Audio Interface for Logic

[folkrock75]

Please help me Choose my Audio Interface. (Sorry)

As a recent Garageband convert to Logic I am now looking for a decent audio interface. I have a new iMac and have been currently using a gifted "Belkin Tunestudio" for my conversion needs. I sold my old M-audio Fast Track USB, finding it to be sterile, cold, and rather cheap. I am not looking in the $200-500 range. Details below:

• I record in an untreated bedroom. Basically demos, not for sale, as a recording enthusiast / hobbyist. Trading with friends, etc. Vocals, acoustic guitar, quieter electric (neighbors). Acoustic treatment is probably not going to happen.
• I have scoured many many reviews (tweakheadz.com guide, musicians friend reviews, this board, etc), and am still rather confused.
• I am a designer and major Apple fan. Functionality design plays a role in my decision making
• I almost purchased a Apogee Duet, but I am not happy with the "tangle" break out, and firewire 400 status
• Probably looking for an AD converter alone, not a control surface or analog mixer combo. 4 tracks would more than cover my needs (2 really, but thinking ahead)
• My mac has firewire 800, which is ultimately backwards compatible, but confuses the situation...are firewire 800 converters going to show up this year?

[tojo]

1. yes i'm pretty sure there are converters. you can get adapters to go from fw800-400. don't quote me, google it.
2. i was on the tweakheadz.com website and he really suggests the presonus firebox as a great starter entry box. I almost bought it
-instead i bought a used edirol fa-101. works great for me.

- a step up from the edirol would be anything by motu. I would seriously suggest you check them out. Tweak himself says they work will with macs ("rememeber: mmmmmac and mmmmmotu)

i'd get the ultralite, or the motu 8pre.

good luck

[folkrock75]

Yes good call, I have been looking at the MOTU 8 pre. It's just a little out of reach price wise, but the shear amount of inputs really makes it attractive. If they had a MOTU 6 pre that would be perfect.

[tojo]

oh yeah. I wish motu made small more consumer price friendly units like a 4 pre with expansion capabilities.

[jamesb49]

I have a presonis firestudio project, i also don't have a treated room, but get good recordings with the set up i have, 8 inputs also great for drums, in high end of your price range!

[folkrock75]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I have continued to evaluate my needs and am leaning slightly towards a MOTU Ultralite- I like that it has 2 Pre's / XLRs-in to suit my immediate needs, and 6 more lines of conversion that I could one day expand via an analog mixer or separate preamps. Of course, this is sort of committing to an extra expense in the future. Also, the apogee duet is still looking strong, there is something to be said about keeping things simple, and the duet appears to definitely do that. From what I have seen Apogee, Motu, and Mackie all are pretty mac friendly.

I feel as though companies are still keeping things a bit too complicated in order to drive a higher price. For example, MOTU could put out an amazing 2 in or 4 in option with no other bells and whistles for a lower price. Of course if they did that, they would hurt sales of their Ultralite and 8pre. But I don't mean to digress.

Curious if anyone here has any thoughts on "waiting it out"? We are definitely in a transitional period where USB upgrades abound, with rumor of USB3 coming out soon. Firewire 2 is still only a compatible technology, not one that companies are utilizing to its full potential. I feel like buying a firewire interface is a bit like it was to buy a Jazz drive or Zip drive back in the day- I know the technology is going to get better and better and just want to make sure I invest at the right time. Obviously I need something to use in the interim, but as anyone would, I want to make sure my investment will hold up technologically for a few years. Anyway, sorry for the rant.

[KineticSound]

FWIW, I use an Apogee Duet and love it, especially the mic pre's. The breakout cable has little "joiners" that keep the cables from getting tangled, and they tuck neatly behind my desk, so all you see is the little grey box with the control button on top.

Aside from the convenience factor that the Apogee units have a software control panel built right in to Logic, it's hard to beat their conversion quality and the tremendous gain range of the Apogee preamps (75db - holy cow!).

[LiddleBuddha]

Originally Posted by folkrock75

Please help me Choose my Audio Interface. (Sorry)

Hey folkrock75,

I'm relatively noobish to this stuff so I probably can't help much. But...

I bought a Presonus Firebox interface. Since the iMac is firewire 800 and the interfaces at this point all seem to be fw400, (it'd indeed be nice if they update to fw800), I bought a short firewire 800-to-400 converter cable. The interface is plugged directly into the iMac via the converter cable. The external h/d is daisy-chained off the interface using a regular 400-400 fw cable.

This method has not created any problems for me or the system so far. Of course, with this set-up you're stuck with the fw400 data transfer rate speeds, (but to me it seems plenty zippy. )

Also, the Firebox has a MIDI/SPDIF breakout cable, so I don't know if that'd work for you since you mention not being fond of that feature with the Apogee Duet.

Dunno know if any of that is helpful. Good luck either way, and let us know what you decide!

Best,
Dave