I have been trying to do some serious testing with the UR22 and a Behringer ECM8000 combination using a program called Room EQ Wizard which can be used for this purpose. In the software you create a loopback and measure the unit’s response which then gives you a calibration file to ensure your measurements are correct. You also specify a microphone calibration file if you have one. This went well but from this point on I seem to be hitting a problem. The Steinberg website warns that some UR22 units will create low-freq rumble when supplying phantom power to single condenser mics. My unit doesn’t fit into the batches that are meant to be affected by the problem BUT, I was trying to do some tweeter measurements and I was getting a really strange response in REW. I repeated the measurements again with the midrange and the issue persisted. The roll off at low frequencies which I should have been getting were not showing in the response graphs. I was testing the drivers at about 80db and the low frequencies were matching the higher frequencies in dB which I knew was totally wrong. I then got the mic and stopped up the end with blu-tack, covered it in acoustic foam and bunged it in an airtight box - a poor mans anechoic chamber. I measured what the the UR22 was picking up by using an inbuilt real time analysis feature in the REW software. There was no audio output so that all I should be getting is pretty much silence, minus the noise floor of the UR22 and perhaps cable noise etc. What I got was a nasty rise in noise that started at 4khz and then increased gradually to a peak at 20hz. This is a 38db rise. Everything above the 4khz point out to 20khz looks great, i.e. flat with some very high frequency artefacts from the DAC which I expected. I also disconnected the Mic and with phantom power on the rise was still there. I switched phantom power off and the rise is still present but is now buried very low in dB - there is still a bit of internal noise in the unit even with no input at low frequencies which is a bit of a worry but nothing like it is with phantom power on. I did this at work so I don’t have access to the measurement graphs I did. Based on this, would you think that I have a bad unit? I can’t make any sort of accurate measurement from this unit as everything below 4khz is useless.
So no one responded?
Anyway, solved the problem. Returned it and bought a Behringer.
Just arranged for my UR22 to be sent back again for the same issue!
The first time I sent it, they returned it and said it couldn’t be repaired due to the following:
- Its manufacture wasn’t within a specific date range!
- Its serial number isn’t in the list of know faulty serial numbers!
- It has a noise issue with and without a mic, with and without 48v, not just a fault when a mic is connected and 48v is enabled!
What planet are Steinberg on?
Here’s what I’ve added to the return slip:
==========
Problem
NOISE!!! Present, mainly below 30hz. With condenser mic and 48v OR without anything connected ie. no inputs and with the preamps at zero!
==============================
Why do you have to fix it or replace it?
IT IS IRRELEVANT THAT THIS UR22 IS NOT IN YOUR AFFECTED SERIAL NUMBER RANGE. IT IS IRRELEVANT OF THE YEAR OF MANUFACTURE. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THE PURCHASE DATE AND YOUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
IT IS DEFECTIVE. SO PLEASE FOLLOW YOUR OBLIGATIONS AND FIX IT OR REPLACE IT. I PURCHASED THIS BECAUSE OF YOUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS ON YOUR WEBSITE AND THAT STEINBERG ARE A GREAT COMPANY.
IF THIS CANNOT BE MODIFIED TO BE NOISE FREE THEN PLEASE CAN YOU EITHER PROVIDE
A REPLACEMENT NOISE-FREE UR22, A NOISE-FREE UR44 OR A REFUND OF £90, DANKE Kalvin.
Steinberg’s Term and Conditions (Legal Terms | Steinberg):
Steinberg guarantees the product to be free from defects in workmanship or materials for a period of 2 years from the date of the original purchase.
The product must have been purchased from a supplier within the European Economic Area or Switzerland.
IT WAS PURCHASED THROUGH THOMANN.DE!!!
Here is a snippet of Steinberg’s Terms and Conditions:
Our guarantee
Steinberg guarantees the product to be free from defects in workmanship or materials for a period of 2 years from the date of the original purchase. Steinberg undertakes, subject to the conditions listed below, to have the faulty product (or any part(s)) repaired or replaced (at Steinberg’s discretion) without any charge for parts or labor. Steinberg reserves the right to replace a product with that of a similar kind and/or value and condition, where a model has been discontinued or is considered uneconomic to repair.
Conditions
The original invoice or sales receipt (showing date of purchase, product code and dealer’s name) MUST accompany the defective product, along with a statement detailing the fault. In the absence of this clear proof of purchase, Steinberg reserve the right to refuse to provide free of charge service and the product may be returned at the customer’s expense.
The product must have been purchased from a supplier within the European Economic Area or Switzerland.