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Today we'll review Arturia MiniFuse 1 compact audio interface. The device is the most affordable audio interface of the French manufacturer Arturia. Unlike more advanced devices of the series, MiniFuse 1 has only one microphone-instrumental input and no MIDI connection. Otherwise, it has all the key features of the senior models of the MiniFuse series, including 114dB converters, Loopback channels, a USB hub and a powerful headphone output with separate volume control. But we'll talk about all the features later, let's start our Arturia MiniFuse 1 review with the specs as usual.
As a reminder, the MiniFuse series was introduced in 2021 and currently consists of three similar models, differing mainly in the number of inputs. Earlier we reviewed the two-channel MiniFuse 2 model, and the four-channel Arturia MiniFuse 4, now let's get acquainted with the youngest device of the series, MiniFuse 1.
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Best Price on Arturia MiniFuse 1 Audio Interface
If you're in the market for a compact, versatile audio interface that delivers high-quality audio and sleek design, look no further than the Arturia MiniFuse 1. |
Classic Package
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Line Input (balanced TRS)
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Instrument Input (unbalanced TS)
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Microphone Input (balanced XLR)
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Speaker Out (balanced TRS)
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Headphone Out (TRS)
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The device is enclosed in a sturdy metal case. Rubber feet are provided at the bottom to prevent the device from sliding during adjustment. The quality of Arturia MiniFuse 1 is excellent, as always Arturia holds the bar and our editorial team has never had any complaints about the quality of devices of this brand.
Usually, audio interfaces are made in a single-color design. In the case of MiniFuse devices, the manufacturer offers two variants of case coloring in traditional black and snow-white.
The input has a combo jack, allowing you to plug in a microphone or guitar. Linear mode is also provided, but it is unlikely to be in demand in a single-channel version. Switching the input modes is done by buttons with the guitar image. The +48B phantom power supply mode is also activated from the front panel.
The gain and headphone volume controls have indicators that conveniently illuminate the set level. The indicator lights up blue when a signal is applied to the input, and red when the input is overloaded. The largest regulator changes the line output level. For visual monitoring of its level, there is a six-segment picmeter.
As we have already mentioned, in MiniFuse devices the headphone output is regulated separately. Usually, inexpensive devices use a common regulator for headphones and line output. And although in MiniFuse the signal to headphones and master output are the same, they are regulated separately. Direct monitoring mode is also present, but there is no input and output signal balance adjustment on the younger model.
The line output is located on the rear panel. It is made on balanced TRS connectors. There is also a HUB with an additional USB connector and a USB Type-C connector for connecting the interface to a computer. The power supply is possible only from the USB bus. A cable for connection is included in the kit. The manufacturer claims support for operating systems Windows 7 and higher, as well as Mac OS X 10.10 and higher.
The stuffing of the Arturia MiniFuse 1 device almost completely repeats the older models.
The interface is based on the XMOS XU208 microcontroller.
One of the most common stereo codecs CIRRUS LOGIC CS4272 is used as converters. Its characteristics look very good: dynamic range 114 dB; Kg+noise <-100 dB (<0.001%).
JRC4580 is used as an operational amplifiers.
As for the headphone output, in MiniFuse 1 it is as powerful as in the rest of the series. As we have already mentioned, a very powerful amplifier is hardly needed for ordinary music listening. However when monitoring the recorded signal, the headphone volume reserve should be sufficient to create comfortable conditions for the performer. As a rule, it is not difficult to set the necessary level ratio on any device, but it is not always possible to provide the performer with the necessary volume. With MiniFuse devices such difficulties will not arise. The passport value of the amplifier is an impressive 137 mW! Even in much more expensive devices such values are very rare.
Almost all control is done directly from the device itself. The MiniFuse control panel allows you to see a more accurate input signal level and select the sampling frequency with ASIO buffer size.
A standard ASIO panel with buffer selection is also present. Note that Safe Mode is provided for using the device with low-power notebooks.
Latency is very low, only 6ms with a 64 sample buffer. The latency separately for the output would be even lower.
After performing ASIO diagnostics we made sure the device could work in any mode up to 192 kHz. The system will display four inputs and four outputs. The two inputs and outputs correspond to physical inputs and outputs. Two additional LOOPBACK channels serve as virtual sources that can be used as inputs in recording, broadcast, or streaming applications. The second input in the single-channel interface should not be misleading, it is only visible in ASIO applications and duplicates the signal of the first input.
Before preparing our Arturia MiniFuse 1 review we studied the results of RMAA testing on specialized sites, we can safely say that the measurements look excellent and confirm the passport parameters of the stereo codec. For an inexpensive device such indicators are a very decent result. As the MiniFuse 1 stuffing is similar to the older MiniFuse 2 model, the measurement results will be similar.
The possibilities of microphone preamplifiers in MiniFuse 1 are identical to the older models. The recording quality is good, bright and quite detailed. When working with the interface we didn't encounter any problems or difficulties. The analog gain control and lack of monitoring balance adjustment are a bit unusual. Otherwise, the device proved itself perfectly. We would like to mention once again the powerful headphone amplifier and separate volume control for headphones and line output, as well as Loopback channels that allow using the device to organize streaming.
The interface of the Arturia MiniFuse 1 looks attractive and no less interesting than the older models of the MiniFuse series. For an entry-level device, MiniFuse 1 has good sound quality and a wide range of features. We don't forget to mention a lot of software included in the package: Ableton Live Lite sequencer, Analog Lab Intro virtual instruments, Arturia FX effects set, Native Instruments GUITAR RIG 6 LE guitar processing, three-month access to Splice Creator Plan service and Auto-Tune plug-in.
Our editorial team hopes you enjoyed our Arturia MiniFuse 1 review. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section below, we will be happy to answer all your comments, questions and suggestions.
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9.0
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Our Score
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