The music production package that has everything you need to create anything you want.

Balance 2-in 2-out audio interface

Sounds as good as it looks. Works as great as it feels. We've taken care of all the tedious stuff — calibration, setup, the works. You can concentrate on having fun instead: making music. With two channels of pristine audio recording, and with inputs for all your gear, your instruments are always connected and you are always ready to record.

Key Facts

Revolutionary technology that just works.
Bus-powered, low latency, Core Audio/ASIO- compatible interface with inputs for all your gear. No software control panel—all settings are on the front panel.

Everything you need — includes Reason Essentials.
Just like its bigger brother, Reason Essentials puts making music in focus. From concept to completion, it has all the essential tools for turning good ideas into great songs.

Want Reason + Balance?
Upgrade the included Reason Essentials with our Reason Upgrade to get the full version.

Already own Reason?
Balance with Reason Essentials also upgrades previous versions of Reason to brand new Reason 6.

Integrated music recording environment

Balance is perfectly integrated with Reason and Reason Essentials. With Clip Safe you'll never lose a good take to distortion again. Big Meter lets you tune your guitar and set the levels from across the room. Use it with our software, other pro audio apps, or even iTunes™ — Balance works with everything.

Comes with Reason Essentials

Reason Essentials packs in all the recording, editing, effects, instruments, and mixing tools you need to sound great.

Just like its bigger brother, Reason Essentials puts making music in focus. From concept to completion, it comes with all the essential tools for turning good ideas into great songs.

Reason Essentials comes with a great selection of instruments and effects in a virtual rack that builds itself, or can be tweaked to your heart’s content—drum machine, loop player, sampler, synths, reverb, delay, distortion and more.

For guitar players, the built-in virtual guitar and bass PODs from Line 6 brings a wide range of top quality guitar amps, cabinets and effects. The intuitive audio and MIDI sequencer makes recording and arranging your music a breeze.

With its generous sound bank and familiar creative flow, Reason Essentials is the software that lets you focus on the music and finish that song.

Need more? Upgrade to Reason for even more instruments, sounds, and effects.

Balance Design and Features

Sounds as good as it looks. Works as great as it feels. We've taken care of all the tedious stuff – calibration, setup, the works. You can concentrate on having fun instead: making music. With two channels of recording and inputs for all your gear, your instruments are always connected and you are always ready to record.

Clip Safe
Clip Safe is a magical lifeline for distorted takes – a red-eye tool for recorded audio. Clip Safe records your take on two channels, one at a lower volume. If your recording clips, it lets you substitute it for the other one. Don't ask us how it works, it just does.

Recording Meter/TunerJust a button-tap away, Reason Essentials' Recording Meter lets you tune your guitar and set the levels from across the room.

All the inputs you'll ever need. And then some.
On the back of Balance you'll find inputs for all your gear: two microphone preamps with phantom power, high impedance guitar and bass inputs with pads, and four line inputs.

Hardware input source selection
With Balance your instruments are always connected and you are always ready to record. Use the buttons on the front panel to select the active inputs. We've put all the controls at your fingertips.

Record Ready LEDs
When a Reason Essentials audio channel is active and armed for recording, the Ready LEDs light up. Just hit record and play. The software will take care of the rest.

Large main output and headphone level controls
On Balance the controls you reach for most often are the easiest to find.

Output muting and Direct Monitoring
Hit the Mute button once to mute the main outs. Press and hold the button to activate direct monitoring of the input channels, for latency free recording or standalone use.

Powerful headphone amplifierNo headphones are too tough for Balance's powerful headphone amp, ensuring earshattering volumes with even the quietest of headphones.

USB 2.0 powered
Plug and play – Balance is powered through the USB port. On the Mac, no drivers are required. On Windows, the drivers come pre-installed with Reason Essentials.

Built-in Ignition KeyYour license is stored on your interface. When you're at your friend's house, authorize the software through Internet Verification. Or bring Balance – it fits in your laptop bag.

Technical specifications

• 2-in by 2-out audio interface
• USB 2.0 – bus powered
• Hi-end pre-amplifiers
• Hi-end 24-bit ADC/DACs, 44.1 to 96kHz
• Low latency design
• Clip Safe — Never again a lost take because of inadequate level settings. The “built-in recording engineer” watches over your session and automatically heals any clipped recordings.
• Mac OS class compliant (no driver on Mac OS). ASIO drivers for Windows installed with the software.
• Built-in Propellerhead Ignition Key
• Direct monitoring (for stand-alone or DAW use)
• Two XLR microphone inputs w. 48V phantom power
• Two 1/4' guitar inputs with padding
• Four 1/4' line inputs (two stereo pairs)
• One 1/4” headphone output
• Two 1/4' TRS balanced main outputs
• Hardware input source selection
• Input level control
• Separate output and headphone level control
• Output muting

System Requirements

Minimum system requirements for Balance audio interface and Reason Essentials software.

Mac OS X

• Intel Mac (multiple cores highly recommended)
• 1 GB RAM
• DVD drive
• Mac OS X 10.6.3 or later
• 3 GB free hard disk space (program may use up to 20 GB scratch disk space)
• A MIDI interface and a MIDI keyboard recommended
• Free USB 2.0 port
• Internet connection for registration

Windows

• Intel Pentium 4 / AMD Opteron or better (multiple cores highly recommended)
• 1GB RAM
• DVD drive
• Windows XP SP3, Vista or Windows 7 (Vista or Windows 7 required for 64-bit)
• 3 GB free hard disk space (program may use up to 20 GB scratch disk space)
• A MIDI interface and a MIDI keyboard recommended
• Free USB 2.0 port
• Internet connection for registration

Frequently asked questions

I have Reason/Reason + Record/some other combination of Propellerhead products, do I get an upgrade if I buy Balance?
Yes. If you own Reason, Record or Record + Reason, you get a free upgrade to Reason 6 when you buy Propellerhead Balance with Reason Essentials.

Can I use Balance with other music software than Reason or Reason Essentials?
Yes! Balance works with any music software, and is compatible with Core Audio on the Mac and comes with ASIO and WMD drivers on Windows.

Is Balance available separately?
Balance is only available as a complete music making system with Reason Essentials. Reason, Record, and Reason + Record users who purchase Balance with Reason Essentials will receive an upgrade to Reason 6.

Balance with Reason Essentials is SRP £379 inc VAT