VO Weekly Workflow: Got My PASport!

A smallish package arrived last week bearing a Chicago return address. After listening carefully for any indication of Jumanji-style drums that pull me into a strange vortex, I deemed it safe to open and explore. Wrapped neatly in a velour storage bag within the low key CEntrance branded box was none other than the PASport VO audio interface, the brainchild of the folks at the Pro Audio Suite podcast. As is the way of all things, it arrived during a busy, booked week and teased me for several days as I took care of a few pressing deadlines and commitments.

Although it seems like an in-depth review might be in order, I’m going to avoid that right now. Mostly because all I’ve had time to do is connect a microphone to it and merely scrape the surface of the functions which are contained within its dimensions. Just to cut to the chase, it sounded great – clean and smooth as expected.

While pondering the idea of the PASport VO, and pretending not to glance at the box that contained it, a few other thoughts emerged. The first was, “Wow… that took a while.”

Designing new gear can take time

Yeah…the length of time from order until final delivery… it’s important to acknowledge the llama in the lounge (similar to an elephant in the room). I ordered mine in April of 2023, and that seems a long time ago right now (“now” being January, 2025).

Luckily, I was mentally prepared for delays as this wasn’t just some rebranded knockoff of an existing design. The PASport VO implements a complex array of ideas. Bringing a new design to market is never simple, and it’s a challenge for any manufacturer do do so within a specific timeline. Between component sourcing, manufacturing timelines, and the need to get everything right, it’s inevitable that this takes a while.

Large companies with dedicated R&D teams tend to keep new models under wraps, so the public doesn’t even know about them until they are ready to ship. The transparency of the Pro Audio Suite design team meant that we got to walk along the entire journey with them. The PASport VO was not simply unveiled in final form at some trade show. But, until it was actually on a production line being built, I had to put the thought of it out of my mind for many months, and that was not without some degree of frustration.

On the other hand, I’m wholly in favor of taking the time needed to get everything right. The PASport VO does not try to be an interface for “everyone.” It is designed to solve specific challenges unique to voice actors. Even then, many VO’s won’t require a tool with these specific features in their setup. There are a lot of good, simple interfaces that connect microphones and computers for less money. If you are looking for a first audio interface to set up your recording space, a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gen4 or an SSL2 MkII will certainly cover things for you.

Key features of PASport VO dual audio interface

Here are the first three reasons why I’m still excited to learn this hardware:

• Most uniquely, the PASport VO has two separate audio interfaces under the hood. That means you can easily set up separate feeds to your local recording software and to your remote connection software. If you have ever tried to untangle virtual routing in software (a topic I’ve dipped into here and here), it can be mind-numbing. With separate hardware connections, you don’t have to rely upon software approaches which can get broken when the manufacture rewrites things or stops supporting a product.
• This is impressively compact equipment, making it easy to transport. As much as I like a larger form interface like the SSL, it’s not something I’d want to pack in a suitcase or backpack. The PASport actually has a smaller profile than my aging iPhone, and is about 3 iPhones thick. The rugged metal case is clearly “field-worthy”. Even with the diminutive form factor, the controls aren’t “fiddly,” and have good tactile feel.
• The Compressor circuit just makes me smile. On my unit, it was switched on by default. When speaking into the mic I didn’t really notice it doing anything, which (as I mention here) is exactly how it should sound. The Compressor was clean and transparent, just controlling a bit of the dynamics when it needed to.

Other features continue to call out: the true input mutes, clean mic switching, ability to create a second “Safety” channel, onboard High Pass Filter, a couple of balanced outputs and an AUX output, not to mention a number of switch settings. That will mean I’m going to be digging in and reading the manual to fully learn the power of this tool. I’m looking forward to it. Stay tuned.

Have you tested your studio’s audio quality to make sure it meets professional standards? For a free review of your vocal recordings, please use the upload tool on my Audio Review page.

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