Which Audio Interface?

[MATTICUS]

Hi, i am setting up a home studio and have so far purchased some KRK Rokit RP8 G2 Monitor Speakers, AKAI MPK49 Midi Keyboard and now need to decide on an audio interface to connect to my pc, my budget is about £250 for an interface.

I have read some good reviews on focusrite interfaces and they seem to have good pre-amps too.

I'm thinking of the Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP.

I'll mainly be recording on my own using the midi keyboard, guitar, bass and vocals mostly seperately but occasionaly maybe i'll record 2 instruments at the same time for a jamming session.

What are your views on this audio interface and do you have any other suggestions?

Thank you

[Dolce]

Since you will be recording bass - I suggest you add a sub -woofer - cos bass guitar frequencies go lower than the 45hz - which the KRKS deliver. Another option is to swap/upgrade the KRKS for Mackie HR824's which will give you more bass extension.

You can't really go wrong with the Focusrite Audio Interface -

Personally I love the Lexicon interfaces - cos they give me another great reverb option. There is something quite magical about Lexicon Reverbs.

[Timothy]

Hi Matticus, Great question and always a hot topic on a lot of forums. I like to use Line6 interfaces, because it has virtually "0" Latency with the "tone direct monitoring", which a lot of interfaces don't, it works well with midi in the low latency department as well. It also comes with Pod Farm, which has guitar and vocal effects, and the GUI is great. The UX-1 allows for guitar and mike input at the same time. There's even one with a midi controller built in. Heres a link if you want to check them out. http://line6.com/products/recording/ And no I don't work for them or am I an affiliate. I just like there products for ease of use, and stability. Also check out Zzounds.com, they have the play as you go option on purchases over $249.00+, where they break your payments into 4 smaller payments. I think the Focusrite has the firewire input which the line6 does not if that is important. That's my 2 cents for what its worth in todays economy. Hope this helped.

[edshaw]

Recording Bass

I love my Alesis components.

Yes, recording the bass with a HD based recorder is a hot topic.

Read the suggestions carefully. Find out what the problems are. Talk to some professionals to see what they do.

You know, with the variety of EQ, simulation, and other signal processing tools so readily available, you may not be using that bass like you do in a club or performance venue. You may find that keyboard can generate all the signal you will ever need.

The last thing you want to do is blow out a soundcard with a Fender Bass.

Edited October 9, 2011 by edshaw

[oconnema10]

I've used Alesis for live sound but not yet for recording. Does anyone have a preference on the best RECORDING interface brand?

[john]

For flexibility, ease of use and shear processing power, for me it has to be Creamware cards. I still have 2 cards that use the old ISA 32 bit interface I bought in 2000 and they still blow the pants of any mid-range card of today. I had two cards worth about £2000 in the year 2000 and here we are more than 11 years later and they are still brilliant. Price wise that puts them a good bit cheaper than RME, or Digidesign for Protools, but more expensive than MOTU or focusrite etc.

Apart from their cost, much of what has put people off buying creamware was the amount of issues there were with belief that the company would still be around. I think it was sold twice, but they are still developing knock out cards.

I could get an upgrade, but even that is too much for my current finances, so I'm using a 1616M on one machine and a MOTU 828Mk2 on another.

Oh, I would avoid buying firewire interfaces now lol

[Prometheus]

I've used Alesis for live sound but not yet for recording. Does anyone have a preference on the best RECORDING interface brand?

MAudio for me... I've been using MAudio interfaces for ten years now, the Delta 1010.

[Vlady]

What do you think about apogee one?

[Triode]

Regarding latency, Presonus is a good one to go for since they also make recording software. In Studio One you can set up the sends on tracks to address the interface directly so that you have no latency whatsoever while tracking. You're monitoring the mic signals where they hit the interface rather than thru the software but controlling the level to your headphones in the software. Practical design - but you need to have a Presonus interface for it to work with Studio One as a DAW.

[IKONE]

its been a long time since 2011, triode. ...

Anyways...

Agree with triode .

Presonus audiointerface + studio one is what my friend ist working with. usb and firewire versions are available. If you

buy an audiointerface, "studio one artist" comes with it. Artist means that you cant use external plugins and has not internal mastering but you can upgrade to "producer" to get it working.

Not to mention that he still uses Artist version. its more than enough if your not a plugin freak.

here are the audiointerfaces

http://www.presonus....cording-Systems

and these are the versions of the DAW

http://studioone.presonus.com/shop/

P.S. the devs were working for steinberg.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Andre Fischer

[Jeremy Wright]

I bought an Presonus AudioBox 1818 back around Christmas to use with Logic Pro 9.  It comes with some software that allows you add EQ and Compression while you are recording.  It was very frustrating to start with because every track I recorded would have tons of pops and clicks!  After a few months of searching, I was finally able to find an update to get rid of the pops and clicks.  Everything works great now.  I love the interface. 

Edited April 29, 2013 by Jeremy Wright

[JackHalkabar]

I really don't wanna ruin the party but i got my M-audio 1010LT for $100 on eBay ($200 brand new!)

 

8 analog ins (2 balanced w/ mic preamps and 6 lines)

8 analog outs

2 digital in

2 digital outs

midi i/o

world clock i/o

zero latency direct monitoring (w/ hardware mixer!)

sample rates up to 96k

custom asio driver allowing up to 4096 samples WDM buffer size for some crazy processing

individual phase-shift on every ins, you can even combine them into more balanced pairs...

+

It can be combined w/ any other M-audio delta cards!!

 

Almost forgot, it works no problem on 64bit OS..

 

Come on, recording up to 8 individual tracks at once with zero latency monitoring...($200 )

 

The only downside might be that it's not providing phantom power, but i use my external preamp anyways.. (M-audio Audiobuddy)

 

Edited May 7, 2013 by JackHalkabar

[Guest]

Oh  mod-e-ra-tors...

 

Why is this post still active? It's TWO YEARS old!

 

I kinda think the OP has their interface by now, hmm?

[Prometheus]

Other people may need audio interfaces.

[Guest]

Of course... But the OP was asking a rather specific question. Anybody needing similar advice would probably fare better if they asked anew. I think so anyway... My 3¢...

[Ryan Halsey]

Ive heard good things about the apogee interfaces, i think if you only need two inputs that would be a great way to go. Personally ive used the M audio fast track pro which to me seems like the best of the bunch and good value for money for a two input interface.

 

I personally use a presonus firestudio as im often using 6-8 inputs, i really like the fact theres a possibility of running 10 inputs on this interface and that you can switch the phantom power in pairs.

 

Ryan