USB Audio Interface..school me please.

[mmbongo]

Hey I'm a pretty computer savvy guy here....but I'm a big dummy when it comes to these things and I'm trying to figure out if I need a USB audio interface.

Here's what I want to do:
I want to play audio from my computer, and play along to it on bass via headphones.

Here's how I do it now:
Bass goes into a small mixer, mixer audio out goes to computer sound card input. Headphones connected to the sound card output.

Here's the problem with how I do it now:
Latency. Theres about a half second delay when playing bass, which makes it impossible to play. It's always an issue for me, and I have one old sound card that works fine but I have to spend about 2 days trying to make it work every time I install a clean Windows (which I do about once a year). The card is very old and the drivers are unstable and I'm sick of it crashing and I'm sick of dealing with it every time I want to do something.

I've tried about 5 sound cards now, and all of them have latency. Is there a sound card that does not have latency?

Barring that, do I need a USB Audio Interface? Will that fix the latency and allow me to mix my bass with the computer audio? This is also my gaming PC (not real serious stuff though) so will a USB audio interface replace a sound card? Something like this is what I'm talking about:

Mackie Onyx Artist 1-2 USB Audio Interface

Thanks for any info!

 

[JulienP.]

I never used a sound card for recording. I'm using audio interface for home recording for the last 15 years.

You are correct, I would advise you for an audio interface with direct monitoring possibility.
The one you linked seems to have this option. So you can hear yourself before the sound travel though the computer and back. This is good if you have an old computer that creates latency.
I have the Steinberg UR22 and I'm very happy with it, it's also in the bottom price list, mine came in with a free version of Cubase for recording.

Nowadays, with this type of audio interface, you should not suffer from any latency, even without using direct monitoring, except if you have an old computer (not enough RAM and old CPU).
To avoid any latency and record without direct monitoring, please at least get an I5 (or similar AMD) CPU with at least 8GB ram.

More you pay for the audio interface and better the preamp will be.

 

[Skybone]

If you're only playing bass, try looking at something like a Zoom B3 / Line6 PODxt (add the Bass Pack or get a Bass PODxt) or some other USB loaded amp modeler.

Plug your unit into the USB port on the PC, plug in your headphones and your bass into the modeler. PC recognizes the unit as the "soundcard", and plays back any audio through the unit. You play bass along with the track.

 

[Bodeeni]

The Audio interface becomes the sound card in the computer. You need one. I use a Presonus Audiobox, but also have used the MAudio scarlet and Line 6 Sonic Port VX. They all worked well. Minimal latency, around $100. I use this set up every day into the computer. I run Sonar and also Amplitude, but again there are many that will work fine. It takes a bit to learn how to get the setup right with the clock times and buffers.
here is a pic of the Scarlet solo setup. USB into laptop. Bass and headphones into interface.

 

[filmtex]

Hey I'm a pretty computer savvy guy here....but I'm a big dummy when it comes to these things and I'm trying to figure out if I need a USB audio interface.

Here's what I want to do:
I want to play audio from my computer, and play along to it on bass via headphones.

Thanks for any info!

No problem. Bypass your computer totally. I’ve been doing this for years with my iPad. I use this:

Vox AP2-BS $44.99 Works great. I plug a 3.5 mm cable from my iPad into the amplug, the amplug in to my bass and headphones into amplug. Has volume, tone and rhythms-four with tempo adjust. Sometimes I run it on the back of my GT-1B multi effects if I’m feeling really adventurous!
I live in an RV and don’t even own a desktop, just a MacBook Pro, which sits in a backpack most of the time. What is this “sound card” of which you speak.
If you do decide on an interface, I just bought one of these for my (work/day job) studio and my engineer says it works great.

Tascam US-16x08 $299. I’m also partial to PreSonus gear, just specing a PreSonus PA for a club a friend is building. Their interfaces are a bit more expensive, but work well. I like this one:

PreSonus Studio 1824 18x18, 192 kHz, USB 2.0 Recording Systems

 

[mmbongo]

Excellent info everybody! Thanks so much!

I've got a Focusrite Scarlett Solo on the way. One question about that....let's just forget about even playing guitar through it for now and just focus on the interface and the computer. Question is...even if I don't have a sound card in my computer, with this interface all I do is plug it into a USB port then plug headphones into the interface and I will hear all the audio from my computer?

 

[InhumanResource]

If you're only playing bass, try looking at something like a Zoom B3 / Line6 PODxt (add the Bass Pack or get a Bass PODxt) or some other USB loaded amp modeler.

Plug your unit into the USB port on the PC, plug in your headphones and your bass into the modeler. PC recognizes the unit as the "soundcard", and plays back any audio through the unit. You play bass along with the track.

Zoom B3 is a pretty good solution for this. I use one exactly like this too play along with tubes and jam tracks on YouTube. Works great with almost no setup work to do.

 

[PlatoFunFactory]

Sounds like you've already made a decision, but I'll point out that if you dont need to record, you could also run the sound out of your computer, into the mixer and use the mixer headphone outs. That would eliminate any latency issues entirely.

 

[equill]

I've got a Focusrite Scarlett Solo on the way. One question about that....let's just forget about even playing guitar through it for now and just focus on the interface and the computer. Question is...even if I don't have a sound card in my computer, with this interface all I do is plug it into a USB port then plug headphones into the interface and I will hear all the audio from my computer?

Yes. This is just another sound-card, which just so happens to be connected via USB.

 

[bass40hz]

iRig HD2. Rock on.

 

[mrcbass]

If you're not recording, you can simplify this a great deal. I have multiple devices that will allow me to pipe an audio input along with a bass signal and listen through headphones (2 full size amps, one little "Fly" amp, one of those little VOX headphone amps (shown by filmtex above) a mixer and a multi function-pedal board).

When I'm going headphone only, I usually use the Fly (used it this morning!) or the VOX. These aren't good for tone work (you get what you get), but great for working out lines and keeping in shape when you need to stay quiet while your neighbors sleep. Plug in any mp3/wav source and jam along with ease.

If you're trying to record, you'll need an audio interface for your computer. This adds a lot of power to your arsenal, but it also a bit frustrating to get set up and working right. I've ben using the Presonus audio interfaces for a couple of years now. I'd never use that just for jamming/practice because of the complexity of operation and volume is really low until you master stuff. It's not rocket science, but can be distracting. I guess it would work, but just so much hassle.

 

[azfatboy]

Question is...even if I don't have a sound card in my computer, with this interface all I do is plug it into a USB port then plug headphones into the interface and I will hear all the audio from my computer?

Yes! (assuming you have a PnP capable, recent OS version, which will install a universal driver)

 

[equill]

Here's what I want to do:
I want to play audio from my computer, and play along to it on bass via headphones.

Here's how I do it now:
Bass goes into a small mixer, mixer audio out goes to computer sound card input. Headphones connected to the sound card output.

I'm late to this party, but I'm confused as to why you'd do it that way around, instead of feeding both the computer and the bass through the mixer.

An even simpler option is the Amplug, mentioned above, which has a mixer built in. I use this myself, and it works nicely.

Is there a sound card that does not have latency?

Short answer: no.
Slightly longer answer: they all introduce latency, some just introduce more than others. Part of it's down to the card, part to the computer, and part to the way they're connected. USB introduces the most, which is why I'm still using a decade-old Firewire device. A soundcard (audio interface, same thing) connected via PCIe appears to be best at the moment, but that depends on your budget.

 

[mmbongo]

Sounds like you've already made a decision, but I'll point out that if you dont need to record, you could also run the sound out of your computer, into the mixer and use the mixer headphone outs. That would eliminate any latency issues entirely.

I actually did this and it worked...however I also am very critical of sound quality as I also use this system to listen to music via headphones and when I did this I lost all the sound quality. In fact I think I lost stereo because I could no longer pan from left to right and everything sounded like it was run through a compressor. This probably has everything to do with my crappy Behringer mixer....which I hope I can ditch with this audio interface.

I do record also, but not a whole lot. It would be nice to have the option.

 

[mmbongo]

I'm late to this party, but I'm confused as to why you'd do it that way around, instead of feeding both the computer and the bass through the mixer.

Sound quality, essentially. Check the post directly above this one.

 

[azfatboy]

I assume you got the newer 2nd gen focusrite. If so, you should have no noticeable latency, for listening or recording. I think you're gonna like it.

 

[mmbongo]

I assume you got the newer 2nd gen focusrite. If so, you should have no noticeable latency, for listening or recording. I think you're gonna like it.

Yep, 2nd gen.

Also, while we're here...PC speed has been mentioned a few times. That's not an issue. Last year I built in i5 with 32 gigs of DDR4 memory.

At the time, I installed the fastest hard drives I could find which were Toshiba P300's at around 200mb/s on read/write. Then after a while I changed to a Solid State SATA drive which was a big improvement and measured around 500mb/s on read, but only around 75mb/s on reading...which seems to be normal for Sandisk SSD's. Now last week I took advantage of my M2 slot and installed an Adata XPG M2 Nand SSD...3000mb/s read and write! Needless to say, this thing smokes. Windows boots instantly, it's really a revelation. If you're not running some form of SSD...make the switch for sure.

 

[Bassbeater]

If you already have a mixer. set up your computer's audioi out to one stereo channel in on the mixer. Put your bass signal on another mono channel. Latency solved.
-also get a usb audio interface because the sound quality is much better.
I recommend an m-audio m-track mkii for light duty. With this device you can play along with zero latency and get rid of the mixer and all cables except usb and bass out.

 

[Medicine Man]

Excellent info everybody! Thanks so much!

I've got a Focusrite Scarlett Solo on the way. One question about that....let's just forget about even playing guitar through it for now and just focus on the interface and the computer. Question is...even if I don't have a sound card in my computer, with this interface all I do is plug it into a USB port then plug headphones into the interface and I will hear all the audio from my computer?

Yes. An audio interface functions as an external sound card. All you have to do is plug it into the USB, and I believe the drivers will auto load with the focusrite. You may need to go into your audio settings and select your scarlet as the input and output device.

 

[J Posega]

Excellent info everybody! Thanks so much!

I've got a Focusrite Scarlett Solo on the way. One question about that....let's just forget about even playing guitar through it for now and just focus on the interface and the computer. Question is...even if I don't have a sound card in my computer, with this interface all I do is plug it into a USB port then plug headphones into the interface and I will hear all the audio from my computer?

Since you're using Windows, you'll likely need to download the proper drivers to make it work. Asio4All often gets mentioned in the cases of people using a USB interface with a Windows machine.

Focusrite may offer drivers for download from their website, and you'll likely need to select the interface as your sound input/output source in your machine's settings.