Blackstar Polar 2 Fet Input Audio Interface

Feel and response of a real guitar amp

The only audio interface in the market with a FET input stage and “Enhance” feature that mimics the behaviour, characteristics, and electronics normally found on the input stage of a valve guitar amplifier. Plugging a guitar directly into a normal audio interface produces an anaemic signal with peaky transients, which makes playing through amp plugins sound like… a plugin, not an amp. With the flick of a switch, POLAR’s “Enhance” feature makes all software amp plugins sound better by restoring the touch, feel and response of real amps. Works perfectly with pedalboards, no need for D.I. boxes or extra hardware.

Setting levels made foolproof

Blackstar’s innovative input stage will never digitally clip, allowing the user to drive the interface like an amp. The input stage has an impressive amount of headroom running on +/- 12V giving 24V headroom, an outstanding comparison to competitor units at 5V. Setting guitar input levels and improving your tone has never been easier. Blackstar has put an equal amount of effort into designing the POLAR MIC preamps, which boast a response that matches one of the most famed preamps in studio history: the Neve 1081. In a blind A/B setup, the POLAR sounded identical to the vintage Neve. Additionally, the “Enhance” function on the MIC input acts as a gentle high-frequency lift that adds just the right amount of air and clarity to vocals.

Quick and simple to use

While “Enhance” improves feel, it was also engineered with an input stage that can never digitally clip for foolproof input level setting. Users can set levels quickly without worrying about clipping, allowing them to focus on the most important part: the music. POLAR’s innovative features, alongside an incredibly low noise floor (115db), 48V phantom power and headphone outputs that can drive both high and low impedance models, make POLAR the go-to audio interface for all musicians who record guitar and audio.

Specifications

Overview

• Number of Microphone Preamps: 2
• Phantom Power: Yes, 48V
• Instrument Inputs: 2
• Line Inputs: 2
• Line Outputs: 2
• Headphone Outputs: 1
• Loopback: Yes
• Connectivity: USB Type-C
• Protocol: USB 2.0
• Form Factor: Desktop
• Simultaneous I/O: 4 x 4 (including Loopback inputs)
• A/D Resolution: 24-bit/192 kHz
• Bus Powered: Yes (960mA)
• Supported Sample Rates: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz

Microphone Inputs

• Frequency Response: 20-20kHz ±0.1dB
• Dynamic Range: 109dB (A-Weighted)
• THD+N: -101dB (-103dB A-Weighted); 0dB Gain, 950mVrms, 20Hz-24kHz BW
• Noise EIN: -121dBu (A-Weighted)
• Maximum Input Level: 2dBu
• Gain Range: 53dB
• Impedance: 3.3kΩ

Line Inputs

• Frequency Response: 20-20kHz ±0.2dB
• Dynamic Range: 112dB (A-Weighted)
• THD+N: -85dB (-85dB A-Weighted); 8dB Gain, 380mVrms, 20Hz-24kHz BW
• Maximum Input Level: 10dBu
• Gain Range: 55dB
• Impedance: 500kΩ

Instrument Inputs

• Frequency Response: 20-20kHz ±0.2dB
• Dynamic Range: 112dB (A-Weighted)
• THD+N: -82dB (-81dB A-Weighted); 3dB Gain, 630mVrms, 20Hz-24kHz BW
• Maximum Input Level: 10dBu
• Gain Range: 46dB
• Impedance: 500kΩ
• Line Outputs (Balanced)
• Frequency Response: 20-20kHz ±0.15dB
• Dynamic Range: 93dB
• THD+N: -80dB
• Maximum Output Level: 12.8dBu
• Impedance: 1kΩ
• Headphone Outputs
• Frequency Response: 20-20kHz ±0.15dB @ 33Ω / 300Ω

Dynamic Range:

• 110dB @ 33Ω
• 107dB @ 300Ω
• THD+N:
• -83dB @ 33Ω
• -85dB @ 300Ω

Maximum Output Level:

• 7dBu into 33Ω
• 15.2dBu into 300Ω
• Maximum Output Power:
• 85mW into 33Ω
• 66mW into 300Ω
• Impedance: 10Ω
• Analogue to Digital Converter
• THD+N: -100dB THD+N
• Dynamic Range: 114dB
• Digital to Analogue Converter
• THD+N: -100dB THD+N
• Dynamic Range: 114dB

Power

• USB: 960mA
• External (Optional): 4.8W

Accessories

• Included: USB A to DC cable, USB A to C cable