• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Need help choosing a USB interface.

S

scsm

Jul 26, 2009
127
1
38
Manhattan, KS
#1
Currently I have a BR5-32 standalone recorder I picked up about 5-6 years ago, it was worked well so far but lately I have been playing around with FL Studio making lots of drum beats and its been very time consuming to convert all the drum tracks to .wav then send them over to the BR5-32 unit and lay down Bass, Guitar, and possibly vocals then having to upload everything to my computer and use Sonar to mix it all down.

I was looking at USB units, and I'm hoping to spend under $100, I know that really limits my options but thats about all I can do.

Right now I'm looking at the M-Audio Fast Track Pro because that has been mentioned a lot but if anyone has another alternative that would be great, but it seems like what I've found on here the F.T.P. is the cheapest USB recording option.

I am also really hoping for people to post a couple samples, the one problem I always had with the BR-532 was the bass always sounded lifeless and really didn't have much low end. Do you also recommend I get some kind of DI box for my bass if I do get the M-Audio? My main bass is active if that helps.

I'm also running Windows XP with 1 gig of ram, do you think I would have any latency issues with recording into Sonar?

I know this has been discussed to death and the only reason I'm posting a new thread is to get samples so I can compare what I have now and also hopefully someone has insight on my latency question.
 
#4
I've had a few usb interfaces and always seemed to have problems with them, so I finally switched to a firewire interface and have had no problems at all. I'm even using it on a pretty slow/old computer. It might be worth it to just wait a while and save up for a firewire interface. I got my presonus inspire 1394 interface for less than 150.00 on ebay and love it. Out of all of the usb interfaces I had though, I liked the lexicon alpha the most. It was actually pretty good quality and I didn't have many latency problems with it, but some once in a while. That interface is only 80.00 though, so it's in your range. It doesn't have phantom power though. :/
 
#5
americanmusical.com has the Tascam 122L for 80 bucks right now. Just picked it up and works really well for a inexpensive USB 2 interface. Tascam just announced a new model but the specs are the same it looks like only cosmetic changes. I could be wring but its a great little unit, quiet phantom powered mike inputs, line/guitar and Midi. Pretty sweet deal if you just want to dip your feet in the USB interfaces
 
#7
scsm said:
You wouldn't happen to have any samples of stuff you've done with it would you?
Click to expand...

I don't think there's that much useful info you can get from demo's of gear like that, a really cheap interface coupled with a nice pre amp, nice mic and someone who knows exactly where to place it can sound great! likewise a really really top interface with bad pre amp, bad mic bad placement or just simply one of the above will never sound good!

what that means is that the difference in sound between two samples of different gear, even if both samples were from the same person, will almost certainly not be because of the interface, not untill you get to a very high level anyway! It would be bad to buy an interface on the strength of a sample only to realise that the reason the sample sounded so good was that the person using it knew there stuff!

the main component for the 'quality' of sound in an interface is the A/D converter, and the A/D converter is quite far down the chain in terms of how much it affects the quality of the recordings, especially at the beginner stages. As well as this, the A/D converters in most of the lower priced interfaces are pretty similar, they all do a decent job for little money these days.

So my suggestion is pick an interface which simply has the inputs/outputs and extra features that you think you will find the most useful and then learn where to place a mic, how to set a compressor etc. the fun bit is learning how to use all these tools!
 
#9
scsm said:
Thanks Charling!

I will probably pick up a Lexicon Alpha next paycheck. Would I need a preamp with this? I didn't think you needed one with a USB recorder.
Click to expand...

no probs!

if you want to use a mic, you will need a preamp, no matter WHAT setup you are using, the pre simply amplifies the microphone to a 'normal' recording level. A lot of little interfaces come with a pre amp or two built in, I don't think the lexicon alpha does, which means that you will be fine for plugging an instrument straight in but if you want to get into using a mic you will need to 'pre amp' it in some way, either by getting a little mixer with pre amps (probably the most cost effective) or by buying a dedicated pre (best results, probably lest cost effective) etc etc.

if you think you want to use mics, but don't want to start investing in a multi part setup i'd buy an interface with preamps ie mic inputs.

the only exception to this that I can think of is a usb mic, which is a sort of mic, preamp and A/D all in one, and as such each stage is severely compromised in the name of simplicity.

EDIT - bear in mind its an interface is not a usb recorder, the interface doesn't record anything, the program on your computer does! the interface simply converts the analog audio signal to digital and then passes it to your recording software where the computer and hard drive does the actual 'recording'. I only mention it because when people say "recorder these days they normally mean an all in one, hand held device, like a modern dictophone, which then connects to computer via usb to transfer the recorded files!
 
#12
Charling is definitely right. Different people are likely to get different results with the same interface depending on how they record and what mics they use etc. The lexicon alpha does have a mic preamp, so you wouldn't need to worry about getting a seperate preamp. You would need a seperate phantom power supply though if you plan on using condenser mics since they require phantom power. I'll check if I have any samples that I've recorded with the lexicon. How would you like me to send them to you?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back