should mention that you WILL hear audio from your PC right out of the box when you plug the Q2626 in, so unlike jumping through hoops with live hardware monitoring, you can plug in to your conputer and hear audio from websites or games or MP3/FLAC players, or anything else. Quality is great too.
Overall I feel this is a good unit for the money that should last many years. If you can deal with a few quirks then I think you'll find it worth your while as the quality of the audio makes up for any other shortcomings.
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From the manufacturer
Quantum 2626
The Speed of Sound
With a barely measurable round-trip latency of less than 1 ms*, it's no wonder Sound on Sound magazine dubbed Quantum-series Thunderbolt audio interfaces the “fastest audio interfaces on the planet.” Superb high-definition digital conversion and the ultra-transparent analog XMAX mic preamp design mean that your audio will always sound its best—whether you’re recording with or without your favorite plug-ins engaged in real-time.
*192 kHz, 64 sample buffer in Studio One 4.5 on a MacBook Pro 2016, 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 running macOS 10.12.5
Features
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Timeless audioEvery design decision during Quantum 2626 audio interface’s engineering was made with one goal in mind: blazing-fast speed without any sonic compromise. The Quantum-series proprietary Thunderbolt driver was written from the ground up to deliver ultra-low-latency performance while maximizing efficiency. Cutting-edge 24-bit, 192 kHz converters with 115 dB of dynamic range and superior low-jitter clocking—coupled with our ultra-transparent, pure analog XMAX preamps—result in superb audio quality with the lowest round-trip latency of any audio interface available (< 1 ms*). *192 kHz, 64 sample buffer in Studio One 4.5 on a MacBook Pro 2016, 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 running macOS 10.12.5 |
Superior SoundAudiophile-grade digital converters, low-jitter clocking, and transparent preamps add up to a superior recording and listening experience. The Quantum 2626 audio interface operates at up to 192 kHz for ultra-high-definition mixing and recording. High-quality converters on every input and output provide 115 dB of dynamic range to capture complex musical harmonics smoothly and naturally with no audible distortion. And our lauded 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. |
Expansive audioImpressive speed combined with stunning sound quality means that the Quantum Thunderbolt audio interface is an ideal recording solution for any size of studio. Need more mic preamps? Connect the PreSonus DigiMax DP88 to your Quantum interface’s ADAT/dual S/MUX ports. Once synced, the DigiMax DP88 preamps can be remotely controlled via Studio One or UC Surface. Want to insert your favorite gear? The Quantum 2626 features two direct preamp outputs with dedicated returns, so you can insert your favorite analog compressor and your favorite plug-ins with ease. |
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. Insert your favorite outboard analog gear with ease. Regardless of your studio’s size, Quantum audio interfaces will streamline your recording process—you’ll make better music, faster. |
Award-winning recording software included
While compatible with any macOS or Windows recording application, the Quantum 2626 ships as a complete recording studio with Studio One Artist music production software included. Easy to learn, Studio One enables you to compose, record, and produce without getting distracted by the tools. Need a new loop or sample for your latest production? Studio One lets you shop, audition, and purchase new content right from your production environment—including powerful extensions for Studio One like the Presence XT Expansion packs and the PreSonus Channel Strip Collection.
Make your own magic.
At PreSonus, we want to make sure that our audio interfaces come with everything you need to craft your own mesmerizing spells in the studio. That’s why we include Studio One Artist with every audio interface product we make. But here in Louisiana, we have a word: lagniappe. It means "a little something extra," and it’s in that spirit that we also include the Studio Magic Suite of software with our audio interface products.
The 2020 Studio Magic is a major step up from the 2019 edition, and includes Ableton Live Lite, tutorials from Melodics, 6 virtual instruments, and 9 effects plug-ins in VST, AU, and AAX formats... all unlocked for use inside Studio One Artist with a retail value of over one thousand USD!
From the brand
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For nearly three decades, PreSonus has designed and built innovative audio solutions that provide professional sound quality and features without sacrificing affordability; solving real-world problems for working creatives. Our passion for audio and music is celebrated through our commitment to our customers and our employees. From home to studio to stage, creativity begins here.
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ACCURACY DEFINED
PreSonus studio monitors are used by professionals around the world, providing pure sound reproduction without any coloration or hype.
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FIRST NOTE TO FINAL PRODUCTION
Our world-class interfaces bring your sound to life with premium preamps, converters, and professional recording software.
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SUPERIOR CLARITY
Capture your voice instrument with warmth and clarity using our range of studio-caliber microphones that suit any budget.
Compare with similar items
This Item  PreSonus Quantum 2626 26x26 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface M1 Chip Compatible |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $699.99 | $399.95 | $997.00 | $999.99 | $89.00 | -21% $129.77 Typical: $165.00 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 | Get it as soon as Monday, May 20 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
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| Quality of material | ||||||
| Sold By | Amazon.com | TheImagingWorld | Âmazin Sale | Amazon.com | Tahorng | Amazon.com |
| number of channels | 26 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 8 | 2 |
| hardware interface | thunderbolt | usb | — | usb c | usb | usb |
| connectivity tech | — | USB | — | USB | USB | USB |
| style | Digital | — | Apollo Twin X DUO Heritage Edition | 8+ (8 Mic Pres) | — | 3rd Gen |
Top reviews from the United States
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Top reviews from other countries
Earl Y.
happy with presonus 2626
Reviewed in Canada on January 27, 2021Size: 26x26 - 8 Mic PresVerified Purchase
patrik chartrand
Excellent product
Reviewed in Canada on January 1, 2021Size: 48x48 - All Line InputsVerified Purchase
Edoardo Vitali
Scheda ottima, peccato il servizio clienti
Reviewed in Italy on February 28, 2021Size: 26x32 - 8 Mic PresVerified Purchase
Fernando
Rápida y elegante.
Reviewed in Mexico on January 27, 2019Size: 26x32 - 8 Mic PresVerified Purchase
Ochei C.
I'm happy to follow Presonus.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 24, 2019Size: 26x32 - 8 Mic PresVerified Purchase
