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Heartbroken 2Twice posted:I think I posted in the previous thread about it, but I've been using the UR22 for home recording and some live stuff for years and it's been great but I'm beginning to feel the need for some sends and extra outputs - compressors, reamping, etc.
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Nov 8, 2015 16:29
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Currently I've got a MOTU Ultralite and it suits me well. It's small, it's got a lot of input/output, it has Firewire and USB, I've gotten used to Cuemix, the MOTU suits me well. My recording chain has always felt a little dull so I've been looking to build up a bigger collection of outboard gear, get a nice-ish compressor, maybe some DA/AD stuff, tube preamp possibly. It'll cost a few bucks but I think it would be nice to have some of these options when bringing drums and synths into the computer as well as for mastering. Anyhow, I've got an offer to trade some things for a UA Apollo interface (the older silver one, Firewire version I think) and the Apollo is definitely something I've looked at in the past and have thought would be great to have if I could ever afford it. People jizz over the UA plugins and how great they are, I've got no first hand experience of course, but getting the Apollo would add some of the improvements I've been looking to get in my recording chain without taking up too much extra space on a rack. I'm assuming the lifecycle of the UA Apollo is long, the new blackface versions just seem to have more processing power and Thunderbolt ports. The Apollo seems to be more about "platform" rather than hardware which is nice in terms of making a long term investment. Will getting the Apollo really replace the need for physical outboard gear for me? I'm just a small home studio and I'm recording synths and guitar and drum machines. I'm sure the comparison between the Apollo and MOTU Ultralite is a "night and day" difference but like I said the MOTU is good enough, adding actual outboard units would cost about as much as if I were to buy the Apollo outright (they go for like $900 these days?). Just wondering if any Apollo owners can chime in with their feedback.
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Nov 8, 2015 16:56
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Radiapathy posted:How many extra analog sends/returns are you after? Wouldn't need more than six total, so if there's a 4x4 that can be used at the same time as the UR22 that would be perfect. Otherwise an 8x8 would give some breathing room!
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Nov 10, 2015 10:22
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Heartbroken 2Twice posted:Wouldn't need more than six total, so if there's a 4x4 that can be used at the same time as the UR22 that would be perfect. Otherwise an 8x8 would give some breathing room! You can't go wrong with the MOTU UltraLite-mk3 or UltraLite AVB. I am a former MK3 owner (mine was an original FireWire-only model) and it has a huge feature set, respectable performance, and lots of I/O for the money.
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Nov 10, 2015 15:33
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Radiapathy posted:I don't know what it's like on Mac, but on Windows the only reliable way to use multiple interfaces together is when you have interfaces with digital I/O that you can chain together (your computer will see them as a single device), and this rules out the UR22 since it is analog I/O only. Using the UL AVB and can vouch for it. Really good hardware for the money.
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Nov 13, 2015 10:51
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I have a Presonus 2626 Firestudio, which is considered 'legacy' by the company. The last version of OS X that was officially supported by Presonus was 10.7 which is what I'm running Logic under right now. However, I also have another partition just for games that's running 10.10, and my interface is, oddly enough, working just fine there, although I don't have Logic installed on that partition. I also don't need to open up the Universal Control app to use the Firestudio when running 10.10. I sort of want to update beyond 10.10 on my gaming partition, and maybe beyond 10.7 on my audio partition, but I'm concerned that poo poo will go south. Does anyone here have any experience in using this specific device on the most recent OS's?
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Nov 13, 2015 14:33
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i just landed a blackjack onyx. what do you guys think of it? its preamps? i plan on using it almost entirely for guitar and bass, maybe vocals way later. would be micing an amp for guitar, di for bass. i ask because i have around $500 to spend on my bedroom setup. i needed an interface and a mic, but a friend lent me the interface. should i go with the onyx and put the money in a mic, or get a new interface and mic with the money? abelwingnut fucked around with this message at 17:39 on Nov 14, 2015 |
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Nov 14, 2015 17:35
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If you're miking an amp, you need an SM57. That also works pretty decently for vocals. They're normally around $100 bucks and it's pretty much the best mic for guitar cabs, so you don't need to set aside a huge amount of money. If you want a mic that's great for vocals, grab a Shure SM7 as well (Normally around $350) I've never used an Onyx, but a lot of people seem to like 'em. I've heard some people having driver issues, but if you've tested it, and it works, it sounds like a winner. Just double-check that it's got all the I\O that you need.
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Nov 15, 2015 12:05
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Radiapathy posted:I don't know what it's like on Mac, but on Windows the only reliable way to use multiple interfaces together is when you have interfaces with digital I/O that you can chain together (your computer will see them as a single device), and this rules out the UR22 since it is analog I/O only. uno.mannschaft posted:Using the UL AVB and can vouch for it. Really good hardware for the money. Thank you both for these recommendations - they suit perfectly, and I'll be keeping an eye out now!
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Nov 15, 2015 12:23
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hey guys, so the stupid deal of the day on musiciansfriend today is a Tascam US-1200 interface for 80 bucks. currently I'm using a really crappy one-input M-Audio box but I've been wanting to upgrade. is this one a good deal for the money? thanks in advance.
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Dec 19, 2015 15:14
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Tascam didn't really have hot driver support iirc, but search first. There is only so much to say about converters and stuff, drivers are a big thing. RME is stellar in that regard, compare that to Mackie not offering anything newer than 32-bit Windows XP for their Onyx Firewire mixer when 7 was coming out and 64-bit was certain.
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Dec 20, 2015 08:56
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Does the line-level sound of the Zoom R-16 / R-24 compare favorably to other 8+ -channel interfaces in its roundabout cost range? ($300 - $500?) I'm not plugging mics into it, just synths. I understand the pre-amp can't be turned off and generally gets mediocre reviews, but is that going to affect the way I hear my keyboards? The fact that it's a stand-alone recorder appeals to me as bonus, but I'm wondering if I'd be better served for sound quality (and maybe performance) somewhere else if I decided I didn't need that feature. I'm also not sure I'll really use the effects, drum machines, etc., just mainly want an interface with a least eight inputs.
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Mar 3, 2016 02:08
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So I'm going back to school for music composition and have to get a new Macbook Pro. Is it worth investing in a clarett2 interface now when I have a Akai Pro EIE and a Firewire Solo I could adapter into working with thunderbolt or just deal with the slow usb 1.1 speeds of the EIE? Should I try to sell them at this point since I hardly use more than an interface or two and the clarett would last me a while and can be upgraded to have more inputs? And hell I just thought about compatibility issues man I should probably sell some stuff and get new gear.
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May 23, 2016 01:44
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Thunderbolt is incredibly pointless and expensive for only 10/4 channels, especially where 8 of the 10 are limited to ADAT rates. You'd be fine with a usb 2 interface if that's all you need. If the Firewire Solo still has enough IO for you and the drivers still work, you might as well keep using that until you have a concrete reason to upgrade.
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May 23, 2016 20:12
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Hey, anyone have any idea how much I could get for a perfectly working Firestudio 2626? It's 6 years old. I'm only considering selling it because it's just too much for what I need.
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May 24, 2016 02:58
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Rupert Buttermilk posted:Hey, anyone have any idea how much I could get for a perfectly working Firestudio 2626? It's 6 years old. I'm only considering selling it because it's just too much for what I need. Not much, honestly. It's discontinued and I don't think the drivers work post Windows 7 or OSX 10.7
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May 24, 2016 05:34
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h_double posted:Not much, honestly. It's discontinued and I don't think the drivers work post Windows 7 or OSX 10.7 Yeah, that's what I thought, though I'm legitimately using it on 10.8 with zero problems. Ah well.
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May 24, 2016 05:44
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After getting some new (and dusting off some old) synths and stuff, I've discovered that my TC Konnekt48 has some dead I/O. She's well old and purchased second-hand so I'm sure there's no warranty. Is this worth taking into a repair place and getting it checked out, or is it time for a new interface?
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Jun 18, 2016 19:33
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I've been kind of wanting a USB interface for plugging a guitar into for amp modeling software as well as playing software synths and occasionally running a hardware synth into. My usage will be very casual so I was trying to keep the budget lower than even the $100 entry level boxes. Anyway, long story short, I was looking around on eBay last night and took a flyer and offered $47 for a refurbished Behringer UMC202HD and it was immediately accepted. Anything particularly horrific about the low end Behringer stuff? Also, since that box obviously doesn't have MIDI, I'm looking into picking up this ridiculously cheap midi controller.
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Jul 16, 2016 16:44
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I'm searching for a MIDI or OSC controlled audio interface that doesn't require a computer to be connected. In an ideal world, I could control a MOTU Ultralite with Lemur on an iPad with raw MIDI or OSC. Right now, MOTU's CueMix software must be running to talk to the Ultralite. Does this exist? Are my desires too... Unconventional?
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Jul 24, 2016 14:34
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Generally an interface serves to pipe audio in or out of a computer. What does the interface do if it's not connected to a computer? Aren't you essentially looking for a digital mixer or something? Some of those can be midi or app controlled, I'm pretty sure. Behringer recently came out with something like this that was well reviewed. Or are you recording into the ipad? In which case it might be a matter of finding a compatible interface that comes with its own app or something. I'm a bit lost as to what you're actually trying to do.
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Jul 24, 2016 15:26
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For example, the MOTU UltraLite's internal mixer can be controlled with MIDI or OSC when it is connected to a computer using the CueMix software. The UltraLite can be used as a mixer without a computer connected, but with very limited control. I would like the functionality of CueMix, but without having a computer connected. An interface with its own app would not be ideal because I want to use physical knobs. a_pineapple fucked around with this message at 16:59 on Jul 24, 2016 |
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Jul 24, 2016 16:53
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My man, I'm not entirely familiar with the Cuemix software, but as far as I can tell, what you're looking for is called a mixer with total recall. Which is today's digital mixer (Behringer XR series). If you want the physical controls on top of that, you're looking at a variant of the Behringer X32. Which isn't exactly cheap. I don't know how far the midi implementation of Cuemix goes, but the Behringers also only go so far. Don't think you can control the equalizers in detail that way, for example. I think you're probably going to feel spoiled by how far the Ultralite stretches at its budget. Because the cost of taking the computer out of the equation is building the computer into the device, so to speak.
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Jul 24, 2016 18:01
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I've been using my Focusrite Saffire 6 USB for some years, with no complains (especially after using my Presonus Inspire with an Acer Aspire laptop that froze every now and then and made all my projects go into oblivion). I recently upgraded my computer and bought a gamer laptop, not because I really play games that much, but because I wanted a lot of RAM and a fast processor so I could work in Ableton without random crashes, lag, etc. and play my MIDI keyboard without any latency. Well, it seems that even I have 24 gb of RAM I still experience audio dropouts when I try to have a 9ms input latency. Dropouts and crackles go away if I increase the buffer but then, of course, it's not really "playing it live" as you can notice the latency. This poo poo happens especially when I'm using Kontakt 5 and big libraries. My question is: could it be that my Focusrite Saffire 6 usb is not on par with the level of the laptop? Because I guess that my laptop is more than capable of handling the Ableton projects (I use big libraries and stuff, but not anything insane, mind you). And if so, what audio interface would you recommend to forget about latency (budget could be around 600-700$? or tell me if that's too little). I want to upgrade my audio interface so it can match the laptop, but if the problem could be somewhere else, I would really appreciate the help. Thanks a lot!
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Aug 3, 2016 00:57
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Well, regardless of whether your computer can handle things and just now ignoring whether you are making the most of things with freezing or downmixing backing tracks for the purposes of recording, there are differences in latency between different interface+driver combos. Below, not a buying guide per se, but an illustration of the fact from earlier in the thread: Radiapathy posted:Below are benchmark tests I did a few months ago using the RTL Utility (the tool used for raw performance testing in the DAWBench tests). This tests true round-trip latency. In my experience 9ms throughout a whole, heavy project is a reasonably big ask, but that isn't to say you can't do a bit better than you're doing now. I don't feel qualified to recommend you a specific device at this point, but I'm thinking you'll need to specify what input and output options you'll actually need to have a chance of getting one anyway. Like, if this is just about playing virtual instruments, I've got amazingly low latency (steady 5ms with a modern Atom tablet) on an NI Traktor Audio 2, but it doesn't have any inputs.
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Aug 4, 2016 14:22
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KaosPV posted:I recently upgraded my computer and bought a gamer laptop, not because I really play games that much, but because I wanted a lot of RAM and a fast processor so I could work in Ableton without random crashes, lag, etc. and play my MIDI keyboard without any latency. Well, it seems that even I have 24 gb of RAM I still experience audio dropouts when I try to have a 9ms input latency. Dropouts and crackles go away if I increase the buffer but then, of course, it's not really "playing it live" as you can notice the latency. This poo poo happens especially when I'm using Kontakt 5 and big libraries. Also, Focusrite recently released some "Gen 2" interfaces that allegedly improve their Windows performance, although I hear the improvement was mostly in the drivers. If you haven't already, check to make sure you've got the most recent drivers available for your device. The benchmarks I've seen are drastic improvements over their earlier drivers, but now place Focusrite at "slightly worse than average" instead of "absolute worst" for Windows ASIO performance. Still, it may be enough. On any version of Windows, make sure you have the "High Performance" power scheme enabled in Power Options. Also, use a USB 2.0 slot if possible, and the USB cable that came with the device if you can. I really like the new MOTU interfaces (they've got at least a couple in your price range), and they have better-than-average Windows performance. Still waiting for Arturia to release that drat Audiofuse (last I heard, release was pushed back to December of this year). I hope it actually comes out some day, and that it's actually good.
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Aug 4, 2016 22:39
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I needed a cheapo interface, so picked up a Focusrite Scarlett Solo. It seems pretty good, except for the headphone output being super quiet when I use my AKG K701s. I'm guessing, because the interface is bus powered, there isn't enough power to go loud. Is there a decent, affordable headphone amp I should buy? Or would I be better off just buying a powered (better?) interface to replace the Solo?
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Aug 5, 2016 20:29
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Don't bus powered interfaces get all sorts of USB noise? That's what I'd be worried about with that set up, mainly. Make sure your inputs and outputs are rated the same (beyond just headphones) although I doubt that's the issue. Also: check the mix software it comes with, it may have headphones cranked down in the computer.
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Aug 6, 2016 02:29
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JamesKPolk posted:Don't bus powered interfaces get all sorts of USB noise? Only if there's a ground loop. Assuming you're not having ground loop issues and your cables are up to spec, just about any audio interface, USB or otherwise, is noise-free compared to a computer's on-board audio.
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Aug 6, 2016 16:54
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Radiapathy posted:Only if there's a ground loop. Huh... I had thought there was separate issue with inconsistent power from the bus and HF noise/clock inconsistencies, but I can't find a thing about that now. Gonna stop parroting that myth!
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Aug 6, 2016 17:55
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Thanks for the help guys.Flipperwaldt posted:Well, regardless of whether your computer can handle things and just now ignoring whether you are making the most of things with freezing or downmixing backing tracks for the purposes of recording, there are differences in latency between different interface+driver combos. I would be happy with two jack inputs (for a guitar and bass guitar/microphone). And never understood what's the use of several outputs (other than having one for headphones in case you're using it to mix, of course)... I'm going to have a look around interfaces, but I'm a bit concerned Is there hope for a USB audio interface that can give me low latency and make me forget about my worries (even if it means spending more money, as long as it gives me peace of mind...)? Or am I doomed to suffer the lower quality of USB ports compared to Firewire and Thunderbolt? (And I really messed up buying a laptop and not waiting for one with thunderbolt ports?). I've read good things about the RME Babyface... is it a normal audio interface with its two instrument jack inputs (so I could record, say a guitar and a bass guitar) and giving low latency? How can it manage to do so if it's USB (and not FW or thunderbolt)? Radiapathy posted:Which version of Windows are you running? Also, how many of what kind of I/O do you need? I'm running Windows 10. Does it have bloatware that interferes with music production? Any tips/links to fix that? As above, I would be happy with 2 jack input (more would be a blessing, but I don't mind recording stuff separatedly, what really irritates me is latency). And what's the use for different outputs beyond the extra one for headphones? re: high performance, thanks I never noticed that. Will do and see how it affects using Ableton. What MOTU Interface would you recomend? Any reviews to read? And what's the deal with Audiofuse, why is so anticipated? Thanks!
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Aug 7, 2016 15:43
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Radiapathy posted:Also, Focusrite recently released some "Gen 2" interfaces that allegedly improve their Windows performance, although I hear the improvement was mostly in the drivers. If you haven't already, check to make sure you've got the most recent drivers available for your device. The benchmarks I've seen are drastic improvements over their earlier drivers, but now place Focusrite at "slightly worse than average" instead of "absolute worst" for Windows ASIO performance. Still, it may be enough. They also fixed the instrument gain issue on the front end of the interfaces smaller than the 6i6, which made those units basically unusable.
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Aug 7, 2016 21:18
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KaosPV posted:I'm running Windows 10. Does it have bloatware that interferes with music production? Any tips/links to fix that? As above, I would be happy with 2 jack input (more would be a blessing, but I don't mind recording stuff separatedly, what really irritates me is latency). And what's the use for different outputs beyond the extra one for headphones? I'm a former owner of the MOTU Ultralite MK3 and current owner of the Track16. Both are fine interfaces with lots of I/O. My only personal gripe with both is the power on/power off on them requires you to hold the power button down several seconds... it is a minor gripe, but it makes me ache for something with a simple on/off switch. Having additional outputs on an interface most useful for send/return buses for using external audio processors (assuming you have some extra inputs for returns), and also for sending audio to another room or to a different set of reference monitors. If you do everything in the box, then 2in/2out is just fine. The Audiofuse is hot poo poo because it will supposedly place Arturia between RME and MOTU for USB ASIO performance on Windows at a lower price, and also has the single best form factor for a desktop interface with that much I/O. (The Track16 is nice EXCEPT FOR that giant octupus of a proprietary cable that hangs out the back and the Babyface Pro has some of the dumbest port placement I've ever seen on a desktop unit, etc.) Problem is, it's hardware by Arturia and so far that's not a good sign. I won't buy it until a number of people actually get units in-hand and produce some actual Windows DAW numbers on 'em.
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Aug 7, 2016 23:38
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Mainly interested in that Arturia for live shows. It looks perfect for gigging: 2 switchable high-volume headphone outs, a couple xlr/line ins, and a USB HUB YISSSSSSSSSSS. It's be good for doing backing tracks and guitar processing with the same laptop. Class compliance means maybe even ipad/iphone. Like the man says, though, Arturia's hardware track record means waiting for reviews on this one.
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Aug 31, 2016 21:51
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I have a small studio set up which I bought around 5 years ago, used a little, but then shelved due to circumstances. I'd like to get back into using it, but I've hit a snag - the audio interface I had is an Mbox2, and these things appear to have no support for the latest mac os, Yosemite. It's basically unusable, the mac cannot detect it. I just ordered a replacement, the focusrite scarlett 2i2, but I've just gotten around to reading this thread and feel I may have made a mistake! I'm intending to record vocals and guitar, with the guitar using DI. Latency gets mentioned a lot here and as I'm using DI for the guitar and was also hoping to record vocals without direct monitoring (to use some effects), have I made a poor choice? I also noticed that the box doesn't have a MIDI input. I have a little axiom 25 key that I play around with a little, but if I'm remembering correctly I had that plugged in to the macbook via USB. How does the box not having a MIDI input affect me? Keep in mind I'm very much a beginner with all this, thanks for any help.
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Sep 5, 2016 18:22
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I never had latency issues recording on an older Scarlett on Yosemite+ but my stuff was a lot less latency-sensitive than it sounds like yours is. There's always ways to play around with it, including tracking dry and monitoring through effects with less rigorous settings, then bouncing with the more rich settings. Scarlett 2i2 should be DI-able through the front inputs (mic/hi-z combo), it's one of the selling points IIRC. As long as you have the spare USB ports you should have no issue using your controller via those.
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Sep 5, 2016 19:34
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Clipping was a big issue with the 1st gen. 2i2, but the 2nd gen (released this summer) apparently fixes that problem. Latency is much improved as well.
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Sep 5, 2016 20:48
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Thanks for the replies! I've ordered the 2nd generation so that makes me feel a little better. What about the lack of MIDI input? As I said, I have a MIDI keyboard which I connect via USB and use to play around with instruments inside of ableton live, but does the lack of a MIDI in on the interface have any effect on what I want? What are the typical uses of a MIDI input?
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Sep 5, 2016 21:01
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HampHamp posted:Thanks for the replies! I've ordered the 2nd generation so that makes me feel a little better. What about the lack of MIDI input? As I said, I have a MIDI keyboard which I connect via USB and use to play around with instruments inside of ableton live, but does the lack of a MIDI in on the interface have any effect on what I want? What are the typical uses of a MIDI input? If you already have a controller that works via usb you are fine. The only reason to worry about a dedicated 5-pin midi input is if you have (or anticipate getting) a piece of gear that can only connect that way, but these days most basic keyboard/drumpad type controllers use usb. also fwiw I've been using two first gen 2i2's on the road and at home for years with very little problems at all.
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Sep 5, 2016 21:09
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I think I've asked this before, but figured I'd give it another shot: anyone with a legacy Presonus interface using it with a recent version of OS X that's not supported? My issue is I'm on 10.8, which is the last version before the stopped providing official drivers. I'd love to uograde, because I'm still using Logic 9 (which I love) and want to someday update to Logic X, but THAT requires something past 10.8. 
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Sep 6, 2016 01:46
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