ESI U168 XT Review
Long-Term Test
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Thanks to Jason Davies at Eleven Dimensions Media, we discovered the ESI U168 XT at the AES show in New York City. Eleven Dimensions is a music instrument distributor, and Davies is always looking for interesting and esoteric gear to represent. The ESI booth was manned by their CEO, Claus Riethmueller, and several of his German staffers who were very proud of their upcoming 24-bit / 96kHz U168 XT USB 2.0 audio interface. The device immediately stood out with it’s burnt-orange, anodized aluminum chassis and we scheduled a long-term review with five of our evaluators (their comments in quotes below). We chose the reviewers from different audio backgrounds in order to provide you with a balanced and objective look at the U168 XT in a variety of audio applications.
ESI may not be well-known here in North America, but in Europe they’re a brand that has been making forays into the crowded, audio interface market overseas. The U168 XT is a provocative value proposition coming in at $500 dollars, but is only carried by a handful of major retailers on this side of the pond. The ESI Audio U168 XT features 16 input channels and 8 output channels that are all available simultaneously. The unit provides balanced 1/4″ TRS line connectors on the rear; 16 inputs, 8 outputs and a stereo Master Output. The front panel features four integrated microphone preamps with two XLR inputs and two Neutrik combo jacks (Hi-Z instrument + XLR) with switchable +48V phantom power. The two Hi-Z instrument inputs are setup for recording electric guitars right on the front panel, “making it easy to jack in without having to fumble around trying to make the connection on the rear.” All inputs can record up to 24-bit / 96kHz resolution. A nice addition is the coaxial digital S/PDIF input and outputs, which is not always included on an audio interface at this price point. The U168 XT also features MIDI I/O implementation with full-size DIN connections on the back fo the unit. However, the U168 XT has one big trick up its sleeve.
There are two independent headphone outputs on the front panel of the U168 XT, next to an on-board monitoring mixer. All of our reviewers gave the dedicated headphone outputs high marks, but our podcast tester was ecstatic about the inclusion, “I have no idea if ESI made the decision [to include two independent headphone outputs] for podcast applications, but the decision means that I can simply take my laptop, the 168 and two mics to any interview and achieve stellar results!”
ESI U168 XT Features:
» 16 input / 8 output 24-bit / 96kHz USB 2.0 24-bit Audio Interface
» Four professional microphone preamps with +48V phantom power support
» Two Hi-Z high performance instrument inputs with 1/4″ connector
» digital S/PDIF input & output with RCA connectors
» 16 line inputs with balanced 1/4″ TRS connectors
» 8 line outputs with balanced 1/4″ TRS connectors
» Two independent headphone outputs with 1/4″ stereo phone connector
» Separate stereo mix output with integrated monitoring mixer controlled on front panel
» ADC with 107dB(a) dynamic range | DAC with 112dB(a) dynamic range
» 16 channel MIDI I/O with MIDI DIN input and output
» Powered by included DC 12V power supply
» Supports Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 with ASIO 2.0, MME, WDM and DirectSound incl. DirectWIRE support
» Supports Mac OS X (10.7 and above) via CoreAudio USB audio driver
» Includes licenses of:
— Deckadance LE from Stanton
— Bitwig Studio 8-Track digital audio workstation software
— inTone 2 ESI Edition from Audified
» Dimensions (45.0cm x 14.5cm x 4.5cm)
The build-quality of the ESI U168 XT is “top notch” with an “uncrowded” and “well-designed interface.” Every reviewer cited the “cool look” of the burnt-orange aesthetic, but one evaluator found it difficult to see the screen markings in low light. All of the testers lamented the lack of included rack ears or even the ability to rack the unit. “I’m really at a loss as to why the [U168 XT] doesn’t come with rack ears? It’s a 1U, but you’ll need a tray to put it in your rack. Weird.” Aside from that miss, the front panel’s dedicated +48V phantom power switches were noted as wins. And the individual LED metering, on/off buttons and gain controls for the XLR channels made the U168 XT “a pleasure to use.” In fact, the “excellent” usability was often cited by the evaluators throughout the process.
Plug ‘n’ Get Right To Work
“I just love how the U168 XT was not just Plug ‘n’ Play, but Plug ‘n’ Get Right To Work,” noted one tester who praised the ease of setup on both his Mac laptop and Windows PC. Not only was it easy to get started with the included software control panel, but the dedicated hardware options specified above, meant that users could simply make adjustments “without having to delve into middleware software options.” One reviewer compared its ease-of-use to his RME Fireface, “while the RME has additional features that the ESI doesn’t possess, I found the ESI to be much faster to work with, especially when you need to make quick adjustments during live performances” and “at one-fourth the cost.”
“For $500, the ESI U168 XT more than delivers on the audio quality front compared to its competitors at this price level,” offered our studio recording reviewer. “With very low-latency, a low noise floor and better-than-you’d-expect preamps, it’s easy to obtain great results with good quality microphones. I was thrilled at the intimate recording I achieved with the ESI when capturing a singer and acoustic guitar simultaneously,” he continued. Our podcaster couldn’t say enough great things about the ESI. “Although I haven’t tested the RØDECaster Pro, this could be the best dedicated computer audio interface for podcasting below $1000 on the market. “Love it!”
Our live performance reviewer had similar feelings, “the U168 is a tremendous value for recording live bands. With sixteen individual inputs, you have plenty of options when recording, and even with USB 2.0, I didn’t experience any audio issues that often plagues my [Focusrite] Saffire box.” This reviewer also employed the ESI with two Sennheiser shotgun mics to record a jazz band at a crowded NYC club. “With the gain knobs and individual metering right on the front panel, I was able to ride the levels organically between delicate piano passages and blasting alto sax solos.”
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Conclusion
While it may take a little bit of digging to find a retailer you’ll be rewarded with a quality audio interface at a “tremendous value.” There are a couple of improvements to be made with the U168 XT (see The Future below), it shouldn’t stop you from seriously considering the ESI U168 XT for home studio recording, podcasting and recording live performances. Recommended!
Rating: 93%
Cheers:
+ Easy Setup
+ Build Quality
+ Cool Aesthetic
+ Quality Of Results
+ Simple Interface
+ Independent Front Panel Controls
+ Integrated Monitoring Mixer
+ Two Headphone Outputs
+ Low Noise
Jeers:
– Not Rack Mountable
– Interface Markings
– Bundled Software
ESI’s U168 XT costs $499 and is available now.
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The Future:
First and foremost, ESI needs to include rack ears with the U168 XT or, at the very least, add it as an option. The unit comes with some bundled software by Deckadance, Bitwig and Tone2, but it’s on a CD, which has been dropped by many computer manufacturers, and needs to be accessible via download. Upgrading to USB 3.0 would allow ESI to expand the resolution and throughput of the U168 XT in exciting new ways, if they can maintain the price point.
