ESI U22 XT Review | Reviewer's Revival

ESI U22 XT [Exciting, Deep] Review

Get outta here!

Do you really expect me to believe that an audio interface costing only $110 (USD) / $147 (CAD) is worth looking at, let alone actually being enticing enough to try out? That’s ridiculous, right? After all, I’m not a young padawan recordist who’s easily impressed with the cheapest box that my monthly allowance can afford. I've been a professional musician and audio producer for bla bla years . . . started with a 16 track Tascam .  . bla bla.

Ok, ok. I’m just teasing – God bless the younger folks who want to get into recording and music producing – we all had to start somewhere. As a matter of fact, yours truly was only 13 years of age when I “bounced” my first three mono tracks down to a single track; making room for three more ‘live’ tracks on my father’s Phillips 4-track reel-to-reel recorder (circa 1973). For those of you whom are of the millennial generation or even younger - the iGen youngsters - you are seriously more blessed than you might realize. Old guys like me didn’t have nifty contraptions such as: snappy i5 or i7 laptops, multi-track DAW software, and portable audio interfaces when we started out. If I would've had access to a decent laptop, a good-sounding, low latency audio-interface and a FREE bundled starter DAW, I’d have been totally stoked!

Well guess what? This article is devoted to just such a scenario.

ESI’s entry point USB 2.0 audio-interface is prime example of when NOT to judge a book by its orange-y/copper cover. This tidy-looking little box is equally at home in both MAC and Windows setups and like most devices in its class; it features 2-In/2-Out I/O. Expected appointments, such as 48v phantom power and Mic/Line/Instrument connectivity, are at the ready. This sound card delivers an acceptable bit depth and sampling rate, coming in at a maximum of 24bit/96 KHz.
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The “U22 XT” sits squarely in the entry-level class of audio interfaces; jimmying up to the starter line alongside PreSonus, “AudioBox”; Forcusrite, “Solo” & “Scarlett 2i2”; Steinberg, “U22 MkII”; and similar stock. Until recently (2017), ESI-Audio wasn’t exactly a household name in North America, and truth be known, the name still isn’t as prolific as many of their competitors’ well-established brand names are. Don’t let that put you off though – the company has been highly regarded in the EU and Asia for more than a decade.

Over the few weeks that I spent familiarizing myself with this little unit, I’ve come to admit that it is a surprisingly solid performer. I say ‘surprisingly’ because at its price point, I wasn't expecting much, if any, ‘Wow Factor”. The company touts it as a ‘professional’ unit; however, I would assess their claims to a little bit of exuberant marketing-speak. Even so, as an inexpensive, bus-powered device, the U22 XT is a dandy piece of kit that actually outpaces many of the others in its weight division.

​In August of 2017 I reviewed ESI’s pro-grade USB 2.0 audio interface – U168 XT. That unit is one of the best USB 2.0 audio interfaces made. I wouldn't be timid to race it alongside the crowned king of USB 2.0 sound cardom – RME Babyface. The current build of “U86 XT” and “U168 XT” ASIO drivers are fast and (mostly) reliable. ESI’s proprietary “Directwire” and “EWDM” driver technologies really do work well. To a good degree, these attributes are shared by the smaller brother – U22 XT.

  >> Click here to see my detailed review of the ESI U168 XT  <<

What’s In The Box:

First off, unlike what’s experienced with some other budget-priced gadgets, ESI doesn’t scrimp on the quality of their retail cartons. The U22 XT comes snugly seated in foam-rubber, housed in a sturdy, cardboard box. There’s nary a twinge of slippage or shoddy packaging to be observed. A physical user’s manual is included – printed on nice quality paper withal. A standard 4ft (1.2 metre) USB cable, and a thick paper card listing the bundled software licenses, rounds out the contents. 

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The USB cable isn’t a high quality, audiophile-grade piece, but it gets the job done. Given that many computer peripherals don’t ship with cabling now-a-days, it is actually very decent of ESI to include it as a complimentary accessory – more so when you consider that this is a budget-priced item.
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The box doesn't contain the most illustrious software bundle ever, but there are a couple of nifty extras included. The buyer receives a complimentary license code for Audified’s “inTone 2” (ESI Edition), a serial code for “Deckadance LE” DJ software from Stanton, and a serial number for “Bitwig 8-Track”.

Build Quality:

I’ve come to expect nothing but solid, sturdy build quality from ESI. I’ve been blessed to work with a set of UniK 08+ studio monitors, a set of UniK 05+ speakers, a MoCo passive monitor controller, and four “XT” series USB audio interfaces. Every single one of these items is built extremely well. German engineered - Asian made. The “U22 XT” is no different in this regard. It’s a decidedly stout little box constructed with durable, light-weight aluminum.

​All of the U22 XT’s knobs and switches yield a sturdy tactility; rotating fluidly and smoothly with a pleasant amount of light resistance. The input and output jacks on my unit all seem to be hardy, and they hold connectors securely in place – there’s not a smidge of loose, cheaply-made feel. There are a couple of spring-loaded push switches on the unit, and these too seem to be built-to-last. Unlike some other audio-interfaces in this price range, I don’t hear or feel any loose, rattle-y bits when I give it a shake. Sheesh, my old (1st generation) 2i4 rattles like a maraca shaker.

Installation:
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A welcome benefit that ESI has surprised us with is a liberal dose of plug n’ play convenience – meaning the U22 XT is a class-compliant device. On Windows™ 7 and newer, driver installation is NOT required for normal Windows sound functionality – the proprietary drivers are only necessary for ASIO and “DirectWire” performance. The same holds true under MAC OS. One needs only to rig up the necessary USB connections; you’ll be enjoying good quality sound from this handsome little box immediately (strictly as a conventional Windows/MAC sound card). Albeit this kind of connect-and-go simplicity is much appreciated, U22 XT’s true value is fully realized when its dedicated drivers are bedded in.

The early drivers that I’d originally installed didn’t fare off very well on my Windows 10 system. Happily, newer drivers were developed shortly thereafter, vastly improving performance and functionality. The freshest software revisions are downloadable directly from ESI-audio’s web site and consume all of 1.4 MB . . . tiny.

​ESI driver installation always requires a system reboot – this is applicable to all of their USB audio-interfaces. Following a system reboot, the U22 XT’s ASIO drivers are raring to go and you’ll have access to the unit’s software control panel via its little orange icon, located in your system task tray.

Appointments & Presentation:
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ESI’s “XT” series of audio interfaces showcase classy, sleek lines, rounded edges and professional-looking layouts. Some would say that they bear a somewhat orange-y cast, but more accurately, the units are handsomely presented in a rich, deep-copper tint.
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​Our eye is greeted by a well-laid-out front panel -- one that is intelligently tri-sectioned for speedy, easy operation. Starting from the front left, here’s what we have at hand on the U22 XT:

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​Input #1 is a balanced combi-jack that accepts either XLR low impedance or ¼” TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) input. While it is physically possible to connect an electric bass or guitar into this port, its impedance level is intended specifically for microphones. Case in point, I have a 35+ year old Shure, “5655d” that requires a ¼” connection – it sounds quite respectable whilst plugged into the U22 XT. 

​A modest level of input-gain can be dialed in with the gain knob, and of course, 48v phantom power may be engaged.

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Occupying the centre zone is where the input selector switch, direct monitoring knob, HiZ ¼” input jack and associated gain control dwell. This is where you ought to plug in an electric guitar, bass, and et cetera. There is also a pair of small LED peak indicators discreetly tucked underneath the input selector switch. 

​Taking up the remaining portion of the front panel you will find a bright red power LED, a large volume knob, the headphone output jack and a headphone volume control.

​Flipping our little copper-topper around reveals its neat, tidy backside. (Whoops! That didn’t sound improper, did it?)
The whole rear panel is a simple, no muss-no fuss affair that is most likely understood by all but the most novice of users. From left to right we have:

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​A stereo pair of RCA phono input jacks. These facilitate other pieces of outboard gear such as a small mixer, or other line-level device (CD-Player, Tape Deck, and etc.). Following along is a spring-loaded push switch to engage either the rear RCA inputs or the front-panel input jacks. Next in line is a stereo pair of ¼” TRS main outputs for piping audio signal into a set of active studio monitors, an amplifier, a digital recorder or a mixing console. On the rear panel’s right most you’ll find an anti-theft Kensington latch and the requisite USB-b port.

Performance and Functionality:
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As already noted, this is a bus-powered unit and as such, it is an ideal choice for Plug-n-Go portability -- without sacrificing decent sound quality. I’d also like to point out that this unit doesn't cause my Windows 10 system to choke when it’s awoken from a suspended sleep state. This is great news to anyone who’s experienced the finicky-ness of similar USB-powered audio interfaces (especially those that are scarlett red . . . jus’ sayin’).

I’m hesitant to make neutralizing remarks about the substantially more expensive, higher end U86 & 168 XT drivers since the sound cards themselves are such stellar performers, but truth be told, they are occasionally a bit finicky. If a VST plugin misbehaves or my DAW freezes, 9 times out of 10, I must shut the audio interface off, wait a second or two, and then power it back on. These occasional glitches don’t pose an inordinate amount of disturbance, by reason of them being self-powered units with accessible power switches on the front panel.

​I might have to manually launch the U86/168 XT control panel too, since it will typically crash, the odd time the aforementioned problem occurs. On the other hand, I’ve yet to encounter this annoyance while using the U22 XT. Its current drivers (v1.33) have proven to be very reliable over the course of time that I've been putting it through its paces. I urge ESI to solidify their U86/168/108 XT drivers equally so.

​I urge ESI to solidify their U86/168/108 XT drivers equally so.

The next most logical query that you probably have for me, dear reader, is: “How well do the drivers perform in regard to latency?”

I’m plumb pleased as punch to tell y’all that U22 XT’s ASIO driver (version 1.33) is very fast. Why, its performance is nearly on par with the considerably pricier XT series big brothers – U86, U168 and U108 XT.

I tend to use quite a few midi virtual instruments in my projects; including Kontakt and UVI sample libraries.  I generally end up instantiating dozens of 3rd party audio-processing plug-ins as well; you know . . .the kind that many of us like to use in lieu of stock DAW processors. All of the aforementioned, in conjunction with vocal, guitar, bass, and miscellaneous audio tracks, does end up putting a fairly heavy load on my CPU. Hence I typically must use buffer settings of 1024 (or greater) to ensure smooth playback while mixing. Well, at least this was the case when I used other similarly spec’d USB audio-interfaces in the past.

​I’m highly impressed that I can experience most nearly the same level of efficiency at a buffer setting of 512 with the U22 XT – utilizing ESI’s version 1.33 drivers. What’s more, I can easily track and natively “real-time” monitor most virtual instruments (including U-He DIVA) working with a buffer size of 64 -- sans crackles, pops or dropouts. I've even managed to use a buffer length of only 32 samples with a degree of success, but there were occasional hiccups.

A brilliant feature baked into ESI’s drivers called “Buffer Settings” is unusual and unique, I think. I don’t recall seeing anything similar in other USB audio-interface control panels. In effect, this nifty little dab of configurability allows a user to limit (or increase) the number of USB-bus buffers that will be used during audio processing. Not to be confused with sample buffers, this driver feature is specific to how many frames/packets are transmitted and processed at a time by the audio interface. In a nutshell, increasing the number of USB buffers will add a wee bit of additional latency (approximately 1 – 2 ms), but it also greatly reduces CPU overhead. I favor settings of (2) USB buffers while tracking or medium sized projects, but in a busy mix with lots of DSP going on, increasing that number to four can result in a noticeable performance increase – without bumping up the number of sample buffers. 

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​Another really cool attribute coded in is ESI’s proprietary “DirectWire” technology. The user’s manual explains it well, but to nutshell it for you, this is a driver feature that enables you to route audio (and MIDI) streams internally within applications using EWDM (Enhanced Windows Driver Model). It allows contrasting audio driver formats to communicate with each other.

​A real-world example of this would be to record the normal audio playback (for instance Windows Media Player) into your ASIO-powered DAW. These technologies also permit your DAW to remain active using ASIO drivers, while you simultaneously playback standard (WDM) sounds in non-ASIO applications – all using the same audio-interface. Cool, huh!?

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​My favorite cosmetic feature about the U22 XT, and one that I wish were also observed on ESI’s bigger boys, is the man-sized volume knob. Not only is it a comfortable bit of bulk to twiddle and turn, but it has a crisp white position indicator. A point of contention that I have with ESI’s larger, pro-grade audio boxes, is that the buttons are quite small and are sorely missing a clearly-seen position marker. Ahem. . .  I painted my own white lines on my U86 XT’s pot knobs using a little bottle of Bic “White Out”.

​Before closing out this section of my review, I’d like to draw your attention to the 48v phantom power available onboard here. I’ve found it to be consistently reliable and acceptably quiet. I’ve tethered a couple of my favorite large-diaphragm condenser mics into this little gizmo; it dealt out sufficient current without negatively affecting my computer’s overall USB power capacity. I’m not going to brag this entry-level gadget up as though it were an über-amazing $1000 best of. Notwithstanding, for its weight class, it does pack a very respectable punch.

Sound Quality:
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The audio quality is good -- perhaps not “U168 XT” good, yet it's satisfying just the same. The headphone output is slightly better-than-average when examined alongside similarly spec’d offerings; in no wise suffering from thin, anemic tonality. The U22 XT’s bass response is reasonably good, midrange tones aren't brash or nasally, and its upper frequency representation is generally quite affable. On the whole, the U22 XT produces a flat, uncolored signal. This, of course, is most fitting for audio production purposes.

::  Input Gain:

Bearing in mind that this is a significantly less expensive, and merely bus-powered accessory, it understandably lacks the copious amounts of crystalline input gain than say a U86 XT provides. I daresay that the input gain levels are slightly greater than that of most units in its price range. There’s enough to “git er done”, but don’t expect gads n’ gads of headroom. If you’re looking for ample headroom and super clean preamps, you might want to consider an ESI U86 or 168 XT.
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As regards the actual quality of the preamps, I’ve not been disappointed. The noise floor is expectedly a little higher than that of the more extravagant variety, but not profusely so. Where a “U168 XT” whispers a minuscule noise floor of ADC with 107dB(a) dynamic range, and DAC with 112dB(a) dynamic range, the little guy manages levels of 102dB and 108dB respectively.

:: Output Gain:
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Again, drawing a direct comparison to ESI’s prosumer-grade USB audio interfaces, there isn’t as much output gain on tap either – I guestimate it to be about 20 percent lower output than a U86 XT produces. Mind you, the U86, U168 and U108 XTs all provide exceptional (above average) clean, clear, loud output levels. Still and all, the U22 XT outputs a decent, usable signal level that adequately drives an average set of powered monitors. Unlike some other inexpensive audio devices, both the input gains and output volume stages taper evenly – they don’t erratically jump from off to “bust” with a quarter turn.

​I would be remiss if I didn't report that I do indeed hear superb stereo separation and an accurate sound stage while listening to music through this little audio box. Overall, U22 XT’s sonic properties aren't quite as open and dimensional as its higher end brethren; nonetheless, the sound quality is perfectly acceptable and marginally better than most of its comparably outfitted competitors.

CPU & Memory Consumption:
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Even though this is a hardware item we’ve been taking a look at, let’s not forget that there is indeed a certain amount of CPU reliance that must be figured into the equation. Generally speaking, I’ve found the software drivers to be quick (low latency), reliable, and joyfully light on CPU and memory. In direct comparison to my old (1st generation) Scarlett 2i4, the U22 XT’s driver efficiency is notably better. 

Concluding Remarks:

I've enjoyed spending some “quality time” with this little snipe of an audio-interface. I wasn't expecting much at first, but I quickly changed my mind after better-coded drivers became available. Quite frankly, this is probably one of the best-kept-secrets on your local music shop’s sound card rack!

I haven't experienced a single, solitary crash. ASIO (latency) performance here is nearly on par with the ESI big “XT” boys. The U22 XT produces dandy, clean audio quality at acceptable output levels. While the preamps aren’t as powerful and pristine as the professional-grade big brothers are, they certainly don’t suck! This is a solid, but light weight little box that’s an absolute head-of-the-class leader in its bracket.
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Without any hesitation, I would recommend this audio-interface to anyone who is restricted by budget, or is just starting out -- or needs a simple, portable plug-n-go recording interface. Singer/songwriters needing a simple, good sounding interface for song demos will also get excellent mileage out of this little copper wonder. Just because you can’t afford something high end right now, or just because you’re only starting to wet your feet in a bedroom studio, doesn't mean you should have to settle for cheaply-made, crappy-sounding gear. 

Thank God for ESI! They produce really, really good gear for modest, affordable prices.

Big thanks to my friends, Jason and Claus.

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5 out of 5 Stars

:: Pros

• Excellent price vs value ratio.
• Outstanding build quality for a device in this price range.
• Attractive, well laid-out front panel and sensibly arranged controls.
• Good quality sound and flat frequency response.
• Decent preamps.
• Convenient, light-weight and portable.
• Class compliant – Plug n’ play for standard Windows and MAC OS sounds.
• Simple and intuitive to configure.
• Works well – solid drivers.
• Above-average ASIO efficiency for a unit in this price range.

​:: Cons

• Only one minor niggle – it would be good if the volume output were a little stronger.

​To check out other ESI goodies, head over to the their web site:
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​ www.esi-audio.com
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​Brother Charles is a freelance writer, Gospel music artist and minister. Charles had been a professional touring musician during the nineties; working primarily as a lead guitarist in the Canadian country music industry. Brother Charles is also involved with music production and quality home recording.

Intellectual Copyright - 2019 - All rights Reserved. This review may not be copied or reproduced in whole, nor in part, without express written permission from the author.

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