Line 6 has announced the release of TonePort, a line of USB recording and modeling interfaces, bringing Line 6 guitar, bass, and vocal tone to the world of desktop recording. TonePort UX1 and UX2 hardware interfaces are USB-powered and compatible with both Mac and Windows computers. Both TonePort models include Line 6 GearBox modeling software, which provides a collection of guitar and bass amp/cab models, stompbox and studio effects, and models of high-end studio microphone preamps.

TonePort UX1 features a microphone input with preamp, a guitar/bass instrument input, stereo line inputs and outputs, stereo headphone jack, and an analog merge monitoring input. TonePort UX2 adds more features like analog VU meters, a second microphone input and preamp, phantom power for both preamps, stereo digital S/PDIF out, a padded instrument input, dual footswitch jacks assignable to MIDI functions such as start/stop and punch in/out, and independent volume controls for the headphone and main outputs. Both units support 44.1/48KHz with 16/24-bit recording, a 96KHz mode, and drivers for ASIO, WDM, and Core Audio. Both units also feature ToneDirect monitoring — a way of hearing fully processed audio while recording with low latency regardless of the buffer settings in your recording app.

Included with every TonePort is Line 6 GearBox software that offers a hardware-like, simple to operate user interface. GearBox includes 16 amp models and 24 cabinet models from the PODxt, 5 amp and cab models from Bass PODxt, 6 models of the most in-demand microphone preamps ever created, and 24 effects ranging from studio compression to distortion to tape echo with up to 10 at once for adding the perfect vibe to any track. TonePort UX1 and UX2 both ship with Ableton Live Lite — Line 6 Edition recording software for a complete recording experience right out of the box.

Pricing:

• TonePort UX1: $175.00
• TonePort UX2: $269.00

More information is available at the Line 6 site.