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looking for a audio interface

Davebass

Davebass

Jul 14, 2006
230
14
Newcastle England
#1
i know you probobally get a lot of threads asking about different gear, but i need to know for sure before i buy things (im a bit compulsive sometimes)

im looking for a audio interface (usb) that will give me good quality recordings (i have a mate who spend £15 on a sound card and he gets quality like nothing ive tryed under £500). ill need a XLR I/O, 1/4" Jack I/O, Midi would be a bonus but not essential. im looking to spend £100 ($190ish?) but ill spend £150 if there is something worth the £50 extra.

could anyone recommend me something because no matter what i look at i always feel ill regret buying it if its not what im after.

Cheers in advance

Dave
 
#5
These units tend to be similarly priced from one another. The thing to think about is USB (cheaper) or Firewire (Faster and more $$) This is the type of bus the unit uses to speak to the CPU.

What you will find is that you can find a USB unit at the price you are looking to spend with the features you specified. You will get some latency or lag time. This is a pain in the ass. Monitoring through your recording software will reveal a delay time that makes it very distracting and difficult to play.

A Firewire unit will also have latency but not nearly as much and this is much easier to live with. The difference? you guessed it.... more money.

I monitor a mix of direct signal and processed signal and the interface will allow you to mix that so any slight delay can be mixed to a point of a non-issue.

That my $.02

Hope that helps
 
#7
emils said:
^
FYI most of the new USB interfaces use USB2 which is just as fast if not faster then Firewire.
Click to expand...

However, USB transfers data via packets, where as Firewire is more like a stream--much better as an audio interface. That's why you'll notice lots of small files copy off of a USB harddrive very fast, but when it comes to copying large files, Firewire is SO much faster than USB2.
 
#8
geoffkhan said:
However, USB transfers data via packets, where as Firewire is more like a stream--much better as an audio interface. That's why you'll notice lots of small files copy off of a USB harddrive very fast, but when it comes to copying large files, Firewire is SO much faster than USB2.
Click to expand...

I do agree with you, FW uses "peer to peer" protocol where USB2 uses "master-slave" system and FW interfaces would be preferable in a professional environment. However in OP's case I wouldn't dismiss a USB2 interface especially considering price bracket he is talking about.
 
#10
emils said:
I do agree with you, FW uses "peer to peer" protocol where USB2 uses "master-slave" system and FW interfaces would be preferable in a professional environment. However in OP's case I wouldn't dismiss a USB2 interface especially considering price bracket he is talking about.
Click to expand...

A valid point. I've used USB interfaces, and they can be good for smaller projects.
 
#11
Dbassmon said:
That has not been my experience with streaming audio. Firewire blows USB away. I wouldn't dismiss USB but if the extra dollars are available, firewire is a better way to go, especially if you start to really get into serious recording. IMO
Click to expand...

As I said before, I do agree that FW is better and I wouldn't use anything else if I was tracking 8+ signals at once. I use a Tascam FW1804. For a two in two out interface like what the OP is looking for even USB1 should do just fine. The Line6 interface that I linked to in my first response to this tread is USB2, there is also a lot of usefull software bundled with it especially if you are recording bass and fitts the price range. I don't know of any other interface that provides a software package as usefull to a bass or guitar player and in that price bracket but if anyone else does please let the OP know.
 
#15
Presonus Inspire?

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It doesnt have MIDI, but you can get USB-MIDI cables for pretty cheap :)





M-Audio Fast Track Pro?

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USB, i personally prefer Firewire, but a friend of mine has one of these, and its pretty good :) , we recorded a live house party gig with it last week (very basically) no issues with it at all! And within the price range.





If you want to save a bit, you could get the normal M-Audio Fast Track

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But its alot more basic, alot of the features are missing (and no MIDI).
 
#16
If you can go Firewire, get the Mackie Onyx Satellite - going for £120 nowadays. I have one and does the job perfectly for cheap recording of vocals and guitars with the best pre-amps you can buy for that kinda money. No MIDI though, but you can always buy a £20 USB MIDI interface if you ever get round to needing one.
 

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