Numark STEREO|iO an affordable audio necessity

We already had a few articles regarding audio technology such as turning flat surfaces into speakers, digitizing old vinyl records and thin directional speakers. In this article we’re not going to write about anything revolutionary, but it is an affordable necessity when it comes to AD/DA audio signal conversion. The Numark STEREO|iO is a connection box that turns analog audio into digital signal

STEREO|iO is an interface box with a USB cable. One end has female RCA phono plugs for use with virtually any audio equipment from DJ mixers to turntables, and the other end has a USB connector. You can connect any line or phono-level gear to your Mac or PC via USB for recording, mixing or processing. STEREO|iO can also be used as an output cable from the computer to inputs on an analog mixer, enabling to mixing of MP3s and other music from the computer into some other traditional sound mixer.

“You never know what you’ll need to connect to your system at the gig,” said Mark Matthews, Director of Product Development, Numark. “As long as you have STEREO|iO in your gig bag, you can be confident that you’re covered.”

Numark STEREO|iO is USB powered with no external power source required. It has a Line/Phono hardware switch and a volume control which proved a bit inept since you can accidentally turn volume down and wonder which part of your equipment is broken. Another critic to the design and functionality is the lack of visual indicators (as which input is active or volume strength).

Overall, STEREO|iO is a afordable problem-solving tool that can be invaluable for DJs and musicians at gigs or in the studio when a connection needs to be made. The class-compliant USB device works as plug-and-play for Mac and PC, requiring no software-driver installation or external power for operation.