Although they’re best known for their range of DAW control surfaces, Icon Pro Audio’s product range also includes headphones, microphones, monitors, audio interfaces and more. Their latest release, the 32Ci, falls into the interface category, and has been developed with the aim of bringing the sound of Harrison's renowned 32C console to the home studio.
I/O
The 32Ci is a 12-in/12-out USB audio interface that houses a pair of preamps inspired by those in the 32C. They offer up to 70dB of gain and utilise high-quality transformers, and to deliver the clean and detailed sound associated with the original design. Something which proved to be hugely popular on the console was the availability of both high- and low-pass filters on each channel — a feature which is replicated here in the 32Ci, along with a Bump button that emulates the slight resonance just above the cutoff frequency that occurred in the original design.
The first two channels are equipped with XLR/TRS combo sockets that accept instrument signals in addition to microphones, with a collection of six quarter-inch TRS sockets then offering a pair of dedicated line-level inputs and four line-level outputs. A pair of onboard headphone amps are present with outputs, both of which can be fed their own independent mix. Another eight channels in either direction can be added via ADAT, and there’s also a pair of five-pin DIN sockets providing MIDI I/O, as well as a 3.5mm mini-jack input and a USB-C OTG (On-The-Go) connection that can be used as an output for live streaming using Icon’s UNI protocol.
Software
The interface comes supplied with a software control application that takes care of routing, as well as Harrison’s collection of 32C plug-ins 32C Bus, 32C Channel and 32C Vocal Intensity Processor). The plug-ins can be hosted directly in the control software so that they can be used outside of a DAW session — handy for applications such as live streaming, for example — and it is possible to save processing chains as presets for quick recall.
Converter Specs
A-D
- Dynamic Range: 125dB (A-weighted)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: -125dB (A-weighted)
- THD+N Ratio: -117dB (at -1dBFS)
D-A
- Dynamic Range: 129dB (A-weighted)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: -129dB (A-weighted)
- THD+N Ratio: -120dB (at 0dBFS)
The Console
Harrison's 32C console itself has recently been reintroduced in the form of the 32Classic, which we reviewed in the December 2023 issue of SOS. Click here to check out the article.
Pricing & Availability
The 32Ci is available now, priced at $499£449 including VAT / €499.
