Universal Audio Volt 476 USB-C Audio Interface Reviews

The 76 compressor and the vintage mode, sounds really good on vocals. I love the design as well

I have so far enjoyed this interface. It has a few included features that can really add some interesting character to your recordings. I have not found a good use for the vintage tube effect yet, but the compressor options are excellent at cleaning up your instrument's tone. There is nothing to configure, just 3 presets that have general uses but experimentation will yield interesting results.

I really should have spent the extra to get the upgraded 476 to have gain control and compression on all 4 input channels. I thought the back inputs would be unbalanced line inputs but they are balanced. This seems to heavily attenuate my Minilogue XD sound which only has unbalanced out. External gain control or some kind of boost will be necessary for the back 2 inputs when connecting with unbalanced line level gear, else it will be whisper quiet.

It's an excellent vintage style interface that can be used with nearly any device (or completely standalone). Takes some planning to fully utilize it's features, but it has no problem fitting in to your set up however you require.

I was looking for a new Audio Interface for a while since My Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 (2nd Gen) wasn't enough inputs so I was researching a few Audio Interfaces and decided to go with the Volt 476. I have a Stronger signal going in my recordings and my Mixes came out a lot better and more Colorful. Way to Go Universal Audio.

This is my 4th USB audio interface ever. I was long time brand loyal to Tascam and hesitated to switch. However after reading and watching all the reviews and talking to my producer friend I gave Universal Audio a try and I'm so glad I did. The Volt476 connected like a dream through my Dell Windows 10 laptop. It appeared everywhere it should in the software and control panel. I followed a very simple setup and was blown away with how it sounded. I have also switch from long-time Cakewalk user to Cubase 12, so that has been a bit of a learning curve. But, this UA interface is a fine piece of portable gear. I really like the stacked meters as opposed to the common green red single led that most units have. I also did the push buttons and the monster "monitor" knob. I would have like to have the next model up with 4 preamps, but it was a bit pricey for my budget. Honestly as a singer songwriter, I will mostly use the preamps for vocals and acoustic. Therefore my drummer can submix to my two additional line inputs. I have only used the guitar and vocal compressor settings so far, but they sound great. Between the onboard compressor and the Vintage button, I have a very soft headspace while cranking the inputs that give me a warm tone like the old tube gear and mics I love.

I am so glad I got the UA Volt 476 USB audio interface and highly recommend it.

The interface has two XLR-1/4 inch inputs in the front and two 1/4 inch inputs in the back. I tend to not use the compressor options, but they're nice to have as an option. The headphone output has enough oomph to drive some 600 ohm higher impedance headphones quite well. If you're worried about excessive power draw from USB, you can use the included 5V wall wart for ease of mind.

My only complaint is that the 48V phantom power is applied to both of the front panel inputs. I've yet to see a small USB interface that didn't do that though. Most devices should have protection from phantom power applied in error, but you may want to be careful especially with some mics. There is a few second delay from when the 48V button is pressed and when the power is actually applied though.

If you don't need the extra inputs and extra monitor outputs in the back or the compressor option, I would save some money and get the Volt 2. Looks like it has the same performance recording wise as the 76 series, as far as I can tell. You will lose the signal level indicators on top though.

I absolutely love, love, love the Volt 476....I mean, literally, everything about it! It has that look that someone jokingly nailed as a piece of 70's Quadraphonic Stereo Gear. That's spot on, too, but I'm a Boomer and love 70's Retro styling. To me, this Box just gets it right.....it's Form and Function all the way. Simple things like lighted buttons that aren't cheap nor flimsy, and a most logical layout that efficiently uses the front, top, and back. The metering light scheme is totally simpatico with my tastes. It just all seems so intuitive and sensible. The Vintage and Compression buttons impart a desirable sound when used and even offer options to attenuate those effects. My only wish was that UAD would've made it 4 mic pre's in and out instead of two mic pre's, even though there are two additional line levels in and out. That would be my only desire for maybe a future offering??? Yet, there is a dedicated Monitor out combo. Anyway, I think the Volt 476 sounds as good as any audio interface out there anywhere remotely akin to this price range, other than DSP. Some reviewers found the four input-output button options on the top a bit of a mystery, whereas I think they make total sense and fit the straightforward layout of the design and flow of this splendid interface. The preamps are sweet. The fact that you can also use versions of non-DSP plugins that sound just like the UAD DSP versions is also a Plus. UAD bundles some good ones with the Volt, as well as some other useful software plugins.

Where to start on this one.
The sound quality is unbeatable, I compared this with several other interfaces I own and it is a night and day difference in the sound quality. The quality of recordings cannot be touched even by interfaces twice the price. I have even noticed a difference in the quality of sound from monitoring while doing an A/B test with another interface.
The on board fet compressor is limited in what it can do, but works great for recording vocals, guitar, and bass.
The Volt 476 makes re-amping much easier than other interfaces I have worked with. There is even a mono button on it to send the signal to your re-amp device in mono.
It's ease of use and sound quality set it miles ahead of other interfaces in this price range, and a plus it looks very nice sitting on my desk.
I would recommend the Volt 76 series interfaces to anyone looking to get an interface.
Hands down best interface for the money I have come across.
And as always buying through Sweetwater is always a pleasure.

I wasn't able to edit my previous 2-star review, but I got some more tech support from UA and I'm much happier now. The problem was not power, but USB bandwidth. I rerouted some USB setups, disconnected some others, and things seem to be running much better.

I noticed in some vocal waveforms before-and-afters that the built-in compressor does not actually seem compress all that much. However, my ears tell me that this my vocals recorded on VOLT have a much more pro sound than my previous interface. It's a high-quality build and is a pleasure to use.

The volt is great. Sounds good. Looks good. Easy to use.

I had quit recording for years. I decided to start again. I found that my firewire wasn't compatible with my new Mac Book Pro. I asked my rep Paul Allen and he recommended the Universal Audio Volt 476. He told me that nothing in that price range compares. I bought it and was he right. It has a pre-amp based on UA's 610 preamp and a compressor based on UA's 1176 FET. The built in pre-amps are butter, add the bosun pre-amp and compressor and you can really dial in a great sound. It is USB powered but also has the option to be powered conventionally by plugging it into a wall outlet. Considering the next step up costs thousands of dollars.

I don't write reviews, and this is my first one ever. I just felt obligated because I never bothered to think that USB interfaces will sound different from one another. To me as long as it works, and latency is at a minimum, then it is a good interface. However, this one has a noticeable clarity and depth. My previous interfaces were AxeFx3, Helix rack, NI Komplete Audio 6. I have not even tried to record with it yet; I have just been listening to music and streaming. It sounds so good and not too ear-fatiguing that I enjoy listening to music again.

Very happy with the Volt 476 - I have been using the Apogee Duet since 2013, which had been a great interface but over time I felt there were other options I wanted including expanded line inserts to add an additional preamp. I've also upgraded computers recently and I've been wanting to take advantage of the low-latency in today's USB-C.

Its a great interface for those looking for an upgrade to the current interface market

Great Design, produces high quality recordings. Vintage mode and 76 compression combination makes this interface an instant classic in my opinion. Works perfect with vocals, kick drum, bass and many other instruments.(The mono button is another great option) Multiple meters to maintain proper levels for input and output. The price is reasonable for features and technical advantages it presents over other interfaces....
Its great....

No complaints except that the mono button is for INPUTS not outputs as its placement would suggest.

I have a new computer & decided to get a new interface. So far so good!

I have to be honest, I saw that Universal Audio was making lower priced USB interfaces and I said YES!! With all the I/O I do, I immediately grabbed the Volt 476 and put it to the test. The 476 is a good unit for what it does, and it does that well. Technically I have no issues. But I am really into critical listening on a pair of decent studio monitors. To me the output is BRIGHT. It is not neutral. I mean really BRIGHT compared to other units in it's class (like the MOTU M4!!). That said, the built in Big Mic Pre & the three 1176 emulations 'work,' so if you need the additional fullness and presence that they give, great. But I do not see them in use in serious recording sessions (IMHO). Overall my 2+ star rating is because of how bright the output of the unit is with not much in the low end in the output.

I was really excited to have my first UA product. Just sitting on my desk it looks awesome. Let me preface this review by saying it didn't work for me and I'll tell you why, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work for you.

The reason I got this is because I have a Kemper - which doesn't have an audio interface. What I wanted to do was have something I could use with Windows audio through my studio monitors , with my Kemper, and with a Mic for maybe podcasting or YouTube videos while I played guitar. Or, just play backing tracks and play along on my Kemper or whatever.

Staring with the good, the windows audio comes through clear and strong - and sounds amazing. Listening to music or playing games was amazing.

With the Kemper I struggled. There is no S/PDIF so I had to use inputs 1/2 or 3/4 both for stereo with my Kemper (This would be true with Helix, AxeFx, or any of the multiple devices that still use S/PDIF). Honestly inputs 1/2 sounded bad. 3/4 sounded good but I had to crank the volume on the monitor knob to max - which messed up the Windows audio and made me turn the volume in Windows down to like 10/100.

You need to be able to control the volume of the Windows audio via the device or device software - as well as inputs 3/4 if there are no knows for them. Why is the Windows audio so loud compared to the inputs? A device like this should have loopback - most people need that for podcasting with instruments.

Sadly - I had to send it back. I really wanted to be a UA fanboy. I ended up getting a used Presonus Studio 1824c for about 50 dollars more that does everything I need - and has plenty of power. I can't even turn this thing half way up. It doesn't look as cool as the UA device - and doesn't have the Mojo, but I did what I had to - to meet my needs.

Worked fine for three months, and now monitor output control potentiometer is glitching and distorting audio whenever adjusted. Difficult return and repair process, guess the Volt lineup is just too low end in UAD's eyes for them to care that much.
The enclosure sure looks nice, but the plasticky knobs and buttons are a constant reminder that the Volt is absolutely not an Apollo. On board 1176 and vintage preamp emulation sounds great to me, but they come with a catch: the preset based 76 are completely non-adjustable and the vintage sound is actually UA's 610 emulation. It's all dsp.
Would not recommend it if you are looking for a serious non-gimmicky audio interface. Get one from those tried and true interface makers. For similar amount of money or less, go for an Audient or a Presonus. Their equipments never failed me.
Let the price I paid for my mistake be a lesson, don't waste your $ like I did. Ugh.