Zoom AMS-22 Usb Audio Interface

Description

The Zoom AMS 22 is a compact and highly portable USB audio interface designed with both musicians and streamers in mind. It’s part of Zoom’s “AMS” series, which focuses on streamlined operation with dedicated hardware switches for common functions.

Key Features and Highlights:

• 2-in/2-out Configuration (Flexible Inputs):
  • Input 1: A single combo XLR-1/4″ TRS jack. This is a versatile input that can accept:
    • Microphones: With switchable +48V phantom power for condenser microphones. The mic preamp offers a gain range of +8 to +54 dB.
    • Hi-Z Instruments: For direct connection of electric guitars or basses, with an input impedance of 1 MΩ.
  • Input 2: A 3.5mm stereo mini-jack line input. This allows you to connect a stereo source like a smartphone, tablet, or a small mixer for adding background music or other audio.
  • Outputs: Two 1/4″ TRS balanced line outputs for connecting to studio monitors, and a 3.5mm stereo mini-jack headphone output with its own volume control.
• 24-bit/96kHz Resolution: The AMS-22 supports high-quality audio recording and playback at up to 24-bit/96kHz, which is more than sufficient for professional music production and streaming.
• Direct Monitoring: A dedicated hardware switch allows for zero-latency monitoring of your input signals. This means you hear your microphone or instrument directly through the interface without any noticeable delay, which is crucial for comfortable recording.
• Loopback Function: This is a fantastic feature for streamers and content creators. A dedicated hardware switch enables loopback, which mixes the audio coming into the interface (from your mic/instrument) with the audio playing from your computer/device and sends that combined mix back to your computer. This is perfect for playing background music during a live stream, recording online calls, or creating video voiceovers.
• Music/Streaming Mode Switch: The AMS series features a unique hardware switch that optimizes the interface’s behavior for either “Music” (recording) or “Streaming” modes.
  • Music Mode: Each input generally acts independently, and you’ll typically record separate tracks in your DAW.
  • Streaming Mode: All inputs are combined into a single stereo signal, simplifying the setup for live streaming platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, etc., as they often only accept a single stereo input.
• USB-C Connectivity and Power: It connects via USB-C (USB 2.0 protocol) and is bus-powered from your computer. For use with smartphones or tablets (which may not provide enough bus power), it also has a separate USB-C port for an external 5V DC power supply (Zoom AD-17 or a mobile battery, not included).
• Ultra-Portable Design: The AMS-22 is incredibly small and lightweight (only 85g / 2.99 oz), making it ideal for mobile recording setups or minimalist desktops. It has a robust, but lightweight plastic build.
• Low Noise Preamps: Zoom highlights low-noise preamps (Equivalent Input Noise -120 dBu or less), which contribute to clean and clear recordings.

Who is the Zoom AMS-22 for?

• Solo Musicians/Singer-Songwriters: Excellent for recording one vocal and adding a stereo backing track, or recording one instrument with a backing track.
• Podcasters/Streamers: The dedicated loopback and streaming mode switches make it exceptionally user-friendly for these applications, allowing for easy integration of multiple audio sources.
• Mobile Recordists: Its tiny size, lightweight design, and bus-powered operation (with computer) make it highly portable.
• Budget-Conscious Users: It offers a strong feature set for its price, especially considering the streaming-specific functions.
• Beginners: The hardware switches simplify operation, reducing the need to dig into software control panels.

Considerations:

• Single XLR Input: While versatile, you can only record one traditional XLR microphone or one Hi-Z instrument at a time. If you need two XLR inputs (e.g., for two microphones on a drum overhead, or two vocalists), you’d need the Zoom AMS-24 or another interface with more dedicated mic preamps.
• 3.5mm Stereo Line Input: While useful, the 3.5mm line input isn’t balanced, and its input level might be lower than dedicated 1/4″ line inputs found on larger interfaces.
• No MIDI I/O: The AMS-22 does not include traditional 5-pin MIDI In/Out ports, which might be a limitation if you use external MIDI hardware.
• Headphone Output Power: While sufficient for most consumer headphones, 20 mW into 32 Ohms is on the lower side compared to some other interfaces, which might struggle with high-impedance studio headphones.
• No Included Software Bundle: Unlike many other interfaces that come with DAWs and plugins, Zoom typically doesn’t include a large software bundle with the AMS series (you get the hardware and drivers).

Overall:

The Zoom AMS-22 stands out for its extreme portability, user-friendly hardware controls, and dedicated features for streaming (especially the loopback function and Music/Streaming switch). While it’s limited in simultaneous XLR/instrument inputs, it’s a fantastic solution for solo artists and content creators who value simplicity and reliable performance in a tiny package.