the best computer interface less than $400

[mbgr199]

Hello all,
I am looking to buy a usb2 or firewire computer interface for my laptop. I have a duo 2 core HP laptop. My plan is to use this setup to hookup to our mixer to record live. I setup sound system for our church choir (using stand microphone). In the future I also plan to use this setup (or with PC) to record the choir vocal or karaoke at home.
Please help me to buy the best computer interface. My budget is $400.

Thank you very much

[darrin_h2000]

The Line6 UX8 is the most versitile one at any price...I bought mine for $350 on a closeout deal at Guitar center...Tascam has a 16 input one for arround $300 on closeout too, if you want something that will handle the most inputs.

These things will work alot smoother if you have a very powerful desktop PC...so be sure and consider something at least 3 Ghz with lots and lots of ram...and you should stick with XP...vista is riddled with problems and the windows 7 is new so all the bugs are not worked out.

[vijsolo]

Depending on how many cannels you would need and what AD/DA converters power is sufficient for you

If you are interested in getting more channles and 24bit/96kHz is enough look at these boxes

M-Audio Fast Track Ultra USB 2.0 Audio Interface

Tascam US1641 USB 2.0 Audio/MIDI Interface

If you don't need more than two channels and look for higher numbers than 96 kHz together with a better quality preamps, I believe E-MU Tracker Pre would be a good choice

Emu Tracker Pre USB 2.0 Audio Interface

Cheers!

[mbgr199]

Thanks very much for replying.
I have another question: what should I select between Motu ultralite-MK3 or Tascam FW-1082, if I save more to increase the budget to $700?
Thanks

[vijsolo]

If you are ready to spend 700$ i would look at

M-Audio ProFire 2626 Firewire Audio Interface

With this you will be able to record wit up to 192kHz sampling rate. You also will get the ability to expand the number of channels with ADAT for up to 26 inputs outputs later on

Between the option you have stated in your last post I vote for MOTU due to 192 kHz sampling rate.

Cheers!!

[Jim Lad]

I was going to say that $400 was an inconvenient cut off price in that the good ones are just a little more expensive.
Why not pop into Tweakheadz site and run down the interface guide there.
Also, If I was looking at going back to audio interfaces again, I wouldn't consider any model that does not act as a control surface.
Just me maybe but the ability to bring levels up and down with sliding faders is not only more intuitive but encourages you to work more with your ears and would also be a great time saver.
I'm thinking about one of these http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._BCF2000_.html myself but you would be looking at one with mic inputs such as this http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FW1082/ .

[darrin_h2000]

Nothing in this catagory beats the line6 preamp wise...or the Tascam 1641 for inputs...and they are both unpopular so they have been marked down...Id stick with those over any other listed.

[darrin_h2000]

Originally Posted by Jim Lad

I was going to say that $400 was an inconvenient cut off price in that the good ones are just a little more expensive.
Why not pop into Tweakheadz site and run down the interface guide there.
Also, If I was looking at going back to audio interfaces again, I wouldn't consider any model that does not act as a control surface.
Just me maybe but the ability to bring levels up and down with sliding faders is not only more intuitive but encourages you to work more with your ears and would also be a great time saver.
I'm thinking about one of these http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._BCF2000_.html myself but you would be looking at one with mic inputs such as this http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FW1082/ .

The BCF2000 is a pretty good buy...and its not in the signal path so it isnt something that will degrade the signal.

[Jim Lad]

Thanks Darrin:
I know it's off topic for the poster here but it gets decent reviews and quite affordable.

[daveblue222]

firewire you can record each track seprately into your DAW, with Usb you cannot do this (only one stereo track)

usb interfaces tend to have less problems with drivers, cpu power etc....

if you plan on getting the mix right prior to recording then go for usb, if you want to mix after then go for a firewire interface

i have the presonus firestudio project that runs perfectly on macs

the alesis io/26 is also worth a look (also firewire)

Or if you choose usb check out the alesis range and Phonic.

if your only ever going to use one mic than maybe invest in a really good micpreamp interface

hope it goes well

[TeyshaBlue]

Originally Posted by daveblue222

firewire you can record each track seprately into your DAW, with Usb you cannot do this (only one stereo track)

Dude, that is completely false. USB interfaces will record multiple tracks. I just ordered a ZOOM r16, which is an 8x8 USB interface. Maudio also makes several very popular ones....notably the Fast Track Ultra.

Originally Posted by daveblue222

usb interfaces tend to have less problems with drivers, cpu power etc....

Another completely wrong statement. USB interfaces will task the CPU much more than a comparable Firewire interface.....and the incidence of driver issues is not higher for either format.

Originally Posted by daveblue222

if you plan on getting the mix right prior to recording then go for usb, if you want to mix after then go for a firewire interface.

Again, completely wrong.

Originally Posted by daveblue222

i have the presonus firestudio project that runs perfectly on macs

the alesis io/26 is also worth a look (also firewire)

Or if you choose usb check out the alesis range and Phonic.

if your only ever going to use one mic than maybe invest in a really good micpreamp interface

hope it goes well

Here's a good resource for comparing interfaces....check it out and get some accurate information regarding FW and USB interfaces.
http://www.tweakheadz.com/audio_inte...ison_chart.htm

[Jim Lad]

firewire you can record each track seprately into your DAW, with Usb you cannot do this (only one stereo track)

Sorry Dave. That's just not the case.
There are many USB Audio Interfaces which provide as many as 8 individual channels along with ADAT which adds up to another 8 or even 16 channels.
In fact, I think there are probably more USB than Firewire devices.

[daveblue222]

sorry, what i meant is that with usb you cant record say 8 tracks on seperate tracks within your DAW. yes you can still record 8 tracks but it will only be onto a stereo track.

with firewire you can record all tracks simultaneously and onto seperate tracks in a DAW

please correct me if i am wrong (again)

[altitude909]

Yep. you're wrong. There are a number of USB 2.0 interfaces that will record 8 simultaneous tracks.

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...ckUltra8R.html

"..24-bit/96kHz professional audio on all I/O simultaneously .."

[TeyshaBlue]

Originally Posted by daveblue222

sorry, what i meant is that with usb you cant record say 8 tracks on seperate tracks within your DAW. yes you can still record 8 tracks but it will only be onto a stereo track.

with firewire you can record all tracks simultaneously and onto seperate tracks in a DAW

please correct me if i am wrong (again)

Sorry, but you're wrong again. USB can handle dedicated outputs. I just got my R16 in yesterday...got it installed and configured and laid 6 tracks down at the same time, each on an individual track in Sonar.

This weekend, I'll likely be laying down all 8 at a time, onto 8 seperate tracks within Sonar.

[daveblue222]

so sorry people. i was under the assumption that usb only recorded multiple tracks as stereo. i researched the differences between usb and firewire a few years ago and was certain from everything i read that this was the main difference between the two has usb interfaces changed recently then?

what other usb models can record multiple tracks on separate daw tracks?

sorry for the mix up lol?


-dave

[Jim Lad]

so sorry people. i was under the assumption that usb only recorded multiple tracks as stereo. i researched the differences between usb and firewire a few years ago and was certain from everything i read that this was the main difference between the two has usb interfaces changed recently then?

what other usb models can record multiple tracks on separate daw tracks?

sorry for the mix up lol?

We weren't trying to jump on you, Dave but rather the misinformation.
I think you may be confused with "SPDIF, Coaxial" which transfers only two channels but USB and Firewire are a bit like VHS and Beta. Both perform the same function and which does it better is always up for debate.

[Yonce N Mild]

Originally Posted by daveblue222

so sorry people. i was under the assumption that usb only recorded multiple tracks as stereo. i researched the differences between usb and firewire a few years ago and was certain from everything i read that this was the main difference between the two has usb interfaces changed recently then?

what other usb models can record multiple tracks on separate daw tracks?

sorry for the mix up lol?


-dave

I was under the same impression for a while because the alesis multi mix USB interfaces only sent a stereo mix while the firewire version of the same mixer sent all 8 channels separately.
That was several years ago. At that time there didn't seem to be very may USB interfaces that did more than 2 channels. I think the increase in CPU speed along with USB 2.0 has made it feasible to do more channels with USB.

[linoleum6]

Originally Posted by vijsolo

Depending on how many cannels you would need and what AD/DA converters power is sufficient for you

If you are interested in getting more channles and 24bit/96kHz is enough look at these boxes

M-Audio Fast Track Ultra USB 2.0 Audio Interface

Tascam US1641 USB 2.0 Audio/MIDI Interface

If you don't need more than two channels and look for higher numbers than 96 kHz together with a better quality preamps, I believe E-MU Tracker Pre would be a good choice

Emu Tracker Pre USB 2.0 Audio Interface

Cheers!

I agree with him on the Tascam, i have one and love it.

[dastrick]

I'm a Presonus fan, myself.

Firepod, Firestudio, etc....

[jtomme65]

I did something similar last spring with a mackie onyx and a motu 8pre. The motu is 549 but you might find one used for 400

[mbgr199]

Thanks for all the replies. after reading all your recomendations and research on my own, i come up with three choices:

1) Motu 2408 MKII used $350
2) Motu 8pre
3) Motu ultralite MK3

What do you think?

Thanks

[auburncatfish]

I recently bought the E-Mu Tracker Pre. I'm doing basic sing-songwriter recording, but wanted the high vocal quality, but also portability. I'll let y'all know how this soundcard runs once I get it.

[dgatwood]

Originally Posted by mbgr199

Thanks for all the replies. after reading all your recomendations and research on my own, i come up with three choices:

1) Motu 2408 MKII used $350
2) Motu 8pre
3) Motu ultralite MK3

What do you think?

Thanks

All good hardware.

Regarding FireWire versus USB and driver problems, yes, USB does have more problems. This is mainly because there are a lot of really dodgy USB audio chip manufacturers out there, and some of the crappier audio interfaces use them. And the USB 1.0 audio spec was poorly defined in a lot of areas, making it an ugly mess. Still waiting for real USB 2.0 audio interfaces. (AFAIK, all the "USB 2.0" interfaces on the market today violate the USB specs by using 1.0 descriptors with high-speed devices....)

Usually with the more mainstream hardware manufacturers (M-Audio, Tascam, Edirol, MOTU, etc.), their USB gear should perform adequately assuming your USB hardware doesn't have really terrible IRQ steering (which seems to happens more often than with FireWire, but that may be my own biases coloring my perception).

[Jim Lad]

Usually with the more mainstream hardware manufacturers (M-Audio, Tascam, Edirol, MOTU, etc.), their USB gear should perform adequately assuming your USB hardware doesn't have really terrible IRQ steering (which seems to happens more often than with FireWire, but that may be my own biases coloring my perception).

I'd say "Yes" your own bias is colouring your perception.
Those are 4 top of the line brands which you say "Should perform adequately".
M-Audio for one, is absolutely outstanding at keeping drivers up to date.
USB-1 is oh so ancient history.