Need Help With Recording Several Mics Simultaneously!

So after digging around the internet for a bit, I found two audio interfaces I would be willing to spend some money on:

Either a NEW Behringer U-phoria UMC 1820 18x20 channel USB audio interface with 8 microphone inputs and 1 ADAT (200$)

or

since Chili mentioned Tascam:

A USED (but still good condition) Tascam US 1800 16x4 channel USB audio interface with 8 microphone inputs but NO ADAT (140$)

On paper the Behringer seems quite a bit better, but so many people seem to despise the quality of their products...


So what do you guys think?

I would not recommend the Tascam US-1800. That is an old generation of interface, and driver support is going to be a problem. Those drivers haven't been updated since 2016, and you could always be one Windows update away from having a boat anchor instead of an interface.

If you're set on Tascam as a brand, look into their more recent offerings like the US-16x08.

I think the U-Phoria series from Behringer is terrific for the money. They're certainly not perfect, but they do offer everything you need to make some very good sounding tracks. Those Midas-designed preamps are no joke. They may be cheap, but they're solid. And their Windows drivers do, in fact, support Windows 10 all the way back to Vista.
 
I would not recommend the Tascam US-1800. That is an old generation of interface, and driver support is going to be a problem. Those drivers haven't been updated since 2016, and you could always be one Windows update away from having a boat anchor instead of an interface.

I disagree. Up until last week, I had the Tascam US-800, which is even older, and the drivers worked fine in Win10. (I sold the unit to a new member here on the forums.) I installed the drivers using Win7 compatibility mode. No problem with the drivers.

I agree with the advice to go with something newer if you can.
 
I would not recommend the Tascam US-1800. That is an old generation of interface, and driver support is going to be a problem. Those drivers haven't been updated since 2016, and you could always be one Windows update away from having a boat anchor instead of an interface.

If you're set on Tascam as a brand, look into their more recent offerings like the US-16x08.

I think the U-Phoria series from Behringer is terrific for the money. They're certainly not perfect, but they do offer everything you need to make some very good sounding tracks. Those Midas-designed preamps are no joke. They may be cheap, but they're solid. And their Windows drivers do, in fact, support Windows 10 all the way back to Vista.

If that's the one where the input monitor mix is set by the gain controls, I wouldn't recommend it. More input monitor mix flexibility would be preferable.
 
I disagree. Up until last week, I had the Tascam US-800, which is even older, and the drivers worked fine in Win10. (I sold the unit to a new member here on the forums.) I installed the drivers using Win7 compatibility mode. No problem with the drivers.

I agree with the advice to go with something newer if you can.

Got to agree wit' Chili an this one, Tascam drivers just work. The fact they didn't just appear on the recording scene is also note worthy. That said, Behringer makes perfectly usable products, though some don't like abuse that a more expensive brand might tolerate.
 
I can't comment on the Behringer, but I can say that the Tascam is a very workable interface. Current price for the 16x08 is similar to the 1820. I don't use the 8 channels 90+% of the time, but when you need them, its great to have them at the ready.

For me, having the microphone inputs on the front panel is a plus. If you are going to have it in a rack, it simplifies things.
 
I would got for the Tascam. The 1800 does have W10 drivers and I would trust Tascam to keep up with Msoft better than Behringer (been burned years ago)
I agree ADAT is a bit of a diversion. In addition to 8 mic pres the 1800 has 6 line inputs so a small mixer could be bought in the future should two or more mic channels be needed.

I am also wary of the very low line drive level of the Berry AIs, around +3dBu max. No one has reported a problem afaik so fAr but it will happen I am sure. There is cutting costs but to skiimp on ONE surface mount $0.1 IC is taking things too far IMHO!

Dave.
 
For me, having the microphone inputs on the front panel is a plus. If you are going to have it in a rack, it simplifies things.

Absolutely agree. Having mike combo inputs on the back is poor design. Having to scrabble around at the back of a rack to swap things round is not good.

There are a couple of features of an interface that for me are important.

1 inputs on the front.

2 physical input/playback balance knob on the front

3 inserts on at least a couple of input tracks.

4 in addition to line-outs for each channel, a volume-controlled main output for monitors, and a non-volume controlled output for headphone amps or similar.

These are the features that my Firepod has. I've been looking around for a replacement, but can't finding anything that has all these features. Not even the newer Presonus interfaces.
 
I would got for the Tascam. The 1800 does have W10 drivers and I would trust Tascam to keep up with Msoft better than Behringer (been burned years ago)
I agree ADAT is a bit of a diversion. In addition to 8 mic pres the 1800 has 6 line inputs so a small mixer could be bought in the future should two or more mic channels be needed.

I am also wary of the very low line drive level of the Berry AIs, around +3dBu max. No one has reported a problem afaik so fAr but it will happen I am sure. There is cutting costs but to skiimp on ONE surface mount $0.1 IC is taking things too far IMHO!

Dave.

Well the thing is, I'm a mac user and I don't know how compatible the 1800 is with OS X?
 
Well the thing is, I'm a mac user and I don't know how compatible the 1800 is with OS X?

With Core Audio most stuff including( I believe) the 1800 is just plug and play on the Mac. Check the Tascam website doc's
 
With Core Audio most stuff including( I believe) the 1800 is just plug and play on the Mac. Check the Tascam website doc's
It does have a driver for OS X. The last one they posted is for High Sierra, so if OP is on Mojave, it would be a try and see if the driver installs. There's a specific document for the HS installation steps.

My interfaces have never needed a driver (both M-Audio USB and Focusrite Firewire both supported by Core Audio), but they did have application software that was useful/necessary for some routing or ADAT configuration.
 
I do not know anything about Mac, but here are drivers so you can decide.

US-1800 | DOWNLOADS | TASCAM - United States

With Core Audio most stuff including( I believe) the 1800 is just plug and play on the Mac. Check the Tascam website doc's

It does have a driver for OS X. The last one they posted is for High Sierra, so if OP is on Mojave, it would be a try and see if the driver installs. There's a specific document for the HS installation steps.

My interfaces have never needed a driver (both M-Audio USB and Focusrite Firewire both supported by Core Audio), but they did have application software that was useful/necessary for some routing or ADAT configuration.

Yeah I've checked the website and since i have High Sierra anyway, it looks like the 1800 would work just fine.

I did end up buying 1800 today, I got a deal on a used one that I thought was too good to refuse (only 100$), so I'll try it out as soon as I get it next week!
 
So I've been thinking about getting the Behringer U-Phoria UMC1820 with 8 channels, where I live its only 200$. It also has ADAT, which is nice.
https://www.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-U-...gateway&sprefix=behringer+umc1,aps,248&sr=8-1

Any one have any experience with it?

Also, does anyone know any high quality audio interfaces that might be a little older/not produced anymore that I could look into getting used?
for much better quality, check out the Presonus 6/8. comes with everything you need and only $249.
 
Quality is a funny thing. The criteria we now use to 'judge' quality are so ahead of what we had just twenty years ago for broadcast, that it's largely academic, because few people have monitor systems that are capable of letting you hear what your specs and measurements tell you! You see people all the time spending their cash on advanced preamps, and then you see what they're using for speakers. I see no topics telling people their 6" driver speakers are not good enough. Few topics telling people that they need to move their monitors or swap their rooms around - yet loads about X brand presents being clearly better than Y brand. It's a recording system, rom mic to ear.

I have what I call 'stiction'. When I find a component I like, I keep it and use it. So I have some brand new kit and I have some ancient kit, and I like what they do, and I never feel that my quality is compromised. My monitors are bigger and over 30 year old. I have some 6" monitors with built in amps, and they now hang off my edit suit because they don't sound as good as the ancient ones ..... still! There's too much fashion in recording. We constantly recommend 2i2 interfaces I note - because for newcomers they do the job pretty well.
 
Quality is a funny thing. The criteria we now use to 'judge' quality are so ahead of what we had just twenty years ago for broadcast, that it's largely academic, because few people have monitor systems that are capable of letting you hear what your specs and measurements tell you! You see people all the time spending their cash on advanced preamps, and then you see what they're using for speakers. I see no topics telling people their 6" driver speakers are not good enough. Few topics telling people that they need to move their monitors or swap their rooms around - yet loads about X brand presents being clearly better than Y brand. It's a recording system, rom mic to ear.

I have what I call 'stiction'. When I find a component I like, I keep it and use it. So I have some brand new kit and I have some ancient kit, and I like what they do, and I never feel that my quality is compromised. My monitors are bigger and over 30 year old. I have some 6" monitors with built in amps, and they now hang off my edit suit because they don't sound as good as the ancient ones ..... still! There's too much fashion in recording. We constantly recommend 2i2 interfaces I note - because for newcomers they do the job pretty well.

Never read it put quite like that Rob! Yes, there IS a constant concentration on the "front end". I think this is due to several factors but a big one is financial. The noob sees the cost of "proper" monitors and some minimal room treatment and simply hopes it won't matter. Audio manfctrs have of course jumped at the fiscal hole with cheap gimmcrackery that tries to convince the punter he/she can have accurate monitoring for $200 a pair.

I have dug (dugged?) out a 1980s Hi Fi News(!) Annual. The Kef R105, arguably one of the best speakers of its day and one of the few that could stand comparison for accuracy and low colouration with the Quad ELS sold for £675 a pair and they were passives! To give context in 1981 an 80W pch Marantz amp was £200 but in fact you would have needed bigger than that to do the R105 full justice.

Translate those prices to the modern day and high end monitors from such as Adam and PMC seem rather a bargain! Shoot, a Revox A77 HS would set you back £360 and produce a ****load more noise and distortion than a Behringer UCA 202!

The other "lack" in modern times is that few people these days go to hear live, acoustic instruments*. They might frequent a pub or club but never hear unamplified (often badly) instruments. If you never go to a classical concert or even an acoustic jazz or big band even you cannot have 'king clue about true sound and stereo "pictures" So, get TF out there and listen!

*My life is complicated with health issues atmo but hopefully when things get a bit easier I shall get to some concerts before the lugs fail completely or I am too ga-ga to appreciate it!

Dave.
 
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BTW "I" don't recommend the 2i2! Overpriced IMHO, not great headroom, not sure it gives really low latency and no friggin' MIDI! Not keen on the bundled software either.

I often suggest the Tascam 2x2. The US16-30 multitracker has been around for years and I have read very little if anything bad about it. But yes, there really are no BAD interfaces out there, just do your homework noobs.

Dave.
 
Quality is a funny thing. The criteria we now use to 'judge' quality are so ahead of what we had just twenty years ago for broadcast, that it's largely academic, because few people have monitor systems that are capable of letting you hear what your specs and measurements tell you! You see people all the time spending their cash on advanced preamps, and then you see what they're using for speakers. I see no topics telling people their 6" driver speakers are not good enough. Few topics telling people that they need to move their monitors or swap their rooms around - yet loads about X brand presents being clearly better than Y brand. It's a recording system, rom mic to ear.

I have what I call 'stiction'. When I find a component I like, I keep it and use it. So I have some brand new kit and I have some ancient kit, and I like what they do, and I never feel that my quality is compromised. My monitors are bigger and over 30 year old. I have some 6" monitors with built in amps, and they now hang off my edit suit because they don't sound as good as the ancient ones ..... still! There's too much fashion in recording. We constantly recommend 2i2 interfaces I note - because for newcomers they do the job pretty well.

I agree. My older brother was a manager of a high end audio store "back in the day" and got me a deal on a pair of Klipsch Forte's that i still use as my main speakers in the tracking area to check my mixes. They still work suprisingly well in translating to modern sub/sat systems. I have 6 inch nearfields as well but they aren't near as accurate as my old Klipsch's!
 
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