I've been looking for small low latency USB audio output device that I could either mount to my keyboard stand or elsewhere that would keep it out of the way when on stage.I use an iPad Mini with various AU instruments and either need to send an unbalanced line signal or a balanced mic signal to the PA, so in my picture I show the Zoom AMS-22 strapped to a DI box. I really appreciate the ability to strap this device onto things as it allows transport in a connected state for quick setup and tear down.Note that since the unit has impedance balanced outputs over TRS, a TRS to XLR cable works fine, so no DI is really needed. Given it has a volume control, the output can be attenuated if going into a MIC pre lacking headroom. Obviously there is no need to worry about impedance going into a mic pre direct. I've tested this against the MIC input of a Roland cube amp and it is fine. I have not sent 48V phantom power up to it to see what happens but may ask Zoom if doing so would have any negative effects. This would be in case I used a TRS to XLR cable at a venue where phantom power was already present or got switched on accidentally. I will try this connection at some venues where I have more control over the signal chain and report back here.The sound output is fine and does not suffer from picking up electrical noise on the USB line and transferring that to the audio output as a dedicated USB DI box I own does.For my needs I don't need the input ability as I have better audio interfaces for that. Prosumer level USB output only devices do not really exist, but instead consumer USB aux cables or headphone adapters are the other alternative and give just as good results but would likely break sooner than the Zoom AMS-22 will. Touring grade multichannel USB playback devices are overkill for my needs so the Zoom it was.All in all I'm inclined to recommend this as an output device for a very portable soft synth based setup due to the small size and ability to mount it out of the way. I also own an Arturia Mini Fuse 1 for the same purpose but that is a little bigger but does have the advantage of a signal indicator on the output side and a USB 2.0 dasiychain meaning a hub is not always needed.The direct monitor feature outputs to both the headphone and main outputs. This makes sense as the headphone output does not appear as a separate output on the host device. This is a 2 channels in and out device. This does mean that when using live you can combine a computer/mobile device output with something else like another synth with this device acting as a mini mixer. This would not be uncommon when playing a main board and using an iPad just for the few sounds missing on the main board, when the main board doesn't have a built in audio interface or aux jack. Certainly useful if the sound guy or venue only offers one channel.The device correctly asks for power from a USB-C based host device, so works with USB C to C cables. It is still not uncommon to find similar devices which get this wrong. It comes with an A to C cable.It works fine bus powered from an iPad Mini with USB-C. The 2nd power input only port will be useful for those using mobile devices that can not provide enough power or where they'd rather not drain the battery of their mobile device, and it appears to handle this well, not reseting when power is removed from the power only port, and switching to use bus power. This would mean if a battery bank ran out it would keep working from the host device. Pretty impressive as many devices get this wrong.It can not offer passthrough charging to a mobile device. That would require PD chips and make it cost more. I only know of one audio interface in production that can charge USB-C devices and be an audio interface at the same time, so such a feature is not common yet. If you want to use this device with a 1 port mobile device and charge that device then you'll need a USB-C hub/dock with PD passthrough charging (or the CCK with power input for older Apple devices with lightning connectors).This device will also work for journalism purposes since it can be mounted to a belt. This would allow a conventional MIC to be connected to a mobile device that is recording video. Even a mic which required phantom power!So whilst I didn't use it for the convention idea of a singer songwriter tracking their latest music ideas it is so much more versatile than just that.Given what it can do I think the price is fair.

So far, It's done all I wanted it to do and I'm very impressed. I'm now able to connect my Shure mike and a guitar lead directly to my laptop, rather than rely on the built-in PC microphone. Looking forward to using it for home recordings in the new year.

this was slightly more noisey then what i already had, so i returned it.it's noisier than an old focusrite saffire 6 by a few db (in my approximation anyway)i sing quite quietly. if you sing at a normal level then it will be finei can't comment on anything other than use for singing vocals, and with a dynamic mic via xlrthe general tone was great. it's even possible the tone may have been in some way better than my focusrite safi like zoom, and if i didn't already have a solution then i would probably be happy with this.additionally - if anyone is interested - i can confirm that this seems to work totally fine with an older mac. i got it to use with an intel mac from 2011 running 10.6.8 snow leotard, and had no troubles thereit's very small, light and cute, and does not feel cheap. the gain knobs feel like quality. it doesn't give the vibe of something that will suddenly break