The I/O and audio quality necessary for critical project studio work at an unbelievable price!

Utilizing DICE II FireWire technology for big bandwidth, fast signal handling, and lots of digital headroom, the Alesis io|26 is a professional—level computer recording interface in an easy-to-use tabletop design. You get 8 analog channels and 18 digital channels; Alesis high definition microphone preamps; Cirrus audiophile converters and jitter elimination technology; and high—quality 24-bit/192kHz audio conversion circuitry.

The io|26 audio interface has line-level inserts on analog channels, 48V phantom power, 5-segment signal/clip meters, 2 headphone outputs, 8 line-level outputs, turntable inputs, S/PDIF I/O, dual MIDI/O, and includes Cubase LE recording software. Dual ADAT lightpipe inputs give you forward-thinking, professional expansion potential for your recording setup. Flexible, routable Hardware Direct Monitoring allows you to send a customized, latency-free mix to each output pair. The io|26 interface runs on FireWire bus power or AC power with the included adapter.

Alesis io 26 Audio MIDI 24-bit 192kHz FireWire Interface Features:

• 24-bit/192kHz recording for high-quality, pristine recordings
• Superior Clock stability
• JET Jitter Elimination Technology
• Audiophile Cirrus converters to provide maximum dynamic range on I/O
• 8 analog input channels with combo jacks
• 18 digital input channels (dual ADAT and S/PDIF)
• Flexible, routable Hardware Direct Monitoring
• Cubase LE software included (Windows and Mac compatible)
• Bus or adapter powered
• 
  Inputs
• High-definition preamps on analog channels
• 2 switchable Hi-Z inputs for direct guitar and bass recording
• Switchable Phantom Power for each channel pair
• Inserts on analog channels
• 2 ADAT inputs (16 channels)
• 16 channels of MIDI I/O
• Stereo turntable input
• 
  Outputs
• 8 line-level outputs
• 2 discrete stereo headphone outputs
• Stereo S/PDIF digital output

Serious recording flexibility and audio quality way beyond the price tag! Buy it now!

Alesis io 26 Audio MIDI 24-bit 192kHz FireWire Interface Specifications:

• PC requirements: Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 2.0 Ghz, 1GB RAM, Windows XP Home or Professional Service Pack 2 (XP Media Center Edition untested)
• Mac requirements: Power Mac G4 Dual 867MHz, 1GB RAM, Mac OSX 10.4
• 
  Analog Inputs
• Sample rates: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz
• Frequency response: +/- 0.05dB from 20Hz to 22kHz
• Dynamic range: 112dB, A-weighted
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 112 dB, A-weighted, minimum gain
• THD+N: 0.001 -0.0015% @ 1kHz/0dBFS
• Crosstalk: -110dB @ 1 kHz
• Preamplifier THD+N: <0.0007 at 20dB gain
• Preamplifier slew rate: 15 volts/microsecond
• Microphone gain range: +6.8dB to +50dB
• Microphone impedance: 1.2kOhm
• Line gain range: -15.4dB to 27.8dB
• Line impedance: 16kOhm
• Guitar gain range: +6.8dB to +50dB
• Guitar impedance: 1 MegaOhm
• 
  Line-Level Outputs
• Sample rates: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz
• Level: -10dBv/+4dBu nominal (switchable), +19dBu maximum
• Frequency response: +/- 0.075 from 20Hz to 22kHz
• 
  Turntable Input:
• Sample rates: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz
• Frequency response: +/-1dB from published RIAA curve
• Dynamic Range: 95dB, A-weighted
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 95dB, A-weighted
• THD+N: <0.05%
• Crosstalk: -100dB @ 1 kHz
• Impedance: 47Kohm

Alesis io 26 Audio MIDI 24-bit 192kHz FireWire Interface

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Average of 35 User Ratings

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Customer Reviews

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Difficult, but great

Posted by One-a-Day Recordings from West Coast on Nov 22, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Active Musician/Recording Engineer

Reviewer's Play Style: Alternative

I agree with most of the reviews of this interface; there are connectivity/compatibility issues. For example, mine was largely inoperable until I downloaded the new drivers from the Alesis website. Once connected, the hardware monitoring is a great tool. Also, latency when using a decently small buffer (128, even 64 sometimes) is small enough that I've actually been able to use this to do sound for live shows, complete with VST compressors, reverb, etc. that I can't afford real versions of! This interface is hugely capable, and I've found that the built-in DI's are incredibly convenient. I can DI 2 guitars, and (through a box) a bass, then use the rest of the preamps for vocals and drums, for a gorgeous recording with almost no bleed-through, even in my tiny recording space. It might be pertinent to mention that this interface can show you how much fun the guitar VSTs like Amplitube and Guitar Rig can be. They really can sound incredible, and they're equivalent to so much gear! Anyways, if you buy this interface, be prepared to work with it, but if/when you can get it to work, it's immensely satisfying. Two last things: it doesn't say on the product page, but it comes with a nice 6 pin-6 pin FireWire cable! That was a pleasant surprise, because I had assumed I'd need to buy one. Also, some people complain that it can't record 24/192 with all the channels, but those are the people who don't know; even most pro studios don't do that. It really isn't necessary to record at such ridiculous fidelity for every track. It only succeeds in wasting a lot of hard drive space. In short, if you can work out the myriad kinks, this interface is wonderful, and is probably worth a try.

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pretty great!

Posted by d-rummer from Cheyenne, WY on Oct 14, 2009

Experience w/product: I have heard about it

Reviewer's Background: Musician, Recording Engineer

Reviewer's Play Style: Jazz, Funk, Rock, Dub Reggae

I'm using this with Logic 9 on a white macbook with 2.4 ghz processor and 4 gb of ram and it is awesome! There is pretty much no latency while doing 6 tracks at the same time and doing 8 there is a little bit but it keeps up wonderfully. The sound quality is good but sometimes it sounds a little bit tinny for lack of a better word. This could be attributed to a lot of different things. The interface itself is very compact. I use it a lot on mobile recording gigs. I can throw all my gear in a crate and go. It is especially useful that it can use the computer for power so I can just plug my computer in and I'm ready. My only complaint is that it has knobs instead of sliders with is really more of a luxury than a necessity.

Overall, this thing is wonderful. I shopped around for quite a while before I bought this one and it has far exceeded my expectations and, judging by the other reviews, it has exceeded everybody else's too.

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worst product i ever bought

Posted by frustrated from Savannah GA on Aug 22, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: recording engineer

Reviewer's Play Style: good music

this is a horrible product. i read all the reviews and saw that some people had really bad problems with it. but others were fine. i thought that since i had a brand new mac and a persistent spirit that i would be able to make it work. boy was i wrong. btw, i used it in both ableton live, cuebase 4, and garageband... none worked. i read the manuals, the online, i used common sense even. i got it to work for about 4 hours total in the 40 hours i tried to make it work. the sam thing never even worked twice in making it work. i tried any and every configuration i could. i finally called alesis and asked them how to make the product work. we talked for about 15min as they told me to try everything i already had tried. and then finally there was one thing left that he told me to do. and it finally worked... for 30min. called back. we talked for a while. they had no idea why it wouldnt work. and im pretty sure that i didnt have a defective product. i think they are all like this. please go buy something else. if you need to go cheap... then go presonus. they have consistently given me good sound for the cheapest price range. but do not buy this. please. save yourself the trouble, money, and future return.

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Works fine for me

Posted by Ninja_Drummer on Aug 1, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Amateur Recording engineer, drummer, hobbyist

Reviewer's Play Style: Rock, experimental, funk, fusion, metal

I know a lot of people have been having problems with firewire and other issues. But I really haven't. I called tech support and the guy i talked to was actually pretty helpful.

I did a lot of research, and found that using this interface with a cheap computer will NOT put out well. You SHOULD not have any background programs running. Especially internet related. No limewire, AIM, MSN, or any of that sort running. It is okay and probably recommended to turn off your anti-virus for they take up a lot of CPU memory.

To put it simple, this interface and the program it comes with takes up A LOT of computer memory. And recommended at least 2 Gigs of RAM and at least a Dual core processor.

As for the firewire, I've had some issues with the output putting out noise and such. But I've resolved the issue by just wiggling the cable and reseting the VST setup in Cubase.

I run Vista 32 bit and I really don't experience much problems with it, and if I do, I usually am able to resolve it.

So turn off your internet, or unplug the cable when using this interface, recommended you turn of your anti-virus if a problem persists, close any background programs, and *DISABLE the sound device on your computer and instead, ONLY allow the sound device on the Alesis to be running* this may be why most are experiencing noise or latency issues.

If all is accomplished, then maybe most problems will be avoided upon the use of this product.

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New Mac Pro & IO/26

Posted by Snowman002 from Houston on Jul 31, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Former pro with home studio

Reviewer's Play Style: Any

THANK YOU MUSICIANS FRIEND!!! Had been researching Firewire interfaces for my new MAC & was stressing over the cost of units with 8 channels of In/Out. Read all the reviews for all the interfaces & was about to give up when Stupid Deal of the Day made my day with the IO/26. Did as the book said before hooking interface to computer, and everything has worked beyond my expectations. Great mic pre amps, two headphone outs, direct channel outs so everyome gets a "more me" mix in their phones, and even a phonograph preamp for capturing my old vinyl collection.

The reviews seemed to reveal problems for PC users more tham Mac users, and my experience with a brand new, jazzed-up Mac Pro have been terrific. I got tired off tossing out PCs that got too badly infected to spend money on.

If that's not enough, when I ordered a PreSonus HP 60 headphone amp from Musicians Friend, they were temporarily out of stock, so they cut me a deal on that, too! You guys are great. After many years & many $$$ of equipment purchased, I have never been disappointed.

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Alesis io 26 Audio MIDI 24-bit 192kHz FireWire Interface

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