What Interface Do You Use ?

Frederickbass · #1 10-04-2008, 04:51 PM

Hey Tb'ers

So This Week, Im restarting that whole bass recording all over again and I need advice. First Here Is My Bass set up

I used 2 jazz basses both passive (i play mostly jazz)

My Rig that i use to record : SWR SM-500 with an Sansamp RBI and DBX 266X compressor. Both the compressor and sansamp are mixed in effects loops so i was able to adjust after a long time and find my perfect sound.

I used to take the line out of my swr head make it go threw an alesis mixer than my macbook but the sound was always altered and not souding the way it sounded in my ears. I miked my swr 1x15 cab with a sm-58 (that all i had) the bass tone was perfect but to noisy in sound quality. I tried same pattern with m-audio mobile pre usb and another m audio usb interface.

My head had a problem with the lineout last week and i went to fix it at my local shop. I bought also a shure sm-57 to mike my cab and maybe try recording the head directly out combined with a mix of the cab.

My big question is : what affordable interface would you recommend since i sold everything I had, What do you guys use ?

Vin_MM_Sabre_79 · #2 10-04-2008, 06:47 PM

I'm using an Alesis io|26- firewire into a powerbook. Sounds pretty transparent to me. Has 8 mike/line pre's each with line outs so you can rock up with Powerbook and io26 and multitrack your jams.

D.Don · #3 10-04-2008, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frederickbass

Hey Tb'ers

So This Week, Im restarting that whole bass recording all over again and I need advice. First Here Is My Bass set up

I used 2 jazz basses both passive (i play mostly jazz)

My Rig that i use to record : SWR SM-500 with an Sansamp RBI and DBX 266X compressor. Both the compressor and sansamp are mixed in effects loops so i was able to adjust after a long time and find my perfect sound.

I used to take the line out of my swr head make it go threw an alesis mixer than my macbook but the sound was always altered and not souding the way it sounded in my ears. I miked my swr 1x15 cab with a sm-58 (that all i had) the bass tone was perfect but to noisy in sound quality. I tried same pattern with m-audio mobile pre usb and another m audio usb interface.

My head had a problem with the lineout last week and i went to fix it at my local shop. I bought also a shure sm-57 to mike my cab and maybe try recording the head directly out combined with a mix of the cab.

My big question is : what affordable interface would you recommend since i sold everything I had, What do you guys use ?

Echo Audiofire, the entire range, in your case Audiofire 4 would do fine, more bang for the buck will be hard. The specs are BRILLIANT and the price is completely unbeatable for those specs, you want something better, you need to put in a whole lot a more dough ...

(No I don't work for em, but I sure know when I see a good spec.)

D.Don

Frederickbass · #4 10-04-2008, 08:03 PM

thanks

D.A.R.K. · #5 10-04-2008, 08:04 PM

i'm using an rme fireface 400.
had an 800, but needed portability.
not cheap, but after owning motu, m audio, edirol, digidesign, and echo units and trying a few others,
it was money well spent.
runner up was the metric halo(mac only).
best bang for the buck imho is still the motu line, but the rme is a definite step up in sound(and price).
my .02

hbarcat · #6 10-04-2008, 08:13 PM

I use the E-MU 1212M

They're dirt cheap these days and a great bang for the buck

steve66 · #7 10-04-2008, 08:36 PM

Mine is basic

DI > Alesis Multimix 8 USB > Audacity

theNoseBleedKid · #8 10-04-2008, 08:45 PM

How's the latency on those hbarcat? I'm either getting the 0202 or the 1212 for my recordings, thoughts?

Honk'n_down-low · #9 10-04-2008, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve66

Mine is basic

DI > Alesis Multimix 8 USB > Audacity

Simpler: Bass> Cable> line in on laptop> Audacity

Honk'n_down-low · #10 10-04-2008, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.Don

Echo Audiofire, the entire range, in your case Audiofire 4 would do fine, more bang for the buck will be hard. The specs are BRILLIANT and the price is completely unbeatable for those specs, you want something better, you need to put in a whole lot a more dough ...

(No I don't work for em, but I sure know when I see a good spec.)

D.Don

I came very close to buying this - the price was just a little too high. Maybe if there is a sale I can snag one.

D.Don · #11 10-04-2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honk'n_down-low

I came very close to buying this - the price was just a little too high. Maybe if there is a sale I can snag one.

If you don't need the micpres etc. audiofire 2 is a bit cheaper.

D.Don

scarekrow · #12 10-04-2008, 09:14 PM

Lexicon Omega < Presonus Eureka or LMII line out

hbarcat · #13 10-04-2008, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theNoseBleedKid

How's the latency on those hbarcat? I'm either getting the 0202 or the 1212 for my recordings, thoughts?

Set as low as 4 ms and I don't notice any delay.

The sound quality is quite good and is capable of 24 bit 192khz. No mic preamps though with the 1212 but I usually record line out of my amp head.

flipper_gv · #14 10-04-2008, 09:16 PM

wow I feel kinda poor, I only got a toneport DI gold edition (the one with the guitar and bass podxt). It does a really nice job for 115$

steve66 · #15 10-04-2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honk'n_down-low

Simpler: Bass> Cable> line in on laptop> Audacity

Ive done that.

Frederickbass · #16 10-04-2008, 10:21 PM

I might go for a 400$ fire wire interface and checkit out

Frederickbass · #17 10-04-2008, 10:22 PM

id buy the rme if i had the moola or just an apogee system but yeah i prefer to concentrate my money for berklee and my instruments.

Fletch · #18 10-05-2008, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flipper_gv

wow I feel kinda poor, I only got a toneport DI gold edition (the one with the guitar and bass podxt). It does a really nice job for 115$

I just got silver package for $89 at my local GC. You get the update to the gold package for free if you buy it before January. I got it for the software not the interface though. I already use a Presonus Inspire that I like very much. The Toneport DI is plenty usable though.

rob2966 · #19 10-05-2008, 02:34 AM

Digidesign MBox 2

Bass -> Avalon U5 -> Mbox

Works great and I am still pleased (8 years later) that I went with the "industry standard" (Pro Tools).

Later
Rob

atheos · #20 10-05-2008, 02:54 AM

I really recommend staying away from E-MU. First of all, out of the three 1212m's that I've seen in use two have broken, one of them being my own unit. My unit's LR balance went nuts, it was like 90% right all the time - it sounded OK if I turned Patchmix's master pan 90% left, otherwise the right channel would clip and left be almost silent. My friend's unit went mute after a driver update, downgrading or multiple reinstalls had no effect. And every three have had some kind of driver issues, the drivers are simply utter crap and Patchmix is real pain in the ass. Never used an E-MU on a Mac though, not sure if they even work. Yeah, I sold my 1212m as soon as Thomann sent me a brand new unit.

M-Audio, not good, not bad. Doesn't give any "wow" effects but doesn't let down either. Echo, no experience. I've heard some positive feedback but can't confirm that. I now have a Tascam FireOne which works like a charm on my Macbook Pro. It's not even close to portable but luckily I don't need a portable interface. It just happened to be the cheapest Firewire interface around, I'm SO an anti-USB guy

But yeah, for quality hardware AND software RME is the way to go. I know a lot people using Firefaces and Hammerfalls and never heard a single complainment. I'm planning to get one if I ever need more features than 2x2 interface with DI and +48V. On the other hand, Pro Tools 8's sweeeetness may just force me to go with a Mbox...