Mackie Onyx Producer 2-2 USB Audio Interface Reviews

I'm surprised I haven't seen more reviews of this product. It's great!!!!!! Does what it's supposed to do and is pretty transparent. Solid, well-built. Good price. Well worth the money.

Does exactly what it was designed and built to do. Simple to connect and use. My only reservation is how it will be in the long-term. I haven't had it long enough to see how it will hold up. If it's anything like my original Mackie Big Knob, it should last for years. The inclusion of free software from Avid and Tracktion is a nice added feature for those purchasers that might not have those.

I bought this for home recording, and it's obviously not intended for professional studio work. But it works perfectly with my laptop and offers a lot of flexibility. I'm using a somewhat dated computer with Ubuntu Studio installed, along with Ardour 5 as my DAW. They recognize the interface pretty well without too much trouble. I have plugged in two electric guitars, one a Taylor acoustic with a piezo pickup and the other a Telecaster, and they both sound very nice through the interface. I've also connected a Yamaha keyboard as a MIDI controller using the MIDI input, which opens up a whole universe of plugins and effects. The level controls and monitoring functions on the interface work well and are easy to use. The level and monitor/source mix controls feel nice and smooth and have no looseness or wiggle like some cheap controls do.

The headphone monitor jack works equally well with a stereo system or amplified speakers, as it puts out a line-level audio signal. It sounds very clean and bright.

I don't have a condenser mic so I haven't tested the mic inputs, but I like the fact that there are two inputs that can be used for either a guitar (with a Hi-Z switch) or a mic with 48V of phantom power.

I said it's "sturdy," but it's even more than sturdy. It's built like a little tank. I also like that it's powered by the computer's USB so no power supply to worry about. It has nice green brightly visible LED indicators for power, Hi-Z, and MIDI activity.

For the price, it's a great value. I considered both the "Performer" and "Producer" versions, but you get a lot more utility with the "Producer" version for not that much more money. I highly recommend it.

I've read in reviews about other equipment and I'll see "this thing was just built well"... And I'll have to say that about this product from the folks over at Mackie kwho are quickly becoming my new IF THEY MAKE IT I'LL TAKE IT company. The Onyx 2-2 Producer is just fantastic in its simplicity. 5 stars all day

I brought an old Roland A90 controller back from the grave to trigger Arturia Piano software. Midi output only and I was getting lots of hung notes with an M Audio Uno interface and some latency using the laptop audio output. Installed the Onyx Producer 2-2, downloaded the driver software from their site, downloaded ASIO4all and with the help of the Sweetwater tutorials on setting up an audio interface had everything up and running. No hanging notes anymore and audio latency is gone. I'm very happy.
Nice footprint, solid case and good looking. The knobs are easy to use with the output knob being easy to identify. I'm currently running the audio out into my Keyboard amp and can quickly change to phones for practice. Cudos to Mackie for a good product and Sweetwater for the information, good pricing and great salesperson to make this easy.

I was using a MOTU interface before I picked up this lil guy from Sweetwater (Thanks Nich!) and was having some issues with the MOTU. Audio fidelity from the MOTU to this is night and day. I am using this interface with a Shure SM7B + Cloudlifter and the capture audio is perfect for podcasts, screen recording, and producing high quality tutorial videos. The headphone jack is powerful enough to drive my Neumann NDH20 monitor headphones as well and they sound fantastic paired with this interface. I tested the Shure SM7B on this interface without the Cloudlifter and can say, if you needed to record in a pinch, there is enough gain on this interface for the SM7B, but you'll need to crank the gain to almost max, but it would work.

I bought this thing to replace my aging Onyx Blackjack interface and this doesn't disappoint. It has that rugged Mackie feel to it and the sound quality is top notch. It even came with some free software which I haven't had ton of time playing with yet. Great value with this unit and it shipped super quick!

I owned 2 Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 audio/MIDI interfaces, one after the other, and both developed problems after a couple years (the first burned out, just died; the second's internal wiring became loose so that the headphone jack became mono instead of stereo most of the time). So, I decided to try some other brand.

I use Linux, so it is important to me that audio interfaces be USB class compliant, without relying upon Windows or MacOS drivers or other software. I heard about this interface from Mackie, not much talked about on the Internet compared to other more prominent brands, and I have some Mackie powered studio monitors that I have been using and loving for about 20 years (!), so I decided to go with the Mackie Onyx 2-2.

I like it very much so far. Very sturdy housing, plenty of amplification for speakers and the headphones, clean, simple, well-designed, and, as a surprise, even though it is powered by the USB port of a computer, one can play and listen to one's MIDI keyboard (for example) through the Onyx's headphones jack even when the computer is turned off! (the previous Focusrite Scarlett interfaces couldn't do that: I had to switch my headphones to the MIDI keyboard's own jack if the computer was turned off).

I like this unit, and hope that the Mackie Onyx audio/MIDI interfaces become better known and more used.

I was in need of some way to remotely collaborate with my songwriting partners due to the now infamous covid-19 virus. I was seriously considering a USB mixer in lieu of an interface just to get some extra channels, but ultimately decided to go the interface route as I had used a different manufacturer's unit prior to "fire wire" being no longer functional and also did not want any latency issues which I felt might be more prevalent with a USB mixer.

The unit arrived quickly and setup was very easy. I am using a decent laptop with Windows 10 and had zero issues with installing the drivers from Mackie. The Protools First and Tracktion Waveform DAW software was also easy to find, download, and setup - I was able to start recording withing an hour of unboxing the unit.

I decided to go with the Mackie over the competitors for a few reasons. First, the Onyx preamps have a great reputation and the ones in this unit absolutely live up to their hype - clean and plenty of headroom. I also wanted MIDI capability and this was one of the least expensive units with MIDI built in, and it works flawlessly. The included DAW software was a nice complement as like some others, I needed new new software for my computer anyhow, and having a choice between two solid programs made my decision to go with the Mackie even easier.

I'm a multi-instrumentalist specializing in electric bass, and having two inputs and MIDI capability gives me all the input options I need to record the supporting tracks for the songwriters that I work with. The sound is unflavored but not dry, and my bass direct sounds just as it should. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this unit to anyone looking to do something similar as the sound, build quality, and ease of use make this unit a no-brainer. The best part is that it has already paid for itself - I haven't had to drive my typical 2 hour round trip to the studios to record.

This was my first computer audio interface and I really liked it. It was quiet and worked perfectly for me.

I don't use it anymore because I upgraded to the Behringer U-Phoria UMC404HD interface because I needed more outputs. If you only need 2-ins and 2-outs, this interface is perfect.

I've been using a focusrite 2i4 for years and I love it for running multichanne live backing tracks, but needed something portable for tracking. The latency is a killer. I picked up the onyx as a gift for my partner and ended up borrowing it. I was shocked at how much better it handled mobile tracking. Very low latency compared with other interfaces in its class, and really clean.

We've been using a Mackie Producer 2-2 daily for nearly 2 years and we dig everything about it. Bus powered with MIDI I/O and tough,like military grade. Mackie drivers are dead-on perfect, always work with our Windows PC's. The zero-latency monitoring feature adds one more plus, with a solid headphone amp that sounds good AND has plenty of power. Biggest plus is the ONYX preamps,as they are studio grade performers with plenty of headroom. Works instantly in Studio One, Samplitude, ACID, Ableton, Cakewalk, Cubase, and allows us to use a Roland A-49 MIDI keyboard controller with zero-hassles. Mackie quality with easy set-up, a no-brainer for portable or home-based rigs. 2 year warranty from Sweetwater, always remember that.

I purchased this to work with an iPhone or an iPad. I knew that it should work in theory, but hadn"t seen a review reporting that it did. It does work for me on an iPhone 7+. If you use it this way, you"ll need the camera connection kit (lightning to USB adapter) and a powered USB hub.

I haven"t done any proper recording yet but I verified the basic functionality (audio in and out working). The audio playback is very sensitive to the iPhone volume level (at first I thought it wasn"t working but I just needed to turn up).

With this setup, it seems that the iPhone disconnects from USB sometimes when it"s not in use and the phone is locked. This doesn"t seem to have any effect on the headphone or line out monitoring, which is important for my application. No pops or anything - just the usb light on the unit might go on or off.

It might be that all of the above would apply to any "class-compliant" USB audio interface. I don"t have any experience with other interfaces though.

I like the size of this unit, the knobs, the ins and outs, and the fact that it has two preamps.

I use the phantom power and it seems you have to turn it on each time you turn on the unit (since it"s a button and not a physical switch). Also it applies to both inputs (which is fine for me but something to be aware of).

I don"t yet have anything to report on its recorded sound quality or the bundled software.

Needed a simple USB interface for my PC to remix a collection of songs recorded in Sonar DAW. Easier to get the PC interface than to transport tracks into Pro Tools on my MacPro. This Mackie is well-built and sounds great. Recording quality is top notch at this price point.

I have been using an ONYX Producer 2-2 for several months now, it has proven to be roadworthy while providing high quality audio capture. I prefer it over the "red" or the "blue" 2 x 2 USB interfaces, based mainly on the ONYX preamps, the MIDI i/0 , and a very solid feel to knobs/switches. I just wished Mackie would make an ADAT optical 8-channel preamp model, or at least a Producer 2-2 (or 4x4) with ADAT in. The ONYX preamps rock! My Producer 2-2 works effortlessly in every DAW I use, including Samplitude Pro X3, Studio One 3.5, Cakewalk by BandLab, ACID and Sound Forge. I must also add that the included DAW and effects are no slouch, either. Tracktion may be single screen but it will give a user all the tools needed to make perfect recordings. I would buy this product again as it has proven to be a bargain on every measurable metric. High quality USB interface at a great price!

This is a very well made box, you will notice that right off. Not just another 2 in - 2 out USB audio interface, this one is tough and portable, with phantom power. Knobs/potentiometers are top grade, smooth and tight, nothing questionable about durability in the field. Headphone amp is very good, not as strong as the Audient i series is, but better than most others. The monitor mix knob is another solid component and works just like it's supposed to. Set up was easy in 4 different W7 DAW's; all accepted and worked flawlessly with the Mackie driver, so no doubts it will perform equally as well in W10 and Mac formats. MIDI i/o is a huge plus, made this low priced unit even a better bargain. This is such a well made, well thought out interface (components are stellar...just turn a knob,you'll see), it's obvious Mackie did some extra homework before building the Onyx Producer. I would recommend it over many other options, based on price and the high quality components Mackie uses.

Had this for maybe 9 months or so now. After my Alesis iO4 died it was difficult to find an AI that works with older versions of Mac and PT, which is what I use to record. This one DOES. Mac/PT automatically recognize it. 2 XLR/TS combo inputs, plus MIDI, headphone, and main outs. Everything sounds good recorded through it, instruments, vox, etc.

Solidly built, plug and play, almost perfect. I just with there were 4 input channels to reduce the need to constantly switch cables.

**Suddenly had an issue with MIDI clock signals not sending, so I'm not sure if it's PT, this interface, or the slave device.

So far it has work great on my Mac Pro and Acer laptops. However different story on a Dell Latitude. Guess it is allergic to my Dell laptop!

We purchased a Producer 2-2 and a pair of CRBT4's together, and it's turned out well on both counts. It's a 1st for a Mackie purchase, really liking the interface. I pretty much judge all mid-budget 2-2 USB interface's by the Audient iD14, but must admit the unit performs very well, and is a bargain with the MIDI IN/OUT. It's a sturdy unit with good, solid specs and sounds good. The rubber feel of the knobs is a thing I came to appreciate, another plus at this price-point. Stays in place on your desk surface really well,more of that tacky/sticky feeling rubber on the bottom. Totally satisfied with this interface from Mackie.

I was excited when it arrived. Tried to go to the URL link and surprise it doesn't exist. Tried the DAW/Add-ons and they make it hard to get. Bottom line I would NOT recommend this item. It looks well built but??? One more thing it was supposed to integrate with my DAW but my DAW could not find it. This was the end I'm done with ONYX.

Its honestly unusable. I have to crank the gain for the di signal to be remotely a high enough volume, and when I do the noise floor is raised substantially and still has almost no sustain. I regret spending my money on this and not going with a presonus or focusrite. Maybe it's good for recording vocals, idk. I just do instrumentals. Which, this unit absolutely sucks for recording di instruments.