Arturia Audifuse Studio
The prolific French developers’ latest audio interface promises high flexibility – was Simon Arblaster en-Fused by it?
CONTACT WHO: Arturia (Source Distribution) WEB: sourcedistribution.co.uk / arturia.com
KEY FEATURES 18-in, 20-out USB 3 audio interface. 4 Discrete Pro preamps. 4 inserts. 2 reamp outputs. Bluetooth. 3-port USB 2.0 hub. MIDI in & out. 2 speaker outs with A/B switching. 2 headphone outs with 2 switchable cue mixes. Control Center software and Creative Suite plugin bundle included
It feels like Arturia’s AudioFuse Studio has been a long time coming. We first saw the Studio version of the Grenoble-based firm’s audio interface at the Winter NAMM show back in 2019 and that was two years after we reviewed the original AudioFuse. Which, to add, was announced two years before that. But despite a whole five years elapsing since then (a long time in tech terms), the AudioFuse range still feels like fresh territory for Arturia.
The desktop unit features four Discrete Pro preamps fed by four front-mounted mic/line combi ports. Meanwhile, channels 5 to 8 are served by TR ports around the back, with channels 5 and 6 also giving you the option of phono ports, should you need them. And the analogue inputs don’t stop there: the unit is equipped with four line-level inserts on the first four channels. In terms of outputs, channels 1 to 4 are reserved for two sets of speaker outputs, while 5 and 6 double as aux outs but can also be switched for reamping guitars and effects. Returning to the front of the unit, we see two headphone channels each with two source selections, volume controls and both 1/4 inch and 3.5mm sockets.
As for connectivity, the Studio does not disappoint. You get double the ADAT ins/outs to handle eight channels up to 96kHz sample rate. We find the same three-port USB 2.0 hub as the smaller AudioFuse interface and 3.5mm MIDI I/O with DIN plug breakout cables. There’s also Wordclock and SPDIF coaxial connections and the unit is rounded off with a Bluetooth receiver featuring aptX and AAC support.
Fresh out of the box and we were immediately impressed with the inclusion of cables, something many companies scrimp on.
Signal flexibility and extra features aside, at the heart of any interface is the sound and you’ll want it as accurate as possible, which the Discrete Pro preamps deliver. Our old ears couldn’t detect distortion even at higher volumes and the transparency lets you add your own colour – catered for in the form of the Creative Suite plugin bundle; featuring classic channel strip emulations and iconic effects, as well as a Lite version of Analog Lab. The four preamp channels each have phantom power, pad and phase invert options, generous metering and individual pre-fader listen buttons. These only let you hear one channel at a time, though it would’ve been nice to be able to hear all four without needing supplementary software.
Flexibility-wise, the Studio delivers on all counts. The AudioFuse Control Centre software lets you get under the hood and configure all the routing options to your project’s needs with ease, including the ability to loopback the main mix, or either cue mixes. Bluetooth is a great touch, especially with the option to route the signal into your DAW and not just studio monitors. The AudioFuse Studio also features a Control Center launch button and every control adorning the unit is also accessible within the software.
While it might seem to slot in between the other two AudioFuse interfaces on paper, in size and I/O count, the Studio is €200 more than the 8pre, making it the flagship model in the range. But that price point is fully justified with its rich set of useful features, flexible signal routing and quality preamps.
The AudioFuse range feels like fresh territory for Arturia