This device works out-of-box on Ubuntu 16+. The stereo/mono switch is invaluable when monitoring mono sources like guitars and vocals. I haven't used it enough to have an opinion on the preamp, but it sounds much cleaner than my previous M-Audio interface. There is no phantom power that I can see, but I also haven't looked at the manual either. I have no idea what the bundled software is like, I just plugged it in a got started. I liked this interface so much I bought a second for a friend and installed it easily on a Dell laptop with Windows XP. Lexicon really captured the correct price-point with this item.