PreSonus Quantum 2 PreSonus

Overview

Your expandable, ultra-high definition recording system.
Taking full advantage of the high-speed Thunderbolt bus and ADAT Optical I/O, the PreSonus® Quantum 2 audio/MIDI interface delivers up to 22 inputs and 24 outputs, with extremely low latency. Boasting superb audio quality; 24-bit, 192 kHz recording and playback; recallable XMAX microphone preamps; and the ability to expand your system as your needs grow, it’s a great choice for a wide variety of professional and semi-pro producers and electronic musicians.

We cut the wait.
Every design decision during Quantum 2’s engineering was made with one goal in mind: speed. Quantum 2 sports high-speed Thunderbolt connectivity and a no-frills, direct-to-DAW architecture, with no DSP. The result is our leanest, fastest, lowest-latency interface to date.

Cutting-edge 24-bit, 192 kHz converters with 120 dB of dynamic range and a surprising amount of expandability and software control options round out the package.

Expandable when you need more I/O—up to 80 in and out.
The Quantum 2 offers two combo mic/instrument inputs and two combo mic/line inputs, each with a digitally-controlled XMAX preamp and individual +48V phantom power. You also get four balanced ¼” TRS outputs and a headphone out with dedicated volume control. But that’s just the start. With ADAT Optical I/O and S/PDIF stereo digital I/O, you can have up to 18 digital inputs and outputs. And if you need even more I/O channels, you can stack up to four Quantum 2 interfaces via Thunderbolt to create a monster system with up to 80 in and out. BNC word clock I/O ensures your Quantum and other digital audio devices operate in tight sync. And of course you get MIDI I/O, too.

Superior sound.
Audiophile-grade digital converters, low-jitter clocking, and recallable preamps add up to a superior recording and listening experience. The Quantum 2 operates at up to 192 kHz for ultra-high-definition mixing and recording. High-quality converters on every input and output provide 120 dB of dynamic range to capture complex musical harmonics smoothly and naturally with no audible distortion. And our recallable XMAX Class A analog microphone preamps deliver incredibly high headroom, deep lows, smooth highs, and a rich overall sound so you’ll hear every breath, transient, and detail in your recordings.

A superior choice for any production environment.
With its pro features and abundant I/O, the Quantum 2 fits into any recording and production environment. You get four balanced line-level outputs, all of which are DC coupled so they can provide control voltage to external analog equipment. Add that to Quantum 2’s expandability, flexible software suite, blazing speed, and superb sound quality, and you have a recording system that will be the heart of your dream studio for years to come.

Tight integration with Studio One.
With the Quantum 2, your audio interface is an integrated extension of your recording environment. The perfect companion for any recording software, the Quantum 2 comes equipped with Studio One Artist to provide you with a complete recording solution. Launch Studio One, and you’ll find full preamp control integrated into your recording environment. Need to track away from your computer? Launch Studio One Remote on your iPad®.

Now includes Studio Magic Plug-in Suite.
This suite of plug-ins adds a wealth of fresh sounds and effects to Studio One. Cherry-picked from the first names in virtual instruments and effects, each plug-in brings a different flavor of practical magic to your songs. These plug-ins aren’t gimmicky one-trick ponies — these are real-deal workhorses that you’ll rely on for countless mixes.

Features

General Features
✓ 22×24 Thunderbolt™ 2 ultra-low-latency audio interface (Thunderbolt 3 compatible)
✓ PreSonus’ fastest interface; record direct to DAW (no DSP)
✓ Stack up to four Quantum interfaces via Thunderbolt for a monster system
✓ Assignable output level control
✓ 6 8-segment LED meters (4 input, 2 output)

Integrated Software
✓ Tight integration with included Studio One® Artist DAW software (Mac®/Windows®) for multitrack music production and studio command features
✓ Wireless control over preamp levels from free UC Surface touch-control software for iPad® and Android™ tablet and from free Studio One Remote for iPad and Android tablet
✓ Wired control over preamp levels from free UC Surface touch-control software for Mac and Windows computers
✓ Compatible with most recording software for Mac and Windows
✓ Studio Magic Plug-in Suite included

Flexible Connectivity
✓ Simultaneous I/O up to 22 inputs/24 outputs (at 44.1 or 48 kHz)
✓ 2 front-panel combo microphone/instrument inputs
✓ 2 rear-panel combo microphone/line-level inputs
✓ 4 XMAX remote-controllable, Class A mic preamps with individually switched 48V phantom power
✓ 4 balanced ¼” TRS line-level outputs
✓ Line outputs are DC coupled for sending control voltages for analog gear
✓ ADAT Optical/Dual SMUX inputs/outputs: 16×16 channels at 44.1 or 48 kHz; 8×8 channels at 88.2 or 96 kHz
✓ Stereo S/PDIF coaxial input and output
✓ 1 high-volume headphone output with dedicated volume controls

Digitalia
✓ Thunderbolt 2 high-speed bus (Thunderbolt 3 compatible)
✓ 24-bit resolution and up to 192 kHz sampling rate
✓ Top-quality 120 dB A/D/A converters
✓ BNC word clock input and output with low-jitter clocking
✓ MIDI I/O on 5-pin DIN connectors

Physical
✓ Road-rugged construction with all-metal chassis and metal knobs
✓ 12 VDC external power supply (included)

Tech Specs

Computer system requirements:
Below are the minimum computer-system requirements for the Quantum 2 Interface.

Mac
✓ Mac® OS X 10.11.6 64-bit or later
✓ Intel® Core™ i5 or better
✓ 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)

Windows
✓ Windows® 10 64-bit or later
✓ Intel Core i5 or better
✓ 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)

Mac and Windows Systems
✓ Thunderbolt™ 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 port (Note: Your computer’s motherboard must support Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt 3 requires an adapter, not included.)
✓ Internet connection (required for Studio One Activation and Content download)
✓ Internal or external 7200 RPM storage drive highly recommended
✓ 30 GB hard disk space
✓ Monitor with 1366×768 resolution

Note: The minimum system requirements may differ for DAWs other than Studio One. Please check the requirements for your DAW of choice with its manufacturer.
Note that the speed of your processor, amount of RAM and size and speed of your hard drive will greatly affect the overall performance of your recording system. Also, a more powerful system (faster processor with more RAM) will allow for lower latency (signal delay) than you might experience while monitoring audio signals.

Microphone Preamp

• Type
• XLR Female (via Combo), Balanced
• Maximum Input Level
• +10 dBu (Balanced, min. gain)
• Gain Control Range
• 60 dB
• Frequency Response
• 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.15 dB, unity gain, 48 kHz)
• 20 Hz to 40 kHz (±0.22 dB, unity gain, 96 kHz)
• Dynamic Range
• > 110 dB (A-wtd, min. gain)
• Total Harmonic Distortion
• < 0.005% (1 kHz, min. gain)
• EIN
• < -131 dBu (max gain, 40Ω, 22 kHz BW, A-wtd)
• Input Impedance
• 1.6 kΩ
• Phantom Power
• +48V, > 8 mA per input

Instrument Inputs

• Type
• ¼” TS Female (via Combo), Unbalanced
• Maximum Input Level
• +15 dBu (Unbalanced, min. gain)
• Gain Control Range
• 60 dB
• Frequency Response
• 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.2 dB, unity gain, 48 kHz)
• 20 Hz to 40 kHz (±0.6 dB, unity gain, 96 kHz)
• Dynamic Range
• > 106 dB (A-wtd, min. gain)
• Total Harmonic Distortion
• < 0.005% (1kHz, min. gain)
• Input Impedance
• > 1 MΩ

Line Inputs

• Type
• ¼” TRS Female (via Combo), Balanced
• Maximum Input Level
• + 18 dBu (Balanced, min. gain)
• Frequency Response
• 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.05 dB, unity gain, 48 kHz)
• 20 Hz to 40 kHz (±0.10 dB, unity gain, 96 kHz)
• Dynamic Range
• > 118 dB (A-wtd, min. gain)
• Total Harmonic Distortion
• < 0.005% (1 kHz, min. gain)
• Input Impedance
• 10 kΩ

Main and Line Outputs
Type

• ¼” TRS Female, impedance balanced, DC coupled
• Maximum Output Level
• +18 dBu (Balanced)
• Frequency Response
• 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.05 dB, unity gain, 48 kHz)
• 20 Hz to 40 kHz (±0.15 dB, unity gain, 96 kHz)
• Dynamic Range
• > 118 dB (A-wtd)
• Total Harmonic Distortion
• < 0.0035% (1 kHz, +4 dBu)
• Output Impedance
• 51Ω

Headphone Outputs

• Type
• ¼” TRS Female, Stereo, Unbalanced, x2
• Maximum Output Level
• 175 mW/channel (56Ω load)
• Frequency Response
• 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.5 dB, 48 kHz)
• Dynamic Range
• > 110 dB (A-wtd)
• Total Harmonic Distortion
• < 0.03% (1 kHz)
• Headphone Impedance (working range)
• 16Ω to 300Ω
• Crosstalk
• Input to Input
• < -110 dB
• Output to Output
• < -115 dB
• Input to Output
• < -120 dB
• Signal Level LEDs

• Cli
• -0.5 dBFS
• Signal 1
• -2 dBFS
• Signal 2
• -4 dBFS
• Signal 3
• -6 dBFS
• Signal 4
• -10 dBFS
• Signal 5
• -20 dBFS

Digital Audio

• Connection Type
• Thunderbolt*
• ADC Dynamic Range
• 120 dB (A-wtd)
• DAC Dynamic Range
• 120 dB (A-wtd)
• Bit Depth
• 24 bits
• Internally Supported Sample Rates
• 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz

Clock

• Jitter
• < 70 ps RMS (20 Hz – 20 kHz)
• Jitter Attenuation
• > 60 dB (1 ns in => 1 ps out)

Power

• 12 VDC, 5A, external power supply

Physical
Dimensions

• Height 1.75″ (44 mm)
• Depth 7″ (178 mm)
• Width 12.5″ (317 mm)
• Weight 5 lbs (2.27 kg)