Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I'd like to start off saying that, I bought a used Yamaha Audiogram 3 as part of an excellent deal. For large parts people are very curious about this product and there are so few reviews if any at all online. So I wanted to share my opinions. At the time I bought it, I was taking my chance and I can say with confidence that I am very satisfied with the product. This is a simple, high quality, low latency device with the help of which I record music using a condenser microphone.
Overview:
The layout of the Audiogram is very simple and minimalistic. The Audiogram 3 has 2 separate sources of inputs. Firstly, to the left there is the combo jack which accpets XLR and 1/4 inch jack. This input has the option of being phantom powered. That is, if the source of sound(microphone/instrument) does not have power of it is own, extra power is supplied by the Audiogram so that adequate signal produced. The is essential, if you wish to use the audiogram with a condenser mic. Even a guitar can be directly plugged in without having to pass it through an amp.
Next in the middle there is a line-level input. This input source can be accessed in 2 ways, either through RCA or 1/4 Stereo cables. Bear in mind that this input is NOT phantom powered. Devices like ipods, amps and other instruments with their own source of power can be plugged in.
Finally, to the right of the Audiogram you have the outputs and the level knob. The output can be accessed in one of 3 ways. Either through RCA, 1/4'' Stereo out or 1/4 headphone out. The output has live monitoring. In simple terms, even if you plug this into a wall usb source, you will be able to hear the audio sources irrespective of weather it is connected to a computer or not.
All these inputs/outputs may confuse you. So check the below videos out: Amazon won't let me post the hyperlink, figure it out :).
youtube(dot)com/watch?v=p6Eb5JJfDIU
youtube(dot)com/watch?v=t0cBZQXjpp8
Info: YOU WILL EXPERIENCE NASTY LATENCY ISSUES if you use the drivers which windows recognizes it with. Use ASIO or the manufacture drivers.
Usage:
I found the device fairly simple to use, and with my Windows 7 system I had no driver issues. The system automatically recognized the device as a usb audio source. I don't use the yamaha supplied recording software either. I use Adobe Audition(formerly Cool Edit Pro). I had NASTY latency issues, but that is not because of the Audiogram but is because of the poor stock sound cards found on modern day computers. I resorted to ASIO4ALL drivers which are available for free on the net, and my problems vanished instantly. You could also try the manufacture drivers(I haven't tried them).
The combo jack on input one on my unit malfunctions. It seems to only accept XLR inputs. To me that is not an issue as I only use XLR in input 1. Most probably this might be so because my unit is a used one. Whatever be the case, it is not really an issue to me. The signal is very clean and quality is very high. I plugged in my ipod on input two and it sounds like a charm. I experience very less noise and absolutely no distortion.
Support:
I was under the impression that the Yamaha website was poor and didn't give any information whatsoever. I was WRONG. The product info can be fully accessed from Yamahasynth(dot)com. I apologize to readers who read my earlier review in which I was against the lack of manufacture info. This product is perfect all around now. Drivers, software and specs are all up on the website that I just mentioned above.
Pros:
-Simple Device
-Great form factor
-High quality sound
-Low Latency
-Multiple input capability.
-Port Versatility
-Live Monitoring
-USB Powered
-Great Value
-Comes with Manufacture software Cubebase 4 + VST Plugins + Midi capability + samples = Great Value
-PC and Mac compatible
-Ease of recording is remarkable(Once you understand the setup)
Cons:
-No Inbuilt Equalizer ( Am I asking for too much)
-The gain on output could have been a little higher. But that said, it is more that sufficient.
-Lack of alternative sources of info online. (I'll try and make a video to help)
-Manufacture software is not the most intuitive software. (Again, but it is free and that's great value),(You can also find great programs like Audacity for free. Or step it up like I did with Adobe Audition)
Final Verdict:
To me this is an excellent product. For people who don't know how to experiment and tweak the problems out(if any), this might not be such a good option. The first reviewer of this product on Amazon belongs to that category of people who SHOULDN'T get this unit. His rating is ENTIRELY unjustified.
For people who need a high quality yet bare basic preamp for a home set up. You will need to find good drivers of optimum functioning. M-Audio preamps are so problematic and latency ridden, but yet they are the best selling ones I don't know why. I am not against M-Audio. In fact I use their Nova condenser microphone, which is also highly recommended by me. Audiogram 3 was a hit for me. Period.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha Audiogram 3 USB Recording Interface
The AUDIOGRAM Series has been carefully designed to make setting up your computer-based recording environment an absolute breeze. Coming as a complete kit, the AUDIOGRAM6 and AUDIOGRAM3 each bundle together a hardware interface that adds audio inputs and outputs to your computer, software for recording and producing music, and a USB cable for connecting the audio interface. s such, either package will instantly turn your computer into a powerful yet intuitive tool for recording and editing audio from virtually any microphone or audio input device. What's more, setup is as easy as installing the bundled music-production application, CUBASE AI, on your computer and connecting the audio interface using the USB cable provided! You're then ready to connect instruments, microphones, CD players, MP3 players, and even old record or tape players for recording straight into CUBASE AI.
Click here for more information about Yamaha Audiogram 3 USB Recording Interface
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