The Audio Interface Thread!

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > No Music Discussion > Musician's Lounge > The Audio Interface Thread!

fallenturtle: Feb 28, 2003; paintedblue.net

I'm currently looking to move from my EMU 1212m PCI audio interface to an external USB model. While I like my 1212m, I figure its time to move on since I'm running Win7 and using audio drivers that are unsupported betas released long ago. While I could go PCI again I want to go USB because I want a physical volume knob for the sound going to my active monitors, I want a convenient way to connected headphones (since the EMUs audio outs go to the monitors I had to get creative (no pun intended) for my headphones which involved going from the digital out on my EMU to DAC to headphone amp and still it wasn't even that loud), and I need to replace my interface for running guitars and mics into my computer which is an old Behringer mixer that has developed a lot of noise and hum. Also I'm planning USB just so that I don't have to be concerned with having enough PCI slots the next time I upgrade my PC.

I don't actually need much as far as ins and outs are concerned. I just need 1 set of balanced outs to my active monitors, and 2 ins so I can connect both a mic (XLR) and guitar (1/4"). I require MIDI in/out too, but I figure I can also get a separate cheap adapter for that if need be. For the most part the device will just be playback, I only occasionally record vocals or other instruments, but I mostly work in Cakewalk Sonar with VSTs.

Like most folks I first was looking at the Scarlett 2i2 but after reading through this thread and elsewhere I'm concerned about the latency. It also seems like the NI Komplete Audio 6 is popular but it seems like its overkill for what I need.

Is there an audio interface that is low latency that falls somewhere in between the Scarlett and the Audio 6 or is the Audio 6 basically the best sub-$250 USB audio interface when it comes to performance and quality?

# ¿ Sep 14, 2014 17:42

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# ¿ May 4, 2024 20:19

fallenturtle: Feb 28, 2003; paintedblue.net

Radiapathy posted:

The 2i2's got terrible latency and weak gain, and no MIDI. I sold my Komplete Audio 6 because it had USB problems out the yang (both USB 2 and 3), and it can only direct monitor channels 1 & 2 for some reason, which is very silly. Now, Native Instruments have released a couple firmware and driver updates for the KA6 specifically to address USB 3 problems, but those came out after I sold mine, so maybe it's fine now. I don't know. (But NI has notes on their site about USB 3 not being officially supported.)

In that category my choices in that price range are still Roland Duo-Capture EX, Avid Fast Track Duo, and Steinberg UR22. The first two offer additional iPad/tablet compatibility and the last one offers very high sample rates and the best performance of all five interfaces I've mentioned. NOTE: The UR22 has had a couple acknowledged manufacturing defects which Steinberg will fix/replace for free if you end up with one of the affected units, but if you buy one new from a store (vs. buying used) you're less likely to get one of the problem units to begin with.

If you do end up with an audio interface that has no MIDI, the cheapest USB-to-MIDI interface I can recommend is the MOTU USB FastLane. There are all sorts of sub-$50 "usb to midi cables" which I wouldn't touch with a hundred foot pole. They're notoriously unreliable in a number of ways.

EDIT: I have owned, used, and tested all of the above audio interfaces. I resold all but the Duo-Capture (which I kept for its feature set), although I use a different interface for my primary DAW PC. Kept the Roland mainly for tablet use and for traveling.

Are there any other reasons besides the USB3 issue that you prefer the UR22 to the Komplete Audio? It seems like the Komplete according to your chart a few pages back has superior stats.

# ¿ Sep 15, 2014 15:53

fallenturtle: Feb 28, 2003; paintedblue.net

Radiapathy posted:

I had problems with my KA6 on both USB 3 and USB 2. With USB 3 it simply couldn't play or record without pops and drops. On USB 2 the interface wouldn't wake up when my computer did, so I had to unplug/replug it all the time, which was a hassle considering every other USB interface I've ever used had no such troubles.

I also mentioned the direct monitoring thing. Not being able to direct monitor inputs 3/4 makes those inputs useless for my purposes.

If not for the USB weirdness I experienced (and which I am definitely not alone in experiencing if you check the NI forums), I'd actually say it's one of the best interfaces you can get in its price range, because it is low latency and comes with some good bundled software too. But just based on my own experience I can't recommend it.

I'd love to know if NI's recent firmware and driver updates improved things, but I sold mine a while back, so...

I'd love to know that too.

Edit: This thread seems to indicate the answer is "no": http://www.native-instruments.com/forum/threads/komplete-audio-6-clicks-dropouts-cpu-spikes-every-15-seconds

I'm on the fence between these two. The cheaper Steinberg pretty much does have everything I need and all the additional features of the KA6 are icing. But if the sound quality and latency are better on the KA6, I'm willing to spend the extra $80 (Komplete Essentials is a nice extra too... I don't care about the software that comes with the Steinberg since I already have a DAW (Sonar X3).

My biggest "latency" concern is actually playing VST instruments with my midi keyboard. Am I correct in thinking that that's more an issue of computer power than audio interface latency? Of course I would like to be able to also play my guitar processed by Amplitude or Guitar Rig where I assume audio interface latency IS an issue.

Edit 2: I've decided the KA6 is just too iffy... and of course right as I'm ready to pull the trigger on the UR22 Sweetwater goes out of stock.

fallenturtle fucked around with this message at 18:14 on Sep 16, 2014

# ¿ Sep 15, 2014 19:18

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > No Music Discussion > Musician's Lounge > The Audio Interface Thread!