Cheap audio interface advice

[ObeyDaRiffness]

Hi. I gotta record a bass solo with a humbucking passive pickup. Which audio interface is better for this purpose?
Buy Scarlett Solo 2nd Gen | The Official Focusrite Store
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[jdthebassman]

I use an apogee duet for my mac the sound is awesome worth spending the money for

 

[bholder]

I have the Scarlett 2i4 and like it a lot for whatever that's worth.

 

[Mcgiver69]

I would say the Scarlett is the way to go, the mic preamps are great and it just works no questions asked. Now if you don't mind the brand then the Behringer UM22 or UM2 are cheap as a bag of doritos and sound really good.

 

[DigitalMan]

Another vote for Scarlett.

 

[stevenA800]

Scarlett is easy to use and trouble free.

 

[BigBasserino]

Hi. I gotta record a bass solo with a humbucking passive pickup. Which audio interface is better for this purpose?
Buy Scarlett Solo 2nd Gen | The Official Focusrite Store
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Most people nowadays seem to prefer to the Scarlett stuff. They claim to have the lowest latency, managed by a driver that you load before you connect your interface, that detects what inputs you're using (I have a Scarlett myself). For a while I thought it would be cool to have a line 6 considering in my early days I was big on the whole distorted bass sound....but if I can do it all with plugins....why spend the extra money?

 

[MattB88]

The newer Scarlett's are solid for the price. The weak link is the A/D converter as you would expect at the price point. So the low end will distort and breakup at lower levels than with something with a better A/D converter allowing for more headroom along with many other things that the A/D affects. That said the Scarlett's A/D converter is based on a Cirrus design that really is a solid design at this price point.

 

[stevenA800]

That said the Scarlett's A/D converter is based on a Cirrus design that really is a solid design at this price point.

Do you know what A/D the Clarett's are based on ?

 

[MattB88]

Do you know what A/D the Clarett's are based on ?

I believe it's based on a Cirrus design as well just a better chip as you'd expect. The more you pay the better quality you get.

 

[BigBasserino]

I believe it's based on a Cirrus design as well just a better chip as you'd expect. The more you pay the better quality you get.

Is that really the case tho in a world of plugins and virtual studio tech? I have an m-audio fast track and a scarlett 18i8 (I think)....the scarlett Jacks up the input volume without clipping but idk I still think it just sounds like my bass. I think it's the amp simulations/impulses.

 

[MattB88]

Is that really the case tho in a world of plugins and virtual studio tech? I have an m-audio fast track and a scarlett 18i8 (I think)....the scarlett Jacks up the input volume without clipping but idk I still think it just sounds like my bass. I think it's the amp simulations/impulses.

Gain staging is critical. Which will certainly correlate directly with circuit modeled plugins and impulse based files as well. Analog modeling has a completely different response to how the waveform is distorted and depending on the gain staging you could definitely overdrive an amp model before clipping the A to D.

 

[Element Zero]

Another vote for the Scarlett. Presonus Audiobox works good for me.

 

[silky smoove]

It seems like most everything in the price point of the Scarlett interfaces (Focusrite, Presonus, Mackie, etc.) all use some variation on Cirrus Logic converters. They're not going to blow away the most seasoned of studio veterans, but for consumer and prosumer applications they're more than sufficient.

 

[Ulf_Hansson]

Of the two in your list I'd also get the Scarlett. Good all-purpose value for money.

 

[EastCoastThump]

+1 to Silky Smoove.

Also, for that ballpark price, keep an eye out for older 8-channel Presonus firewire interfaces. I've been seeing lots of budget-friendly used Firepods. Add a Thunderbolt adapter (if your Mac or Powerbook doesn't have a firewire port), and you've got much more flexible tracking options.