The UA Volt 2 is a beautiful piece of industrial design. It's also a great-sounding interface that's ... [+] a joy to use.

Years ago, if you wanted to record yourself singing or playing an instrument, you would need an expensive reel-to-reel tape recorder and a heap of other studio equipment. That sort of kit was way beyond the financial reach of most people, let alone lowly musicians. So for many, the answer back then was to pay lots of money to hire a recording studio by the hour. Even then, the pressure of that clock ticking away at the expensive hourly rate dampened the creative juices.

Fortunately, we now live in the age of personal computers, which are the ideal tool for laying down tracks at home and creating your own music. There’s an incredible range of software available for PCs and Macs. Moreover, the kit you need to record music is now so affordable that almost anyone can create a high-quality recording studio in their bedroom.

You’ll need a good quality condenser microphone and a USB audio interface to get the best possible sound, and it pays to invest wisely. A good quality audio interface will have quiet microphone preamps and extras, bringing more versatility when recording vocals and instruments.

At the front of the UA Volt 2 are a couple of XLR/TRS combo inputs with their own gain controls and ... [+] switched for vintage tube amp sound and instrument pad. The unit also has headphone and monitor outputs plus 48V phantom power and direct monitoring button.

One of the best brands of audio interfaces on the market is Universal Audio. The company makes some great products, including the superb Apollo range of interfaces. They are firm favorites with musicians, voiceover artists and podcasters. The Apollo interfaces aren’t cheap, but they are some of the best. But what do you do if you can’t stretch to the price of an Apollo? Is there a more cost-effective solution?

Universal Audio has recently launched a more affordable range of USB audio interfaces featuring some of the high-end technology you’ll find UA’s more expensive products. For this review, I’ve chosen to look at the base UA Volt interface and the slightly more expensive Volt 276, a classic audio interface with an excellent compressor onboard that can inject real character and energy into your recordings.

The Volt 2 is the base model in the UA Volt range and this version features two input channels. The interface is bus powered and is aimed at musicians, songwriters, livestreamers and podcasters. The Volt 2 is portable and provides two inputs, two outputs and a USB connection that works with Macs, PCs, iPads and even iPhones. What marks the Volt 2 out from its competitors is its vintage microphone preamp mode inspired by UA’s 610 tube preamps that gives a gorgeously warm sound that takes away the harsh digital edge. The Volt 2 comes with industry-leading music software that can be downloaded and used for your next recording session.

At the rear of the UA Volt 2 there's a USB-C port for connecting to the host computer plus there are ... [+] Midi in and out and left and right TRS jacks for feeding to a pair of studio monitors.

For those in the know, there’s not much better than the vintage Universal Audio 610 tube preamp. It’s the same sound used by artists ranging from Ray Charles to Van Halen. The Volt 2 has the same rich and fulsome sound and can be used with mics, line-in and a wide selection of instruments.

The Volt 2 has simple 2-in/2-out audio connections. Thanks to combo inputs, it’s easy to plug mics, guitars or synths into the front panel. There’s a simple two-LED indicator next to the two gain knobs, indicating when the signal is clipping. It’s not as helpful as a ladder-style meter, but if you want more, you can upgrade to the Volt 276, which I’m also reviewing here.

You can connect a pair of powered studio monitors to the Volt 2 and hear the output with zero latency to monitor the sound. There’s a larger knob for controlling the monitor output and the speakers connect with 1/4 -inch TRS cables.

The USB interface on the Volt 2 offers two-way communication with the host computer and is perfect for overdubbing and zero-latency monitoring. The USB-C connection can handle up to 24-bit/192kHz and is also ideal for recording remote podcast guests using software like Zoom, Riverside FM, or other comms systems like ipDTL.

For the money, the UA Volt 2 iOS one of the most competent USB audio interfaces on the market and is ... [+] ideal for a beginner's home studio. It's also a great starting point of podcasting and live-streaming.

The bundled audio and music software suite with the Volt 2 includes Ableton, Melodyne, UJAM’s Virtual Drummer, Marshall and Ampeg. UA has also included a studio-quality headphone amplifier for direct monitoring with latency-free recording to monitor everything.

The Volt 2 can also be used to record directly to an iPhone or iPad using an Apple Lightning-to-USB Camera Adapter and an external 5V power supply to give the Volt 2 a little extra oomph. In addition, a USB-A cable with a barrel adapter in the box can be used with almost any USB power supply to give the Volt 2 a helping hand.

The styling of the Volt 2 is elegantly retro and reminds me of early Naim or Quad audio equipment. There’s a switch for turning on 48V phantom power when using a condenser mic, plus another for switching the headphone monitoring between stereo, mono and direct. The whole package is beautifully built and sufficiently rugged to withstand use on the road.

Verdict: The UA Volt 2 USB interface is a fabulous piece of kit and a perfect alternative to the popular Focusrite Scarlet 2/2 interface. I prefer the styling of the Volt 2 and I love the vintage amp feature, which is a variation on the Focusrite Air function. The only thing that could improve the device would be a second headphone output for podcast recording with a guest. Highly recommended.

The Volt 276 is a beautifully made USB audio interface which features wooden ends for that classic ... [+] studio finish.

If you want a bit more from an audio interface than the Volt 2, Universal Audio has produced the Volt 276. Unlike the Volt 2, the 276 model has its controls on top. Two Neutrik combo inputs for mics and instruments are mounted on the front, along with a switch for 48V phantom power, instrument pad switches for each input, plus volume control for the headphone output.

Like all these audio interfaces, the Volt 276 connects to its host PC, Mac or iOS device via a USB-C connection. The interface can handle digital signals up to studio quality 24-bit/192kHz and is ideal for overdubbing or using comms software like Zoom, Teams, Riverside FM and others.

The Volt 276 is beautifully built and finished with retro wooden end pieces that give it the feel of a professional piece of studio gear. I love the design and the Volt 276 feels like a high-quality device. On the top of the unit are two large gain knobs, one for each of the inputs There are switches for turning on the 76 Compressor circuit to each input and a second switch for turning on the vintage amp function. Also on top is a large monitor output control knob and a button for toggling through the direct monitoring modes. There’s also an excellent five-segment LED meters for each input.

On the front of the Volt 276 are two combo inputs, instrument switches and a volume control of the ... [+] headphone output.

The 76 Compressor function can be switched on whenever you want to add clarity and punch to voices, instruments or almost any other source. The analog compressor is based on UA's iconic 1176-style FET compressor with three presets for vocals, guitars, synths and drums. The presets are great for taming voices, guitars, synths and drum machines. Along with the vintage amp effect, the compressor can help you get a convincing analog effect as if you were back using tape. All you have to do is choose the best preset to suit your needs, then pick up your guitar and play.

Unlike many audio interfaces that come with one or two bits of software, UA has included an impressive bundle of music production tools, virtual instruments and plug-ins, including apps from Ableton, Melodyne, UJAM’s Virtual Drummer, Marshall, Ampeg and more. The interface also works like a charm with UAD Spark, a vast library of plug-ins and instruments.

The Volt 276 also comes with a 30-day trial of UAD Spark and if you like it, you can carry on using it for an affordable monthly fee. UAD Spark plug-ins run natively on a Mac and give recordings the kind of professional analog tones heard on classic albums.

The top of the UA Volt 276 is where you'll find the gain controls for the inputs and the buttons to ... [+] turn on vintage amp and the 76 compressor. Repeated presses of the compressor button cycles through the presets for voices, guitar, synths and drums.

Verdict: If you’re serious about your music, the US Volt 276 offers that superb 76 Compressor and presets to inject personality into your music. The software bundle is excellent and probably worth the money if you haven’t invested in any already. The build quality and design of the Volt 276 is superb, plus the preamps are whisper quiet. The compressor can be a tad noisy at times, but the extra punch and energy it provides can be handy for certain effects. For musicians, I’d wholeheartedly recommend the Volt 276. However, if you want a basic audio interface with low-noise mic preamps, the Volt 2 also offers excellent value for money. Highly recommended.

Pricing & Availability: The UA Volt 2 is available now and costs $189 / £165 / €165. The Volt 276 is also available now and costs $276 / £299 / €260.

More info: www.uaudio.com