Help me navigate an upgrade

jpenns

Member
I record mostly myself and small groups I know. I've been using a Windows PC forever but need to get more mobile. I have a high powered MacBook Pro already so I'm going to use that.

My current chain is:

Preamps: Neve Portico Duo, M-Audio Octane
Interface: Motu 24i (not the 24I/O)
Software: Reaper

I got a crazy deal on the 24i but it's a weird interface. It only has two outputs, so I run those into a Behringer HA4700 headphone amp to get multiple headphone levels and can send a separate level through that to my monitors.

Thing is I don't really need more than 4 inputs anymore. I hardly ever record drums. If I do I can rent or borrow equipment. So I'm thinking I need an interface that has two mic pres, and two separate line inputs, so I can use my two Neve channels and get a total of four simultaneous inputs.

And since I'm switching to Mac im thinking of buying Logic. I want to get more into MIDI instruments and I've always been intimidated by them. I hear Logic makes that easier.

Any suggestions? I want to do this on minimal budget without degrading my signal chain, which starts pretty awesome with those Neve's. I can sell equipment like the m-audio etc to make this happen.
 
Hmm. Good question. I don't think I really care. My MBP shouldn't have a problem with any of those, and I doubt I'm gonna notice huge speed issues with four channels.

Am I wrong? Should I care?
 
Hi,
It only really matters what ports are available to you and whether you're looking for cross-platform compatibility or not.

If you have them all available and it's one interface for your computer only, I recommend firewire for a few reasons.
If you already use some USB devices then FW keeps the audio on a totally dedicated bus.
It's notoriously stable on OSX and there's plenty of options (motu/presonus/etc), with current driver support, available.

If you think you might move between your machine and others, particularly windows boxes, USB would be the more compatible option
as firewire is much less common and much more fussy on the the windows side.

TB is still relatively new and, to be honest, I don't really have any experience with TB interfaces.

Speed wise, no. There's not going to be any measurable speed difference.

The only interface I have first hand experience of is the Presonus Firestudio Mobile.
It has 6 line inputs and two preamps, which is more than you asked for, but you're not really paying a premium for it.
It's very solid, metal chassis, and I've always been happy with it.
 
Two mic/line ins, two balanced line ins, MIDI, S/PDIF, excellent (CL) converters, solid drivers, mac friendly? NI KA6, no brainer.

Dave.

---------- Update ----------

Oh! And FOUR balanced outputs.

Dave.
 
Aha! "It" has never done that before..Updated my post. I did not attempt to edit.

Has somebody been tinkering under the bonnet? (aka hood but that means a bad person here)

Dave.
 
Heh, yeah...Hood isn't a good thing here either.

No, no tinkering. I think it only shows as an update if you reply back to back within a minute.

---------- Update ----------

Testing the theory...
 
Aha! "It" has never done that before..Updated my post. I did not attempt to edit.

Has somebody been tinkering under the bonnet? (aka hood but that means a bad person here)

Dave.

A hood is bad in the US. The hood, if you have to look probably isn't good either ;)
 
ecc83 / Dave,

Do you use the NI audio 6 on a Mac? How have you found the drivers? After researching this a bit, that's the main concern I have about this unit. Lots of complaints about popping and audio cutting out.
 
ecc83 / Dave,

Do you use the NI audio 6 on a Mac? How have you found the drivers? After researching this a bit, that's the main concern I have about this unit. Lots of complaints about popping and audio cutting out.

No, I have SEEN a mac, never TOUCHED one! I don't know of anybody that uses a KA6 on a mac. Know a guy that runs one very well in Linux.

I do know that Pete of Scan fame has a KA6 so I shall post a question on your behalf on SoS forum, PDQ.

Dave.
 
No, I have SEEN a mac, never TOUCHED one! I don't know of anybody that uses a KA6 on a mac. Know a guy that runs one very well in Linux.

I do know that Pete of Scan fame has a KA6 so I shall post a question on your behalf on SoS forum, PDQ.

Dave.

Thanks!
 
Update: I have had a reply from a KA6 on mac user at Sound on Sound forum.
No pops, no crackles no bother. In fact the only problem he had was the output level was too hot for his rather old Dynaudio monitors and restricted the range of the output pot!
A problem easily fixed of course with some in line attenuators.

Dave.
 
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