Neumann MT 48 Interface – A Mix Real-World Review

After Sennheiser bought Neumann in 2005, the latter started to increase its product lineup past microphones. It launched its first studio screens in 2010 and its first headphones in 2019. This 12 months, the Berlin-based firm has broadened its portfolio once more by releasing its first audio interface, the MT 48. As with the corporate’s different merchandise, it’s excessive in each high quality and value.

For those who’re accustomed to the Merging Applied sciences Anubis interface, you’ll discover some distinct similarities between it and the MT 48. That’s as a result of Sennheiser bought Merging in 2022, partially to convey the corporate’s audio interface know-how into the Neumann line, so it’s not stunning that the MT 48 relies closely on the Anubis whereas providing USB-C connectivity and a considerably cheaper price.

The MT 48 contains built-in dynamics, EQ and reverb, glorious onboard touchscreen management, and app-and web-based distant management. It even comes with a padded carrying case with the Neumann brand embossed on prime.

AROUND THE HORN

The MT 48 is a compact tabletop interface housed in a strong steel chassis that’s the identical shade as Neumann microphones. It’s powered by an included (multi-country) USB-C exterior energy provide.

The interface contains 4 analog inputs (two XLR mic/line and two 1/4-inch Hello-Z/line) and 4 analog outputs (two XLR most important and two 1/4-inch TRS line), in addition to ADAT/S/PDIF out and in on Toslink optical ports.

For those who embrace the potential I/O from the ADAT optical port, which is eight channels at 48 kHz (4 at 96 kHz, two at 192 kHz), the potential complete I/O rely is 12-in and 12-out. Counting the 2 individually addressable TRS headphone outputs provides one other 4 outputs.

Moreover, there’s an RJ45 port that helps AES67, an open customary utilized in broadcast and audio manufacturing. You’ll be able to hook up with Neumann screens by means of it, and the bi-directional port can carry high-channel-count/high-sampling-rate, networked audio in a suitable system.

Neumann additionally outfitted the MT 48 with 1/4-inch GPIO/MIDI In and Out ports. In GPIO mode, you may plug in footswitches and different suitable distant controls. In MIDI mode, you may join MIDI gear utilizing TRS-to-DIN5 adapters (not included).

Many of the I/O is positioned on the rear panel. with TRS inputs 3 and 4 (Instrument/Line) on the small, front-facing a part of the unit, as are the headphone jacks. A mic-stand mount is included on the underside of the unit, making it simpler to combine the MT 48 into stay performances.

I did discover that the enclosure will get scorching to the contact when the unit is on for some time. After studying the handbook, I found that the warmth is a characteristic, not a bug: The case is designed to operate as a warmth sink. As well as, there’s an ultra-quiet fan contained in the body, which, in its default setting, solely activates when the room temperature will get unusually excessive.

PRESSING AND TURNING

All the MT 48’s capabilities could be managed through the knobs, buttons and touchscreen on the highest panel. The latter is an LCD multitouch show, roughly 3.5 by 2.25 inches. In its default state, the display is the management interface for a mixer able to 4 simultaneous mixes (every by itself web page within the software program), mixing the enter alerts with the audio returning out of your DAW.

Mixer channels characteristic quantity faders, pan sliders and solo buttons. Tapping on the channel title enables you to entry the built-in DSP capabilities, resembling Preamp controls, EQ, Dynamics and Reverb, together with different utility capabilities. By way of the Settings menu, the MT 48 offers vital customization.

Every combine is routed to an output pair: Speaker A, Speaker B, Headphones 1 or Headphones 2. Every output pair has a devoted selector button on the highest panel. If you press it, the suitable combine seems on the touchscreen.

The MT 48 additionally provides a complete set of monitor management capabilities. Monitor switching is on the market by means of the Speaker A and Speaker B buttons. One of many top-panel buttons activates a built-in Talkback mic, which you’ll be able to set to latch within the unit’s Settings part. From there, it’s attainable to vary the talkback mic’s acquire and specify which of the 4 mixes will obtain the sign. You’ll be able to even route it by means of Enter 4 to report it in your DAW.

The Mute button shuts off the presently chosen output. For those who maintain it down for greater than two seconds, it shuts off all of the outputs.

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On the best aspect of the mixer is the Residence display, a vertical row of buttons for numerous capabilities, together with switching mixes, DIM, Mono, Solo Clear and Menu (which provides entry to the Settings menu and different preferences). One notable choice in Settings is Crossfeed, which sends among the left channel into the best, and vice-versa, which simulates listening on audio system when monitoring on headphones. You’ll be able to even regulate the quantity of the impact. For those who combine on headphones commonly, it’s a useful characteristic.

The entrance panel additionally options a big Rotary Controller knob that governs quantity and acquire changes, excluding these managed by the channel faders. The Rotary Controller is positioned near the best aspect of the touchscreen, and several other instances I unintentionally activated one of many software program buttons, resembling DIM or Mono, when turning it. (As a result of I’m left-handed, my ring finger and pinkie hold over the aspect of the knob once I flip it, bumping the buttons. I’m guessing {that a} right-hander can be wonderful.)

That apart, the onboard consumer interface, together with the touchscreen, switches and knobs, is extraordinarily well-designed and intuitive.

GOING REMOTE

Controlling the MT 48 remotely from a Mac, PC or pill requires downloading the MT 48 Toolkit from the Neumann web site. It accommodates the Distant Controller app and shortcuts to the Internet app. The Distant Controller provides the identical controls because the Touchscreen.

The Internet app offers an expanded view, however its response is sluggish in comparison with the Distant Controller. The Internet app also can run on a pill, however you need to first join the MT 48’s AES67 port to your Wi-Fi router with an Ethernet cable.

I found that the Distant Controller and Internet app, along with the Touchscreen, could be open and lively concurrently, which lets you present totally different screens on every (for instance, the faders from two totally different mixes), which could be useful throughout a recording session.

CHANNELING

As you’ll count on from Neumann, the preamps and converters on the MT 48 are of exceptionally prime quality. The dynamic vary of the mic inputs is a formidable 136 dB. The acquire vary on the mic inputs is 78 dB. That’s sufficient acquire for nearly any mic, even low-output dynamic or ribbon fashions.

The preamps have their very own part within the mixer, which options software program switches for choices like a -12 dB or -24 dB Pad, a 40 Hz, 60 Hz or 80 Hz low-cut filter, 48 V phantom energy, and polarity reverse.

You can even insert particular person Dynamics and EQ processors on every enter or output channel. The Dynamics processor provides three totally different choices—Gate, Compressor and Limiter— which may all be turned on and off individually. The Compressor is comparatively clear and offers loads of parameter choices. One is an Auto-Achieve operate permitting you so as to add compression to an enter sign with out altering its degree within the cue combine. The four-band EQ offers a number of filter selections for every band, and a graphic show.

You need to use the processing (on every channel) just for monitoring, or you may print it. You can even configure the mixer to output a moist and dry model of a observe.

A single Reverb processor is on the market to all channels through a ship. You’ll be able to globally set parameters resembling Reverb Measurement, Decay, Predelay, Low Lower, Excessive Lower and Diffusion. Reverb, EQ and Dynamics settings can all be saved for later recall utilizing the Snap (snapshots) operate out there on every processor’s display.

REAL WORLD

I used the MT 48 as my interface for a number of weeks and was extremely impressed. My recordings, each of miked and DI sources, have been amazingly clear and crisp. The headphone amps sound glorious and have loads of energy. The general sound high quality is outstanding.

It’s not simply the sound, nonetheless. The built-in results and all of the user-configurable choices make the MT 48 super-versatile.

I additionally love the Touchscreen. Though I had the Distant Controller app and Internet app at my disposal, I ended up utilizing the Touchscreen more often than not as a result of it’s simply so handy—the difficulty with unintentionally urgent the software program buttons apart.

Sure, the MT 48 is dear on a per-channel foundation, however you’re getting studio-quality sound. It’s an analogous proposition to purchasing a Neumann microphone: You must pay extra for distinctive efficiency. So long as the channel rely is ample on your wants, you’ll be glad you invested within the MT 48.