PreSonus Quantum 26-in/32-out Audio Interface

Overview

The speed of sound.

With a barely measurable round trip latency of less than 1 ms*, it's no wonder Sound on Sound magazine dubbed the Quantum Thunderbolt™ 2 audio interface "the fastest audio interface on the planet." Superb high-definition digital conversion and ultra-transparent XMAX remote-controllable mic preamps mean that your audio will always sound its best—whether you’re recording with or without your favorite plug-ins engaged in real-time.

Timeless audio.

Every design decision during Quantum’s engineering was made with one goal in mind: blazing fast speed without sonic compromise. The Quantum-series proprietary Thunderbolt driver was written from the ground up to deliver ultra-low-latency performance while maximizing efficiency. Cutting-edge 24-bit, 192 kHz converters with 120 dB of dynamic range and superior low-jitter clocking, coupled with our ultra-transparent XMAX remote-controllable preamps, result in superb audio quality with the lowest roundtrip latency of any audio interface available (<1 ms*).

*192 kHz, 64 sample buffer in Studio One 3.5 on a MacBook Pro 2016, 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7, running macOS 10.12.5

Superior sound. Sublime recall.

Audiophile-grade digital converters, low-jitter clocking, and recallable preamps add up to a superior recording and listening experience. The Quantum audio interface 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.

Expansive audio.

Impressive speed combined with stunning sound quality means that the Quantum Thunderbolt audio interface is an ideal recording solution for any size of studio. With that in mind, we designed Quantum-series interfaces to be stacked with one another for up to 192 inputs and outputs. Need more mic preamps? Connect the PreSonus DigiMax DP88 to your Quantum interface’s ADAT/dual S/MUX ports. Once synced, the DigiMax DP88 preamps can be remote controlled via Studio One or UC Surface, just like the onboard preamps.

Seamless integration.

Quantum Thunderbolt audio interfaces are fully integrated with Studio One® to provide unparalleled control over your hardware right from your recording environment. Launch Studio One, and you’ll find full preamp control, talkback, and speaker switching integrated into your Studio One console. Need to track away from your computer? Launch Studio One Remote on your iPad® or Android™ tablet. Quantum preamps can be also controlled via MIDI in Pro Tools, Logic, or Live so you can save the settings with your recordings.

The Quantum leap.

Industry-leading speed and pristine audio quality, combined with jaw-dropping expandability, are the hallmarks of the Quantum interface design. Record and monitor from your favorite DAW with any plug-in engaged. Take advantage of onboard mix features like Mute, Dim, Mono, and integrated Talkback. Regardless of your studio’s size, Quantum audio interfaces streamline your recording process—you’ll make better music, faster.

Make your own magic.

At PreSonus, we want to make sure that our audio products come with everything you need to craft your own mesmerizing spells in the studio. That's why we include Studio One Artist with every audio interface and controller product we make, from the 2-channel AudioBox USB 96 to the 64-channel StudioLive 64S, ATOM to FaderPort 16, but we didn't stop there. Why? Because here in Louisiana, we have a word: lagniappe. It means "a little something extra," and it's in that spirit that we also include the Studio Magic Suite of software with our audio interface products and–new for 2021–our award-winning controllers as well.

Features

General Features

• 26x32 Thunderbolt ultra-low-latency audio interface
• PreSonus®’ fastest interface; record direct to DAW (no DSP)
• Stack up to four Quantum interfaces via Thunderbolt for a monster system
• Talkback switch and internal Talkback microphone
• Mute/Dim and Mono switches
• Assignable output level control
• 10 8-segment LED meters (8 input, 2 output)

Integrated Software

• Tight integration with included Studio One® Artist DAW software (macOS®/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 macOS and Windows
• Studio Magic Software Suite included

Flexible Connectivity

• Simultaneous I/O up to 26 inputs/32 outputs (at 44.1 or 48 kHz)
• 2 front-panel combo microphone/instrument/line inputs
• 6 rear-panel combo microphone/line-level inputs
• 8 XMAX remote-controllable, Class A mic preamps with individually switched 48V phantom power
• 2 balanced ¼-inch TRS line-level main outputs
• 8 balanced ¼-inch TRS line-level outputs
• Line outputs are DC coupled for sending control voltages for analog gear
• ADAT Optical/Dual SMUX inputs/outputs: 16x16 channels at 44.1 or 48 kHz; 8x8 channels at 88.2 or 96 kHz
• Stereo S/PDIF coaxial input and output
• 2 high-volume headphone outputs 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
• 1U rack-mountable
• 12 VDC external power supply (included)

Specifications

Computer system requirements:

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

Mac®

• macOS® 10.13 or higher (64-bit only)
• Intel i5 or better (Apple Silicon M1 support requires Universal Control 3.4.2 or later)
• 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)

Windows®

• Windows 10 (64-bit only)
• Intel® i5 processor or better
• 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)

Mac and Windows Systems

• 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 1366x768 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

• Clip - -0.5 dBFS
• Signal 1 - -2 dBFS
• Signal 2 - -4 dBFS
• Signal 3 - -6 dBFS
• Signal 4 - -10 dBFS
• Signal 5 - -20 dBFS
• Signal 6 - -30 dBFS
• Signal 7 - -50 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" (44.45 mm)
• Depth - 7" (177.8 mm)
• Width - 19" (482.6 mm)
• Weight - 6 lbs (2.72 kg)