Our friends at British console and interface manufacturer Audient have teamed up with leading guitar cab simulation creators two notes audio engineering to create the new Sono USB audio interface claimed to be the ultimate audio interface for guitarists.

What Is Sono?

The new Sono interface combines Audient’s stunning sounding analogue and digital conversion technology with some of the world’s best speaker-cabinet simulations from two notes. Sono is home to the ultimate valve guitar preamp with an on board 12AX7 valve for that real amp feel, 3-band tone control as well as the two notes Torpedo power amp modelling and cab simulation. Sono provides countless tonal options for guitarists, whether they’re recording, practising or gigging.

Audient Marketing Director Andy Allen says of the new Sono:

“With two notes, the creative possibilities are endless and you can really start dialling in the tones your hear in your head. Choose from a wide range of guitar and bass cab models based on classics such as the Marshall 4x12, Fender 2x12 or Ampeg Fridge, with more tones downloadable from Torpedo Remote if needed. You can even customise everything from the room type, microphone model and placement too, and once you’re happy with your sound, you can store your favourite presets on board Sono and play them in standalone mode at any time, without the need for a computer.”

Offering near zero latency, Sono doesn’t get in the way of your creativity. The Monitor Mix pot allows blending between the guitar input signal and DAW playback, ensuring delay-free recording, playback and monitoring, allowing the performer to stay “in the zone.” It’s an old-school approach, but it works.

Two Ways Of Working

Sono allows you to connect your guitar and effects pedals in the conventional way to the front panel 1/4 inch DI input, then use the built-in amp, cab and mic modelling to record without the hassle, or volume of a real amp. Or if you want to record with your real amp and real mics and still capture a clean DI just in case you decide to change the tonal mood and re-amp a new sound later on, you can do, with no need to buy a dedicated re-amping box.

Guillaume Pille, two notes owner, says

“Audient interfaces have long been in our list of benchmark products used to try out ourplugins and hardware units. Today, the whole two notes team is very excited to present what we think is the perfect interface, not only for the guitarist and bassist, but also for any musician who wants to bring colour into their recordings.”

Although Sono is very much focused on the guitar and bass players of the world, it is also a powerful interface in its own right featuring two of Audient’s console grade mic preamps for studio quality recording. Sono also includes an ADAT optical input to allow connection to external mic pres. So if drums is your thing, or you want to record the entire band, you can with Sono.

Getting Creative

When you are ready to experiment, try routing a vocal microphones or synth through the unique Valve feature and add some classic overdrive, analogue EQ or two notes processing to create something truly new. Or just dial it back to add some vintage warmth to your tracks.

Price

Sono is due to ship in early 2019 and will retail at a USA MAP of $449, £419.99 inc VAT or 449 Euros inc VAT. We look forward to getting a Sono to try very soon.

Also check out the release video from the team at Audient where you really get to see and hear what the new Sono can do.