PreSonus Expands Thunderbolt Interface Line with Quantum 2626
by The Press Desk   9th January 2020

Quantum’s require daw to operate. I think all thunderbolt interfaces do.

MOTU offers a standalone function

The hybrid USB ones though right?

I thought I had the most updated version of universal control, but I’ll check this weekend. I hope there is an update I missed. From your post it sounds like that might be my fix. Thanks.

The quantum 2 is my only interface. Before I updated UC I made the 500adat the master by slaving the quantum via ADAT. After the update the quantum will not recognize ADAT or WC as clock sources in UC.

Again, I hope I missed an update last month. Thanks again

This update worked. I don’t know how I missed this release, but I’m glad you let me know. The ability to use external clock via ADAT and WC has been restored. Thanks!

I got the 26x26 last week, I’ve been using an apogee duet 2 for the past 8 years. I use an external mic pre (great river me-1nv) and comp (wa2a) so I’m not looking for great mic pres.

Over all , I’m happy with the new 26x26. I use studio one pro so everything was simple to set up. The monitoring through the DAW sounds “different” (not worse or better) rather than directly monitoring through the interface like on the duet 2, But that could also be the interface sound itself. I also love the 2 headphones outs , and the send and return on the back is dope.

Prior to buying the 26x26 I was looking at the new apogee desktop symphony, but for recording 2 mics at a time (max) and I’m not interested in tracking through the preamps or effects, I didn’t see it as worth the money. I was also considering the zen pro go (reviews mention a lot of issues and I’m not into tracking with plugins) so I passed on that. The BLA was my other option, but you can’t bypass the mic pres, and the one headphone jack is not enough.

I hope I continue to have a good relationship with the 26x26. Just wanted to share my experience.

March 22, 2021 Driver

This is good because my interface is no longer syncing to external adat/wc...hope this works permanently

It was restored but no longer. Fingers crossed new update fixes this issue

One question for Quantum 2626 users.

Once my unit is set external clock, the unit can't be recognized by Universal Control if external clock is missing. I have to feed the clock first, then reboot the unit.

Is is a normal behavior, or my unit is defective?

I have a main rack power switch for the external clock unit (Apogee) and 2626, and they are all powered on at the same time. 2626 does not work until I go behind the rack and reboot 2626.

Anyone?

I just brought this unit, because I was interested in the low latency settings and recording with native plugins. I want use eq, compression, and use autotune while tracking...Have you ever tried this? I'm going to be using this with Protools btw..Thanks in advance

I use studio one as my DAW so that played a part in me buying the interface (which is GREAT). I have no experience with how it works with protools.

With studio one I have tracked with plugins (just to test the interface) and I often track with auto tune , the quantum can keep a low buffer setting while doing it.

Wish I was better able to answer your question.

This is exactly what I wanted to know, lol.

Which Autotune plugin were you using? You didn't hear any pops or clicking while using the plugin? I just want to make sure it's possible to use plugins....I don't want to switch over to StudioOne, but I'll do it if I have to.

I am thinking of expanding my Quantum 2626 with some more inputs and I am choosing between a ferrofish ad/da converter (16 channels) and a Quantum 4848. I took a look on how to connect everything and it seems like the quantum 2626 would be at the end of the chain which got me thinking. Do I lose speed in transfer from 40Gpbs down to 20Gbps, do I really need 40Gbps? I connect all my synths and run them through the system adding plugins while producing before printing the files and finishing my tracks.

I know for a certain that If I buy the ferrofish I won't drop any speed, but maybe It could work just fine with 20Gbps if that's the case?

Thx

Evening lads.

I am making the following post under the assumption that 90% of you or more are using the Quantum on a Mac. Well, here is my experience when using all the recommended specs and settings + the ASUS ThunderboltEx 3-TR to use it with Windows 10: (Spoiler, the results are rather astonishing)

To preface: Intel TB drivers + ASUS TB3 driver installed flawlessly, cable was checked multiple times, Quantum device was recognized by the Intel TB control center, Universal Control presonus driver was uninstalled and reinstalled multiple times, Quantum gets recognized flawlessly by Studio One.

Things wrong with Quantum 2626

- MIDI notes hang with all manner of virtual instruments, particularly at low buffer sizes (16/32, 44.1 Khz)
- Changing to sample rates above 44.1 causes Windows 10 to cease playing sounds from applications
- Presonus instructs Windows 10 users to use the ridiculous 'Presonus audio streaming' power plan that makes all 20 threads of my 10-core i9 10850k CPU as well as my CPU fans run at 100%. (Who's brilliant idea was this? Did some forlorn Presonus engineer imagine this was an actual solution, to smash user's CPU with all that energy, heat and CPU lifespan reduction in an attempt to make theirr product function correctly? My max core temps get up to 75-80 when doing this, which while acceptable in bursts, is NOT something I am willing to do all day while working in my DAW, for the reasons stated above. COMPLETELY unacceptable and amateurish design.)
- After changing sample rates while using certain applications (in my case just a firefox browser that had a video streaming), at times you can hear the 'Clock' noise (or some kind of regular audio dropouts) that occur intermittently every second until you manage to close said applications, then reset sample rates and buffer sizes again until it stops.
- When tested A/B (one on top of the other and switching devices in Studio One back and forth), there is NO improvement in audio dropouts/audio stream stability at the same buffer sizes (32, 64 and 128 @ 44.1 tested) compared to my 12 year old Firestudio Project which runs on firewire (also an add-in card I installed in my system). The cracks and pops happen at the same time in the same song(s), with the same buffer/sample rates.
- The self-noise (a typical type of white noise high frequency hiss) is greater than my Firestudio Project when comparing A to B, in my estimation the headroom reduction to reach the same (relative loudness (with speakers, the headphone amps are fine), I did not test with an SPL meter) is around -10 db. (also unacceptable)

In my experience? Absolute bogus marketing, at least when using with Windows 10 x64 (LTSC 2019).

It seems Presonus can not design Windows drivers for their interfaces to save their lives. (I had lots of issues which are mostly resolved in W10 back when I was using Studio One+Firestudio Project Universal Control driver in Windows 7 x64)

My recommendation if you are a Windows user is to avoid this interface like the plague, it did NOT deliver on any of the marketing claims, is filled with bugs and overall just seems like yet another atrocious windows driver from Presonus.

P.S. The round-trip measured latency reported by Studio One 5.4 @ 44.1/128 samples goes from 8 milliseconds to 6 compared to my FSP interface. That's something I guess?

Curiour to hear if anyone else has had success with this thing on Windows, I'm just about to send it back to Sweetwater since I'm still within my return window....

The reason I bought this thing to begin with was because Presonus S1 devs broke my integrated/direct hardware monitoring support with Studio One in recent times, and I loved that feature for monitoring my hardware signal chains. Sadly the grass looked much greener than it actually was in this case... and when I got close enough it actually turned out not to be green at all, more like brown and crusty. Maybe it's time for another eye exam? :O

Cheers

Definitely something going on with your system there. I've been thoroughly researching this interface and there are LOOOAAAADDDSSSSS of people with Windows 10 and 11 who are getting on just fine.

As did I, that's why I bought the damn thing.

I even researched all the add-in cards and someone was using the exact one with no issues.

But I will concede that until I am able to test other TB3 devices on the ASUS AIC, you can take my experience with a grain of salt (when I finally get around to doing this, I will update here again with a post)

Just thought I'd post my own experience, particularly since it was so contrary to the positive/glowing reviews from all over.

P.S. To be fair, none of those reviewers posted the nonsense about the 'Presonus Power Plan', which is absolutely bogus design in and of itself.

Also if you do look around you will find loads of examples of Windows users having issues with this interface:

Here is the post, see for yourself:
https://support.presonus.com/hc/en-u...-to-Windows-10

^When following this advice and switching to their recommended power plan, all cores instantly shoot to 100% utilization, along with the heat and fan noise you would expect - totally absurd 'solution', and unacceptable laziness in driver design (which didn't help my experience anyway).

And here's another user on the questions page with the same issue:
https://answers.presonus.com/63793/p...bling-c-states

And another post with several users experiencing exact same thing as me:
https://answers.presonus.com/49776/q...ended-settings

And yet another longer post about the horrendous Windows driver/firmware presonus made for the Quantum: https://forums.presonus.com/viewtopi...d915e&start=40

P.P.S. I own a pair of Presonus Sceptre S8s (which I love to death and highly recommend!), a Firestudio Project and have owned Studio One Pro since 2009, I'm not some kind of Presonus hater - but in my personal experience, their Windows drivers are absolute dogshit and they need to be called out on this.

Cheers

Very mush. What I missing now is a merge of EarMix and Central Station. A "HelmMix" on the AVB!

I’ve loved and had no issues with my 2626 for a year and a half now. Unfortunately, I decided to update the firmware today and now I’ve got my first issue: my keyboard controller, connected via the 5-pin MIDI port, now suffers massive lag and is basically unplayable. Googling, many others are experiencing the same problem. I’ve logged a ticket with support, but based on the many reports of the issue and lack of solutions I’ve found, I’m going to go ahead and get a USB adapter to get around the problem until they fix it. Disappointing… there are reports online going back to 2020 and as recent as September with no solutions or information on the Presonus website.

just stumbled upon this thread and wanted to add my 2cents:
it works flawlessly on my AMD / Win10 machine at home, low latency, no problems
on my Intel i7 laptop it would crackle non stop; their "fix" to disable c-states makes CPU load and fans run at 100% all the time, it's just ********
after these years there is still no proper fix to that.
I'd heavily suggest to buy something else

I'd thought I would chime in then also. First year I couldn't use the interface and run my hardware thru without major issues, cracks and pops, and after maybe a minute one side of the speakers lost maybe 20 db in volume. But a later os fixed that so that was great, only 10 month late Im on a Mini Mac M1 with 16 gig ram btw. However, my volume knob has major oxide type of problems since the day I bought it, before I turn on my speakers I need to turn it back and forth maybe 30 times otherwise I will destroy them. I know I know, I could have sent it back but I used a drawmer MC3.1 to control the volume and was way behind on my schedule at the time so I didn't have time to wait for a replacement. I will say that the support is great, answers really fast and are very helpful.

Even with the current drivers and firmware update from April 2023?

I bought two and they both work flawlessly with all three computers I’ve used, 2016 MBP, 2018 MBP and 2023 MBP. The 2023 apple silicon + quantum is so fast with so little CPU usage it doesn’t seem real. I haven’t even heard the fans come on on my heaviest projects and low buffer. I love the combo.