Behringer Guitar Link UCG102 USB Audio Interface

Initially, I wasn't sure which PC-Guitar interface to get and I avoided these things for a few years until the companies started producing 64 bit drivers to allow users to run their products on Windows x64. For this device, I am running it through Guitar Rig 5 and Mixcraft with impressive results. I have absolutely NO crackling, noise or latency issues. I have an above average desktop computer with a motherboard sound card and Windows 7 x64.If you install Behringer's 64 bit drivers and ASIO4All, configure everything properly, you shouldn't have any problems. For those who've had to run an audio chord from the unit's headphone jack directly to their speakers; this step is not required to get results. If you use ASIO4All and Behringer's USB driver together, you can select your audio output to go directly through your sound card after the signal's been processed through your recording software. This is why I purchased the device in the first place. Because I wanted to work with a digital signal within my recording and Guitar Rig software. The Behringer UCG102 allows you to do just that.Here are some steps to get you going in the right direction. By the way, I went through some frustrating trial and error getting this device to work the way I wanted in Windows 7 x64. It would be nice if Behringer would update their manual and website to provide better setup instruction. This, in my opinion, is the only negative against the product.Basic Windows 7 setup...1. Download Behringer's Windows x64 driver from their web page... [...]2. Run the Behringer driver setup and when it asks you to reboot; Go ahead and do that.3. Download and install the ASIO4All drivers from their web page... [...]4. If the Behringer UCG102 isn't plugged into to the USB port, do that now. If it's already plugged in, remove it and plug it back in again. This step ensures that the driver is properly loaded and the device is up and running in Windows.5. Go to Windows 7 Control Panel or do a menu search for 'Sound' to configure your Windows Playback and Recording settings.6. The Behringer still needs to be plugged in to configure these settings. In your Windows 'Sound' settings, make sure your 'Playback' device is set to your default speakers. If using headphones, set them as the "Default" Playback device.7. Under the 'Recording' tab, select 'Line In' and if the Behringer USB driver is loaded and running properly, you should see an option to select "Behringer USB WDM Audio 2.8.40' as the Line-in device. The '2.8.40' is the driver version you downloaded from their web page and that number may change as drivers are updated.8. Now you can start up your Guitar Rig or effects processor software. In Guitar Rig, you have to go into 'Audio and Midi Settings' and ensure that you are using 'Asio' as your driver and "Asio4All V2' as your device. Under the 'Routing' tab you have to make sure your 'Outputs' are set to either speakers or headphones. Under 'Inputs', make sure you have 'Behringer USB Audio 1' under just the 'L' or left channel only. The settings under the 'MIDI' tab don't affect this type of setup so there's nothing you need to do there.*** Step 8 is where you will normally run into problems and to fix this, you have to configure your ASIO4All settings. In the far right corner of your Windows taskbar, you should see a green icon, which if clicked will bring up your ASIO4All configuration window. You can also select 'ASIO Config' in Guitar Rig within the 'Audio and Midi Settings' and get into the same window. To get everything working, you have to click on the wrench to open the ASIO configuration.This is where you'll have to do some trial and error by clicking on the input and output device icons. What you're looking for is a green On/Off button with green arrows next to them for your input and output devices. For example, under my settings, I have the following ASIO devices showing green buttons and arrows...Top selection = Output: 'High Definition Audio Device"Bottom Selection = Input: 'Behringer USB WDM Audio 2.8.40' = (In: 2x 44.1-48kHz, 32 bits; Out: 2x 44.1-48kHz, 32 bits)A blacked out On/Off button icon with no green arrow, or a red 'X' next to these settings means something's wrong or you haven't clicked on the On/Off button icon so that device is actually turned on.Click on the wrench to exit out of the ASIO configuration.If you're not getting all the selection options in the ASIO or audio/midi configuration settings, try the following...1. Close Guitar Rig and other recording software2. Unplug the Behringer UCG102 and plug it back in again3. Repeat steps 6, 7 and 8 and also check your Windows 'Sound' Playback and Recording settings to make sure they haven't changedIf your using recording software like Mixcraft, you also have to use the ASIO device drivers within that software in order to record your guitar. By the way, I am able to run Guitar Rig's VST and real-time record with all Guitar Rig's effects within Mixcraft and achieve impressive results. Latency is not an issue because I'm using the ASIO drivers in combination with Behringer's USB driver. If you're having troubles, don't give up and keep at it. You'll be happy with the results and there's nothing like being able to record in real-time while using awesome guitar effects. I love it!

I am not a musician and have never played the guitar. I was just looking for a compact external audio card for my laptop, since its built-in audio card sounds terrible. I chose the UCG-102 for its stereo headphone output and volume control. The manual lists the device's input as a mono guitar input, but it turns out that this is a full-fledged stereo input to which you can connect a linear stereo output from another device. So Guitar Link can be used as a full-fledged audio card, which was a pleasant surprise for me.The only limitation is the lack of a microphone input, as well as a sample rate of 32.0/44.1/48 kHz and 16-bit depth.Regarding audio drivers: Windows 10 found the device automatically, no installation was required. To work with Cubase, I initially installed the Asio4all driver, but when I launched Cubase, I could not launch any other audio program at the same time. Then I tried to install the driver from the included compact disc: BEHRINGER_2902_X64_2.8.40 (for some reason this driver is not on the Behringer website). Although the driver officially supports Windows 8.1 and below, everything installed and work fine on Windows 10.

If I post a negative review, you can bet it has to be bad. I am the world's most laid back person and this thing has me ready to punch my fist completely through my laptop screen. The unit itself looks great. Installing the driver went less than great. I had to uninstall it twice. Just for the fun of it, and because I really wanted to make this work, I tried it a third time and it installed.Now, the modeling amp from Native Instruments. You know, the very reason you would probably buy this thing to begin with? Well it is absolutely, without question pathetic. I'd like to consider myself a smart guy. I'm an engineer for a wireless company. I'm CCNA certified. I know my way around a computer and loading software. But this POS is just unbelievable. I have NEVER encountered a worse experience loading software.It runs you through about 17 hoops. It says it can't connect to the Internet. My connection is perfect. So you have the export an HTML file after entering your registration code for the main modeling amp software - no problem. Simple process - you'd think. I exported it, clicked on the link in the file, verified my info, and exported the activation file. Then when I went to upload that file back to the "supposededly my problem" non-Internet connected Service Center, it errors out.Oh, and that brings me to another point. You have to install the driver for the device, a Service Center to activate the amp software (which I have yet to even have a glimpse of), the modeling amp software itself, and a flurry of other software. It is the most convoluted, non-working, pathetic process I have EVER seen. And I format, load and troubleshoot Cisco IOS's and config files for a living.This thing is going back. I have wasted no less than 6 hours of time I'll never be able to get back. A company as big as Behringer should have this process down to a science. I'm EXTREMELY disappointed in them. This is an experience I'd expect from some fly-by-night product developer working from a garage. Did I say horrible?