Oh no! not another. . . . .

benherron.rrr

New member
. . . .Audio Interface thread

The fruits of my labour have meant that I can now look at a new audio interface, Im currently using a toneport UX2.

Ive decided I want to go for a bigger 8in interface, and Im struggleing with the decision.

I have been looking at both the M-audio ultra 8r, and the M-audio profire 2626 and the personus fireport studio.

The profire is at the very very top of my budget and the only real advantage I can see is the expandability. I dont nesseserily need 8 inputs but I want them there If i need them. spending the money I want a little room to move If needs be.

Im slightly tempted by going with the M-audio choice, primeraly because at uni everyone uses protools, even though I love cubase, it would be so much easier to use the softwear that my friends and my education really uses. and with the M-audio choice I have the compatibility there to use get protools if needs be.

I have heard nice things about the personus pre's though and like I mentioned I love using cubase so I need not worry about intergration. another added bonus is that the XLR inputs are at the front which for me is a hell of a lot more conveniant.

Another reason I would Like a new interface is because I really want to learn about rack effects and such, So I would like the space to add some into my chain, and would the outputs be used for my monitors?

I use my digital piano as my MIDI controller would this effect anything?

Sorry for being annoying I would just like some help narrowing the choices down, I have done as much reading as I can but I need some help siplifing things. . . . im a bit stupid:)
 
Have you looked at some of the MOTU stuff.
They get great reviews and usually come with more features.
There's also a Tascam 8 channel, with less features and a much smaller price tag.
 
Im fairly set on either the fast track pro 8r, or the presonus firestudio project.

Could anyone tell me if they know which of these has the best built in pre amps?

also I have found out the presonus can be daisy chained which has advantages for future expansion, and 2 sends and returns which caters for the outboard gear I hope to get, the m-audio has 2 inserts. I know nothing about outboard gear so I would just like to know How far I could go with adding a some rack mount processing and how it wold be done? I know everything has an input and an output so I would go out of the send and back in to the return, but how would this work having only inserts on the interface???

Please help me :):)
 
Don't even consider the Ultra 8r if you have firewire on your computer get a firewire interface

^ best advice here. go firewire, i own a firepod (fp10) which pretty much the same thing as the firestudio. its pretty great, preamps are pretty clean. going firewire allows you to record each track individually. the ultra 8r is usb therefore all recorded tracks will come in to your daw on one track.
 
^ best advice here. go firewire, i own a firepod (fp10) which pretty much the same thing as the firestudio. its pretty great, preamps are pretty clean. going firewire allows you to record each track individually. the ultra 8r is usb therefore all recorded tracks will come in to your daw on one track.

Definitely not the best advice here ^
You will be able to record separate tracks even if you use a usb 2.0 interface. I don't know where he heard that, but it's simply not true. You shouldn't post "advice" like that if you don't even know what you're talking about.

Have you looked at some of the MOTU stuff.
They get great reviews and usually come with more features.
There's also a Tascam 8 channel, with less features and a much smaller price tag.

Yeah, I'm with Jim Lad. Just keep browsing around a bit! Explore your options! :)
If I were you, I personally wouldn't go firewire, especially if all I wanted was 8 inputs. I'd recommend a usb 2.0 interface...they could handle that load no problem. Good luck!
 
I can personally recommend the Phonic Helix Mixer line. I own the 18 Universal. I use the heck out of mine, no regrets at all.

Super transparent mic preamps. If I remember right when I ran a loop back test it was something like .005% THD.

Things I like about it:

1) Has a pre/post & EQ fader switch. (prefader recording is super noiseless)
2) 2 Prefader AUX busses (great for monitoring)
3) Can do double duty as a Live/General purpose mixer (My XBOX and DVD player runs through it)
4) I use the firewire mode at home, but at other places USB mode is nice.
5) The price was bargain in it's class.
6) Looks cool.
7) A well written manual.

Things I don't:

1) I wish it could return the signal back to the channel it came from. (It will record 16 but play only 2 channels)
2) Only has 8 XLRs (Not the end of the world)
3) Only has 6 Insert jacks.
4) Had even more prefader AUX busses.
5) Lack of a master buss multi band EQ.

My biggest wish is that I had the cash to have bought the 24 Universal model.

Racherik
 
From what I know USB and Firewire are in the same league nowadays, the only real reason why im tempted by the M-audio is for the pro tools combatibility. I have a single firewire port and a ton of usb 2 in my computer

Im really looking for an all in one solution, something in that price range where I have the abillity to plug in my monitors and sub (when i get one), and a couple of outboard effects/dynamics just to get me started down that road. so just need a little help getting the right one, Im a musician who loves recording my stuff, just getting into the whole technic
al process really, so forgive me for being a bit stupid.

just as a side note, if I bought a decent external hard drive could I use it to put my VST instruments on it and would they run as well as they do on my internal drive?

thanks for your help so far :)
 
the ultra 8r is usb therefore all recorded tracks will come in to your daw on one track.
Why does this myth keep rearing it's ugly head?
USB does the same as Firewire.
Most folks will tell you that Firewire does it better.
Given that I've never used Firewire, I have to go along with them but let's set this straight.
USB will deliver just as many individual tracks as Firewire and it does it well.
 
Why does this myth keep rearing it's ugly head?
USB does the same as Firewire.
Most folks will tell you that Firewire does it better.
Given that I've never used Firewire, I have to go along with them but let's set this straight.
USB will deliver just as many individual tracks as Firewire and it does it well.

I don't know why either. But it really bothers me when people just throw it around like it's fact!
 
Ah well.
I don't want to sound like one of those crotchety old guys that leaves grumpy messages on blog sites.
And the other person was just trying to help.
Heck! I've thought I've been wrong in the past too.
It happens.:drunk:
 
Why does this myth keep rearing it's ugly head?
USB does the same as Firewire.
Most folks will tell you that Firewire does it better.
Given that I've never used Firewire, I have to go along with them but let's set this straight.
USB will deliver just as many individual tracks as Firewire and it does it well.


i never knew, wow thanks. ive always heard and therefore wrongly assumed usb doesnt do multi tracks

my apoogizies
 
From comparisons i have seen USB 2.0 is about 8mbps faster than firewire.
I know that USB 1 was completely redundant to the speed of firewire.

to the point?

:confused:
 
Take a look at the Tascam US 1641. I believe it's the one Jim Lad told you about in his first post. There's a stunning number of features for such a low price (300$ on most of the online stores).
 
i never knew, wow thanks. ive always heard and therefore wrongly assumed usb doesnt do multi tracks

my apoogizies
Nice that you came back. Many wouldn't. Keep chipping in there. I'm sure you have as much to offer as the rest of us.

Take a look at the Tascam US 1641. I believe it's the one Jim Lad told you about in his first post. There's a stunning number of features for such a low price (300$ on most of the online stores).
It's missing a bunch of features too but if all you ever want is to get 8 channels into a DAW, go for it.
 
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