Sonosax SX-M2D2

Bought it as a high quality compact field recording rig with a smartphone as a recorder. The preamp quality is super, very low noise, clean and flat response. Was very surprised by the quality of DA converter along with headphone amp when using it as an audio interfcae. Didn't expect that my Sennheiser HD650 can have such sound and that it will be so different from my other interface. But somehow sound becomes so open and detailed almost like through a pair of speakers.
Also quite handy as an interface for a laptop for online conferencing with high quality audio (with schoeps ccm41 on top)
Handling this preamp in the field is not so easy though. Requires some custom made angled mini xlr cables and adapters for audio and usb c to fit it in a custom made bag. Eventually it becomes a bit more bulky than when you look just at the preamp itself. Only two knobs for setting up also takes a bit more time than usual recorders or interface.
But still so far it's probably the best I can get on the market for such compact field recording rig with high quality

I'm amazed by the concept in making this product. I've never come across a portable pre-amp that can be paired with your media player like Astell & kern and also as a microphone pre-amp all-in-one! But the most appealing feature for me is the ability of this pre-amp to make my Neumann D-Solution KMS-104D Digital Microphone come alive! I've been searching ways to make the 104D Microphone to work in a simple setup. Finally, my search is over! Congrats to Sonosax for making such a wonderful mini pre-amp that can serve both of my needs to listen to music and also to make recordings with my 104D & Neumann TLM-103. Exceptional!

This has been described elsewhere as a Swiss-army knife for audio, and it's a good comparison. For an incredibly tiny device, it includes so many excellent tools.

- It's a stereo microphone preamp. The Sonosax preamps have a huge dynamic range and are widely considered among the very best available anywhere. I also own the flagship Sonosax SX-AD8+, and can confirm these are the same amps. Beautiful sound quality with a noise-free black background. Exceptional.
- It's an AES43/AES3 device. One of the very few options on the market that can natively accept digital microphones, such as the Schoeps CMD 42 or Neumann Solution D. It can simultaneously output AES to drive a digital recorder or digital monitors (Genelec, etc.)
- It's an audio interface. Because it is class-compliant and uses USB-C, it can connect to almost anything, be it computer, tablet or phone, to record in fantastic quality.
- It's a digital mixer. It includes a high-quality limiter and you can mix the various inputs down to a 2-channel mix that outputs via AES, line out and/or USB.
- It's an extremely high-quality headphone amp. In fact, I've been astonished at just how good it is. My other standalone headphone amplifiers that are quite good, but this is better. Great for for making assured decisions about mic placement and for portable device playback in high quality.

Though the interface is simple — two knobs and a small screen — you have a lot of control available, and things can be custom-configured to make setup easy and quick for any situation. The battery life is good, with 4-5 hours of recording on battery with phantom power activated, and more than double that for playback. It uses the cheap and universally-available 18650 li-ion, which can be switched on the fly during long remote sessions. It can also be powered and charged via USB-C or Hirose. Be aware you will need audio cables with TA3/mini-xlr connectors for mic/line/aes.

It's much smaller in person than you would expect — about the size of a deck of cards — and yet the build quality is far above most audio devices. It's clearly meant for adverse work in the field, and the case, controls and connectors are very robust and strong. Sonosax has a reputation for top-quality components, durability and longevity, and this lives up to it. Fully Swiss-made in the same tradition as Nagra once was.

I can't say enough good things about the SX-M2D2. There are so many situations where it can work as a problem solver or all-in-one tool. The price is a steal for the amount of value it offers. I only wish I had mine sooner.