Art-Tube USB Dual Preamp Input Question

Great news! ECC to the rescue, again. :)

The main benefit of asio drivers is lower latency operation where a good driver from the manufacturer is not available.
Any interface from Motu, Presonus, Tascam etc is likely to have its own driver with that sort of thing in mind, and/or direct monitoring, often with built in digital effects.

Latency becomes a problem when we want to record and hear ourselves back in 'real' time and don't have these options.
You have a direct monitoring knob which means you will be able to hear yourself in REAL real time, but the audio you hear is tapped directly from the hardware and doesn't go through your daw,
which means you won't be previewing or availing of any software effects or processes. (sometimes it's nice for the singer to hear a reverb, for example).

If this stuff doesn't matter to you, then it doesn't matter. :)

Thanks, got it re latency. It actually kind of does, because I like to hear my guitar with all the effects on through the DAW etc through my speakers. So looks like I'll have to consider a Presonus or something like that at some point.

You've (and friends here) been very helpful. Have a bunch of things I'm still puzzled about as a recording beginner:

I read the definition in the manual for the Stereo/Dual switch on this unit. Problem is, I don't really get what practical difference it makes to the actual sound of the recording if I have this Stereo/Dual on as opposed to two mono lines into the DAW? Can you explain a bit please?
 
I'm going on memory of Arcaxis' post here so I could be wrong,
but I think the stereo option tied one gain control to both preamps, and made the other control a balance control?

That would make it easier to control gain for a pair of microphones on the same source, where their levels relative to each other are important.

In terms of what the computer sees, I believe ins 1+2 should still be separate.
It's just a control convenience.
 
"And what's the most affordable good/reliable dual channel mic preamp you all would recommend? "

You already have a mic pre amp! I am pretty sure the Art will run 'stand alone' i.e. without the USB connection. You REALLY need to spend you next chunk of cash on a good interface!

My default reccy is the Native Instruments KA6 as that would give you 4 inputs (two from the Art) and 4 tracks and the lowest latency you will find this side of $400 kit IMHO. But yes, £160 here. The next best I would say is the Steinberg UR22 £100 but there are SO many!

Truly, with any of the interfaces mentioned you don't need an external pre amp. Other things you WILL need are decent monitors. Again, LOT of cheap stuff about so ask here first. I am very happy with my Tannoy 5As but again a HUGE market. After that, room treatment (some would say you need to get it all together, all at once and it is hard to give a technical counter to that advice!) .

Dave.
 
I might suggest you try a different audio program. Maybe something easy like Audacity. You want to verify/rule out the DAW is the issue. If this doesn't work in Audacity, then I'd verify the stereo analog output is working unless I missed that. There is a possibility there is a problem with the preamp.
 
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