The Universal Audio Volt 2 Max is a USB bus-powered desktop audio interface with 10 inputs, 4 outputs and 32-bit/192 kHz conversion. It is built for recording vocals, guitar and bass at home or on the move, for producers working with MIDI hardware, and for podcasting and livestreaming. It is the two-preamp Volt with real-time compression inside the unit, and it replaces the Volt 276.
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Tone Shaping Preamps: two mic preamps with 60 dB of gain and three character modes, Warmth (tube), Focus (solid state) and Shine (British Class A)
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Max Processing: onboard compression with six push-button presets for vocals, guitar and bass, based on the 1176 and LA-2A
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Smart Display: full-colour screen showing inputs, levels, settings and gain reduction, plus Auto-Gain and Clip Protection
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Expansion: optical input for ADAT or S/PDIF adds up to 8 digital channels, alongside MIDI In/Out and a USB hub that can power MIDI controllers
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Monitoring and streaming: two headphone outputs sharing one cue mix, a built-in talkback mic and loopback
Combining the three preamp modes with the six compressor presets gives 18 or more starting points, so you can shape a source on the way in without opening a plug-in. Each of the two mic/line combo inputs has its own 48V phantom switch, and two front-panel Hi-Z inputs take guitar or bass directly.
Compared with the Volt 2 Gen 2, the Max adds Max Processing, gain-reduction metering, the optical input, MIDI, the USB hub, the talkback mic and a second headphone output. It works with the UAD Console app and LUNA for session recall and low-latency cue mixes, and UAD Native plug-ins run on the computer's processor without DSP hardware. The interface is class-compliant on Mac, iPad and iPhone, with an ASIO driver for Windows via the UA Connect app. A separate USB-C power input is provided for hosts that cannot supply enough bus power.
The UAD Volt Studio Bundle is included, with software such as LUNA, Teletronix LA-2A, UA 1176 Classic FET, Melodyne Essential and the Ampeg SVT-VR Classic Bass Bundle; UA notes that the bundle contents may change.