Need help choosing a sound card (Audio Interface) with 4 xlr inputs.

Dryzon said:
I thought about using lav mics but since we are going to be sitting talking about stuff I think LDC mics on legit mounts would be better for both sound quality and aesthetic.

EDIT: If I were to go with Lav Mics, what's the setup going to be like there? Still need the same kind of mixer? Lav Mics connect with 3.5mm jacks right? And there needs to be a low voltage supplied to them in order to work through the input right? Where would I connect them? And the camera isn't an option as of now. Any you would recommend?
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It depends on the lav mics and how they will be used. The majority of lavs you see on TV or in theatre are used as radio mics. Connectors CAN be 3.5 mm (usually for cheaper transmit packs) but things like mini-XLR, LEMO and a host of others. In the radio mic world, the transmit pack provides bias power for the electret condenser.

Sony used to sell ECM 77 lavs designed for cable use. these had an adaptor at the end of the cable, allowing the mic to work from AA batteries or from standard phantom from a mixer.

I'm a fan of lavs for the right purposes but it can take some fiddling and changing of connectors to make them work in a "normal" situation.
 
Regarding the AKAI EIE Pro, I was using this with my Macbook Pro and Logic X. I liked it until I tried dumping four tracks simultaneously from an old Tascam 4-track cassette deck.

I can't remember exactly what the problem was, but there was an unacceptable amount of noise generated during the process, probably due to a buffer issue, and I don't believe I was capturing at anything more than 48 kHz/20-bit.

It was at that point that I realized I hadn't read the specs close enough and bought a USB 2.0 interface.

I ended-up capturing the audio on my Tascam DP-24, bought a Focusrite Clarett 4Pre and the Akai EIE Pro is now on eBay getting bid-on.
 
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"It was at that point that I realized I hadn't read the specs close enough and bought a USB 2.0 interface."

Are you saying Ode' that a USB 2.0 interface CANNOT send 4 high quality analogue tracks out? If so not true in the slightest degree.
My KA6 can certainly do that as I am sure would my F'rtie 8i6 (not tried). There are many, many USB 2.0 interfaces that can handle vast numbers of tracks USB ONE-ONE was very limited but TWO is only hampered by the crap drivers the AI manfctrs supply cos they are C.H.E.A.P!

When the EIE was trumpeted at a Winter NAAM some years ago I was very interested as I needed a way to get 4 tracks in and out of a Teac A3440 but Akai sat on the thing for six months then for over a year I tried but failed to get any decent info on performance. Since then I have read snippets of problems but the thing does not seem to have sold well.

I would still like to try one out and keep a weather eye on my local Cash Gen shop.

Dave.
 
Bobbs, by 'lavs' do y'all mean 'tie tack' mics? See. a Lavalier microphone means to me a thing on a string (like a Xpistol!) I fact I still have a Geloso M11/167 hanging up in my 'studio', not tried it for years but lavs were by default always a bit 'dim'.
It is a 16 Ohm capsule some 32mm dia' by 35mm L. I see I have pinched the XLR of it so I will have to sort that. Might give it a blow later.

Maplin do a couple of smallish clip on mics that take a 3V Lithium coin cell. Not bad for £25 or so and you can impedance balance them into an XLR with 100 Ohms. Better to use a traff of course.

Dave.
 
Bobbsy said:
It depends on the lav mics and how they will be used. The majority of lavs you see on TV or in theatre are used as radio mics. Connectors CAN be 3.5 mm (usually for cheaper transmit packs) but things like mini-XLR, LEMO and a host of others. In the radio mic world, the transmit pack provides bias power for the electret condenser.

Sony used to sell ECM 77 lavs designed for cable use. these had an adaptor at the end of the cable, allowing the mic to work from AA batteries or from standard phantom from a mixer.

I'm a fan of lavs for the right purposes but it can take some fiddling and changing of connectors to make them work in a "normal" situation.
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I think I might go with the Audio Technica PRO70 and the Behringer mixer we were talking about above. It has an xlr input and the sound quality is pretty solid. This of course implies I go the lav mic route.
 
I've watched my share of low budget video talk shows and I have to say that there's one thing makes them unbearable: huge variations in audio levels. Aggressive compression would make a huge difference in the quality of the experience, more than LDC mics or the ability to mix the audio later. I would rather watch a show with basic dynamic mics covered with foam windscreens and tightly controlled levels than one with LDC mics and levels all over the place.

That suggests going with 2-channel recording and real time compression. There are three ways to get that done: Analog mixer with outboard compression, analog mixer with built-in compression (Yamaha offers such) or digital mixer with built-in effects. Combine any of those with a decent 2-channel interface. The Yamaha MG12XU, which has 6 mic inputs (4 with compression) and a USB connection, gets it done in one box. I don't know about availability, but that would be my choice.
 
I often find sweet****er vids pretty crappy. More the live vids, of course, but it makes me wonder. hahaha

The basic Behringer 1204usb is $150 and there are three more modeles priced to $230.

If the poster is looking at the basic fader mixer, what is it that justifies the cost of the Yama-hoho. I thought I was stretching it with the Behringer x1222usb - which I noted was eu185 at thomann de and thinking there is extra routing for a bargain price. live mixer ?
 
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