Audio interfaces - your opinion needed

[bozha]

I need audio interface for home practice and demo recordings. Something basic, one instrument input is enough. I would like to avoid compromises and get something without latency, background noise, driver and compatibility issues,... With trully enjoyable sound quality. Usability of OEM software is also a factor. I've lined down reviews and comparisons with current offers from local dealers and narrow it down to these:

• Native instruments komplete audio 1
• Steinberg UR 12
• PreSonus AudioBox iOne (or USB 96)
• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen

(It's sorted by the price from least. Diference between first and last is not much then 30$.)

If you could please give your experiences about some of these from bass player's perspective, because there is no option here to just go into shop and try before buy.

Is there realy such a difference as in this recording?
Some would probably argue that the weak ones are actualy just neutral.

 

[filmtex]

I bought the PreSonus USB 96 a few weeks ago and it performs exactly as advertised. I have nothing but praises for it's sound and build quality. I have used lots of PreSonus gear in the past 12 months including a StudioLive III 32 channel board and a bunch of their powered speakers. An associate just put a 16 channel interface in his ProTools studio last week. I highly recommend the USB 96. YMMV

 

[DWBass]

I bought the iTrack Solo version of the Scarlett Solo by Focusrite. Works like a gem.

 

[bozha]

I bought the PreSonus USB 96 a few weeks ago and it performs exactly as advertised. I have nothing but praises for it's sound and build quality. I have used lots of PreSonus gear in the past 12 months including a StudioLive III 32 channel board and a bunch of their powered speakers. An associate just put a 16 channel interface in his ProTools studio last week. I highly recommend the USB 96. YMMV

Have you had chance to work with Studio One DAW, version that is packed with device?

Is it suitable enough for live recordings? With maybe couple of virtual instruments and effects that could support recording live basslines? I suppose that most of the software coming along with devices are some limited "teaser" versions or maybe more suitable to electronic music production. Since devices are very similiar, think it would be nice at least to choose the one with most comfortable DAW.

 

[neurotictim]

Disclaimer: I'm not the most computer-savvy guy out there.

I bought the USB96 package with microphone and headphones, installed Studio One 4, and spent the next week (at an hour or two here and there) figuring out how to get it running properly. There's a ton of downloading required to get all the drivers and plugins and whatnot, but I guess I should have expected that. Download the "Universal Controller" program and make sure you don't plug the interface into a USB 3.0 port and save yourself some time on Google.

Studio One *seems* pretty straightforward, similar to other programs I've used in the past. Lots of little things that can trip you up, but if you're halfway competent on a computer you'll probably be fine. It's got way more than Audacity but isn't as "dark magic voodoo" as Pro Tools. The virtual instruments aren't terrible, though I'm still working my way up the learning curve in that department. I am a complete newb when it comes to virtual instruments/MIDI stuff, but I eventually did figure out how to get it working with my Akai MPK mini mkII, and the VSTs are pretty good. Not great, but not terrible. I'm still working out how to get it to work with Akai's VIP program, which has some awesome sounds.

Sound quality is pretty good - I may not be the best arbiter since I haven't done any home recording in probably 10 years - but the recordings that I cobbled together sounded pretty good, as far as recording quality is concerned.

If you're looking for a drum tracking/writing program, I can definitely recommend EZDrummer 2 - that one is super intuitive and sounds pretty dang good.

 

[Mili]

2 years ago I bought a Scarlett solo for same purpose as you and it's more than enough. I'm satisfied.

 

[silky smoove]

Some thoughts on your original post:

without latency

This is impossible. You can't pass from analog to digital and then back to analog without some latency. The amount that you'll incur is dictated by the interface, your computer and what you're asking your computer to do while the signal is in the digital domain. It's not often a simple answer, but most DAWs have a method of calculating roundtrip latency for a given setup. The amount of roundtrip latency that's acceptable is a personal choice. For years many people claimed that anything less than 8ms was inaudible and imperceptible by human physiology. Now in the era of Thunderbolt interfaces claiming 2ms, 1.5ms and some even sub 1ms roundtrip (all of which are highly questionable speed claims except under the most specific of circumstances) people complain about an interface that only affords roundtrip latency of 4ms. There are some online examples of two sources played with varying degrees of latency. Look them up and use them as a tool to determine what is an acceptable amount of latency to you and then act accordingly.

background noise

All microphone preamps have self noise. All of them. From the cheapest built-in mic preamp in an entry level interface, all the way up to something like the $15,000 per channel 500-series Midas units. Here's the good news; As long as you're not cranking the preamp you're likely to be operating so far above it as to be a non-issue. I often tell people to avoid mic preamps in the 55db range. To me a minimum of 60db is the low end of what's acceptable for reasonable operation without needing to crank the mic pres just to get enough signal into your DAW, which should be in a range of -18dbfs with no peaks exceeding -6dbfs (your tastes and operating preferences may vary).

driver and compatibility issues

That's up to your computer. Buy an interface that is known to work with the current version of your OS. This information is readily available online from all of the manufacturers on the product page. Also be aware that all hardware will eventually become obsolete as software outpaces it. I have two interfaces in the storage room of my studio that are unusable for this reason. Metric Halo and Lynx have it figured out with the entire computer connection of their interfaces and converters built as a module that can be replaced without needing to render the entire unit obsolete, but these are WAY above the price point you're describing.

With trully enjoyable sound quality

Here's the best news of all; Basically all modern interfaces are usable for getting decent sound. The quality of the consumer tier of products has really gone up in the last decade. There's a noticeable jump as you move from consumer to prosumer to professional tiers, but if you can't get a good sounds out of a modern consumer interface the problem won't be because the interface isn't up to the task.

Usability of OEM software is also a factor

The only OEM software associated with an interface will be its mixer and routing software. Beyond that it's just a means of getting sound in and out of your computer so you can use whatever software you want. Just because an interface is packaged with the intro version of some larger DAW doesn't mean that's the only one it will work with. Try demos of a few DAWs, see which one you like best and go with that. There's no right or wrong answer. They all do the same thing, they all sound the same, and in 2020 they all work remarkably well.

 

[filmtex]

Have you had chance to work with Studio One DAW, version that is packed with device?

Is it suitable enough for live recordings? With maybe couple of virtual instruments and effects that could support recording live basslines? I suppose that most of the software coming along with devices are some limited "teaser" versions or maybe more suitable to electronic music production. Since devices are very similiar, think it would be nice at least to choose the one with most comfortable DAW.

I have been working with StudioOne off and on for a few months. It's a very high quality app, every bit as good as ProTools, Logic and Ableton in terms of form, fit and function including sound quality as far as I can tell. I was quarantined in Honolulu for almost 10 weeks and didn't have access to my studio monitors, but using a very high quality pair of AKG phones, StudioOne held it's own against Logic and Ableton Live, my two main DAW's. I did some virtual instrument recording and tracked some bass and StudioOne performed as expected.
I have extensive experience with older versions of ProTools, and a friend uses ProTools 11 in his system and I jump on it from time to time. I think you'll be more than happy with the version of StudioOne that comes with the interface, can't recall which one it is, but their upgrades are very fairly priced, should you find the need.
(FWIW-one of my biggest issues with ProTools is it's newish business model. They are perfectly within their rights to price their software as they wish, but like Adobe, I think that for my needs, there are other applications that work as well or better for me. Platform specific of course. YMMV)

 

[JRA]

silky smoove just nailed it for you, OP! better re-read his post for the wisdom on the subject. also: a hefty (competent!) computer rig is likely to make the most difference with any of the interfaces you listed (they're all good ones), +/- your preferences. good luck with your interface quest!

 

[vindibona1]

@silky smoove Just gave us all a lesson. I'm not so far ahead of you @bozha , so I want to provide some perspective from a near beginner's standpoint.

I just ordered my 2nd interface, the first being a very cheap M-Audio M-Track that I got years ago. As Silky pointed out, latency is a critical factor and IMO, based on your basic needs I think you should focus on a unit that will give you the least latency. The last thing I think you want to do is have to sync tracks in post after the fact. I can't tell you which of the interfaces is going to have the least latency. If all of the units you look at are affordable, I would advise you to forget about price. I've done some preliminary research on the Presonus and Focusrite Solo and they seem to be pretty good from what I've read and the reviews I've watched. I don't know about the others.

There is one more interface that you might want to look at; the Audient EVO 4. It's only a few dollars more than the other, but seems to have a lot of features packed into this box. I recommend you go on YouTube and hear some reviews and tutorials. The quality is supposed to be excellent. This one was suggested by my Sweetwater rep as we didn't know when the MOTU interfaces would be available. It's supposed to be excellent for beginners because of some of the auto features.
Audient EVO 4 USB Audio Interface

I would have to think that any of the OEM software from these companies would be usable. A lot depends on how complex your recordings will be. As far as DAW's are concerned, I would suggest you look into Reaper. It is a full featured DAW and comes with a 60 day free trial, which seems to allow you to extend forever if you wait for the time-out to pass afterward. I used it for years, then forked out the miniscule $60 for the license. For simplicity I have often just defaulted to Audacity, also free and extremely simple. While my M-Track came with Ableton Lite, it seemed to me that it was aimed more at guys who wanted to dabble in EDM and creation rather than just recording, but I'm sure that's just my perspective based on a very short time wrestling with it.



Good luck. I'd love to hear what you decide on.

 

[silky smoove]

The last thing I think you want to do is have to sync tracks in post after the fact.

Clarification: All major DAWs provide latency compensation for the recorded material. In other words and in this particular regard, latency doesn't directly impact what is being recorded, only what is being monitored. Now, something being super latent could cause you to play very loose to the beat which would then either require re-recording or aligning in post, but in and of itself, monitoring latency is already compensated for within the DAW itself. If you turn software monitoring off, have a separate line going to an amplifier and an output to your DAW, all the latency in the world will still be compensated for by the DAW. This is easily confirmed by doing an overdub or a punch-in on a session that is already completed mixed and has enough DSP happening to incur 20 or more miliseconds of latency. I recently did a session with a vocalist where she needed to punch-in and fix a particularly sibilant pronunciation of the word 'sleep.' This was after I had not only mixed the track, but had mastered it as well. The measured roundtrip latency was a whopping 49ms. I monitored her before the AD conversion and the software, Logic in this case but all other DAWs would do it too, was able to compensate for the roundtrip latency and her punch-in performance was perfectly in time.

 

[vindibona1]

Clarification: All major DAWs provide latency compensation for the recorded material. In other words and in this particular regard, latency doesn't directly impact what is being recorded, only what is being monitored. Now, something being super latent could cause you to play very loose to the beat which would then either require re-recording or aligning in post, but in and of itself, monitoring latency is already compensated for within the DAW itself. If you turn software monitoring off, have a separate line going to an amplifier and an output to your DAW, all the latency in the world will still be compensated for by the DAW. This is easily confirmed by doing an overdub or a punch-in on a session that is already completed mixed and has enough DSP happening to incur 20 or more miliseconds of latency. I recently did a session with a vocalist where she needed to punch-in and fix a particularly sibilant pronunciation of the word 'sleep.' This was after I had not only mixed the track, but had mastered it as well. The measured roundtrip latency was a whopping 49ms. I monitored her before the AD conversion and the software, Logic in this case but all other DAWs would do it too, was able to compensate for the roundtrip latency and her punch-in performance was perfectly in time.

I'm so looking forward to that. It seems like black magic or voodoo because I did not have latency adjustments when I was using my M-Track, even with Reaper and it confounded me. Consequently I did not do much layered recording... or much recording at all. At the end of the M-Track's life I discovered how to reduce latency, but it seems that right then it decided to crap out. I think the latency in Reaper was 4.7ms. This whole thing is going to be a huge learning experience and I hope I don't get mentally exhausted before I start cranking out actual music.

One more thing... I will drag my Yamaha DX7 synth out of the closet and hook it up via the midi. What do I have to do if I want to create notation? So far I've done all that by hand or point-and-peck on simplistic transcription programs like MuseScore with no devices attached. How's your expertise in that department?

BTW... I don't know if you saw in the other thread, but I just posted the M4 is on the way. Thanks for your advice in helping my navigate through the options on which to choose.

 

[silky smoove]

It seems like black magic or voodoo because I did not have latency adjustments when I was using my M-Track, even with Reaper and it confounded me.

You should have had it. It’s not down to the individual interface, to my knowledge, but rather the DAW. I’m one of the few people that doesn’t like Reaper’s workflow so admittedly I’m not well versed in its deeper settings. You may have had to enable latency compensation within the software in order for it to work. The other DAWs I’ve worked in had it enabled by default. Could be worth looking into as you move forward.

I think the latency in Reaper was 4.7ms.

Some people will complain about this much latency, and while I always prefer to monitor before the AD conversion stage, I wouldn’t bat an eye at 4.7ms. If it were 8.7ms, okay now we’re talking about a problem, but I wouldn’t sweat 4.7ms... well... I wouldn’t sweat it TOO much

What do I have to do if I want to create notation?

Record a MIDI performance and send it to your notation software. That’s how it goes in Logic at least. A recorded MIDI part can be viewed on a piano roll or in the score editor for notation. Should be dead simple, but I can’t speak to other notation software. For what it’s worth, the notation software in Logic is absolute crap, so hopefully other platforms do a better job.

BTW... I don't know if you saw in the other thread, but I just posted the M4 is on the way. Thanks for your advice in helping my navigate through the options on which to choose.

I did see that. Congratulations. I’m sure you’ll really enjoy it. I recently switched from Apogee over to a MOTU 16A (plus outboard preamps, a monitor controller, a couple patchbays, etc.) and am very happy with it. MOTU customer service is very speedy in responses to technical questions and the quality of the conversion is absolutely wonderful.

 

[Guild B301]

I recommend the Steinberg. Also, IK Multimedia and ESI, both make great interfaces. Check those too.

 

[ToneMonkey]

Personally I think Presonus and Focusrite stuff is complete junk.

Maybe take a look at the RME Babyface Pro.

 

[jpeeze]

UA arrow with Luna if you don’t want any latency. Luna is awesome but you can only use UA interfaces.

 

[howardf]

Personally I think Presonus and Focusrite stuff is complete junk.

Maybe take a look at the RME Babyface Pro.

This is what's sitting on my desk, and I love it dearly, but shouldn't ever come up in any discussion where budget is a concern. It's >6X the price of the most expensive option he presented.

 

[vindibona1]

Personally I think Presonus and Focusrite stuff is complete junk.

Maybe take a look at the RME Babyface Pro.

I was curious because I hadn't heard of it before in my research. But is seems the Babyface Pro runs around $800. I don't think that's what the OP had in mind in terms of price point. I think he was looking in the $100 range.

 

[Remyd]

Sub'd, 'cause I want a new one.

Behringer 802 is not good enough.

 

[mrcbass]

Have you had chance to work with Studio One DAW, version that is packed with device?

Is it suitable enough for live recordings? With maybe couple of virtual instruments and effects that could support recording live basslines? I suppose that most of the software coming along with devices are some limited "teaser" versions or maybe more suitable to electronic music production. Since devices are very similiar, think it would be nice at least to choose the one with most comfortable DAW.

I use the Presonus Studio one that came with the Audio box, I have recorded a full band and had nearly 40 tracks on one song. I've upgraded to an 8 channel i/o device, but the 2 channel Audio box works just fine if you only need one or two channels at one time.

I use windows and did have some struggles getting things connected. I had a friend give me some tips and also found some decen online documents to help solve the issue. Once your set, the big thing to remember is to connect your audio interface before opening the DAW. After it's connected, it's fairly straight forward. This is my foray into recording and there was a bit of a learning curve, but I imagine that would be the case withi any of the multi-track DAWs. There are some features I'd like to have form the full version of StudioOne, but the free version has more bits than I'll ever use as it is.