Which audio interface should I invest in?

R

Rachel Philipp

New member
Hey everyone. I'm a music business student beginning to study audio engineering and putting together my own studio. I currently have a Behringer Xenyx 802 interface, but as I've learned more about audio interfaces, I think I need to invest in something better for greater sound quality.

I have a small budget right now - so something from $150 and below. I use Logic Pro X. I have a ShureSM58-X2u dynamic mic and two MXL condenser
mics that will need phantom power. I also record guitar and midi. (I currently use the interface that came with my Shure mic when I record vocals - but I also have XLR cables to connect the mic to a different interface.)

What interface do you guys think would give me the most professional sound for my situation? Thanks so much!
 
Hi there,
I think, in the price range, I'd just focus on functionality meeting your needs rather than quality.
What is the model of the interface you have? Does it have all the I/O you require?

If not, work out how many simultaneous mic inputs you're going to need and just shop with that in mind.

There's a stack of budget options out there from Tascam, Presonus, NI...Lots of companies.

If you're still looking for a practical way to improve sound quality within your budget, a great place to start is with the environment and instruments.
Those two things combined are the source and if the source is compromised you'll always be at a disadvantage.

What's your recording room like?
 
Last edited:
hah Since when is a crap game an investment ?

It is not clear to me that you can buy a better interface. And by that I mean, it seems they are just tacking on features as the price goes up. The xenyx preamps are long in the tooth, but they still represent the low-end state of the art.

You can get different and arguably better in that price range. Is that what you want to spend $150 on ? The new Behringer now have Midas preamps and that would be one of the newest of the low-end marvels.

Make sure there are drivers for your computer and your hardware meets requirements. Having a better sounding card ain't worth much if it hardly works on your particular rig

Sonic LAB: Steinberg UR22 MK2 Review - YouTube
 
Thanks for your response! I definitely am not impressed by the Xenyx mic preamp within the Behringer interface, and the interface itself as a whole. My dream is to get my hands on a Neve 1073 and a UA Apollo. However, those two are way out of my budget for the time being.

With that said, ideally, I'd like to buy an outboard mic pre and a quality interface with or without preamps. The reason I'm mentioning this is because I'm not totally fixed upon purchasing an interface with preamps installed in it. I'd rather separate the two for more control and better sound tonally.

Forgive me for this, I'm still learning - What kind of computer requirements should I be paying attention to when purchasing my equipment? I have a 21.5 inch Mac, 4GB memory and 500GB storage. I can always install more if need be. Thank you for reminding me of this, it probably will save me lots of trouble.
 
Rachel Philipp said:
Thanks for your response! I definitely am not impressed by the Xenyx mic preamp within the Behringer interface, and the interface itself as a whole. My dream is to get my hands on a Neve 1073 and a UA Apollo. However, those two are way out of my budget for the time being.

With that said, ideally, I'd like to buy an outboard mic pre and a quality interface with or without preamps. The reason I'm mentioning this is because I'm not totally fixed upon purchasing an interface with preamps installed in it. I'd rather separate the two for more control and better sound tonally.

Forgive me for this, I'm still learning - What kind of computer requirements should I be paying attention to when purchasing my equipment? I have a 21.5 inch Mac, 4GB memory and 500GB storage. I can always install more if need be. Thank you for reminding me of this, it probably will save me lots of trouble.
Click to expand...

Ok, I understand where you're coming from.
As you say, there's a big jump between $150 and outboard Neve stuff. :p

Having more control and better sound as a result of discrete components is debatable.
Sure, it depends what you have and how you use it, but an all-in-one interface from Apogee or RME, for example, is going to be a cut above what most home-recordists are using.
We're still talking about 10X your budget, though.

How many simultaneous mic inputs are you likely to want in the near future?
If the answer is more than two I think I'd pick up something used from Presonus or Tascam with enough preamps to cover you until you can afford a more substantial upgrade

Computer wise, you really just need to make sure your chosen interface has the right bus for your computer (FW/TB/USB) and up to date drivers for your OS.
 
Last edited:
Rachel Philipp said:
Thanks for your response! I definitely am not impressed by the Xenyx mic preamp within the Behringer interface, and the interface itself as a whole. My dream is to get my hands on a Neve 1073 and a UA Apollo. However, those two are way out of my budget for the time being.

With that said, ideally, I'd like to buy an outboard mic pre and a quality interface with or without preamps. The reason I'm mentioning this is because I'm not totally fixed upon purchasing an interface with preamps installed in it. I'd rather separate the two for more control and better sound tonally.
Click to expand...


Here is the thing man, a decent interface in the $600 to $1000 range is going to sound great on it's own and have ability to use high end preamps on the way in.

That being said, I have quite good interfaces and to be honest, the $1800 Neve clone I love and use is maybe 5% better than the built in preamps. But that depends on what I am using it for. It rocks for solid clean gain and has a bit of character, but not something I would suggest to someone who was looking for great sound. Not unless they already had the experience to know why they wanted it. Plus there is the budget...

And so wait, you have a Behringer interface? I am not sure that you have ever made that clear.
 
.." I definitely am not impressed by the Xenyx mic preamp within the Behringer interface, and the interface itself as a whole".

That's the 802. I'm not sure what you were expecting : )

Here are the requirements for the Apogee Duet;
[h=3]System Requirements[/h] [h=4]Mac OS:[/h]
  • Computer: Intel Mac 1.5GHz or faster
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM minimum, 4 GB recommended
  • OS: 10.6.8, 10.7.5 or greater
  • Connection and power: Any available USB port on a Mac
    (USB bus powered; DC power optional)
 
I'm not a Xenyx fan but, frankly, with a budget of only $150 you're not going to find a huge improvement. The Alesis i02 would fit within your budget and has the MIDI that you need. The preamps are nice and quiet and fairly neutral so that might work for you.

However, I have to say that you're choice of mics wouldn't be what I'd buy for good recordings. The SM58 is designed for live work with a singer up close and loud. It also has a big upper mid peak that helps voices cut through live but can sound harsh in a recorded mix. Frankly, I think money spent on a mic (or maybe some acoustic treatment for your room) would yield bigger improvements that a "cheap but not quit so cheap" change of interface.
 
Bobbsy said:
I'm not a Xenyx fan but, frankly, with a budget of only $150 you're not going to find a huge improvement. The Alesis i02 would fit within your budget and has the MIDI that you need. The preamps are nice and quiet and fairly neutral so that might work for you.

However, I have to say that you're choice of mics wouldn't be what I'd buy for good recordings. The SM58 is designed for live work with a singer up close and loud. It also has a big upper mid peak that helps voices cut through live but can sound harsh in a recorded mix. Frankly, I think money spent on a mic (or maybe some acoustic treatment for your room) would yield bigger improvements that a "cheap but not quit so cheap" change of interface.
Click to expand...

I completely agree with you. I am just starting to really dive into the audio engineering side of the music industry, so I'm still learning haha. I'm currently interning at a big studio, and as far as mics go, I'm discovering several that I personally would love to purchase - obviously the Neumann U87 - that's the mic that I'm eventually aiming to purchase. Once again, It's not within my budget. I'm still a college student, so you probably know how that goes as far as having extra money on hand haha.

I'm in the process of acoustically treating my room. Building my own panels for my "control room," and panelling and blanketing my walk-in closet make-shift vocal booth.

I have plenty of plans to update my studio all around. I just figured I needed to start somewhere, and a new audio interface was the first thing I was looking to purchase. But if you guys think it makes more sense to purchase other things before the interface for the sake of improvements, I welcome the advice!
 
For those of you not liking the Xenyx/Behringer, may I ask why? They seem to be generally well received.
 
You haven't said how many simultaneous mic inputs you're going to need.
Maybe you don't rate that as a question, but you will when you want to do stereo guitar and vocal live through your two-channel interface. ;)

Also, search on here about closets and learn why they're generally not a great idea.
 
Steenamaroo said:
You haven't said how many simultaneous mic inputs you're going to need.
Maybe you don't rate that as a question, but you will when you want to do stereo guitar and vocal live through your two-channel interface. ;)

Also, search on here about closets and learn why they're generally not a great idea.
Click to expand...

It's not that I don't rate that as a question lol, I'm sorry I keep forgetting to answer it. For the past few years, I've just recorded vocals, guitar & midi separately. All I've ever really needed are 2 mic inputs for my vocals and guitar. I usually just overdub things anyway. In the future, I can see myself needing around at least 4-5 mic inputs for larger projects.

I am thinking more about the UA Apollo interface. Since I can't shell out $600 right now, I found a monthly financing option on Sweetwater that I could work with. Does anyone have experience with the Sweetwater credit card? Not sure if it's the best option
 
Rachel Philipp said:
It's not that I don't rate that as a question lol, I'm sorry I keep forgetting to answer it. For the past few years, I've just recorded vocals, guitar & midi separately.
Click to expand...

:p No worries.

Rachel Philipp said:
I usually just overdub things anyway. In the future, I can see myself needing around at least 4-5 mic inputs for larger projects.
Click to expand...

That's why I was asking. I'd be inclined to jump to something with 4-8 mic preamps to save another upgrade in the near future.
Maybe a used Tascam us600? It's supported up to 10.11 and has four mic preamps, as far as I know.
It also has an instrument input option (1 of the 4) and midi.
 
Steenamaroo said:
:p No worries.



That's why I was asking. I'd be inclined to jump to something with 4-8 mic preamps to save another upgrade in the near future.
Maybe a used Tascam us600? It's supported up to 10.11 and has four mic preamps, as far as I know.
It also has an instrument input option (1 of the 4) and midi.
Click to expand...

I've heard good things about Tascam! I'll definitely keep it in mind, and I definitely want to purchase something that will benefit me in the future so I don't have to upgrade so soon.

I know it's probably a wild comparison, but how would you compare something like the Tascam us600 with something like the UA Apollo Twin Solo? The main thing I'm concerned about in selecting an interface is tonal quality. I record a lot of vocals, and I've learned the hard way that my problem in getting good quality isn't during tracking, it's simply due to poor equipment.
 
Rachel Philipp said:
I've heard good things about Tascam! I'll definitely keep it in mind, and I definitely want to purchase something that will benefit me in the future so I don't have to upgrade so soon.

I know it's probably a wild comparison, but how would you compare something like the Tascam us600 with something like the UA Apollo Twin Solo? The main thing I'm concerned about in selecting an interface is tonal quality. I record a lot of vocals, and I've learned the hard way that my problem in getting good quality isn't during tracking, it's simply due to poor equipment.
Click to expand...

I don't have experience with UA gear to give you any info, I'm afraid.
It is 2 channel, though, so I guess you have to decide if the quality leap outweighs having a greater number of inputs.

I'd be intrigued to know more about your room or to hear some of your recordings.

In the long run you probably want a better interface, microphone, and room treatment.
The order in which you get these things could be debated all day but it doesn't change the endgame.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top