Interface research boggling my feeble brain

[BeeMan]

I tried out a Presonus Firebox on my PC. Was less than impressed by it. It installed fine and ran great, etc, but the sound quality didn't live up to the hype of the sales pitch from Guitar Center. Took it back and decided to research some more and maybe spend a couple hundred extra to try and get something with better sound quality.

I'm considering...

MOTU UltraLite. Pros (and please correct me if I'm wrong in any of this): can route out to a physical effects processors and back into the program after recording dry. Cons: only 2 pre mics. Though I don't see myself using more than 2 most of the time, there IS that occasion I want 2 mics set up for guitar or vocals and a third for room ambience.

MOTU 8pre: Pros: 8 mic ins w/individual phantom. Con: only 2 outs for the monitors? Is that right? I can't push something out to a processor and bring it back in?

TC Electronics Konnekt24D: I've read about the bad rep the Konnekt 8 has with stability, drivers, etc.. Does the 24D address any of those issues? I'm a fan of their processors, but have no experience (or up til now even really heard about) their interfaces. Other than that, it seems to have essentially the same pros/cons as the UltraLite.

Another option seems to be to wait a little bit, spend 200 more on the MOTU 828mk3. (where do they come up with all these number/acronym names anyway?)

Sorry if my "jargon" is off, I'm definitely no pro. My ear has gotten better, but I know jack about the backend of all this stuff.

Thoughts?

(BTW, computer specs: WinXP Pro Pack 2, Pent D 3.2GHz, 2 GB Ram. Software currently Reaper, just bought Adobe's CS3 Master collection so I might as well give audition a try as well)

[TyphoidHippo]

The first thing you need to decide is how many inputs you actually need or want. Then you need to decide how you want your preamp situation to be handled. Then you need to decide what kind of routing options you want.

So...try to answer these questions:

1. How many tracks would you like to be able to record at once?

2. Out of those tracks - how many are line-level and how many will require preamps?

3. Do you want to be able to insert outboard gear in the recording signal chain of each track? (Like a compressor during tracking).

4. Do you plan to mix on an anolog console or in your DAW software?

5. If you answered DAW software to #4 - Do you want to be able to use outboard gear during mixdown?

6. If yes to #5 - How many tracks would you like to be able to route out at once?

7. Out of the number you answered for #6 - How many of those tracks are mono inserts (like compressors or eq individual for individual tracks) and how many are stereo sends (like reverbs, delays, or aux bus/parallel compression).

Answer those questions, and you will be WELL on your way to narrowing down what kind of setup you need.

[BeeMan]

LOL...dude, you should draw out a flow chart or something, that was greatness...and very helpful. Thank you.

What is the significance in #3 (outboard gear inserted into the recording signal chain)? Would that just imply more need of line inputs as opposed to balanced pre's?

I'm leaning toward going with less pre's for now (I can always add them, right?) and concentrating the money spent on better A/D conversion and drivers. Anyone want to chime in on the Konnekt 24D against the MOTU UltraLite?

[TyphoidHippo]

Originally Posted by BeeMan

What is the significance in #3 (outboard gear inserted into the recording signal chain)? Would that just imply more need of line inputs as opposed to balanced pre's?

No - to do this properly would require hardware, post preamp, pre-converter, insert points. These are normally only found on mixing boards. But that little Mackie Satellite thingy you brought up in your other thread has inserts...and that's why I thought it was an interesting device. It's the smallest preamp/converter interface that has real, hardware inserts.

The reason insert points are important is really about streamlining your environment. People who use mixing boards and a lot of outboard gear will have all their outboard devices connected to an insert snake. Then they can easily insert any of their outboard processors, compressors or whatever on any channel without having to rewire anything. They just plug that device's 1/4" TRS insert into the 1/4" TRS insert point for that channel.

In that situation the signal travels through this chain:

Microphone--Preamp--Compressor--A/D Converter

On the other hand, if you have a device that has preamps and converters in one box, and no way to "insert" any device in between the preamps and converters, then you would have to do something like this to get your outboard effect applied to your signal:

Microphone---Preamp--A/D Converter--D/A Converter--Compressor--A/D Converter

.....that's just unnecessary and the signal degradation from all the extra A/D and D/A conversions is generally considered a bad idea if it can be avoided....which it CAN in the case that you are wanting to actually record through an outboard device....by using a mixing board or other interface with real insert points.

Wow....that's a complicated subject to explain...it's very, very simple once you understand it, though...hope you understand it, lol.